RNLI age rant

[mbay]

So I was having a brew with my neighbour the other day (mooring not house) and we got chatting about the RNLI of which he has a lot to do with in my local area, he his some kind of leader or god type person within the organisation his exact title escapes me.
Anyway I was showing a vague interest in maybe joining and helping out after all I’m an ex-lifeguard I know my way round boats and have done first aid etc.

How old are you he asks, 47 i reply oh your to old 45 is the age limit.................. WHAT!!!!! HOW THE ***** THAT.......was my somewhat unbelievable cry. Oh its a young mans game jumping around in rough seas on little boats, you need to be fit, strong and supple.

Now I’m not that bothered about being unable to join the RNLI it was only a vague interest anyway, but I am a bit pissed off to think that a large organisation thinks’ I’m over the hill at 45, sorry 47 when i know i can probably outswim, out run, out bike, out chin and out dip the entire crew even if they are all younger than me.

What say the rest of you old over 45 people?

 

[Tony Cross]

Eh? You'll have to speak up, I can't find my ear trumpet.

 

[JomsViking]

A physical test instead of ageism would be better - Some even grow wiser with age, so would be better personnel.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

A physical test instead of ageism would be better - Some even grow wiser with age, so would be better personnel.

Without a physical test it IS ageism - and could be challenged under age discrimintaion legislation, if anyone felt strongly enough about it. It would certainly be an interesting test case!

That said, other service organizations (armed forces, the police and fire service come to mind) have low retiring ages for staff who have not achieved promotion to a point where it is presumed they will not be engaged in active service.

 

[mbay]

A physical test instead of ageism would be better - Some even grow wiser with age, so would be better personnel.

Mmmmm? a BFT as pre-requisit that might rattle a few cages, still it might stop a overweight pie munching chain smoking alcoholic 20 something applying huh?

 

[Sniper]

As a paramedic who, under the latest pensions review, is now required to work to 65, I think a 45 year old cut off is a bit of a joke (although obviously a slightly different situation as the RNLI are all volunteers)

 

[mbay]

Without a physical test it IS ageism - and could be challenged under age discrimintaion legislation, if anyone felt strongly enough about it. It would certainly be an interesting test case!

That said, other service organizations (armed forces, the police and fire service come to mind) have low retiring ages for staff who have not achieved promotion to a point where it is presumed they will not be engaged in active service.

yes but don't they all have some sort or fitness test to get in? does the RNLI? i doubt it.

 

[SolentBoat]

Many, many years ago, when still a teenager, I used to crew on an RNLI RIB. I remember doing exercises with (IIRC) Arun class boats and we'd swap crews for a while. The older Arun class blokes almost always concluded that ours was a "young man's game". I used to wonder what they were talking about. But now I'm well into my 40s, I think they may have had a point - I'm not sure I'd be up to the sheer physicality of working on those small boats these days. If there's any sea running then even getting to the casulty would be knackering - though they probably don't do beach launches anymore - and you're fully exposed to the elements. Certainly for the small boats, I'd say you've got to be both bloody fit and have the stamina that only comes with the mental stubbornness of youth!

 

[mikefleetwood]

I think you will find that the paid crew - coxswain, mechanic - retire at 55. Probably expected that volunteer crew do the same. Inconsideration of the required investment in training, the RNLI probably consider a usable working life of only 7-8 years a poor return.

All-weather lifeboat crew IS a young man's game. I don't think there's anyone on our local crew much over 40. It is much more physically demanding than any kind of leisure boating (with the possible exception of trans-ocean racing). frequently called out in conditions no leisure sailor would choose to venture into.

No age limit for shore crew, though.

 

[mbay]

All-weather lifeboat crew IS a young man's game. I don't think there's anyone on our local crew much over 40

so they do fitness tests for the under 40's do they? because i know a lot of over 40's that could put a lot of under 40's to shame, surely if your strong enough and fit enough to carry out a job your good enough! why does age have to come into it unless your a professional athlete or such.

 

[photodog]

You can join the Canadian army as old as 57. There are fitness requirments of course.

 

[mbay]

You can join the Canadian army as old as 57. There are fitness requirments of course.

What times the next flight to Canada?...........I'm sure as i get older I'll get more and more annoyed with people who try to tell me I'm to old to being stuff like that

 

[sailorman]

So I was having a brew with my neighbour the other day (mooring not house) and we got chatting about the RNLI of which he has a lot to do with in my local area, he his some kind of leader or god type person within the organisation his exact title escapes me.
Anyway I was showing a vague interest in maybe joining and helping out after all I’m an ex-lifeguard I know my way round boats and have done first aid etc.

How old are you he asks, 47 i reply oh your to old 45 is the age limit.................. WHAT!!!!! HOW THE ***** THAT.......was my somewhat unbelievable cry. Oh its a young mans game jumping around in rough seas on little boats, you need to be fit, strong and supple.

Now I’m not that bothered about being unable to join the RNLI it was only a vague interest anyway, but I am a bit pissed off to think that a large organisation thinks’ I’m over the hill at 45, sorry 47 when i know i can probably outswim, out run, out bike, out chin and out dip the entire crew even if they are all younger than me.

What say the rest of you old over 45 people?

That would rule out Henry Blogg then

 

[maxi77]

I questioned a retired coxswain about this many years ago and he told me it was because the risk of serious back injury when bouncing from wave top to wave top increases to what they feel is an unacceptable level beyond that age

 

[deuc02]

As a paramedic who, under the latest pensions review, is now required to work to 65

Welcome to the real world

 

[nortada]

I questioned a retired coxswain about this many years ago and he told me it was because the risk of serious back injury when bouncing from wave top to wave top increases to what they feel is an unacceptable level beyond that age

Sounds reasonable.

I have been led to believe that this same bouncing can lead to detached retinas in older folk so yes it is a younger persons' sport.

 

[Sniper]

Welcome to the real world

I obviously don't know what you do for a living pal, but if your world can be any more real than mine I'd like to know about it.

 

[Juan Twothree]

To clear up a few points that have been raised earlier in this thread:

The age limit mentioned, 45, (with an option to extend service to 55, recently increased from 50) only applies to inshore lifeboats i.e. inflatables/Atlantic RHIBs

I believe the retirement age for volunteers on all-weather lifeboats is 60, but I may be wrong (I'm ILB crew).

All lifeboat crew have to undertake a regular fitness test, regardless of age. The current ILB one includes step, lifting and grip tests, plus reboarding the lifeboat from the water (which isn't as easy as some on here think it is, even on a RHIB).

As someone else has mentioned, the reason for the apparently low retirement age is mainly due to the increased risk of back injury. Although the more recent versions of the Atlantic ILB have a gentler ride than what went previously, it still bl**dy hurts sometimes when you land off a big wave. And that can go on for several hours during a long search.

Is it a young man's boat? Well, I'm nearly 50, and have been crewing for well over 20 years. I'm very fit, running and/or cycling every day, but even so I ache a bit the day after a bouncy trip in the boat, in a way that I didn't when I was in my twenties or thirties.

Hopefully I'll be able to carry on till 55, but if it gets too much I'll have to be realistic and call it a day.


And yes, I know Henry Blogg carried on till he was 70, but his lifeboat only did about 8 knots!

 

[Sniper]

To clear up a few points that have been raised earlier in this thread:

The age limit mentioned, 45, (with an option to extend service to 55, recently increased from 50) only applies to inshore lifeboats i.e. inflatables/Atlantic RHIBs

I believe the retirement age for volunteers on all-weather lifeboats is 60, but I may be wrong (I'm ILB crew).

All lifeboat crew have to undertake a regular fitness test, regardless of age. The current ILB one includes step, lifting and grip tests, plus reboarding the lifeboat from the water (which isn't as easy as some on here think it is, even on a RHIB).

As someone else has mentioned, the reason for the apparently low retirement age is mainly due to the increased risk of back injury. Although the more recent versions of the Atlantic ILB have a gentler ride than what went previously, it still bl**dy hurts sometimes when you land off a big wave. And that can go on for several hours during a long search.

Is it a young man's boat? Well, I'm nearly 50, and have been crewing for well over 20 years. I'm very fit, running and/or cycling every day, but even so I ache a bit the day after a bouncy trip in the boat, in a way that I didn't when I was in my twenties or thirties.

Hopefully I'll be able to carry on till 55, but if it gets too much I'll have to be realistic and call it a day.


And yes, I know Henry Blogg carried on till he was 70, but his lifeboat only did about 8 knots!

That sounds like a much more sensible rendition of a policy. Backs do wear out and any heavy pounding or lifting after the age of 55 is not a good idea. Pity the government don't take the same view.

 

[Biggles Wader]

I obviously don't know what you do for a living pal, but if your world can be any more real than mine I'd like to know about it.

Touche.I know exactly where you are coming from but regret to inform you 65 is optimistic.Your retirement age will be 66 or higher depending on your current age.
The comparison with the RNLI is interesting.They go out and work hard a few times a week,but you go out seven or eight times a shift.How many years can you realistically keep that up?Good luck with it anyway