TwoStroke
New member
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>
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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