Run aground at low water? Put your anchor out!

[wonkywinch]

Came back to the Hamble this afternoon. Two calls to Solent Coastguard. Neither used pro words "pan pan" but two separate vessels called CG within 20 mins.

First a rib had run aground and sheared his prop/drive. Tide coming in fast, help on the way. "Have you anchored?". No the skipper replied.

Next, a motor boat ran aground on lee shore in 25kt onshore winds inside Bald Head. "Have you anchored?". No the skipper replied.

In my opinion neither had a radio qualification either, the RT sounded more like a CB radio enthusiast.

Entering the Hamble monitoring 68 & 16 when CG closed the entrance to the river due to UXB found at the end of the spit.

A busy day but I can't help thinking the professionals have their work cut out trying to save people from themselves.

 

[ylop]

The reason the “have you anchored” question is part of the script is because it so often gets forgotten. Easy to criticise the skipper from an armchair but I’m sure most of us have had an “issue” where in retrospect there were things we could or should have done.

Likewise a radio operators course last for life and with many criticising routine traffic and radio checks and the increasing use of phone for ship to ship or ship to Marina comms it’s quite possible the caller is rusty rather than unqualified. They clearly successfully managed to share their troubles.

 

[KevinV]

Came back to the Hamble this afternoon. Two calls to Solent Coastguard. Neither used pro words "pan pan" but two separate vessels called CG within 20 mins.

First a rib had run aground and sheared his prop/drive. Tide coming in fast, help on the way. "Have you anchored?". No the skipper replied.

Next, a motor boat ran aground on lee shore in 25kt onshore winds inside Bald Head. "Have you anchored?". No the skipper replied.

In my opinion neither had a radio qualification either, the RT sounded more like a CB radio enthusiast.

Entering the Hamble monitoring 68 & 16 when CG closed the entrance to the river due to UXB found at the end of the spit.

A busy day but I can't help thinking the professionals have their work cut out trying to save people from themselves.

When reading about or seeing tv/video of boats in bother I often wonder why they don't get the anchor down - even mobo's have plenty of bits of string on board to make a really, really long anchor warp - enough to stop the boat in quite deep water, way before getting near any shore. Taking "direction/speed of travel towards impending doom" off the list of things to worry about seems so very obvious from an armchair, but I can easily see that when "getting out of this situation" is at the forefront of one's mind that it gets forgotten.

It's a bit like road traffic (in reverse) - people tend to think of three options to avoid an impending collision; "brake", "go left", "go right" (and they often don't get further than "brake") - forgetting that "accelerate" is another potential way out.

 

[Neeves]

I think Marine Radio Rescue operators might agree that many who request help are not licensed.

However they would prefer that the lack of a licence is not a deterrence to requesting help.

They are also of the belief they, Marine Rescue, are not a Policing body and simply accept that many might not know the correct protocol - and accept the reality.

In Australia over the last 25 years I have never been asked for sight of my Radio Licence (mine covers both VHF and SSB). Previously I was never asked for sight of my Licences in Hong Kong.

I think trying to enforce the holding of any of the licences is a lost cause.

Jonathan

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I think Marine Radio Rescue operators might agree that many who request help are not licensed.

However they would prefer that the lack of a licence is not a deterrence to requesting help.

They are also of the belief they, Marine Rescue, are not a Policing body and simply accept that many might not know the correct protocol - and accept the reality.

In Australia over the last 25 years I have never been asked for sight of my Radio Licence (mine covers both VHF and SSB). Previously I was never asked for sight of my Licences in Hong Kong.

I think trying to enforce the holding of any of the licences is a lost cause.

Jonathan

We very frequently hear people who would seem never to have had training and never read a book. But, as long as they don’t spend their time sat on the transmit button, little harm is done.

 

[Refueler]

Do not forget that Licence requirement goes out the window when emergency situation prevails. OK - running aground usually does not mean emergency situation ... but we are not there at the time and do not have all info.

I have had occasion to call Solent CG ... coming out of Bembridge ... making a run in worsening weather to Langstone ... waves developed higher than expected ... outboard swamped as bow ifted ... ran out genny - forestay failed and we had genny fully unfurled 90 deg to mast head ... threatening to snap mast ... Harry (ex SBS) managed to haul the genny down while I used a halyard to hold mast ..
We bounced onto the sand bank at the fort ... I called CG on direct working CH and advised of situation. Yes - I had thrown out the anchor ...

We ended up have a Rocket Line fired to us, the Lifeboat could not get to us ... then towing line etc etc ... dragged back into Bembridge.

What I can say - is that adrenaline was running at overload .. if I had not been trained as MN Officer with safety etc - I can well imagine the panic and form all that could have taken.
I would not be so quick to condemn the people mentioned in the OP .. but yes - there are obviously many out there without licences .. without any training / courses completed.

 

[ProDave]

The one that gets me, is a yacht runs aground for whatever reason, on a falling tide. So no chance of re floating until next tide at least. They all seem to secure the boat to the shore, but few bother to run out an anchor to sea. Most therefore get pushed higher up the beach on the next tide and end up wrecked.

We had one successful re float over last winter and I put the success down to the owner walking out and digging in 2 anchors at low tide that stopped the boat going further up the beach until the weather and enough people could be mustered to re float it.

 

[RobbieW]

...
Entering the Hamble monitoring 68 & 16 when CG closed the entrance to the river due to UXB found at the end of the spit...

Got any more detail about this ? There was certainly some CG activity up Hamble Lane about 5 and earlier sirens. Came back in early, about 12.30, as racing was cancelled when the wind got up but heard no talk about the river entrance closing. Dont doubt it, just interested.

 

[oldbloke]

I, more by luck than judgement, have never had to make an emergency call but, quite often when a radio call has had to be made in a busy situation I, as the nominal expert, have been too busy doing stuff to do the radioing and one of the crew, who may not have a licence has had to do it. I'm sure some of those didn't sound professional.
I'm sure that better planning would have helped as would a cockpit mike on charter boats

 

[wonkywinch]

Got any more detail about this ? There was certainly some CG activity up Hamble Lane about 5 and earlier sirens. Came back in early, about 12.30, as racing was cancelled when the wind got up but heard no talk about the river entrance closing. Dont doubt it, just interested.

We came back around 1530 BST. CG talking to the two Sea Start boats that had attended to grounded vessel at Bald Head. CG told them the entrance to the Hamble was closed. We were interested as we'd just entered, been monitoring 16/12/68 and heard/seen nothing.

A few mins later restriction was reduced to 100m radius of Hamble Spit. The second time recently something of interest been found. A few weeks ago, my pint in the RSnYC was interrupted by a police ordered evacuation due to UXB spotted by the pink ferry.

Rumours were it was an old traffic cone embedded in the mud then.

Solent Boating Facebook post

 

[johnalison]

Not everyone who goes to sea is clued up about procedures, or even normal precautions. I remember when, long before we started cruising, my wife and I hired a small boat from Mevagissey for an hour, something like a mini tosher. We had a delightful hour chugging round among the rocks and coves without so much as a chart, lifejacket or anchor in sight, let alone a radio, and I imagine that there are many people around with the same lack of concern around our coasts.

 

[wonkywinch]

Not everyone who goes to sea is clued up about procedures, or even normal precautions. I remember when, long before we started cruising, my wife and I hired a small boat from Mevagissey for an hour, something like a mini tosher. We had a delightful hour chugging round among the rocks and coves without so much as a chart, lifejacket or anchor in sight, let alone a radio, and I imagine that there are many people around with the same lack of concern around our coasts.

The problem is, and the point of my post, is that people are their own worst enemy and on the two occasions I witnessed yesterday were wholly reliant on someone else being able to assist with basic techniques (anchor so you don't drift up with the tide on a lee shore) and basic navigation skills (both had run aground at low water in well charted waters).

One was a Sea Start member, the other relying on CG to tow their stricken vessel back to port.

 

[Pye_End]

Very easy to miss the obvious, or forget good procedure when you are stressed and out of your comfort zone.

 

[RobbieW]

We came back around 1530 BST. CG talking to the two Sea Start boats that had attended to grounded vessel at Bald Head. CG told them the entrance to the Hamble was closed. We were interested as we'd just entered, been monitoring 16/12/68 and heard/seen nothing.

A few mins later restriction was reduced to 100m radius of Hamble Spit. The second time recently something of interest been found. A few weeks ago, my pint in the RSnYC was interrupted by a police ordered evacuation due to UXB spotted by the pink ferry.

Rumours were it was an old traffic cone embedded in the mud then.

Solent Boating Facebook post

Thanks, we came in about 12.30. Knew about the traffic cone at the quay

 

[wonkywinch]

Very easy to miss the obvious, or forget good procedure when you are stressed and out of your comfort zone.

Absolutely, so why not make up your own checklist or do some basic training so you know instinctively what to do in these situations. My view is that these people are putting their own (and possibly others) lives at risk by venturing out into a dangerous environment with insufficient training or knowledge.

The Solent was not a pleasant place yesterday with very strong winds, at least it was quiet on the water for what had been forecast to be a heatwave weekend

In aviation, we have a useful situational awareness tool called NUTA. Notice, Understand & Think Ahead. It could have been useful to the skippers yesterday, "I notice I have run aground, I understand the tide is soon to start flooding so I will float off, I should drop my anchor to hold station until I can sail again or get help for my broken prop shaft".

Oh, and while I'm in a grumpy mood, if you want to anchor outside of Newtown Creek, please do it away from the transit. The three guys on the large mobo probably wondered why there was a pretty ball on a post sitting inside a V on another post whilst they sipped their beer as a small yacht navigated it's way out at low water to catch the flood back home.

 

[ylop]

The problem is, and the point of my post, is that people are their own worst enemy

They are. Yesterday many of them never left the sofa, if they keep repeating that they will probably suffer long term consequences as a result.

and on the two occasions I witnessed yesterday were wholly reliant on someone else being able to assist with basic techniques (anchor so you don't drift up with the tide on a lee shore) and basic navigation skills (both had run aground at low water in well charted waters).

I'd suggest that judging those who screw up and ask for help, discourages other people from calling for help or advising the CG early when they have a problem and therefore means a minor screw up is likely to turn into a real rescue.

One was a Sea Start member, the other relying on CG to tow their stricken vessel back to port.

Preumably still there then - as CG don't tow anybody (except pollution risks in NW Scotland)! It would be a surprise if there were no other vessels in the vicinity with relatively shallow draft that could have offered a tow. Not that I'm criticising the CG for deciding in those conditions that amateur help might not be the best solution.

Absolutely, so why not make up your own checklist or do some basic training so you know instinctively what to do in these situations. My view is that these people are putting their own (and possibly others) lives at risk by venturing out into a dangerous environment with insufficient training or knowledge.

Although nobody died, so your assessment of the risk might be worse than reality. I'm not saying that I think people should jump in a boat and go - but actually if you do an RYA PB2 course (probably the default introduction for the first skipper) I don't recall "what to do if you ground" being part of it. Even if it was, its a 2 day course with elements like that taught as theory only, its easy to forget in a panic. Checklists are a great idea - although on a rib will need to be carefully waterproofed. But then someone else will be a long to criticise them for taking 5 minutes to call the CG whilst they were looking in the locker for something and then working through the book...

 

[johnalison]

Absolutely, so why not make up your own checklist or do some basic training so you know instinctively what to do in these situations. My view is that these people are putting their own (and possibly others) lives at risk by venturing out into a dangerous environment with insufficient training or knowledge.

The Solent was not a pleasant place yesterday with very strong winds, at least it was quiet on the water for what had been forecast to be a heatwave weekend

I'm not making excuses, for myself or them, but is is easy to be misled about the sea when your only experience of it is from relatively safe beaches in good summer weather. A hundred yards out on a Lilo is often as much as people know and I can easily see that for many people a jaunt round somewhere like the Solent in a small boat can seem a reasonable prospect. After all, it's got an engine, just like the car, and I can see land in all directions, so what's to stop us having a bit of fun? Obviously, The RYA and others do a lot to educate those that want to get into boating of various kinds, but there must be a large number of unaffiliated people who just want to mess around on the water and scarcely give it a thought.

 

[jimmcgee]

if I have a radio on board and run into trouble, the last thing I would be thinking about is a license to transmit

 

[Pye_End]

Absolutely, so why not make up your own checklist

Have you done this on your boat?

 

[wonkywinch]

if I have a radio on board and run into trouble, the last thing I would be thinking about is a license to transmit

But you'd quite happily fit a radio and sail off knowing you weren't licensed to use it for the 101 other things it's good for apart from emergencies?

Have you done this on your boat?

Yes, the two situations I might not remember stuff is a Mayday call and packing up at the end of the day.