Lost yachtsman rescued TWICE after using a ROAD ATLAS to navigate.

Tommyrot said:
I'll have some of what you're on, it might improve my bad back. ;)


With the regularity of genuine "Captain Calamities" we seem to get around our coast, would it be worth the devastatingly bad publicity that the RNLI would get as soon as it leaked out (and it would) that they were staging rescues?

Never heard owt so daft! :D
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You are right , major organisations would never take the risk ...... would they ?

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs...fire-faking-crying-fan-footage-110329796.html

OK - so staging a rescue may be a little "out there"..... guilty....... but, to be honest, I don't have much trust in large, powerful bodies. Power corrupts and all that jazz.....
 
This morning, one of them came rushing towards me - Baywatch style, paddling on the back of a surfboard – as I strolled out of the sea, and warned me that I shouldn't swim on that part of the beach.

It's a free country and, for 10 months of the year, I can swim unmolested anywhere on a beach where I have swum since I was a child. And then come the summer, and enter the interfering angels of the surf.

Now, of course it's a good thing that they're there to save lives. But they don't need to advertise their presence like this, and they should be more polite when they interfere with someone's personal decision to swim where he wants to. And they should use their tanned, lithe legs to get about, not a roaring show-off motorbike – just the sort of thing people go on a beach holiday to avoid.
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There's a big difference between the local "I've swum here safely for 60 years" & the Midlands holidaymaker with kids who are not strong swimmers.

BTW, the RNLI now have an App called "Beachfinder" that will tell you which beaches have lifeguards so you can choose to avoid them if you wish! Many yaers ago (60's) I lived at New Brighton & spent most of my time on the beach. The Lifeguards then were employed by the council; they were all very strong swimmers (had to pass a test) and some of them were my mates. It was a great way of attracting the opposite sex!
 
Searush said:
BTW, the RNLI now have an App called "Beachfinder" that will tell you which beaches have lifeguards so you can choose to avoid them if you wish!
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A favorite beach of mine is well out of the way and not patrolled. The RNLI stuck up garish signs warning/telling us/me to bathe in their patrolled bit thus ruining the charm of the place. THEN they came round to verbally tell us it would be better to go to their patrolled bit of a nearby beach! So you can't escape. As far as they're concerned all swimmers are their bitches to be ordered around as they wish. :mad:

Evadne said:
And another one! RN officer who should know better, sets off around the world with no vhf or sat nav, no proper charts, no idea where he is going, he didn't even know where Australia was! Tch!. :D
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:D Thanks Evadne, that made my day. :-)
 
Easy to be smug isn't it. My thought is why didn't the local Cox risk the wrath of government and photocopy a bit of the chart and give it to the bloke. Because that would incur a possibly huge fine and charges of copywrite theft.

Matey would have been a whole lot safer
 
Bobobolinsky said:
Easy to be smug isn't it. My thought is why didn't the local Cox risk the wrath of government and photocopy a bit of the chart and give it to the bloke. Because that would incur a possibly huge fine and charges of copywrite theft.

Matey would have been a whole lot safer
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I'd hazard a guess that if he thinks a road atlas will suffice then a chart will just baffle him even moreso - god knows where he'd turn up next!!

I'm fully in favour of the human bulldog spirit of adventure, but it probably really everyones forte.
 
So this chap didn't asked to be rescued (on either occasion). What hasn't been mentioned is what he thought about being dragged back to shore? It wouldn't be the first time that the RNLI has 'rescued' people who really didn't want to be.
 
Woodlouse said:
So this chap didn't asked to be rescued (on either occasion). What hasn't been mentioned is what he thought about being dragged back to shore? It wouldn't be the first time that the RNLI has 'rescued' people who really didn't want to be.
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The RNLI can't force anyone to accept a rescue, only the coastguard have the power to do that.
 
How many of us can say 'Yes' to these preparation points?

dylanwinter said:
but you introduce the idea of being "fully prepared".... that is a very subjective concept
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'Fully prepared' means fully prepared although, in reality very few of us (if any?) are.

How many of us can say 'Yes' to at least half of the points below? Not me, that's for sure.

1. Fully trained and experienced for the type of sailing you intend to do (to Yacht-master standard perhaps?).
2. Physically fit enough do deal with strenuous or physically demanding situations.
3. Your boat fully functioning and serviceable with full recent survey. All time limited parts (rigging, hoses, sails etc) within limits and with certification where available.
4. Fully competent in the use of all equipment aboard including the use of navigation and communication electronics.
5. First aid qualified
6. Full hazard and risk documentation with full safety brief available to any new crew and/or passengers
7. Fully capable of diagnosing and dealing with minor engine and electrical malfunction.
8. In possession of up to date charts, almanacs with properly calibrated navigation equipment.
9. All safety equipment, present and within time limits.​

Now, am I fully prepared for sea? Not a chance!!! (To my shame I may add!)

But I don't navigate with a road atlas either!
 
A bit tongue in cheek, but Dylan's series is Keep Turning Left. I seem to remember a guy in the past doing just that, but had to be rescued after sailing around an island for half a day (maybe an urban myth)

Most people don't even have a road atlas nowadays and mobiles come with GPS. haven't seen charts in the app list though :D
 
I was trying to find a place, in the sticks, near Carlisle the other day. I rang the contact number and the bloke started giving me the postcode.
I explained I didn't have a gps, but was looking at my atlas.


Stumped him entirely. He couldn't describe how to get to his own business place.
 
skodster said:
'Fully prepared' means fully prepared although, in reality very few of us (if any?) are.

How many of us can say 'Yes' to at least half of the points below? Not me, that's for sure.

1. Fully trained and experienced for the type of sailing you intend to do (to Yacht-master standard perhaps?).
2. Physically fit enough do deal with strenuous or physically demanding situations.
3. Your boat fully functioning and serviceable with full recent survey. All time limited parts (rigging, hoses, sails etc) within limits and with certification where available.
4. Fully competent in the use of all equipment aboard including the use of navigation and communication electronics.
5. First aid qualified
6. Full hazard and risk documentation with full safety brief available to any new crew and/or passengers
7. Fully capable of diagnosing and dealing with minor engine and electrical malfunction.
8. In possession of up to date charts, almanacs with properly calibrated navigation equipment.
9. All safety equipment, present and within time limits.​

Now, am I fully prepared for sea? Not a chance!!! (To my shame I may add!)

But I don't navigate with a road atlas either!
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Oh bu88er !:o
 
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Not a chart, gps,VHF,flare or even a road map in sight - and sponsored by RNLI :D:D
 
Bobobolinsky said:
A bit tongue in cheek, but Dylan's series is Keep Turning Left. I seem to remember a guy in the past doing just that, but had to be rescued after sailing around an island for half a day (maybe an urban myth)

Most people don't even have a road atlas nowadays and mobiles come with GPS. haven't seen charts in the app list though :D
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Not an urban myth. He was heading from the Thames down to Margate or Ramsgate with his road map and decided that he just needed to keep the coast on his right hand side until he saw the promenade.

Unfortunately, he forgot about the Isle of Sheppey and after a couple of times around the Isle and with night approaching, phoned the Coastguard!

Within the last couple of years!

Richard
 
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