RYA Press release

[Signed Out]

And in the immortal words of...

Tears for Fears, chorus;

Shout, Shout, let it all out,
These are the things we can do without,
Come on, I'm talking to you...

Breathe in deeply, that's it. Now let it out. Slow.

Let us all hold hands.

 

[Seajet]

So if there's been no activity up North by the RYA, how about this referring to Scottish Wind Farm proposals on the Some Good News thread; This follows a very well argued case submitted last month by RYA arguing against it on marine safety grounds....

Some people have just enough persecution complex to winge, but not enough to get off their transoms and do something about it !

 

[Searush]

Hiya Searush, just a question about watchkeeping on larger ships. Not sure about poor standards in busy shipping lanes. My impression, and it is only that, is there may be fewer in crew thesesdays but they are more technically trained. Simply don't know. Is yours based on something?? Genuine question, not a wind up.

CS

Nah, no specific factual evidence - what's the point for a rant?

Just a perception based on comments on this & other fora & in books I read written by LD voyagers. I hope you are right, but suspect you don't have any supporting evidence either, do you?

 

[Searush]

How many times have you sailed through them at night or in conditions of poor visibility?

Why would anyone be stupid enough to try that? They are well marked on charts & by lights & on your radar (if you have it), so I would expect sensible boaters to go around them in poor weather.

Oh, you're a MoBo aren't you? So sure, go thro at full speed & spray your wash as high as you can - I'm sure it will be fun & exciting.

 

[Seajet]

Searush,

the reason people are getting hot and bothered about the South Coast wind farm is that to 'just go around' would be a massive detour in strong cross tides; combine that with bad vis' or weather at the end of a cross-Channel passage, and it's pushing probably beyond the limits of a small crew, such as experienced husband & novice wife etc.

 

[capnsensible]

Nah, no specific factual evidence - what's the point for a rant?

Just a perception based on comments on this & other fora & in books I read written by LD voyagers. I hope you are right, but suspect you don't have any supporting evidence either, do you?

Nothing real. I do regularly sail in a busy shipping lane and have never felt concerned though by inadequate lookouts. Including Maroc ferries!

In the days when I sailed the English Channel a lot, it was the normal thing to go on about watchkeeping on big ships, but again no evidence.

Just wonder if its all supposition.

A sort of incident that prompts this comes from a trip a couple of weeks ago. I was on the way down to the Canaries from Gib and that route does get fairly busy. We had a big sea kicked up by winds of up to 40 knots, running under a bit of headsail. Was actually quite exciting.....anyhow, a medium sized tanker on the reciprocal altered a bit to CPA around half a mile. Jolly pleasant chap called us on vhf to see if we were ok and if we needed any assisstance in the rough weather!.

I was impressed with this, we must have been hard to see so they must have been on the ball on the bridge.

Very pleasant of him to enquire and we had a bit of a chat. Net result, I do wonder if the watchkeeping standard is far higher than the average leisure sailor believes????

Any comments welcome.

 

[Signed Out]

OK, I am sure during construction there will be a detour around any wind farm, to some extent, but these hazards are well known, well charted and (except in fog, as with anything) pretty bloomin obvious. Got huge great gaps between the points too. Plenty of big ol tubs spending much time amongst them, so can't be too scary. Even in poor vis.

Besides, rather hit one of them than risk hitting what's behind this-

Looks much better like that though.

(Can't do smiley thingies, but cheeky grin on one, ok).

 

[Searush]

Check this out. It seems some NIMBY's have been successful.

TBH, it makes sense not to place them across shipping lanes or where there are lots of yotties. But why should I let the facts get in the way of a bit of teasing?