The RNLI at it again.

[ProMariner]

"Any bad vibes you are reading has more to do with the RNLI communications protocol seemingly obsessed with turning a non-issue launch like this one, into a garbled 'all boat users are stupid, and need to be saved from themselves' type message."

But it was the BBC, not the RNLI who sensationalised this. The BBC are doing it all the time if you had not noticed.

Re-read the initial article, most of it comes as quotes from an un named 'RNLI spokesman'. The same quotes are nowhere on the RNLI official site, hence why I blame both.

 

[Koeketiene]

But it was the BBC, not the RNLI who sensationalised this. The BBC are doing it all the time if you had not noticed.

The RNLI is guilty of this too.
In their own statement they claim to have escorted 'the casualty'.
Nothing was wrong with the fishermen, they did not seek assistance, they got back under their own power without any RNLI assistance yet they are still classed a casualty.

 

[Sans Bateau]

You are wriggling. The skipper of any boat may do as s/he pleases in respec of staying out or coming home.

Boo2

But what about the guests or passenger who have put trust in the skipper. They may not realise that he is exercising his right to be stupid.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Nah that would be silly but as a mobile phone is a radio just like a hand held VHF I guess the answer would be the same whether it was a VHF (non waterproof) or a phone. My son dropped his phone in the bath over Christmas and strangely it doesn't work now.
Just out of interest the Raymarine manoverboard lifetags use this principle. Even if the device stays working, water is a tremendous moderator of radio and will kill low power transmission - (I know as I came up with the idea in 2001)

My hand-held VHF is waterproof and floats. It's a perfectly ordinary iCom one; the floating bit is slightly unusual, but the waterproof bit isn't. None of my phones are in the least bit waterproof; I'd be worried about them in bad spray, never mind immersion. You certainly couldn't rely on a mobile phone carrying on working in an emergency situation.

The point is that VHF radios are designed for the job; phones aren't. And in my cruising area, it would be very much pot-luck whether you got a mobile signal anyway; it's bad enough in some of the marinas!

It's horses for courses. If I want to chat to friends of family I'll use the phone (if it has a signal!); for operational communications (including emergencies) I'll use VHF.

 

[Sans Bateau]

Re-read the initial article, most of it comes as quotes from an un named 'RNLI spokesman'. The same quotes are nowhere on the RNLI official site, hence why I blame both.

You dont suppose for one moment then that the BBC journo embellished his source, just as they did in writing the article?

 

[Daydream believer]

The skipper of any boat may do as s/he pleases in respec of staying out or coming home.

Boo2

Not entirely ---if the wrong decision were to put his crew at risk
If he has been advised by those with suitable experience & knowledge of the situation then he is on sticky ground if he ignores advice without good reason & things go wrong

 

[aroona]

The RNLI is guilty of this too.
In their own statement they claim to have escorted 'the casualty'.
Nothing was wrong with the fishermen, they did not seek assistance, they got back under their own power without any RNLI assistance yet they are still classed a casualty.

The term casualty or casualty vessel is an identifier, it does not nesscearily mean anything is wrong with that vessel.

 

[Boo2]

But what about the guests or passenger who have put trust in the skipper. They may not realise that he is exercising his right to be stupid.

You do raise a good point. It can only really be answered by saying that if you go out on a boat then you are placing your life in the skipper's hands and you should not go unless you trust him completely.

Boo2

 

[Talulah]

Bit of thread drift but what would happen if the call to the Coastguard came from someone on board other than the Skipper? The question is directed to those in touch with CG/RNLI.

 

[awol]

The term casualty or casualty vessel is an identifier, it does not nesscearily mean anything is wrong with that vessel.

Just as "target" is used for a radar return and does not (necessarily) mean weapons will be deployed.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Just as "target" is used for a radar return and does not (necessarily) mean weapons will be deployed.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Bit of thread drift but what would happen if the call to the Coastguard came from someone on board other than the Skipper? The question is directed to those in touch with CG/RNLI.

According to my Big Boy's Book of Lifeboat Regulations, a lifeboat may only tow a vessel "when requested to do so by the master/skipper of a casualty".

Which usually translates as: we suggest a tow, and the skipper says yes please.

In the event that the skipper refuses any assistance, we could always take off any members of the crew who wish to be taken ashore.

 

[wadget]

With respect, you are completely wrong. It is the skipper's responsibility to determine what course s/he follows in any boat. Nobody can override the skipper's decisions as to what is the right thing to do and the RNLI are not owned or controlled by the coastguard. As others have pointed out the skipper can certainly return to base if s/he believes that it would endanger their crew but they are the skipper and it is their decision whether to remain on station.

Boo2

With respect you are completely wrong.

It is the skipper/master/captains responsibility to do as instructed unless carrying out those instructions would put the vessel, crew or environment at risk.

The skipper of a vessel who is told to do something can not simply refuse to do it because he thinks it is the wrong thing to do.

 

[ProMariner]

Galadrial, I can't imagine the BBC hack inventing quotes, then attributing them to the RNLI, this would be a little too daily mail. I can imagine them calling up the station, having a brief chat with whoever happened to be walking past the phone when it rung, and taking some out of context quotes to 'create news'. After all, had the source been a real, selected, informed 'RNLI spokesman', they would probably have been named.
Either way, you don't simply 'chat with a journalist', especially if you are wearing (any) company colours, and they phone you on a company phone. Everybody from the work experience kid up knows that.

 

[Sans Bateau]

You do raise a good point. It can only really be answered by saying that if you go out on a boat then you are placing your life in the skipper's hands and you should not go unless you trust him completely.

Boo2

I suspect a group of guys out fishing are not sailors, their chosen sport is fishing, they will respect the dinghy owner for his fishing skill and the fact he's got a boat. I dont suppose for one moment any of them had any idea that the skipper may be exercising his right to be stupid. The skipper may well have been completely ignorant of any potential danger himself. Telling the RNLI guys he did not need help because of that ignorance.

You dont know what you dont know.

 

[Talulah]

With respect you are completely wrong.

It is the skipper/master/captains responsibility to do as instructed unless carrying out those instructions would put the vessel, crew or environment at risk.

The skipper of a vessel who is told to do something can not simply refuse to do it because he thinks it is the wrong thing to do.

The directions would have to come from a lawful authority.
More applicable to Merchant vessels.

 

[caiman]

Antartic pilot-no disrespect but my brand new Icom 'floaty' failed the first time I put it in the water,my phone was and is fine.Icom replaced by Std Horizon,no futher problems.Might be worth testing HHVHF in the water if you havn't allready done so.
Juan Twothree-an almost word perfect quote from TRG-115,I'm impressed
Cheers

 

[Talulah]

In the event that the skipper refuses any assistance, we could always take off any members of the crew who wish to be taken ashore.

Just to be devils advocate. What happens if taking off the crew member would mean the boat was undermanned? The skipper states the crew member cannot get off otherwise he would be short handed. The Skipper goes on to quoting Mutiny amongst all the provanities and that the RNLI/CG would be assisting in a Mutiny.

(A bit far fetched I know. Just curious.)

 

[Koeketiene]

The term casualty or casualty vessel is an identifier, it does not nesscearily mean anything is wrong with that vessel.

You may know that, but for the average punter in the street facing RNLI chuggers the term 'casualty' has different connotations altogether.
And somehow I doubt that the chuggers go out of their way to point this out.

 

[Sans Bateau]

You may know that, but for the average punter in the street facing RNLI chuggers the term 'casualty' has different connotations altogether.
And somehow I doubt that the chuggers go out of their way to point this out.

It wont matter to the man in the street, its only a few on internet forums who get steamed up over the term.