Seaside Rescue Programme

Re: Self sufficiency

Good plan! What happens when all your navigational systems fail .. do you adopt a similar strategy?
 
Re: Self sufficiency

Many years ago I was helping a friend deliver a boat from Brighton to Poole. We picked up and snapped a lobster pot line in thick fog, under engine in very light winds off the Owers Lanby and the tide had just turned foul. It was in January and freezing cold too. The pot line had caused the flexible shaft coupling to shear, the propshaft slid back and the prop jammed the rudder, fortunately this stopped the shaft from disappearing completely leaving a large underwater hole....

We managed to pull the shaft back to clear the rudder and lashed it down then started the long sail/drift back towards Brighton. Once we had sorted out the immediate problem we did call Solent CG and ADVISE them of our situation in case family were concerned at our non-arrival but insisted no help was needed. It took quite a few hours to sail back to Brighton, where we radioed the marina and asked for a launch to help us to a berth. They asked us to sail into the entrance (which we did) because there was then a swell running outside. For some strange reason at this point the RNLI inshore Rib came tearing out and it's wash threw the marina launch and our boat together, fortunately more noise than damage. Apparently they were on their way to lend a hand!

Is there a moral to this? You tell me! It didn't even occur to us that we had any problem other than finding a vacant berth and getting into it in the dark and the fog when we didn't know the marina layout. But then this was about 20 years ago and times have changed, fingers of blame can be pointed in all directions and the ambulance chasers smell money....
 
Re: Self sufficiency

for all my navigational systems to fail the following would have to happen. Major power outing which does for both gps units and laptop. I'd also have to then drop and stamp on the handheld so that it wouldn't work and also throw the laptop overboard or take its battery out so that I cannot use it. The a gale would have to blow down the forehatch and lift the vshaped cushion under which are stowed my charts. The plastic thing they are in would have to then explode and the charts fly out through the wheelhouse out through the open patio doors, stopping just for a moment along their way to collect all my pencils, the breton plotter and the parallel ruler and my dividers (2 pairs) Hopefully they'd also take the pencil sharpener with them.
Then and only then - well at least after I'd lost my wristwatch - could I safely and reasonably conclude that all my navigation systems had failed. Then I could of course rely on the sun or wind to tell me which way I was headed - in Scottish coastal waters - Hey , I could have a look around and sort out where we are or where we could go.
Not really likely Jamesie - nice try but ill-conceived.
 
We went on a club visit to Solent CG this weekend, including a very informative visit to the helicoptor rescue crew. Both the CG and the flight crews impressed upon us very strongly that they always prefer a call from boats in trouble sooner rather than later. It's then up to their highly professional expertise and experience to decide the best course of action.

Most of the guys we spoke to had upwards of 20 years experience each in the Navy and CG.

I'm gonna trust their judgement and keep paying my subscription, thanks.

Oh, by the way, as we were leaving they were taking off for what is a regular practise flight to keep their skills sharp. Are we going to moan about the fuel they use for that?

Sue
 
Re: Self sufficiency

This story was of a delivery trip of a friend's new boat. My own already had the jubilee clip fitted as have all my boats since then. Even the current one with a PSS seal fitted has a backup jubilee clip, the possibilities of a wet ending to that trip don't bear thinking about!
 
"Oh, by the way, as we were leaving they were taking off for what is a regular practise flight to keep their skills sharp. Are we going to moan about the fuel they use for that?"
Not moaning - merely trying to point out that the programme I watched last night depicted a lot of money being wasted - maybe if you'd taken the trouble to read the post properly you might not have closed with such a weak remark
 
For what it\'s worth . . .

A few years ago was approaching Portpatrick in a 38ft AWB with an inexperienced and not very strong crew of 2, late October, dark in an hour or so, tide just turned North. (We were heading for Whitehaven). Conditions - SE / E F5-6. Forecast for the same or a bit stronger. Under engine. No way of sailing into PP in those conditions. (You'd have to be pretty brave to do it in any conditions really).

Just about to see the leading line we lost forward drive, although the engine was still running. Checked the Morse control, felt the propshaft - no vibration, engine control lever working OK, decided the prop had probably fallen off. (When the boat was eventually lifted out in Whitehaven the following January it was discovered the key had broken and the prop was still there, just not turning).

By now the tide was taking us back North at 2+ knots. Options are lose 30 miles and a night entry into Irvine (never been there before) or round the Mull of Galloway in the dark and beat up to Whitehaven in (probably) deteriorating conditions.

Favourite choice - get a local boat to tow us into Portpatrick. Tried to call Portpatrick Harbour on ch16 but got the CG instead. Advised them of the situation and asked if there was any chance they could assist in finding a local boat to tow us in. They sent the lifeboat immediately, although I had advised we were in no danger.

Towed in by the lifeboat, every late season tourist gawping, interogation by the CG - what safety equipment did we have on board, qualifications, experience etc . . .

Result - acute embarrasment (all the fuss about SAILING boats calling the lifeboat out for engine failure - and now I appeared to be part of the problem), and a vow that I will NEVER call the CG again for anything other than a weather forecast unless I am sinking. If I want the lifeboat I will ask for it . . . if I don't I won't.

- Nick
 
I'm absoutely convinced that the programme was edited to -

1. Fill the time slot.

2. Make the best "Dramatic impact" possible.

I'm sure that many relevant & valid points were lost in the process. I personally treat anything put out by the media with a large pinch - no, bucketfull - of salt..

IMVHO . . .
 
Indeed I did - but in the specific case of the programme - there didn't appear to be any danger. There was no mention of the boat taking in water, they'd a fair distance between them and the shore, they were in deep water - the only thing that happened was that they felt a shudder as if they'd hit something. I really don't think that justifies a call out and a three hour tow back to port. I think there should have been a little more in the way of self help applied before it got to that point. I did say that I understand the need for the emergency services to keep their skills up to scratch but what skill was kept up to practice by towing a yacht for 3 hours in flat seas I am at a loss to understand.
PS - I resented the implication that I was moaning!
 
Claysie
On this one I can't entirely agree with you. Most of the posts above are valid, including yours to a certain extent but then everyone on this BB has an "A" level in hindsight.
Lets look at this way, your on watch in the local CG station, you get a call on 16 stating that a sailing boat has possibly hit something and lost all propulsion, it's a training vessel, it's in deep water and having difficulty anchoring, there's no wind (2 knts), the tide is foul and pushing the vessel towards rocks.

As watch commander, What would you do?

What facts have you got? Bearing in mind that you can't see the vessel and all you have to go on is what you have been told!

Sail training boat therefore possibly inexperienced crew, no propulsion, drifting towards rocks, no wind to help it sail out of trouble.

I know what I would do given those "facts" LAUNCH THE LIFEBOAT!!!!! And if I had a SAR helo about I'd get him to go take a look too!

On a similar note I have been involved in a incident where the CG was telling all and sundry (on 16) that they had recieved a call from a "member of the public" saying that a motor boat was aground on rocks, that Sheerness LB had been launched to attend but could anyone help. I was close by and went over to have a look. When I arrived there was a mobo anchored close to some rocks he said that his engine was running but he had no drive (later turned out that a shear pin had gone on his drive train). The owner and crew were perfectly relaxed and had not bothered to contact the CG as they were trying to use a mobile to contact their marina for a tow. So I offered them a tow to a safer location, this he accepted! Once I had him in tow I contacted the local ports authority, because I couldn't contact the CG directly and asked them to get the CG to call off the dogs, before I could say Jack Spratt I was contacted by Sheerness LB and a SAR helo asking for confirmation that all was OK I did my best to tell them that I had full control of the situation, that the vessel was no longer in danger and that I had it safely in tow but it was only when the ports authority said that they had me on CCTV and could confirm that the situation was under control did they back off. I duly got thanks from the CG and SAR helo for my efforts, but if we use your scenario in hindsight, it was a total waste of money and resources.

Please stay a member of the RNLI, we need you more (hopefully) than you need us! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
OK Fair enough - I retract my resignation.
Still think that they waste an awful lot of money.
Perhaps if the crews had to put their own petrol in it might wise them up to the costs of their silly irrelevant jaunts
 
Re: For what it\'s worth . . .

Seems sensible enough to me to ask if there was a local tow available to get into a difficult harbour in poor conditions. It is reasonable too that the CG used the local RNLI boat if nothing else was about (if they even tried) because as has been said elsewhere that could save a much harder/longer service later.

What does concern me though is that so often the FIRST solution to a problem seen by some is to call for help and treat the RNLI as a floating AA. Many of us have been around boats long enough to remember the days before they had reliable diesel engines to get you home in time for work and anyway we didn't have a VHF to call for help, so hearing last year that someone launched a Lifeboat to tow in a yacht that has merely run out of fuel when there was wind goes against the grain.

Robin
 
Seaside Rescue

A boy has fallen down a cliff, c. 100'. Probable broken legs, undetermined other trauma. Mechanics of injury would suggest high index for internal bleeding/skull/spinal injuries. No definite location/accessibility by road. Ambo is xx?? mins away if they can access the site. You have a helo mobile with a paramedic on board. What do you do??

I am actually surprised the local Inshore boat was not tasked as well, to be frank.

I understand the frustration of those on the list re. RNLI boats going for "tow jobs" - believe me there is nothing worse than plodding out and back for someone who should be able to get themselves home. But would you rather the lifeboat didn't launch to the Rassey, the bang was his p-bracket going & the hull was merrily flooding as the boat drifted onto rocks?

I must say - the programme has shown little of the rougher side of SAR life. Not once has the lifeboat / coastguard (or camera crew..) been called out during a family occasion. At night with work the next day. Or in crap wx. Overall - I think it is raising water safety awareness.

It is nice to get out once in a while - and every shout is a training run, no matter how simple.
>>no real challenge or learning opportunity on a bright sunny windless cloudless day
Just goes to show how much you know about flying helos. The last thing you need is a windless, sunny day with thermals around a cliff, where the cas was apparently obsc. by overhang and there was cliff on three sides while winching..

"As you train...so shall you respond"

Cheers

Ribrunt
Lifeboat Crew.
 
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