Radio Authority

[Trevor_swfyc]

RA we pay a licence of £20 to use the radio but how many fellow boaters have found when they go to use say channel 72 it is blocked for hours. The topic what fish are where, where he is, where his mate is, what his mate caught where he caught it ................
When happy1 passes his VHF exam he will be wanting to revert his name back.
Has anybody on here complained about the use of VHF as a telephone and if so did you get any action.
Lets keep it short and to the point.
Trevor

 

[trev]

VHF radio abuse has been around since Noah tried to raise Ararat Port Control and ran aground.
Its endemic among bored seamen at anchor, and fishermen discussing the catch of the day.
Its just impossible to effectively police all the frequencies, all we can do is try to set a good example.

Trev

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

Its all becoming clear now all these rules and regs only apply to the law abiding. Those that launch with no permit, no insurance, no radio licience, no idea about rules of the road and not a care about anybody but themselves are best given good clearance and anyway what can anybody do about it.
<font color=red>CHEERS</font color=red>
Trevor /forums/images/icons/mad.gif

 

[byron]

<font color=blue> People do sometimes get nicked. I have known 'stops' on vessels going through Thames Locks, I was once challenged myself in Cowes, I know that every so often they walk the marinas looking for licences. As regards reporting someone for mis-use. The first occasion the miscreant is written to and the rules pointed out. If there are repeated offences then will they reluctantly take action.

http://www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[Guest]

VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Well my wife and I are now qualified (together with the father in law). So £500 a day and I'm yours /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

Seriously, I do think I over prepared for the course (as advised by the wise old men on here, although it was a bit late then I should have asked earlier) but it was very informative.

I know that some people may think I am asking too many questions, but can I assure them that there is so much to learn, and you will never stop learning. I have taken boating seriously and have done my utmost to use the time I have had between buying the boat and delivery, to learn as much as I can, that is my choice. Some of you may fly by wire and could not care less, I am a professional and my standards do not allow me to operate like that. I can have a great laugh, but underneath is a serious desire to have the best knowledge and tools available to get the best out of my boat. I have put my money and time where my mouth is, if I have a problem now, I will know in my heart that I have done my best to avert it. Should I be sinking and not know what to do, and my daughter lost her life due to my arrogance and ignorance I could never live with myself, perhaps some of you who are on the fence about whether or not to do the course, should think again.

Anyway I hope others have learnt from my first 'launch' into boating, perhaps questions they were too shy to ask. A forum will only work if people utilise it, so don't moan when people ask questions, perhaps it is better than staring at a blank screen and learning nothing. I for one have realy, really enjoyed the interaction, it shows that you can discuss and learn whilst having a giggle, don't underestimate the fountain of knowledge that is a few presses of the keyboard away. Good luck, safe boating to you all, use this pre-season time to reflect on any training requirements, and thanks for everything /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Cheers,

 

[Renegade_Master]

Re: G1

I fully concur with your desire and quest for knowledge on the subject of boating. I got bitten by the bug about 3 years ago, and have revelled in gaining knowledge on all aspects of the subject. My wife tends to think it becomes all consuming, (I mean here I am now? on the boat forum again).

I enjoy learning all the time and look forward to what is to me the one remaining pleasureable pursuit which maintains an element of freedom. Especially now I dont motorcycle any more

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>

 

[BrendanS]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Grumps

Don't think anyone here thinks you ask too many questions...it's keeping everyone occupied during the quiet season /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Would question you trying to absorb too much too soon, and going too deep into some things - you said last night you were having problems remembering everything for the vhf course, and you'll learn far more once on the water when you start putting everything into practise.

I totally agree with you training, planning and learning, and that these forums are a fantastic shared resource.. despite all the banter!

Everyone's having a lot of fun answering your questions, so keep it up, and hopefully everyone will learn something.

One serious question. Are you really sure about taking an 18 month old on a sportsboat. It gets very rough sometimes, and you'll also sometimes take water over the bow, unless you only plan on using the boat in flat calm, which isn't very frequent in the UK.

 

[omega2]

Must agree that there is a lot of chat on the non working channels, but if you have something that you need to say go channel 67 and talk to Thames Coastguard, or call them up on 16 and they will tell you to go to 67, if you are wishing to discuss what you are going to have for dinner then prearrange a channel with the recepient of your messages.

J HAMER

 

[Guest]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Brendon, that was my very reason for moving from a Rib to a Sportsboat, and the choice of Chatham Marina. We bought the boat for use as a family, and the river Medway will give us the best of both worlds. My son who is very experienced (or as much as you can be at 16yrs old) snd myself can start to venture further afield up the Thames or around Sheerness, with our daughter we can amble up the river medway (being careful of the tides of course) and enjoy time doing that. We can also use the trailer to take the boat to other nice spots that hopefuly new found frieds on here can guide me to. I agree that I have put my daughter down for the IOW trip, but that will be an exceptional case and we will of course very much be guided by the weather. You will see that we are not namby pamby parents and just get on with life safely, she needs to get her sea legs anyway /forums/images/icons/wink.gif My wife and I work very long hours and our free time is precious, so precious that we have committed to spending it with some of you bloody lot in the IOW /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif Better be worth it !!

 

[Guest]

Re: G1

I agree with you, there is more to life than shag..ng, it's over rated anyway. (can I say that?) 'Get a boat, get a life' that's my motto now /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Guest]

OR a mobile phone, which is what they are for !!

 

[boomer]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Good on you , Grumpy. But avoid the mistake a number on here have made. Knowledge does not make you an expert, altho' from some of the posts, some seem to think it does. Only experience counts (the difference between theory and practice). Listen to the likes of Byron and others who have actually done it.

 

[BrendanS]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

From what I've seen, no one has claimed to be an expert, just answering the many and varied questions that Grumpy has posted to the best of their ability. Many different perspectives and level of experience, but all are valid.

Everyone learns from these posts, no matter their experience, and if no one posted unless they thought they were an expert, it would be a pretty barren forum

 

[Guest]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Boomer, I have never ever suggested I was an expert in boating, on the contrary I have always made it clear, if you take time to read some of my posts, that I am new to boating and to take any research or things I have found out accordingly. I also have no time for lazy gits that that do nothing towards furthering their knowledge, live on their past lucky escapes and experiences, and have no interest in participating or sharing knowledge with others. I am a very, very experienced man of the world (here I go sounding like another individual some know) who has been subjected to experiences that you would not even come close to in your wildest dreams, so chill out, participate and stop trying to suppress people who are doing their best to gain knowledge. I have heard all that crap about, you can't read it in a book, I am not the worlds greatest reader, BUT some of those that think they are experienced, because they have been doing it for years (the wrong way) does not make it right, but on the other hand I know there are others who have been doing it right for years, these are the ones I will listen to and respect. I am however an expert in other fields which complement the likes of boating, perhaps you would like to share some of your knowledge with me, I'm here, I'm listening and I have not seen any of it yet!!. IF you read my commenst you would see that I am awaiting the arrival of my boat, I am making good use of the time in preparing myself for this new life, do not fear when the boat arrives I will certainly be knocking up the knots, and at the end of this season I will hopefuly have been able to put a lot of what I have read and learnt into practice. Balance me old mate, that is what is required, but I can't balance without a bloody boat at the moment, can I. I haven't seen an offer from YOU to take me out for some practical experince, unlike some decent guys on here that have done so already. Common sense, a will to learn, a sense of hunour (at the right time), respect for others and their choices are some of the attributes that I have and expect from others that I choose to mix with. I am a man in my own right, I am lucky I can choose my friends, and do carefully, I don't need to cling to others for support I can hold my own. The clever part is knowing when to ask for guidance, who you can trust with correct information, and then properly analysing and disseminating the information received. I have been doing that on this brilliant forum, and I am so grateful for the most wonderful responses I have had, so shut up moaning and worrying, relax and start reading the threads carefuly, even YOU a wise old sea dog (if you are one) may learn something /forums/images/icons/wink.gif It's never too late to learn, even for silver surfers.

Sorry but I have had a stressful day on my VHF course (only because 90% of you bloody lot were right /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif)

 

[hlb]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

I think you should market that stuff whatever it is. Grumpy.
Grumpy potion No 9.

Must admit this new phenomenon of traiing courses for every thing under the sun. I find quite amaising. Not knocking it. Just dont understand it. Maybe its something to do with hating school. Now I can understand trainig to fly Jumbo Jets, battle ships and so no. But I watched a course on tieing a rubber dinghy up. In my marina last year!! Maybe it's just me. But 30 od years down the learning curve I'm still getting round to the VHF course. Have done the theretical day skipper but not the practical. Could really do with an ICC thingy, maybe I'll get one some time. On the other hand. So far I've restricted myself to coastal waters. Never venturing further than Britainy, Ireland or Scotland. That reminds me. Wheres my wooden bungs and mallet!!.........../forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<font color=blue> Haydn

 

[Guest]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Haydn, good morning ! I know there are courses for any old tosh, BUT there are some that could avoid fatalilties or serious injury in an emergency situation. I for one was unimpressed by the 8 hours it took spinning out a day to justify the ridiculas £80 (and £19 for the licence I had to pay) for my course. There is NO WAY on this earth that could be justified, perhaps if there were more realistic ways, even voluntary training for some people it would be taken up. There were six people on my course (three of them were us) but normaly there are twelve. 6 x £80 = £480. 12 x £80 = £960, perhaps we are ALL in the wrong job, not bad for a few hours reading out the contents of a small book to a few people. Not everyone can afford the rip off prices of some of these courses like, 'how to carry a jerry can to the marina' advanced course!! I did so much in my power boat level 2 course I have probably saved myself from some dangerous situations I could have got myself in, I also feel that it was a good grounding in the minimum I needed to learn, e.g. how to drive a car, not an advanced or trick drivng course!! I can't see me going too far off shore, but there are the basic rules of buoyage, mooring, control of the craft, tides e.t.c. that everyone should know. IMHO of course.

This isn't about courses though e.t.c. it is about people thinking they know what they are talking about when they don't, there are some like that, I agree, but that is not me, I know my place and I am trying to be sensible about it. I do not think there is one thread that I have disagreed with any advice given, I have been gratefull for all of it.

Have a nice day /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[hlb]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Cant understand why all three of you went on the course. Only need one of you with the licence. Every one passes and it's not actually rocket science is it. I sent Tutts on the course many years ago in Liverpool. I was to busy at the time. She passed no problem. Trouble was, she always puts the mouth piece to her ear and garbles incomprehencable noises down it. So I have always done the important VHF Thingies. I do some times let her talk to lock keepers or marinas when I'm busy upstairs. But that usually ends up with a row on what chanel to use. So most times just wave to them or blow horn!!

<font color=blue> Haydn

 

[tr7v8]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

I think a moral here is to ask around before you start booking, as I said last week considerable savings could have been had on what you've already brought and ditto the VHF course. Mine & SWMBO course was £ 25 each in Broadstairs, nice day out in someones front lounge!
Agree with rip-off prices for tatty piece of paper and clear folder. I also object to the £ 20 a year to the RRA for what?

Jim
-------

 

[Guest]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Haydn. I will be letting my father in law use the boat on the odd weekend, so he will be out with my mother in law on their own. He needed to know how to operate the radio for use with the lcok, the DSCC e.t.c he is so happy he ddi both courses, he enjoyed them both. As for my wife, she will also use the boat on her own, so the same apples to her. We have used the training (PB 2, and VHF) as a kind of team building excercise together, it has been very nice seeing how each other responds to different circumstance e.g. MOB, it was realistic and I could see worry in the faces of the other two. I would rather them have these experiences under the guidance af an instructor than on a cold dark night and perhaps lose a life!! I know it was only a taste of each thing, but none the less it opens your eyes to what is going on and what is around.

As I said before 'you only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know'. So with the knowledge I have built up from research and speaking to you lot, I should in theory see a lot more, becuase I recognise, because I know it.

Perhaps some people like going around in oblivion, but that is not me or my family, these people won't recognise warnings or situations because they don't know about them, they have not learned about them, it may on occassions never bother them, but they may have caused accidents due to their actions that they don't realise. Being on this forum is one example of the people here wanting to know more, so well done.

Ignorance is no excuse, look, learn, listen, get experience and BE SAFE, you will appreciate things so much more /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Happy & safe boating /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Guest]

Re: VHF operator for Hire [laugh]

Jim you are right, but time is money and my father in law drove down from Birmingham for the weekend. I had to balance up the cost of a long day out, fuel, convenience e.t.c. and went for the one we did (as we may have saved £20 each in Portsmouth) The Chichester PB 2 training was so much different, great value for money and in a different class, but he didn't do VHF. I have found on both courses that if you read the bumf before you go
a) it is more relaxing and
b) you get more out of it

But I admit I went a bit daft doing a VHF degree course before I went on that one /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

If there were more £25 course like you did, more people would do it. I didn't need fancy overhead projectors, lap top computers that had problems, flip charts, classrooms e.t.c. I wanted to learn what we needed to know. In Chichester we did it all on the back of a boat easy peasy, less overheads.