No RNLI - how would you change your sailing habits

[Simondjuk]

It's not just that, if the RNLI did go away, we'd be in a situation where the rescue cover would be at best patchy (assuming we still have some local lifeboats), so it could be a perfectly reasonable planning consideration.

As it stands, we know that, broadly, the further you get from land, the less effective the response, but if that situation changed, you could reasonably imagine a situation where two routes are, to all intents and purposes, equal except that one has better rescue coverage, at which point (macho posturing aside) surely general prudence would dictate that the route with better coverage was the sensible plan?

Again, I see what you mean. What I suppose I intended to say in a fuller reply, but failed to do so due to dinner being served, was that those who don't actively consider the RNLI to be a resource are likely be equipped to a level where they have contingencies for most emergencies. This means that - unlike the clowns who were towed into Chichester Harbour by the Bembridge lifeboat having suffered engine failure in a sailing boat which, in fact, had no sails, apparently carried no lifejackets and seemed not to have a crew member aboard who had any knowledge of VHF procedures - they may well extract themselves from a 'moment' without recourse to outside assistance.

Would clowns such as those mentioned above pick your safer route? You can bet on it!

Would the well prepared and self-sufficient? No, they'd probably go where they prefer the scenery.

I've picked absolute extremes of the spectrum, I know, and I'm not suggesting that those who have said in this thread that the absence of the RNLI would change their habits are anything like the clowns I mention. I use them only as a suitably graphic example of those who before putting to sea may have consciously considerd that they have the option to call for help.

 

[glashen]

Again, I see what you mean. What I suppose I intended to say in a fuller reply, but failed to do so due to dinner being served, was that those who don't actively consider the RNLI to be a resource are likely be equipped to a level where they have contingencies for most emergencies. This means that - unlike the clowns who were towed into Chichester Harbour by the Bembridge lifeboat having suffered engine failure in a sailing boat which, in fact, had no sails, apparently carried no lifejackets and seemed not to have a crew member aboard who had any knowledge of VHF procedures - they may well extract themselves from a 'moment' without recourse to outside assistance.

Would clowns such as those mentioned above pick your safer route? You can bet on it!

Would the well prepared and self-sufficient? No, they'd probably go where they prefer the scenery.

I've picked absolute extremes of the spectrum, I know, and I'm not suggesting that those who have said in this thread that the absence of the RNLI would change their habits are anything like the clowns I mention. I use them only as a suitably graphic example of those who before putting to sea may have consciously considerd that they have the option to call for help.

I think there is quite a lot of agreement that you should do everything to avoid needing the RNLI, and indeed most of us would be at the very least embarrassed if we did need them. I remember another VHF conversation, Yacht has engine problems heading towards the Hurst, sailing well in a decent but not excessive wind, problem was they were late on the tide and unlikely to make it through before the tide turned. What they expected the CG to do I can only imagine. I don't know why this sort of attitude exists but I certainly don't condone it.

On the other hand in a genuine emergency dismasting or a medical emergency for instance not informing and accepting help from the RNLI etc., would actually be frowned upon. I still feel you can't uninvent the RNLI and in some circumstances you would be right to accept help and that must therefore be a part of your disaster planning.

 

[binch]

No RNLI

Christmas Day. about 1400.
Yacht in distress about 30 miles ssw of Portland Bill. Wind sSW force 7
Weymouth Lifeboat not interested (fair enough, too far off)
HMS Leeds Castle, then duty destroyer (sic) sails immediately, finds yacht.
Heaves to to windward, and through loud hailer tells yacht skipper (solo) to prepare for being taken on board frigate.
Yachtsman decinies. Asks for tow to Torquay.
Told "No way. We rescue you if in danger. but not the yacht. we could not tow at any reasonable speed."
Yachtsman asks us to give him a lee so he can sail to Torquay in calmer water.
"No. We'll save your life. That's the deal."
yachtsman declines, makes sail and off he goes.
Several days later, he was wrecked off Padstow in circumstances that had two lifeboatmen overboard, one with broken arm. He had been on way to Indian Ocean.
He had filed an official complaint against us (I was navigator of the warship) for refusing him aid. Coastguard judged our response was correct.
Now, Yottie opinion. Did we do right?

 

[Poignard]

Yes

 

[Flying Penguin]

He had filed an official complaint against us (I was navigator of the warship) for refusing him aid. Coastguard judged our response was correct.
Now, Yottie opinion. Did we do right?

Yep.

 

[snooks]

Several days later, he was wrecked off Padstow in circumstances that had two lifeboatmen overboard, one with broken arm. He had been on way to Indian Ocean.

I must admit it's a different way of getting to the Indian Ocean from Weymouth, going via north Cornwall