Not the RNLI again

[oldgit]

So just how long do you hold off calling your lifeboat until the situation becomes bad enough for it to be a rescue ?
Frequently flew from Lydd to France the unwritten rule was if you had to call a Mayday,you would always announce that you over the UK bit of the channel to avoid picking up a bill

 

[thecommander]

We are very lucky to have the RNLI in the UK. They enthusiatically rescue those in need from the shores and afloat without question. In fact crew members have been known to fight to get aboard a lifeboat when too many volunteers respond to a 'shout'. They sometimes put their lives at risk. Sadly lifeboatmen have lost their lives over the many years of service. i.e. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penlee_lifeboat_disaster
It is one of the UK favourite charities second only, it is said, to the Birds one. It is also one of the best funded. At one time it was said they had enough money donated in wills to replace the whole fleet.
The PR machine is excellent from the fund raising point of view. Their PR men make the most mundane 'rescue' sound totally heroic, "more lives saved".
They even rescue those not really in need of rescue but who cares expect those with a a bit of hurt pride.
I would say a big thanks to those volunteers who make it their hobby to help boaters in need and lets excuse the PR machine which is doing a great job.

Well said!!

Sickening to think people cast doubt on the RNLI. Horrible.

 

[Sybarite]

Well said!!

Sickening to think people cast doubt on the RNLI. Horrible.

What do you mean by cast doubt?

There are two aspects:

1) The brave volunteers who do a brilliant job.
2) An over-heavy admin structure where they spend their time thinking up ways to spend their reserves.

When the little old lady leaves her legacy to the RNLI, I imagine she is thinking about contributing towards new boats. Does she realize that as much goes on pension contributions - and that does not include the relatively small pensions received by dépendent relatives of crewmen lost at sea?

The increase in personnel headcount 2013 - 2014 in the RNLI is more than 50% more than the total number of employees in the SNSM. When I first started comparing the two organizations a few years ago, there were more people earning over £60000 pa in the RNLI than the total number of French employees.

"We are very lucky to have the SNSM in France. They enthusiatically rescue those in need from the shores and afloat without question. In fact their crew members would probably not have the time to fight to get aboard a lifeboat when too many volunteers respond to a 'shout'. They sometimes put their lives at risk. Sadly lifeboatmen have lost their lives over the many years of service. eg Aber W'rach." http://snsmaberwrach.fr/?page_id=347

 

[Firefly625]

First off I would say I am a RNLI supporter. The only problem I see the RNLI having is being a victim of its own success and as such has become a big money making machine. So what should they do, just ask people to stop giving them money for a while, let their reserves drop down to a point that some folk think more appropriate, get to a point they really need funds and then hope that those people that used to donate will once again start... In my view the RNLI is a far cheaper option to the tax payer than a state rescue service and I wouldn't like to see an alternative.

 

[Third mate]

If you think the RNLI has a funds surplus just take a look at the last published set of accounts for the RSPB. Our feather friends, 'friends' are swimming (no pun intended) in ££££££'s

 

[southseaian]

My understanding of the RNLI's financial situation is that more than enough people leave legacies in wills specifically for a new life boat. People like to have life boats named after themselves. Therefore there are plenty of funds for replacement of boats.
Running costs are high and this is where fund raising is needed.
The RNLI have spent a lot on training crew members in recent years. A new super duper training centre at Poole was built. Crew are trained to a high level.
Training is more necessary in recent years with crew members more often not fishermen or seamen but building society workers or plumbers and therefore need more training.
I am nothing to do with the RNLI and have not studied their accounts. My views are based personal experience as a boater and retired Coastguard Officer.
It seems to me that all charities have well paid employees. Why not? They need skilled people. CEOs of large super markets are paid millions whilst the check out person is on minimum wage. Its the way of the world.

 

[thecommander]

I have absolutely no problem with people being paid 60k+ in the RNLI! The RNLI needs highly paid skilled professionals to make it effective and well organised, otherwise you'd have underpaid halfwits procuring the wrong equipment which would ultimately cost lives.

I'm fully aware my donation goes towards middle managers in head office and marketing companies but I'm also aware that money goes to towards ensuring lifeboats crews have world class training and world class equipment which saves lives every single day.

Also lets not forgot the RNLI have a fantastic beach lifeguard service. I was down at Bournemouth yesterday and the whole beach was covered by RNLI lifeguards. What a fantastic service. Very proud of the RNLI!

 

[chanelyacht]

My views are based personal experience as a boater and retired Coastguard Officer.

If only the RNLI ran HMCG, we would not have seen the complete cluster.... that the Future Coastguard Programme has been.

 

[thecommander]

To the OP. So what if the RNLI marketing department blow things out of proportion a bit... the sea is a bloody dangerous place and enough people don't understand the dangers of it, even fellow motorboatists, who I see on daily basis showing little regard for safety (lack of lifejackets, lack of kill-cord, lack of proper navigation etc).

 

[southseaian]

If only the RNLI ran HMCG, we would not have seen the complete cluster.... that the Future Coastguard Programme has been.

You could be correct! I don't intend to defend MCA or Government policy.
When I joined the Coastguard service in 1981 there were around 27 fully manned stations around the UK. I joined in Orkney and spent months training on local knowledge alone. i could name the characteristic of every light in the Orkney District, the set of the tides, and many local place names.
The Coastguard of course rely on many volunteer auxiliary coastguards and watchers. They look out for 'overdue' boats, do cliff rescues and shore line searches. Not a glam as life boat crews but extremely useful and essential.
We used to joke that it would one day all be run from a bunker in Birmingham. We are not too far away from that. Solent Coastguard which covers a wide area has been relocated to Farnham. (up a creek in Portsmouth Harbour) based i believe in an unused emergency services building.
One of the strengths of British Society must be our charities and our support of them.

 

[Sybarite]

I have absolutely no problem with people being paid 60k+ in the RNLI! The RNLI needs highly paid skilled professionals to make it effective and well organised, otherwise you'd have underpaid halfwits procuring the wrong equipment which would ultimately cost lives.

I'm fully aware my donation goes towards middle managers in head office and marketing companies but I'm also aware that money goes to towards ensuring lifeboats crews have world class training and world class equipment which saves lives every single day.

Also lets not forgot the RNLI have a fantastic beach lifeguard service. I was down at Bournemouth yesterday and the whole beach was covered by RNLI lifeguards. What a fantastic service. Very proud of the RNLI!

The SNSM has superb quality equipment. The difference is the whole structure is essentially volunteer but those managing the service on a volunteer basis read like a who's who of former admirals, sea professionals and business folk. The 5 top paid people in the SNSM earn an average of £41.5k.

The SNSM took 3 years from development to delivery of its top of the range new generation 17m80 AWB a superb design with a pantocarene hull. It costs about £1m. They use architects and builders with existing experience in the field.

http://www.snsm.org/sites/default/files/caracteristiques_du_ctt_ng_snsm.pdf

"The RNLI needs highly paid skilled professionals to make it effective and well organised, otherwise you'd have underpaid halfwits procuring the wrong equipment which would ultimately cost lives".

These "highly paid skilled professionals" took 13 years from conception to delivery of the Shannon 13m60 for a unit cost of £2.1m plus an additional £1.5m for a turntable trolley to launch them from beaches. (The nearest equivalent SNSM boat : the 14m Vedette 1 NG costs about £560k.) For comparison's sake, the world's largest cruise ship 225000 gt "Oasis of the Seas" took 6 years conception to delivery. In France.

But then again the RNLI decided to take the development and build, in-house. In fact the prototype Shannon (dating back to 2005) was all wrong. Its performance in waves meant it was a danger to the crews. They had to start again and gave themselves 3 YEARS just to redesign the hull. An RNLI representative says that the Shannon has been launched in 3m waves and needs 1.7m depth for beach launching. Much good that would do in a winter storm.