Poss abandoned Yacht in Cove Dawlish

[KeithMD]

Have none of you ever had reason to call the CG before?

Yes, more than once. But when I did call, the nearest one was Brixham.

I'm not sure why other people find it difficult to find their local CG MRCC number - first hit on google with a sensible search term:
Office access and opening times

I'm not sure why you think people have any difficulty. But perhaps there's a difference of opinion of what "local" means.

Perhaps I was naive to think that all fellow sailors would be aware of this and how to find their local office

Like others from Dawlish, I might not regard Falmouth or Lee-On-Solent as local or near enough to do any good.

 

[laika]

I'm not sure why other people find it difficult to find their local CG MRCC number - first hit on google with a sensible search term:
Office access and opening times

Have none of you ever had reason to call the CG before?

Yes and I used a dsc call but that’s not an option for a random member of the public. There’s a whole list of numbers on the page you link to. Are you suggesting it’s obvious which one someone should call for an abandoned boat in dawlish? In which case…which one?

 

[ylop]

Yes, more than once. But when I did call, the nearest one was Brixham.


I'm not sure why you think people have any difficulty. But perhaps there's a difference of opinion of what "local" means.


Like others from Dawlish, I might not regard Falmouth or Lee-On-Solent as local or near enough to do any good.

who do you think answered the phone when he dialled 999 ? The same office but he was hogging an emergency line that someone else may have been trying to get through on.

Yes and I used a dsc call but that’s not an option for a random member of the public. There’s a whole list of numbers on the page you link to. Are you suggesting it’s obvious which one someone should call for an abandoned boat in dawlish? In which case…which one?

well I am assuming that since the OP is a local sailor he knows which coastguard mrcc “covers” the area. I expect it is Falmouth but I’m not going to waste my time looking it up on a map to be sure - my point was, and remains don’t use 999 for “I just thought you should be aware” - whether it is police, fire or coastguard using 999 means the operator and the line designed for emergencies are tied up. I mean, come on, the OP says he emailed first and didn’t get a response so called 999 the next day. Would you do that to any of the other emergency services?

 

[ylop]

Perhaps by looking at the sidebar to my post you would realise that I do not have a local UK CG. However, reading your detailed list of calls I have contacted local UK CG stations far more times than you have, but then I have probably been playing this game a fair bit longer than your esteemed self. Post #19 above being just one example.

no sidebar when you view this site on a mobile phone.

I mostly contact them by vhf - but I was surprised others seemed unfamiliar with how to call them by telephone.

I recall going with my grandfather to the coastguard lookout when they actually spent a lot of the time looking through binoculars. He was close enough to the lifeboat station that when the maroons went off if we were quick we could run the other end of the village in time to see the lifeboat go down the slip.

 

[laika]

who do you think answered the phone when he dialled 999 ? The same office but he was hogging an emergency line that someone else may have been trying to get through on.
well I am assuming that since the OP is a local sailor he knows which coastguard mrcc “covers” the area. I expect it is Falmouth but I’m not going to waste my time looking it up on a map to be sure

You’ll notice that I wasn’t advocating 999 for non-emergencies but questioning the idea that finding a non-emergency number was trivial. First you need a smartphone. Then you have to find the page you point to. Disregarding sailors but thinking about the general public seeing something that looks a bit off, are you going to know that Dawlish is in Falmouth’s area? And that’s listed under SAR which this is not. So do you call Falmouth SAR or the Plymouth office? Or the joint coordination centre in fareham? Yes I’m pretty sure any of those could point me in the right direction and I personally wouldn’t call 999 but you only have to read the OP’s posts to know that he probably doesn’t process information in the same way as I do. It would be much simpler if 101 were a general non-emergency number that could redirect to the coastguard where necessary.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Many thnks to the many and various suggestions made so far :

Judging by the questions asked by the Answerer on the 999 call , I really dougbt that a Police Station , or a 101 answerer would both know which questions to ask , are relevant , cable of passing any answers on correctly : my feelings are that if the 999 line call handlers were busy on an Emergency them would have told me ; I cannot believe that the CG has only one 999 line connected so answerable , multi 999 lines are I hope set up :

Might mention that a few years ago I travelled toTorbay Marina / Harbour to view a Yac ht advertised for sale ; I was not able to confirm my interests that day , but kept a watch on the advert : a few days later on , a report in the Press of a yacht driven ashore along our coast , no one aboard , but evidence that someone had recently been aboard, a full Rescue was mounted , in an effort to locate a missing Person : Never sucessfull : this Yacht was the one that I had an interest in , evidently someone had bought it , then stated that he was sailing it Eastwards cpassed Dawlish , departed Torbay never to be seen again (as I understand it ?) always wondered if this Yacht has problems that I was not aware of , thought that I was lucky not to buy it ?

 

[oz-1]

Hi Capt Popeye, if, by chance the small yacht you saw is a 23' newbridge boat calle Mini Haha, then it was a boat owned by two gentlemen, and kept at Torquay inner harbour. They used to potter around on their boat and were always pleasant. One time they had to leave the boat in the outer harbour ( they missed the cill opening time ). Unfortunately they tied up on a fishing boat's berth. When the fishing boat returned, they somehow smashed into the yacht, bending the mast in half and ripping the standing rigging from the hull. They had no joy claiming from the fishing boat's insurance, A " rigger " charged them a lot of money to try and straighten the mast, but made no difference to the mast in the end. I think they lost heart in the boat, and i did hear that one of them was trying to get it to Cockwood, where he had a mooring. It was a real shame.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Hi Capt Popeye, if, by chance the small yacht you saw is a 23' newbridge boat calle Mini Haha, then it was a boat owned by two gentlemen, and kept at Torquay inner harbour. They used to potter around on their boat and were always pleasant. One time they had to leave the boat in the outer harbour ( they missed the cill opening time ). Unfortunately they tied up on a fishing boat's berth. When the fishing boat returned, they somehow smashed into the yacht, bending the mast in half and ripping the standing rigging from the hull. They had no joy claiming from the fishing boat's insurance, A " rigger " charged them a lot of money to try and straighten the mast, but made no difference to the mast in the end. I think they lost heart in the boat, and i did hear that one of them was trying to get it to Cockwood, where he had a mooring. It was a real shame.

Hi there oz-1 , thank you for that info : yes indeed the Yacht is certainly named Mini HaHha and is I think a newbridge navigator ; she is bearing Annual Torbay Harbour licence details : when I mfirst saw this Yacht a few weeks ago it was fairly well secured to lines anchored to the sea bed : now it has its hatch and cabin door wide open , and it crudely tethered to slipway rails ; strewn about the cockpit are maintenance materials , the bunks are not covered : Maybe they would like it taken to Cockwood , which is not far away , just aroud thge coast and into the River EXE ; But to enter Cockwood drying harbour , it needs the mast lowering ; Maybe if you can contact the owners and let them know where theit Yacht is now ?

Thank you again oz-1 CP

 

[KeithMD]

Well done @Capt Popeye and @oz-1 for your care and perseverance. And a simple act of kindness.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Well done @Capt Popeye and @oz-1 for your care and perseverance. And a simple act of kindness.

Hi KeithMD thank you kindly : most welcome comments , indeed ; Me being Old School , started boating back in 1950/s , with a dinghy , then a Russian Speedboat , made from Aluminum with a 18hp Evenrude , went very well as was most light a boat yes boating appeared friendly back then , trust was apparent , dinghys left with Oars and Rowlocks in them : t'was usuall to borrow /use someones dighy then for a short time then put it back where it was taken from

Anyways just hope that the owners of this Yacht are able to recover her ok :

Waas really supprised that someone recognised her , and was able to tell of her woe's

Also VERY glad that no one was lost at Sea in this adventure

 

[Capt Popeye]

Am contacting Torbay Marina to ask if they woulf pass on a message to the Owners last address asking them to please contact me , about this Yachts future plans ;

Seems a great pity if the owners have got something that they cannot handle now , I am very well versed in Boating so might be able to 'lend a hand' in order to prolonge the owners boating time

thank you all CP

 

[penfold]

Hi Capt Popeye, if, by chance the small yacht you saw is a 23' newbridge boat calle Mini Haha, then it was a boat owned by two gentlemen, and kept at Torquay inner harbour. They used to potter around on their boat and were always pleasant. One time they had to leave the boat in the outer harbour ( they missed the cill opening time ). Unfortunately they tied up on a fishing boat's berth. When the fishing boat returned, they somehow smashed into the yacht, bending the mast in half and ripping the standing rigging from the hull. They had no joy claiming from the fishing boat's insurance, A " rigger " charged them a lot of money to try and straighten the mast, but made no difference to the mast in the end. I think they lost heart in the boat, and i did hear that one of them was trying to get it to Cockwood, where he had a mooring. It was a real shame.

That's what insurance is for; if someone does not insure a craft my sympathy is limited.

 

[Capt Popeye]

That's what insurance is for; if someone does not insure a craft my sympathy is limited.

Humm quite so : But in this instance its not clear why the Yacht owners have not claimed on their own Craft Insurance ; my guess is that they have craft insurance as a requiurement for berthing in Torbay Harbour : so just hoping that I can make contact with them , soon

 

[oz-1]

Hi again Capt Popeye, i went down to the inner harbour this morning to see if either of Mini Haha's owners were about, but apparently they haven't been seen for a while. One of the owners is disabled, so he might be unwell. You are required to have a minimum of third party insurance with wreck removal clause to have a berth here, but i don't know of their circumstances. Apologies for not having any positive information. Best regards, Oz.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Hi again Capt Popeye, i went down to the inner harbour this morning to see if either of Mini Haha's owners were about, but apparently they haven't been seen for a while. One of the owners is disabled, so he might be unwell. You are required to have a minimum of third party insurance with wreck removal clause to have a berth here, but i don't know of their circumstances. Apologies for not having any positive information. Best regards, Oz.

Thank you oz-1 for that helpfull information , much appreciated in the circumstances :

It appeared to me that anything of use or value had been removed from the Yacht ; mayb e by the owners , maybe not ?

When I first came accross the Yacht it was moored up fairly well , both fore n aft lines were out , just as if an owner had done it , but those lines are not there anymore , only old line made out of parts joined together ; all in all rather strange ?