Rammed by Customs? RIB

[marklongstaff]

Anyone catch the Info on a Yacht "Rammed" by a Customs or Military RIB somewhere in the channel on Sat morning? Apparently wanted to board yacht then rammed Yacht and capsized RIB - all ok apparently. Yacht reported being "buzzed" by an aircraft earlier.

Customs/Military boat told coastguard that they were initially too busy to talk to yacht - which the coastguard seemed surprised about!!

 

[sttpt01]

I heard the VHF chat to Solent Coastguard about this incident. I believe the yacht was approx 20 miles s/w of the Needles when she was "rammed" at high speed by a rib. The yacht was making for the Solent from Cherbourg.
Coastguard sounded most helpful but could not speak for the Customs but had said that they had contacted them.

 

[TheBoatman]

It doesn't surprise me, I have a friend in the customs who is an excellent helm (he used to drive their bigger boats) but he once told me that when you get down to rib size he wouldn't trust any of them to come alongside an empty pier wall and all they were good for was tear arsing up and down making a wash /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[boatmike]

While I mean no slight on your friend who may be very competent due to his other interests I have seen the antics of C&E "crew" during the initial trials of "Sentinel"
which I was involved in building. I was blissfully unaware until then that many of them had never been to sea before being thrown on board and the policy appears to be to circulate office bound VAT inspectors around their little fleet as "crew" to give them "experience" . The result is usually that many of the serving crew on board are about as much use as a chocolate teapot and in my humble experience a grave danger to themselves and everyone else.
Couple this with the small crafts annoying habit of crashing onto you when they want to board devoid of all fenders and climbing all over your boat with black rubber soled boots on with no more than a kiss my **** apology and they get zero respect from me I am afraid!

 

[milltech]

I have been boarded in the like manner, I wouldn't call it a ram exactly, more like a hard landing, but then 65 tons of wood mfv doesn't move to much when given this treatment.

Old MFV in the Channel, must be a drugs boat let's go do 'em. Since when C&E have been off my Christmas list, boorish oafs with all the politeness of an elephants arse.

 

[boatmike]

I beg to differ. At least the elephants arse is some use to the elephant.....

 

[starboard]

Most of these guy's only suited to sniffing knickers from holiday maker's suitcase's.

Paul.

 

[fireball]

Surely in this day and age you could mount a claim against Customs for excessive force/violence?
It must be pretty intimedating being hit by a large RIB - or any RIB for that matter ... after all, if it does jolt the boat - they have NO way of knowing if you happen to have someone down below making coffee or cutting up sarnies and could cause a serious accident... thats what I'd work on anyway.
IMO there is no excuse for rough handed tactics from any "authority" unless serious resistance is made.

Ok - so if it is a little rough where you wish to board you will want to come in and apply pressure between the boats - to stop them from comming apart, but ramming speed?!

 

[marklongstaff]

Coastguard advised yacht to get and fill out a Hazardous Incident form on his arrival back to home port. It would make an interesting story in YM don't you think? can the yacht be tracked down or will there be a C & E coverup?!?

 

[Birdseye]

" can the yacht be tracked down or will there be a C & E coverup?!? "

Do you really need to ask?

 

[bob_tyler]

An RN Boat came alongside my Caprice in the Solent many years ago (A RNVR Minesweeper had just carried away my starboard shroud while I was anchored off Cowes (black shape hoisted) for the start of the Cowes-Torquay Powerboat Race).

It had taken them 25 mins to lower a boat. The Lieut in command of the boat was just about to step aboard when I noticed that he was wearing highly polished leather soled shoes. I requested that he remove them before stepping on my painted deck.

He did so, rather reluctantly, to display large holes in the heels of both socks, much to the amusement of the cox'n and bowman of the boat.

He went very red faced. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif