Legal requirements to make passage plan

[franksingleton]

All very interesting. I have been “off air” since I started this thread and have been trying to catch up. Mu motivation was the long discussion regarding the missing lady on passage from Mousehole to Bideford. Unless I have missed an update, it appears that she left Falmouth with no idea even of how far it was to Bideford. Apparently her passage planning was non-existent. In that discussion some contributors doubted the legal question. The report of the Liquid Vortex case in the January, 2013 PBO makes the position quite clear.

Fairly obviously, and MCA recognise the fact, passage planning will depend on what you are intending to do, how far you are going and in what conditions. Somebody going the milk run from the Hamble to Cowes or Dartmouth to Salcombe would look mainly at the forecast and tides. Somebody making a passage from Weymouth to Camaret for the first time would, I hope, do rather more. The examples of Liquid Vortex and Seagair are, in all probability, not relevant to the majority of the sensible people who have been taking part in this discussion. The question to my mind is what can or should be done about those who give sailing a bad name? In the case of Liquid Vortex, MCA seems to be taking appropriate action.

 

[l'escargot]

...Somebody going the milk run from the Hamble to Cowes ... would look mainly at the forecast and tides...

I wouldn't go that in depth, a cursory look out the window is enough for that trip...

 

[chanelyacht]

I wouldn't go that in depth, a cursory look out the window is enough for that trip...

I've pulled a few off the Bramble who thought that was enough too...

 

[capnsensible]

In the case of Liquid Vortex, MCA seems to be taking appropriate action.

Dont think loosing a court case has helped much round here.....

 

[l'escargot]

I've pulled a few off the Bramble who thought that was enough too...

I doubt whether you've pulled any off who wouldn't have run aground if they had had a written down passage plan...

 

[chanelyacht]

I doubt whether you've pulled any off who wouldn't have run aground if they had had a written down passage plan...

Maybe, but it might have encouraged them to look at a chart and realise what drying heights mean...

The passage plan requirements in SOLAS make no mention of "written" anyway.

I really can't see the big problem so many seem to be getting aereated about.

 

[wotayottie]

The RYA gave out some guidelines when the requirement first came in, but the reality is that what is adequate will be decided by argument in court between two bewigged twats with little or no knowledge of the sea and 100% hindsight. You'll only have a good passage plan if your **** is better than their **** since almost by definition, you'll only end up in court with enquiries about passage plans if your passage plan has failed..

Fascinating. "twats" plural is allowed by the system but the singular isnt. Any idea why? What if I substitute an o for the a in the single I wonder. twot

See that works. Bit like allo allo. Hope the med doesnt think I'm a bit of a pret for writing this crip ( south african that one)

Anyway, back on topic. It's fascinating how any suggestion as to what is safe and what a prudent sailor would do is greeted on here with complaints and objections. Apparently there is nothing worse that health and safety and thinking through what you are doing before you do it. As someone has obliquely suggested that woman who lost her boat round lands end clearly has the same view of things.

I do a passage plan every time I go on passage. Sometimes bits of it are written in my log because I do that other silly thing - keep a written log every half hour or so. I check the weather. I check the tidal gates. I put a route into the plotter. I check the boat. And if there is a newcomer on board I even do a safety brief.

It's obvious that I'm a bit wet.

 

[l'escargot]

Maybe, but it might have encouraged them to look at a chart and realise what drying heights mean...

The passage plan requirements in SOLAS make no mention of "written" anyway.

I really can't see the big problem so many seem to be getting aereated about.

Or even watch their depth sounder...

I know SOLAS makes no mention of written passage plans but some on this thread are arguing that there is a requirement. I don't write one or keep a log.

In known waters I don't check tidal predictions or weather forecast either, my eyes give a far more accurate picture of both than a table printed a year ago or computer modelled weather system.

 

[Uricanejack]

I do a passage plan every time I go on passage. Sometimes bits of it are written in my log because I do that other silly thing - keep a written log every half hour or so. I check the weather. I check the tidal gates. I put a route into the plotter. I check the boat. And if there is a newcomer on board I even do a safety brief.

It's obvious that I'm a bit wet.[/QUOTE]

No just sensible,

I plan to my own satisfaction as I see fit for the voyage I intend to complete

As for the MCA I'm more concerened about the response from "her indoors". which vary from "seves you right" through "I told you so" to "I've been woried sick you might have been dead in a ditch". Rerspose is exponentialy greater if any of our kids a crewing.

She makes the law. Is investegetor, prosecutor, Judge and Jury. and operates on the principle I am allways guilty.

 

[Tomahawk]

Milk Run.......Ramsgate to Cowes

I remember stories about Captain Calamity and Captain Curry who were totally unprepared and needed to be rescued... At that time it was a poke fun story in the newspapers... However as Frank suggests perhaps people like that are giving the boating world a bad reputation..

Frank also suggests Hamble to Cowes was a milk run which does not need a passage plan.. I have gone back and forth along the south coast so many times I "feel" I know it pretty well.... to the extent I describe it as the milk run.....( I say "feel" with a degree of reservation as I have never done it in gale or storm conditions...but that was deliberate as I check weather forecasts and simply do not cast off if it looks uncomfortable)..

I have never written down a passage plan.... nor do I intend to start... For that run I simply leave before LW and aim to make the tide gate... If I don't I have to decide whether to press on against the tide or pull in...

What concens me is the idea of a local council jobsworth bording and demanding proof of a passage plan... Its beaurocratic little mindset can only deal with something that is written on paper and it would try to suggest that lack of a written bit of paper is proof of not preparing an adequate passage plan.

I would not like to see boating afflicted by the H&S idiots who have created an industry writing on bits of paper..