QHM Volunteer patrols.

[tt65]

Coming into Portsmouth this afternoon I was dismayed at the confusion being caused by presence and the gesticulations of volunteers. They were emphatically not improving things but in my judgement were making skippers confused.

Just wanted to get this off my chest. I have been sailing in out of Portsmouth for over 20 years and have not once seen any thing at the entrance that could be construed as an "incident" We all generally thread our way through without incident but we do need to concentrate on what we are doing without being distractred by these clowns.

I suspect this has been done before, but I feel better now anyway.

 

[Giblets]

As a member of QHM VHP (or one of the "clowns" as you wish to call us) may I suggest that, if you have any concerns regarding the actions of patrol members whilst on duty, you contact Harbour Control either by VHF Ch11 or by 'phone (the number of which you will find in your almanac). This would be more likely to produce the desired result rather than ranting on a yachting forum.

And, before you ask, no, I was not on duty this afternoon. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Malcb]

Don'y knock the Volunteer Harbour Patrol. Although I'm not a great fan of them /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif, I think they have an unenviable task. If only skippers would read their Almanacs.

Earlier this year, I was taking our Maritime Volunteer Service training craft out of Portsmouth. There was a sizable procession of craft heading outwards. A Volunteer HP craft was positioned at the base of Ballast Pile. This bloody great Mobo was coming in. For some inexplicable reason he left ballast to (his) Starboard. Created a great wash, which nearly swamped the Volunteer boat, and also caused all the outward boats to have to veer to starboard to avoid him. This was despite the waving by the volunteer patrol, who incidentally, managed to regain their composure, and shoot after him to sort him out.

It would probably help if they had bigger arrows on Ballast, instead of the pathetic signs that you can only read as you are going past them /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Seven Spades]

Well I can tell you they were pretty stupid today. I was entering the harbour this morning and there were a large number of yachts exiting; Cowes, sunshine etc. The only problem was those exiting were not in a line but were spread out beyond the width of the small ships channel. As the only yacht going in the other direction I tried to keep right of the bunch of yachts coming in the other direction when I was accosted by a QHM dory and asked if I was aware of the SSC, to which I replied that I was, only to be told please use it! Forcing me to enter the harbour passing yachts on either side, I was not in the least bit happy with the advice of QHM. If he had had any sense he would have been at the other end asking the exiting yachts to try to keep to the right of the channel in single file instead of all exiting abreast of each other.

At the time there were no ferry or other large ship movements occurring. As for report a complaint to QHM, life is too short and in my experience officials seem to have a policy of backing their staff.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

oooh, do you get to wear a peaked cap?

 

[Bav34]

Totally agree with Tosca. I try my best to pass port to port when entering or leaving the harbour but have twice been 'pushed' back into a scrum of boats resulting in them passing down both sides of me. On both occasions not a ferry or warship in sight.

Should their instruction result in a collision will the volunteer patrol accept liability???

 

[wooslehunter]

You may never have seen an incident but I'm sure you've seen plenty of potential ones. I saw at least two or three small boats trying to come through the main channel from the east as a large ferry was exiting. VHP got them. You can't see up the harbour from a small boat if you're to the east by clarence pier. That's why the small boat channel is to the west. Also listening to VHF Ch11 will tell you what the shipping movements are.

Keeping to the small boat channel is a problem with the amount of traffic but it's well documented here.. If you read this before entering, you don't need arrows or signs on the piles.

 

[Poignard]

What exactly are your Rules of Engagement?

And, as a matter of interest, is there any reason why you don't enforce the "keep to starboard in a narrow channel" rule [Regulation 9a]? Seems to me it would make things a lot safer. At the moment it looks as if the patrol mainly exists to keep boats out of the fairway; is that why it was set up or do you have a wider remit?

 

[boatmike]

I am not a great fan of amateurs doing any job unless properly trained. Many of these "volunteers" don't have a clue. Sorry!! I sail a cat and am often in and out of the harbour. The problem fundamentally, especially with either large or wide yachts (like mine) is the ignorance and impatience of some vessels going out. I am sorry to say that many services yachts coming out of Haslar Lake with their eyes shut busy putting up sails and rigging for sea before getting out are the worse offenders. Chaps for Gawd sake get out of the harbour and THEN hoist your sails!! There are also a multitude of Mobos and large yachts who insist in overtaking one another at the entrance and forcing incoming yachts out into the main channel. If you amateur volunteer "traffic wardens" want to do a better job than you do now police outgoing traffic and inbound yachts will have room to pass port to port as they should regardless of the small boat channel. No one will ever convince me that trying to shove incoming vessels inshore into the path of a 3 abreast armada of numpties coming out makes any damn sense at all. PLEASE put up a BIG notice to tell these twassocks NO OVERTAKING SINGLE FILE ONLY KEEP CLOSE TO STARBOARD PILES WHEN EXITING HARBOUR!! Those of us trying to get in might then have some sea room! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[graham]

Obviously some folk would prefer a "professional service" debatable that they would be much better and of course no one would complain about the extra harbour dues needed to cover it?? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[fireball]

ooo .... is this another case for Portsmouth City Council's most favorite roadside ornament? .... TRAFFIC LIGHTS!! ...

 

[boatmike]

No I would actually prefer all yachties to be sensible and give consideration to one another, commercial vessels, and warships without the need for policing. If indeed policing is necessary I would expect the volunteer policemen to be properly trained and ensure that outgoing vessels behave in such a way that incoming vessels can pass them to port without having to resort to the middle of the channel NOT bollock incoming skippers from avoiding them port to port as they should. I might sound increasingly like Victor Meldrew but it isn't surprising that the volunteers act like numpties when they are drawn from the ranks of the yachting community who they are attempting to police. A typical case of the blind leading the blind! If we all behaved sensibly (as most of the time apart from the weekend rush hours we do) they would be totally unnecessary.

 

[fireball]

[ QUOTE ]
behave in such a way that incoming vessels can pass them to port

[/ QUOTE ]
And here in lies your confusion .... your supposed to pass them to Starboard ... they end up on your PORT SIDE ... you pass port to port ... but you do not "Pass them to Port" /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif





ps I know you know I know you know, but I couldn't resist you know! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[graham]

[ QUOTE ]
I might sound increasingly like Victor Meldrew

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice that we agree on one thing then. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[boatmike]

OK! OK! Bleedin' port to port then..... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif You knew what I mean't.... Gawd! I don't belieeeve it!
Victor.

 

[Sailfree]

[ QUOTE ]
If only skippers would read their Almanacs.


[/ QUOTE ]

You may like to note the Portsmouth harbour entrance chartlet has been revised in Reeds and available as an update - see the website.

The revision shows more clearly the small ships channel and the one way system etc around ballast buoy.

Many will have read their almanacs but not have the clarity of the one way system that the later revised chartlet shows.

 

[jamesjermain]

Is it still the case that yachts may ENTER on the east side of the entrance provided they stay close inshore out of the dredged channel? It certainly was so when I was based in the Solent some years ago.

I ask because I will be operating out of Gosport on Thursday and Friday this week. It is unlikely I would chose the eastern option but it would be nice to know that, if I did, I wouldn't be harassed by a well-meaning volunteer.

 

[wafu77]

Leisure vessels are not permitted to use the eastern side of the Habour entrance unless they have permission from QHM. This is normally only granted to comercial vessels entering the town camber and then they should ask for permission to enter from QHM on channel 11. If you are operating out of Gosport then I believe it is the small boat channel for you.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Seem to remember you can use the main channel if you are 20 metres plus. What'cha sailing, JJ?

 

[dom]

Forget the East Side. See

http://www.qhmportsmouth.com/index.php?previous=27&art=315

They will definitely hassle you if you go that way. Could be a bit embarrassing if you met the police launch which is always on station! In my opinion some of the QHM might not be all that well trained but the ones I have met are - and a helpful cheerful lot to boot. Police are totally different though.