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david_steward

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From a superb three days on the East coast. We left Ramsgate on Friday bound for Burnham-on-Crouch. Then on to Bradwell on Saturday.

It was an eventful trip for a number of reasons.....

Firstly, to whoever was driving that very large new looking flybridge cruiser( poss Squadron 60+)in the middle of nowhere in the Thames Estuary near Fishermans Gat.

You are an UTTER BASTARD with no idea of the collision regulations. It was a simple head on situation, albeit he was on the wrong side of a wide buoyed channel. We altered course to starboard, he did nothing. We altered course some more, we are now virtually at right angles to him showing our port side. He still did nothing but continued to bear down on us at over 30 kts. Getting very worried so now slowed right down so it was obvious to him I was concerned about his actions. Still no course change or any other action. So we had to open the throttles right up to avoid being run down.

What a tosser, no action or recognition on his part at all. The boat looked very new and I could not see a name anywhere. We first saw him way ahead going the same way as us. He then turned right around and came towards us. This was all very strange as it is at least 12 miles from anywhere and is well off of the beaten track. I did wonder if it was some kind of boat test, even a magazine out in the latest gin palace. I was not best pleased as can be seen from the fact that I am still harping on about it 3 days later.

Then we met up with the infamous Barry D (aka DF-Light). He was just handing over his cash for his new Rinker. We hope to deliver it next weekend from Bradwell to Chichester. Weather permitting.

Whilst sat in the Pub on Saturday afternoon, an enormous Mega Yacht cruised up the Blackwater and anchored. Turned out to be that Boadicea that was on the Thames recently. We met up with 2 of the 28 crew in the pub later that evening.

The confirmed it is owned by that Aussie neighbours chap. And the crew hate every minute of it!!!. They said it is the shoddiest run boat they have ever worked on. In fact they had both recently resigned and taken other jobs.
Its 235 feet long, 180 Tonnes of fuel, 14 kts. Recently been to Alaska, West Indies, Azores, and now a nice foggy morning on the East Coast! Apparently they never sail before 10 am as the owners don't like to be underway until they are washed and fed. As if they could tell. And all of its tenders keep breaking down.

Anyway, great trip, very good weather, ate and drank too much. as usual. Haven't won the lottery so its BTWM.



(back to work monday)

Ta Ta

Dave S
 
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But I thought the plan was delivery this weekend with you on board MV2? Have you now got cold feet about going on petrol powered MV2 (in case you have to refuel it) and are just going to escort Barry, with you in Odysea and him in MV2? Sort of as you did with us, i.e. you blat off at 30knots and he trundles behind playing dodgems with the ferries? Loads of fun though and thanks again for what you did for us. Reckon you've got a new career ahead of you, converting "virgins".

And did MV2 actually go out with Barry driving and what did he break? No doubt Barry will post his version later.

Re Boadicea, do they really have 28 crew. What do they find to do all day? Wonder what else the actor does to be able to afford it. Surely can't be that well paid to afford it on his salary alone can he.

Oh and the Squaddie's actions are disgusting. Not much you can do if there's no name on it, so don't know who's responsible though maybe a call on 16 would have got a response" Oi Bastard what you doing, over" Or thrown a tin of paint at it as it came past. Least ways you could have identified it later. Seriously though it's incidents like that that reinforce views towards some form of compulsory testing\licensing system. Or a good reason for not having an autopilot and then going downstairs for dinner, leaving the a\p in charge.

Good job you were sharp enough to spot the potential collision and take avoiding action in time.

Need any crew for the Bradwell - Chichester trip?
 

byron

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Colin, I regret to say it but a bit of paper saying someone is 'qualified' doesn't prove anything. So the answer isn't tests and licensing. Like the car driving test, 1st you learn to pass the test then you learn to drive. In fact the more 'qualified' people are the more blase some become. The dude driving that boat may have been an Ocean Master or even a Master Mariner for all you know. Evince the Watermen on the tidal Thames, those guys take upwards of 7 years to get their freedom of the river yet anyone will tell you horror stories about them.

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hlb

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Well I hate to disagree and maybe not knowing all the facts, but if you'd all that time to plane along at right angles to him, slowing down and then accelerating again. Would it not have been easier to pass a mile or two on his Starboard side. Its not obligotory to pass port to port in a big wide chanel.
He probabley thought you were commiting suicide and was just being helpfull.
Now what was that winker thingy );

Haydn
 

david_steward

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Re: No!

Its difficult to explain properly but we were almost head on when we started to take avoiding action. It was a very large cruiser and it was very disconcerting to have it bearing down on us at an alarming rate. A 10 degree turn to starboard from them to match mine would have been all that was required.

What if I had altered course to port and then he woke up to his obligations and turned to starboard? The result would have been almost certainly a collision with me being in the wrong for making a course correction opposite to the one required by the regs.

I think that they enjoyed putting the wind up us in their big toy. Perhaps they were drug smugglers the dickheads.



Dave S
 

jfm

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Re: affording boadicea

Colin:
Re your post above I dont think soap actor salaries can pay for Boadicea type yachts, not even Kylie's with a few CD sales chucked in. Reg Grundy isn't a Neighbours actor, he owns Grundy which is the production company
 
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