Passage Plans

[byron]

<font color=blue>With all this chatter about having to have a passage plane before going anywhere... I wonder. If one has on one's GPS a route marked off from say Hamble to Cherbourg will this count as a passage plan. Also how serious are they going to be about this? If I am having a little 'jolly' out of harbour around the bouys and back... will I really need a passage plan? Are we going to have to file these plans with someone every time we cast off?

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[hlb]

But Byron. e've been through all this. You dont need anything, Dont need to write anything down. Nothing happens. Nobody checks. But if theres an accident, then some judge, who knows nothing about the sea. Gets told by the prosicution that you need a passage plan and you must not have had one, or the accident would not have happend cos you did not plan for the engine blowing up and did not have a spare one.

<font color=blue> Haydn

 

[miket]

I think HLB's right, Byron.

The theory is laid out quite clearly, and I would suggest if you took a crowd from Royal Temple for a quick spin to the northern end of the Goodwins and back, in theory you should have a passage plan. In practice, whose going to check?

Just make sure you haven't drunk too much before you go or Ramsgate Harbour Authority might "nick" you. Silly me, you would have them on board for the spin anyway!

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

Byron,

All vessels must have a PLAN and as already stated if things go to PLAN then you are very unlikly going to be asked to produce the PLAN. When you end up on a sand bank and require help then clearly things have not gone to PLAN and you are bound to be asked for your PLAN. Now heres the cop out you can at any time as captain change your PLAN marking it clearly on the PLAN that you intended to run aground may I suggest to scrub off.
Also does "I am going down river to drop anchor near Sand Bar Buoy have lunch and come back with the tide" constitute a PLAN?
Remember no need to curse and swear cos that will never get you anywhere, but PLANNING ahead will.
See Ya
Trevor

 

[byron]

<font color=blue>My plans are terrible. I leave port for a jolly and change my mind and go to Dunkirk for a Jar. The next day I leave Dunkirk to come home, change my mind and end up in Blankenberg.
On the way home from there I might pop in to Calais and stay there for a few days. It is nice getting back to Ramsgate to be greeted by "been out for a jolly then Byron" by Ramsgate Port Control who hadn't even noticed me missing from my berth for 10 days or so.

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[Trevor_swfyc]

Sorry to here we weren't missed for 10 days!
Sounds as though you PLANS come into the flexible category. I myself PLAN to go where the wind takes me.
I am sure you would soon be missed on this forum though, just to make you feel better.
All the **** best
Trevor

 

[byron]

<font color=blue>Thanks Trev, but no one missed me from April to October last year and I bet they don't again this year

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[Renegade_Master]

You know thats not true I kept asking wheres Byron (wasnt till about September mind) and Syd kept us all posted as to what you were up to, we all missed you
Ah I get it just looking for sympathy and a man of your age too.

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[Stingo]

Where are headed? I'll be heading off at the end of March and hope to reach the Canaries by November via France, Channel Islands, Spain & Portugal. Lots pubs to visit - hence the amount of time required

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[Renegade_Master]

Should be quicker now your a Stinkie Stingo

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[Stingo]

Yeh, just have to clear the decks for the bikini clad babes and add a fly-bridge with loads of aerials and white things that go whrrrr

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[byron]

Staying local - Northern Europe. My club is doing a cruise to Russia this year I quite fancied, (they did Poland last year) but for personal reasons I cannot go.

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[duncan]

the other bits to go with the plan...

so as long as you have a chart which includes where you are at all times, a pencil to quickly drawn lines and crosses on it to mark the passage you intended to take and a navtex unit that is switched on, and this years tide tables, so that you can prove you considered the weather and decided that the bridge was the correct route as it was only a SW7 and the middle of a spring ebb...........you are covered.

 

[MedDreamer]

Re: the other bits to go with the plan...

Whats this? A sensible answer - leave this forum at once!!

Martyn

 

[BrendanS]

Re: the other bits to go with the plan...

Duncan

Really don't need all that stuff. I investigated this in detail for our mutual club some months back, to investigate liability when planning club cruises, and what is actually required.

This is a response to a query that I posted on scuttlebutt many months ago, but still applies...

"For what it's worth, I spoke to a very helpful legal bod at the rya a while back, re passaging planning for our rya affiliated club

His answer was illuminating. Nothing actually has to be written down, and the level of planning should be 'commensurate' with the voyage undertaken.

Legal stuff aside, he gave me a practical example.

On the recent Round the Island race, with 1600 boats, probably 1200 were experienced, knew their way around, and the associated dangers, and probably
took at look at the tides and weather forecast before they set out. This is
perfectly acceptable planning for an experienced skipper and crew. The other
400 boats probably got some charts out and did more detailed planning. If
they didn't, then they probably didn't have an acceptable passage plan.

So, basic common sense seems to be the order of the day"

An atypically sensible post for MoboChat, so I'll probably be blackballed henceforth, but it's good sensible advice. Most of the people on here are pretty experienced, so little planning needed other than the obvious that they would do anyway. Newbies (no offence) should do a great deal more planning to show they understood the implications.

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

Re: the other bits to go with the plan...

Brendan,
Most of the people on here are pretty experienced, so little planning needed other than the obvious that they would do anyway. Newbies (no offence) should do a great deal more planning to show they understood the implications.
Your words, you are joking I hope.
I think the best thing is to refer to the origin document ANNEX 24 VOYAGE PLANNING.
www.mcga.gov.uk/publications/safetyofnavigation/annexindex.htm
This is a five page document which should make it clear this is a catch all reg.
Hope this helps!
Trevor

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Trevor_swfyc on 06/02/2003 20:41 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[BrendanS]

Re: the other bits to go with the plan...

Try this one...it works <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/publications/SITE/safetyofnavigation/index.htm>http://www.mcga.gov.uk/publications/SITE/safetyofnavigation/index.htm</A>

I don't understand your point. This document is 5 pages of legalese, most of which does not apply to leisure boaters. This whole issue has been debated ad infinitum, but legal advice is that passage planning for leisure boaters is down to common sense. If you've never been round the Isle of Wight before, get the charts out, and do some planning. If you've done it several times, check the weather and tides, and brief the crew. Simple as that.

As I said in my post, I've taken legal advice on this, so I'm confident that this is an accurate appraisal of the position. If you disagree, don't take it up with me, talk to the legal bods at RYA who gave me this advice./forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[hlb]

Re: the other bits to go with the plan...

But this is the problem. If you know somthing about what your doing. then get into difficulties. then theres an obviosly problem. How ever if your just thick. Then it's quite OK.

<font color=blue> Haydn

 

[BrendanS]

Re: the other bits to go with the plan...

How so? Depends on the difficulties you get into?

"I checked the tide tables, and drove over the Brambles at low water at 44knts, and sunk my boat"

"I knew the route well having done it 67 times, yet despite having checked several weather sources, the expected force 4, blew up into a force 8, and despite having several safe havens planned, the unexpected weather conditions meant that ...."

"I knew the route well, but the autopilot was on, and while underway, in flat calm, I drove straight onto the Portland sea wall. I've learnt my lesson, and next time, after having been fined 50 thousand quid, I'll have the missus keep a lookout"

 

[hlb]

Re: the other bits to go with the plan...

It's all about the blame culture. Once apon a time. They just sent the life boat out, rescued you and maybe told you off a bit for doing something daft.

In the future, there will be an inquiry and court case with a prosicution hell bent on proving that your dangerous and should be locked up. IMHO

<font color=blue> Haydn