RNLI to the rescue!

TwoStroke

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It's the moment that I think everyone dreads - but had to do it yesterday.

For those that don't know Brighton Marina - the swell at the entrance can get very large, plus the entrance is very narrow with currents meeting.

Set off yesterday lunch time and saw a few boats coming in saying it was 'interesting'. Thought I would poke my nose out - if rough would turn around. There were a few boats still coming in, so turning around was going to be difficult - so thought would ride the swell to slightly calmer water, then turn her around and come back in.

Now parallel to the entrance, big wave comes over boat, knocks out the throttle and engine. Oh s..t! Engine cuts out. Try turning engine over - am getting shocks of the throttle lever. Not good. Am now drifiting 6-8ft from marina entrance wall and drifting towards it. Have three other friends on the boat. I need help.

Put out a Mayday call.

Coastguard are fortunately training a mile out and will be with us in a few minutes.
Advise me to drop anchor - which managed to do. Lifeboat appears and one of the guys board with a rope to tow her in. To our surprise they start drifting back and manage to get the tow rope caught on their props. A few minutes later all ok. Anchor is up and being towed back in.

Once back in the marina, RNLI tell us off for using a Mayday. Nothing like putting your back up after realising how much you appreciate their efforts. After informing them that we were drifiting onto the marina wall and only 6-8ft away from it, they conceed I did the right thing. If was only after the call that the swell had died a touch for me to get the anchor out and the tide fortunately took us out of the marina a little, which was why we were out of the entrance when they arrived.

Alls well that end wells though. Met in the pub a little later and got a round in. The one that told us off, one of his mates had happened to be on the marina wall and saw it all happened, and confirmed what had happened.

A little shaken, everyone ok - many thanks to the RNLI. Keep up the good work.

They did suggest something like a 4hp outboard would give us control even in weather like yesterday. Any suggestions?

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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by TwoStroke on 13/10/2003 09:17 (server time).</FONT></P>
 

TwoStroke

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Thanks for your kind words.

Am seriouly considering changing the boat now, but think it will have to wait until next year what with my wedding this weekend.

It all comes at once doesn't it? /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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powerskipper

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You could always go and view boats while on Honeymoon,
Think how romantic it would be, hand in hand walking down the pontoon, your eyes roaming around the sleek lines of boats, with a rose tinted glow.

Congratulations

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Dave_Snelson

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I used to have a 4HP auxilliary motor on my last boat. It would push it along at at walking pace - just enough to keep you on the move, in the direction you would rather be travelling in!

Picked it up second-hand for £189 and I now use it extensively for my tender. Great little motor, starts first time and is air cooled, so no water pump.

I would recommend that you get hold of one similar and fit it on an auxilliary bracket. You'll be surprised at how much peace of mind it brings, even if you never use it.

Glad to hear you're OK.

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whisper

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Agreed, 4hp on a bracket would be fine for the purpose - should enable you to do about 4/5knts in flat water. This would either take you in the direction you want to go or atleast in heavier weather keep you away from where you don't. I've always had said auxilliary with my former petrol boats but not now with our diesel one. Hope I'm not being too complacent now.
Glad to hear you are safe and thanks for the post.

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TwoStroke

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I think that's just the thing they suggested. Am looking at taking her out in a few weeks time to clean her up, service etc... My engineer is concerned about the dash, if that has been flooded then insurance claim. He's looking into that today, so the timing may be right to put an auxilary bracket on.

I think boats at the moment are right off SWMBO's mind - especially the honeymoon - as she was on the boat yesterday. Coped very well indeed. Mind you, her first words were 'I must get my hand bag, my engagement ring is in it.' (long story). /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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Sounds like your life was in imminent danger so I think a Mayday call was appropriate. An auxiliary outboard on a bracket is a good idea but 4hp might not be enough to turn the boat in boisterous weather and then somebody has to lean over the transom to steer the thing which is potentially dangerous. Diesel's the answer
BTW, for my honeymoon we chartered a motor boat in the BVI. Brilliant


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whisper

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You may find that you will need a long shaft outboard depending on the position that you can fit the bracket. A bracket that hinges may be best but they are a bit cumbersome. What is important is that the engine is deep enough in the water in choppy conditions. A long shaft model also puts the tiller handle nearer to you which is another advantage for control. The only disadvantage is that this is unlikely to be suitable as your dinghy engine.

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TwoStroke

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Engineer has just come back - says we were lucky to be alive. The fuel return / sender has corroded. When they took the covers off - she stunk of petrol. The connection has corroded and has been spilling out fuel all day and night. The bilge pump has been working overtime.

Guess who just topped the tank up too - and also getting electric shocks when trying to start her!

The marina are going to move her somewhere secure so people don't throw their fag ends anywhere near. Then lift her out. Big bill time again!

Am now trying to find out from the manufacturer if there is a bilge plug, so once lifted, she can be drained.

It never rains, but p....s down. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

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Renegade_Master

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Yup exiting / entering Brighton Marina can be a problem due to the backlash from the western breakwater. I remember sticking my nose out to "test the water"
in my early days, Broom 37 Crown, had two non boaty types on board, started to roll badly as we rounded the corner aside the western breakwater looked down into cabin to see both of them with legs widest apart as poss holding on for dear life, had to take her right out then pick a moment to come about, then shot back in as quick as the conditions would permit.

Glad I dot have to put up with that situation any longer



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miket

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Delighted all ended happily.
Whilst you were indeed fortunate that the RNLI were so close by, would a call to the marina harbourmaster not potentially generated a quicker response? After all you say you were right outside.

Equally, I am surprised that another boat entering or leaving the marina could not have assisted.

I answered a call from Solent Coastguard to bring in a speedboat with defunct engine off Southsea. Saved the RNLI a trip, although certainly no imminent danger to life on that occasion.


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TwoStroke

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Marina harbourmaster not allowed to respond as their insurance does not cover this. Surprised me too, but that's what their insurers say.

Of course, as soon as RNLI appeared, there were a few more boats in the locality to aid us, but they thought this was better than their practice earlier so continued assisting us.

It now transpires we have a large fuel leak so it was probably just as well they were in the area.

Feel more confident now in what to do in such an incident so in future would probably ask another boat for assistance. Initally being so close to the harbour wall did not want to put any body else at risk.

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ChrisP

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So youre one of the ones that couldn't be bothered to look at the forecast of 4-5 going 5-6 or a look over the wall at the most sheltered part to see a 1-2 metre swell. Ignoring the fact that even the fishermen were tucked up on their berths you decide to wander around in a boat which by your own admission, was unseaworthy. What's your ambition, to become another "accident" statistic with the other brain deads.

Your'e a prime example of the need for formal training and a licence system to protect he rest of us.

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TwoStroke

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Now that remark is uncalled for.

Yes I knew what the forecast was - and have been out in a F6 with her and handled well. Have my ICC training etc... It wasn't until the engineer had a look this morning that the fault was found. Inspected the engine and levels before I left and all was ok. And on the way down to the marina it didn't look too bad. By the time we were in the entrance there were other boats coming in so turning around was nigh impossible without potentially hitting some one else. Was not a lot I could do once the swell had knocked the electrics out - just at the point of turning the boat around.

So kindly get off your high horse.

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duncan

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Re: back to the auxillary

I would not recommend a 4 hp on your boat for this purpose because it will have to be rigged to the transom everytime you go out to be any use, and in any sea it won't be any use.
For your size of boat (weight) around 8hp would be need to give you the drive to keep you clear of a lee shore or hazard, it's bulky, heavy and likely to get nicked etc etc
Maintenance, spares, toolkit and a good anchor ready and capable for use at short notice would be way ahead in the pecking order.
As ChrisP suggests (?) not needlessly exposing yourself to danger is also an important factor; possibly worthy of it's own thread after last weekend which clearly claimed a few 'casualties'. Personally, as a guest of the Scuttlebutters, I enjoyed (?) an excellent few days on the water between the Solent and Cherbourg and can't understand the fuss over a little wind and a few waves /forums/images/icons/smile.gif.

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Fire99

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Hi there...

All i can say is , glad you're ok.
Its amazing that in hindsight, you could probably think of 100 things you would have done differently..
As you genuinely thought lives were in danger, (and later the RNLI agreed!) then there is no doubt about it that you did the right thing...

From personal experience, i would ALWAYS go out with a second method to get me home.. (In your case an auxilary Engine).
Ive been a boat owner for about 4 years now and in my 1st year on the Estuary in my Single engined boat, i had to make a distress call.
Fortunately in my case it was 'only' a PAN PAN as my engine had blown itself to pieces and i was being taken by the outgoing tide away from the safe haven of the Marina. This was after my engine had been professionally rebuilt only a couple of weeks before and seriously tested.
The chances of that happening were very slim but it did happen and i must 'take my hat off' to the coastguard as they were EXTREMELY helpful.
I can remember now the heat of the moment and the nerves of thinking of the theory i had learnt at my VHF course and then having to use it.
On my 'new' boat i have had 1 of the 2 engines fail for mysterious reasons on atleast 4 occasions and once both engines failed briefly. (which resulted in a major investigation on my part for the cause.)
So now i never go out without 2 well serviced engines, 1 tender with well maintained outboard, and Oars for the tender in the event that i get shocking bad luck..
All im getting at is, i've had things happen which people have said are amazing bad luck, but they can happen so minimise the risk and take all the precautions that at some time most of us have probably thought 'over the top'

Oh and well done once again RNLI, one very dependable emergency service!

all the best

Nick




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duncan

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Re: remove the urgency...

...and get the anchor down.
I would suggest this as the first course of action even if your imediate thought was to start the auxillary, launch the dingy or whatever (only possible reasons for not doing so would be that the conditions were taking you in a favourable direction or that you were in open water and by anchoring you might worsen the safety position of the boat (eg a big tide was running in deepwater or there was a significant sea and you craft was safer drifting).
Interestingly many many commercials are single engine and do not carry auxillaries (but they do carry liferafts).
I am all in favour of tenders, OB and oars but realistically small sportsboats havent the space to carry a decent tender or the transom to rig an effective auxillary.
There is no excuse for not having a decent anchor/cleat/fairlead however - and most don't even have that!

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