Nautical
Well-Known Member
Just my thoughts having had some involvement in the past.
I can attest that the second you introduce the thought of a charge or potential claim against the person/s requiring asssistance the timeline between calling for help/assistance when it would be deemed prudent and the time when things get hairy or have gone too far increases dramatically. If those needing assistance believe they will be charged for the service the outcome becomes worse when the situation goes pear shaped and the call is delayed.
Often what appear to be minor incidents from the outset can become serious quite quickly when people are left to their own devices, outcomes where people didn't want to call anyone as it seemed a breakdown not far from shore didn't warrant it, tried swiming to shore and misjudged the distance and current, never to be seen again. Another senario, small boat waited and waited to hopefully get a tow from passing boat / yacht that didn't materialise, gets dark, cold, wind picks up, makes call on handheld, RNLI launched but couldn't find them in the pitch black, no DF as handheld probably went flat, boat probably swamped and both lost, all because they ran out of petrol mid afternoon.
When it comes to the sea you just can't muck about and try making decisions which / who gets freebie and who has to pay. Unlike a car, you can't just step out and walk home, your are in a hostile environment that once in it (the water) is incompatible with human life after so many hours (weather and temp dependant).
I would agree the service has in the past been very well funded but instead of knocking it we should be really proud of it, it is bar none, universally recognised at the" best" in the world, crews from all over the world come to Poole for training and what makes me proud is it is not government funded, it is you and me that funds it and we collectively do a damn sight better job than any government agency could ever do.
I can attest that the second you introduce the thought of a charge or potential claim against the person/s requiring asssistance the timeline between calling for help/assistance when it would be deemed prudent and the time when things get hairy or have gone too far increases dramatically. If those needing assistance believe they will be charged for the service the outcome becomes worse when the situation goes pear shaped and the call is delayed.
Often what appear to be minor incidents from the outset can become serious quite quickly when people are left to their own devices, outcomes where people didn't want to call anyone as it seemed a breakdown not far from shore didn't warrant it, tried swiming to shore and misjudged the distance and current, never to be seen again. Another senario, small boat waited and waited to hopefully get a tow from passing boat / yacht that didn't materialise, gets dark, cold, wind picks up, makes call on handheld, RNLI launched but couldn't find them in the pitch black, no DF as handheld probably went flat, boat probably swamped and both lost, all because they ran out of petrol mid afternoon.
When it comes to the sea you just can't muck about and try making decisions which / who gets freebie and who has to pay. Unlike a car, you can't just step out and walk home, your are in a hostile environment that once in it (the water) is incompatible with human life after so many hours (weather and temp dependant).
I would agree the service has in the past been very well funded but instead of knocking it we should be really proud of it, it is bar none, universally recognised at the" best" in the world, crews from all over the world come to Poole for training and what makes me proud is it is not government funded, it is you and me that funds it and we collectively do a damn sight better job than any government agency could ever do.