RNLI Rescue of Peterhead

[Romeo]

It has been horrible conditions off the East coast of scotland for a couple of days. Our harbour is closed, and I was down there tying a tarp down and remarking to another sailor how glad I was not to be at sea. So reading this report, I know how amazingly brave and efficient this rescue must have been:

Fishing crew rescued in treacherous conditions off Peterhead

Well done that RNLI crew and the fisherman who were out in this in the first place.

 

[fien397]

It has been horrible conditions off the East coast of scotland for a couple of days. Our harbour is closed, and I was down there tying a tarp down and remarking to another sailor how glad I was not to be at sea. So reading this report, I know how amazingly brave and efficient this rescue must have been:

Fishing crew rescued in treacherous conditions off Peterhead

Well done that RNLI crew and the fisherman who were out in this in the first place.

tasty job that one, first as Cox as well aparantly. Nice

 

[NormanS]

I don't know for how far the one fishing boat had been towing the other, but let's be fair, they did a good job too.

 

[wully1]

I know the RNLI are good but any organisation would struggle to rescue Peterhead....

 

[Elessar]

Crikey that video is stomach churning.

 

[Halo]

Everyone did well on that one -but should they have called the lifeboat earlier ?

 

[NormanS]

Fishing

Everyone did well on that one -but should they have called the lifeboat earlier ?

Fishing boats towing other fishing boats is quite a common scenario.

 

[Mark-1]

Fishing
Fishing boats towing other fishing boats is quite a common scenario.

+1

Seems to me the only thing the RNLI offered beyond the resources already present in this scenario was a stronger tow rope. Which is fantastic and saved the lives, but there's no reason a powerful fishing boat and two crews of full time professional seamen should have felt they needed help early on in this scenario.

 

[franksingleton]

RNLI is the one charity to which we have a monthly Subscription. Their crews are superb and it is always good to see such examples to remind us how good and how well equipped. They really do deserve the support of us all.

 

[penberth3]

Everyone did well on that one -but should they have called the lifeboat earlier ?

How long is a piece of string? When was the lifeboat called?

 

[Romeo]

+1

Seems to me the only thing the RNLI offered beyond the resources already present in this scenario was a stronger tow rope. Which is fantastic and saved the lives, but there's no reason a powerful fishing boat and two crews of full time professional seamen should have felt they needed help early on in this scenario.

I suppose as well as the rope the lifeboat is also nippier/ more manoeuvrable, which is probably quite handy in the final approach to the port on a lee shore with a sharp turn on entry.

 

[Elessar]

Everyone did well on that one -but should they have called the lifeboat earlier ?

Oh to live with the benefit of hindsight.

 

[Mark-1]

I suppose as well as the rope the lifeboat is also nippier/ more manoeuvrable, which is probably quite handy in the final approach to the port on a lee shore with a sharp turn on entry.

I take your point but I'm still not convinced that either towing or the conditions were *that* exceptional for Fishermen. They'd chosen to be out there fishing so entry in an onshore gale obviously didn't seem *that* iffy.

As someone else says, we don't even know that they left the request for help late. It's entirely possible they had requested the Lifeboat to meet them be nearer the entrance just in case the tow snapped.

 

[penberth3]

Oh to live with the benefit of hindsight.

And the comfortable armchair.

 

[franksingleton]

And the comfortable armchair.

Quite right. At sea events usually unfold quite slowly but, when something goes wrong, they often do so extremely quickly. It becomes all too easy to be overtaken by events. Those who were not there are in no position or, at least, in a poor position, to judge. What we really do know is that the RNLI crew showed excellent seamanship.

 

[Romeo]

I would sooner be in the lifeboat that in the fishing boat..... have a look at this footage from the lifeboat looking at the tow:

RNLI Peterhead Lifeboat on Facebook Watch

 

[Bajansailor]

The potential for significant snatch loadings on the tow rope must have been very high in those conditions - no wonder the fishing vessel's tow rope kept breaking.
Which makes me wonder about the viability then in these conditions of attaching the towing rope to the anchor cable on the vessel being towed - with the anchor still attached - and veering a length of chain to provide a good dampening effect on the tow?

I wonder what type of tow ropes the RNLI use now, and what their breaking strength is - I remember when I was working there 25 odd years ago that they had massive nylon hawsers, and I think that they might have been 75 - 100 m. in length.

 

[NormanS]

On the couple of occasions that I was asked to tow fishing boats, when I had a converted MFV, the fishing boats had their tow all ready for me. All that was required was to pass a heaving line. Crucially, the tow was very long, and had at least one motor tyre incorporated acting as a shock absorber. Really, there is no substitute for length of tow.

 

[fien397]

The potential for significant snatch loadings on the tow rope must have been very high in those conditions - no wonder the fishing vessel's tow rope kept breaking.
Which makes me wonder about the viability then in these conditions of attaching the towing rope to the anchor cable on the vessel being towed - with the anchor still attached - and veering a length of chain to provide a good dampening effect on the tow?

I wonder what type of tow ropes the RNLI use now, and what their breaking strength is - I remember when I was working there 25 odd years ago that they had massive nylon hawsers, and I think that they might have been 75 - 100 m. in length.

Tamar class currently has 200m of 28mm polyester braid on braid, 14T break. Plus monster strong dyneema for pennants.

 

[PilotWolf]

RNLI is the one charity to which we have a monthly Subscription. Their crews are superb and it is always good to see such examples to remind us how good and how well equipped. They really do deserve the support of us all.

I used to. Then I worked for them and the money they waste is obscene.

I still have great respect for the frontline crews - at least most of them.

PW