Padstow RIB tragedy: final report released

just finished reading it, very thought provoking. i have some thoughts on the incident based on what the report says about the hull "hooking" and the reasons for the same but this was a tragic accident that will stay with those involved for the rest of their lives.

Please please please wear a kill cord...
 
kill chord

z1ppy said:
just finished reading it, very thought provoking. i have some thoughts on the incident based on what the report says about the hull "hooking" and the reasons for the same but this was a tragic accident that will stay with those involved for the rest of their lives.

Please please please wear a kill cord...
Click to expand...

As ribs being good fun toys often seen with at least 3-4 peole on board often leads to multiple drivers ( i,e can i have a go at driving ) so is very easy to be swapping over and forgetting or cant be bothered cos its a pain in the a--rse to keep strapping it to your leg especially if you are water skiing for example, one of our boats is a ribcraft and i can honestly say no one gets in the driving seat without a killchord yes the kids often moan about having to wear it but what we have is a classic example of what can go wrong, and lets not forget about small tenders and jetboats they can still do similar damage. a lesson to us all.
 
i am the first to admit that i have driven our ribs without a kill cord. Not intentionally but becuse i have forgotten. its easy to do and sadly these accidents serve as a reminder to us all.

the report is interesting and well worth taking the time to read through.
 
z1ppy said:
i am the first to admit that i have driven our ribs without a kill cord. Not intentionally but becuse i have forgotten. its easy to do and sadly these accidents serve as a reminder to us all.

the report is interesting and well worth taking the time to read through.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I think the incidence of people forgetting to fit the kill cord vastly outweighs the incidence of people choosing not to fit it. What's needed is a reminder system, not a tamper proof sytem.

The report suggests that the issue of "hooking" isn't currently taught on PB2, which surprises me. I didn't know it was called that, but I've experienced it more than once on fast boats in hard cornering, so it certainly isn't confined to just this make of boat. There's little warning, just like a car spinnning out when it loses grip in a corner.
 
With most rib owners its probably only the owners who have done the powerboat coarse very rarely the whole family, either way power boat coarse or not once that kill chord is activated that boat is going to stop.
unlike larger motor boats with ribs you will have multiple drivers multiplying the risk.
 
z1ppy said:
just finished reading it, very thought provoking. i have some thoughts on the incident based on what the report says about the hull "hooking" and the reasons for the same but this was a tragic accident that will stay with those involved for the rest of their lives.

Please please please wear a kill cord...
Click to expand...

Just a comment as -

With all the statements about the 'driver' not wearing a kill cord, lets not forget that in this, (and similar cases) if either the Driver or Co Driver were wearing a Kill Cord as both were flung overboard the engine would be cut as a result. So as long as someone on board is wearing /connected to a Kill Cord and all on board are flung off the result would be the same; the engine would cut out.

The report also refers to, perhaps, improper loading /placement of passengers, especially passengers in the bow of a boat, as being a contributing factor to the boat 'hooking', often witnessed on balmy boating days with fast Ribs /Power boats.

Hope that a 'wake up' call to the RYA course examiners happens.

All in all a very sad event.
 
Not having a motor boat and looking from the outside this is the start to legislate motor boat owners and eventually all craft on having licenses and draconian safety equipment on board.
This is now on all local BBC radio program's to start the process of such money making legislation.
 
Nick_H said:
Both drivers were qualified to PB2, so it doesn't support the case for compulsory licensing
Click to expand...
Exactly. Single cases make bad law. I was surprised they did not make more of the "real" cause, which was two people trying to drive the boat at the same time. Not difficult to imagine what might happen when full power is applied with full steering lock from almost standstill.
 
what I took note of was in the description of the event.

The report said that the wife / mother was helming and that the husband / father interceded with the helm during the turn. it says that he leant over and increased the throttle whilst turning the wheel hard to starboard. (perhaps as he felt that there was insufficient sea room to make the turn without hitting the beach)

it goes on to say that the engine data analysis suggested the throttle was increased to full power during this time.

Now I stress this is just my thoughts as a moderately competent helmsman of similar boats, but increasing to full throttle and hard to starboard would not be a natural move in this position, especially with family on board and with limited room.

Maybe, as he was interceding from an unusual angle (if he was in passenger seat and used to helming from the helm position) and considering the potential for very limited resistance on fly by wire engine controls, he gave it a little too much pressure resulting in more throttle than expected / necessary / desirable. Boat took off in the turn which resulted in the "hook" and the events took over from then.

Having hooked boats before it is a nasty experience and can be a very violent motion.

I don’t believe in compulsory regulation (and in this case they were trained more than many people on the water) but I do think there must be a better solution to the kill cord solution, a subject that has been discussed here before with some great ideas. Just need the manufacturers to take the lead in developing something that reminds us!
 
qualification or not if the driver decides not to wear a kill chord then that is their choice. sadly
Just have a look at studland in the summer lots of ribs haring around everyone having a good time, i do not see many with kill chords as i said before unlike general motor boats with ribs everyone in the boat is probably going to have a go as previously said both trying to drive the boat.i must admit i was amazed it tipped the whole occupants out of the boat with the cobra the seats are shaped well and are quite high to hold you in though not in this case.
 
freddy the frog said:
qualification or not if the driver decides not to wear a kill chord then that is their choice.
Click to expand...

The husband wore the kill cord whilst he was driving. The wife stood in front of the controls whilst he went for a pee, so that the children didn't knock the throttle. Do you think this seemingly responsible woman then purposefully chose not to wear the kill cord when she took over the helm? We'll never know, maybe she chose not to wear it, but isn't it much more likely that she just forgot?
 
Nick_H said:
Both drivers were qualified to PB2, so it doesn't support the case for compulsory licensing
Click to expand...

Might be worth reviewing the syllabus, though, to make sure it reflects the power and speed of current boats. Dangers of high speed maneuvers, for example.
 
Nick_H said:
The husband wore the kill cord whilst he was driving. The wife stood in front of the controls whilst he went for a pee, so that the children didn't knock the throttle. Do you think this seemingly responsible woman then purposefully chose not to wear the kill cord when she took over the helm? We'll never know, maybe she chose not to wear it, but isn't it much more likely that she just forgot?
Click to expand...

My habit is to drape the kill cord over the wheel when it's not attached.
 
Nick_H said:
......... There's little warning, just like a car spinnning out when it loses grip in a corner.
Click to expand...

Having experienced it in a rib, I would say its a bit more like a violent tank slapper in a car/ or more in tune with a motorbike accident where cornering hard and the bike slides a little, then grips and throws the ride off on a high sider.... nasty accidents. With a car you are strapped in, on a rib, like a bike, you are not. An phenomena that should be taught, but it all comes down to bloody kill cords, if only it had been worn this poor family wouldn't have had to suffer this tragedy.

Little story of an incident last summer, on the other side of a finger berth we were on at yarmouth was a chap who had piled his young family into a nice avon rib with a 150 mercury, as i helped let go his stern line I asked if he had a kill cord (as he clearly wasn't wearing one), he said no. Much to SWMBO's embarrassment I said , "well that's bloody daft", the chap shrugged, looked a little awkward and continued on his way.......
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top