No Free tows from R.N.L.I. ?

They are not illegal until they have claimed asylum and then been refused.

Might ask, is that actually right ?

I understood that those opting /paying to be taken to our shores by unofficial means /way defines them as ILLEGALS = not entering by an authorised route or way

IE Not shown a passport at point of entry, not gone through Customs, not gone through Port Health etc etc also not declaring themselves so in any book thats an Illegal attempt at entry, surely

Do not usually query Mr S points but this one does not stand up to assesment to me, (sorry)
 
Might ask, is that actually right ?

I understood that those opting /paying to be taken to our shores by unofficial means /way defines them as ILLEGALS = not entering by an authorised route or way

IE Not shown a passport at point of entry, not gone through Customs, not gone through Port Health etc etc also not declaring themselves so in any book thats an Illegal attempt at entry, surely

Do not usually query Mr S points but this one does not stand up to assesment to me, (sorry)
You are correct sir...

Standard Offence Wording
On **(..SPECIFY DATE..) at **(..SPECIFY TOWNSHIP..), not being a British Citizen and in contravention of the Immigration Act 1971, knowingly entered the United Kingdom without leave
Legislation
Contrary to section 24(1)(a) of the Immigration Act 1971.
Points To Prove
date and location
not British Citizen
knowingly entered
the UK
without leave

A Q period at work...
 
Im sorry, But as the helmsman I'm pretty sure he has been informed and read all of the new changes and has put the information into simple terms for the public. His words, "This is nothing new and they will still tow a boat in need to save any navigational hazards to other marine traffic"

As the helmsman, I think i will believe and take his word for it.


Mysty/Dan, can you clarify please ? Are you an RNLI "helmsman" or other RNLI trained person ? It is always good to know the on what authority a person is posting.
 
Not quite.

Yes he had a road atlas, and yes was planning to navigate by keeping the land on his right.

However it was quite a misty day, and he accidentally entered the Swale. He realised he had gone wrong once he could see land on both sides.

He carried on until it all got a bit shallow and complicated, at which point he called Thames CG (RIP) for advice, as a result of which he was escorted to Queenborough by Sheerness ILB.

So although he did circumnavigate the Isle of Sheppey, it was only once, and most of that was with the lifeboat.


An easy mistake to make as Timothy Spall discovered and he got a lot of flack for that, from the usual suspects.
Its all very easy to criticise from a keyboard, its different when you are tired and confused and not sure of your location.
If the keyboard warriors have never been in that situation, they have not been boating long enough yet.
Suspect the local lifeboat were not overly annoyed when they rushed to the rescue because a horizon is lit up 360 like a Christmas tree.
Throughly enjoyed that circumnavigation of the UK in "Matilda" , not a single shot of shiney white glassfibre, white carpet or shiney Cherry laminate at 25 knots during the entire programme. :) Proper boating.
Last I heard she was in Ramsgate ? .
 
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Its all very easy to criticise from a keyboard, its different when you are tired and confused and not sure of your location.
If the keyboard warriors have never been in that situation, thye have not been boating long enough yet.
Suspect the local lifeboat were not overly annoyed when they rushed to the rescue and the horizon is lit up 360 like a Christmas tree.

Absolutely. We get quite a few calls to people who have become totally disorientated, often at the end of a long passage.

So not only have they had no sleep for maybe 36 hours, but they're possibly also hungry, seasick, cold and frightened.

The ability to think, or navigate, rationally will have long gone, and the bewildering array of lights on a clear night only makes things worse.
 
Mysty/Dan, can you clarify please ? Are you an RNLI "helmsman" or other RNLI trained person ? It is always good to know the on what authority a person is posting.
No i am not, However i did speak to the helmsman of the local lifeboat yesterday see post #97, As he has been the helm for the past 8 years or so and been a crew member for well over a decade.

Think i will trust and believe he has been informed of the new information and relevant changes being made and take his word for it as you dont just win a helm position in a xmas cracker.
 
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No i am not, However i did speak to the helmsman of the local lifeboat yesterday see post #97, As he has been the helm for the past 8 years or so and been a crew member for well over a decade.

Think i will trust and believe he has been informed of the new information and relevant changes being made and take his word for it as you dont just win a helm position with xmas cracker.

I did 6 years as crew, and so far 23 as helm.

Your move!

But in all seriousness, the length of your contact's service has no bearing on whether or not he's gone online and read the new towing policy, which only came out last week.

We get notified that there's an updated policy/ SOP or whatever, but don't get sent the full details. It's up to the individual to click on the link provided, and read and digest the information.
 
I did 6 years as crew, and so far 23 as helm.

Your move!

But in all seriousness, the length of your contact's service has no bearing on whether or not he's gone online and read the new towing policy, which only came out last week.

We get notified that there's an updated policy/ SOP or whatever, but don't get sent the full details. It's up to the individual to click on the link provided, and read and digest the information.
Okay maybe, However as helmsman was it not your responsibility to open that link your talking about and read yes?

Just like it's his responsibility to do the same. He would have had that email/link sent the same time as you and I'm sure he has done the appropriate steps and made appropriate changes the same as I'm sure you've done.
 
Okay maybe, However as helmsman was it not your responsibility to open that link your talking about and read yes?

Just like it's his responsibility to do the same. He would have had that email/link sent the same time as you and I'm sure he has done the appropriate steps and made appropriate changes the same as I'm sure you've done.

It is indeed. But from your previous post, he doesn't seem to know that there's a new policy, let alone what it says, which suggests that he may not be fully up to speed on this particular subject.

That's not a criticism of him in any way.

We all have to fit lifeboating into the rest of our already busy lives, and it's easy to put an email about something as exciting as a new towing policy onto the back burner for a while.
 
Well like i said, As the helmsman he has a very important job to do, I'm pretty sure he would have read it.

If not, (I'd be very surprised) but i would assume the other crew, Other folk in the station would have reminded or told him about it.

If he personally hasn't read the changes im pretty sure SOMEONE within that station would be aware of the changes which he/She would inform the rest of the crew including the helm in question.

Just because were up north doesn't mean were back in the stone ages. If your station has had this info, then so would every station in the country.

And as im NOT going to back to the station to quiz him if he's doing his job correctly i think i will take his word for it.
 
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Notice, Blue Sunray has never once had an input to this thread, Nor shared an opinion of the topic but seems to be sniping from the sidelines with reactions to peoples posts. If you scroll back theres not one post from him but plenty of reactions. And a profile set to private, Pathetic!
 
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Well like i said, As the helmsman he has a very important job to do, I'm pretty sure he would have read it.

If not, (I'd be very surprised) but i would assume the other crew, Other folk in the station would have reminded or told him about it.

If he personally hasn't read the changes im pretty sure SOMEONE within that station would be aware of the changes which he/She would inform the rest of the crew including the helm in question.

Just because were up north doesn't mean were back in the stone ages. If your station has had this info, then so would every station in the country.

And as im NOT going to back to the station to quiz him if he's doing his job correctly i think i will take his word for it.
So you'll take his word for it, while making lots of assumptions about what he may or may not have done, or may or may not have read?
But you will dismiss what Juan says, despite him telling you in bw what the score is , when the changes were made and what he has read?

Your perogative. Why don't you just call him a liar?
 
Notice, Blue Sunray has never once had an input to this thread, Nor shared an opinion of the topic but seems to be sniping from the sidelines with reactions to peoples posts. If you scroll back theres not one post from him but plenty of reactions. And a profile set to private, Pathetic!
I imagine that Meghan doesn't want him to have too high a profile here. Heavens, have I said too much?
 
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So you'll take his word for it, while making lots of assumptions about what he may or may not have done, or may or may not have read?
But you will dismiss what Juan says, despite him telling you in bw what the score is , when the changes were made and what he has read?

Your perogative. Why don't you just call him a liar?
So what would you like me to do?

How would you like it if a random member of the public randomly asked you a question involving your job, Did not believe your word, So then decided to quiz you on your job?

If someone did that to me i know what they would be getting told!

You are wanting me to go back to the station, And ask him AGAIN (When he already said, "Nothings changed" which by the context means he has read the new info and nothings changing.

If he said " i haven't a clue, I haven't been informed of any changes as of yet" Then i would agree with Juan but if you read the context of what I quoted then that tells me and others he has read it and is basically saying "Yes there are changes being made, However not much will be changing as we've always been a lifesaving service not a tow service"

How many more times?

Re-read post #97 again! Jeez!!!
 
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.......then that tells me and others he has read it and is basically saying "Yes there are changes being made, However not much will be changing as we've always been a lifesaving service not a tow service"

Well, if you do go back for a second visit, you could ask him if this would explain the change?

"Firstly, a lifeboat will no longer be tasked specifically to provide a tow to a broken down vessel; instead, it will will be tasked to a vessel in distress. What happens when it gets there is down to a discussion between the coxswain/helm and the skipper. In nearly every case, the lifeboat will then take the vessel under tow."
 
Well, if you do go back for a second visit, you could ask him if this would explain the change?

"Firstly, a lifeboat will no longer be tasked specifically to provide a tow to a broken down vessel; instead, it will will be tasked to a vessel in distress. What happens when it gets there is down to a discussion between the coxswain/helm and the skipper. In nearly every case, the lifeboat will then take the vessel under tow."
Thats always been the case has it not?

Lifeboat as last resort?

But if there are only HUGE cargo ships and kayakers within a 5 mile range of me, I highly doubt the CG would now task (Under new regs) A kayak to tow me back 5 mile. And as for the ship, Well he would tear my hull into a million bits. So therefore a lifeboat WOULD be tasked for the TOW and wouldn't refuse me even though I'm not in grave and immanent danger.

Is that not what the helmsman from my local station said? Hmmm... :unsure:
 
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