The Road to Hell...

[Peppermint]

..is Paved with Good Intentions.

"owendo's" post got me to thinking.

Has anyone here rendered assistance to anyone who was grateful or co-operative?

In my experience the assisted are ungreatful (if not rude) uncooperative and often want more than you were offering.

Friends in the RNLI tell me that even a thank you is noteworthy.



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[Violetta]

Yes - several times

We have given several tows to dismasted or otherwise disabled yachts; picked up a couple of distressed windsurfers; stood by a grounded (and pounding) yacht until the inshore lifeboat arrived; taken ashore a desperately seasick person from a racing yacht.

In every case, our help was received with appreciation and gratitude.

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[ccscott49]

Some thank you, some don't, but it's your duty as a seaman/person to go to help people in distress, thats the way I feel about it, even if they are just aground, you never know what might happen, if you can help, you must at least offer. I always have no matter thanks or not.

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[Eudorajab]

My tally stands at about 50 50 now. Worst one was a ductch ketch who lost poswer due to exhaust hose coming loose and paritally filling boat with water who we towed out of the alderney race (no wind to speak of) and a very hairy experience.

Not so much as a thank you although we helped to mend their motor and get it all going again.

Would I do it again ? Yes I would .. thank you or not.

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[Twister_Ken]

Over the years I've been on boats that have given the odd pluck to others, ranging from little angling boats to (at the end of one windless RTIR which had a shortened course, 3 Dragons). Similarly, have occasionally been grateful for a pluck myself, last time when the engine packed in the entrance to Pompey.

Always gratitude, often a can or two of ale, or a bottle of wine.

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[nicho]

Re: Yes - several times

Blimey, let me know when and where you are going out - I want to avoid that area by as big a margin as possible!! But in all seriousness, we have only once had to help someone with a tow, and they were very, very grateful for the assistance. Reward was offered, but was turned down.

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[marklongstaff]

On the whole people are always grateful...

Rescued a Mum, Dad, child and Dog - drifting downtide towards cowes in Osbourne bay - with duff outboard and away from their southerly happily anchored... towed them around a mile upwind/uptide - very very grateful had to decline the offer of a bottle of wine as conditions were a little boisterous!!!

ML

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[Reap]

I imagine people are always grateful!!!
I was towed towards Haslar once by a yacht when our propshaft disintigrated and there was no wind and it was foggy. The GAFIR inshore rescue boat came and took over, in the heat of the moment Im not sure if I thanked the yacht crew or not, I hope so. But sometimes in such situations you have so much to think about that a simplke thank you can be forgotten. I often wonder when I think back to the incident if I thanked them, and I always hope the answer is Yes but I'll never know for sure. But you can be sure that I certainly was grateful.

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[AJW]

Generally when We've rendered assistance its been welcomed with effusive thanks and the odd bottle or two. And despite my RIB looking nothing like an Atlantic 75 there does seem to be a school of thought that as its a RIB it must be a lifeboat!

Two incidents stick in my mind that riled me mightily. The first was a mini transat racing yot with two onboard and a broken rudder being blown rapidly down onto a lee shore at Hurst point. As their rudder had failed the resultant alongside tow at 3kts into Lymington took an hour or more. Dropping them off at LYH marina they couldnt wait to be rid of us and get the thing slipped. Briefest word of thanks and that was it. Other time was a very nice West Solent One Design running aground off Mersea just as the 5min gun went off for their race. Offered to assist, started to rig towing bridle so my A frame wouldnt get ripped out and was told "for god sake hurry up" (actually less polite than that.) Ended up dropping one chap off at his own RIB on their mooring for them to sort themselves out. Needless to say they missed the start.

I believe in helping others when neccessary. Law of the sea, do unto others as you would be done to yourself etc etc. No payment expected but the attitude of the blokes in the transat made me wish we'd claimed salvage!

AJ

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[jeanne]

Re: Goes around, comes around.

In the days before reliable diesel engines, I recall one trip where I gave a tow to my mate Jimmy when his engine stopped [Stuart Turner]. He fixed it and I cast him off about ten minutes before mine stopped [Tomas outboard], and he returned the favour!

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[polarity]

Re: Goes around, comes around.

Not life or death but...

A few years ago in a quiet mooring up a river in Brittany I helped out a group of more mature folk on a 45 fter who pulled in. They were on their friends yacht for a couple of weeks and the wire halyard of the furling sail had chafed through on the block at the top of the forestay (it then led back down to the foot of the sail - an old system). rendering it unusable. Whilst they were plenty fit enough for sailing, going up the mast was not really on the cards even at the dock! I went up, re threaded the halyard and spliced a loop in the wire (a Molly-Hogan) and re secured it - probably took 30 minutes max.
I was overwhelmed by their gratitude! I doubt if they could have been more grateful if I had rescued them from the rocks! Later on they even sent me a picture of me swinging from the masthead.
Like most people posting here I am sure, there is a great satisfaction from the deed, much greater than any reward....... But it is nice to get a thankyou!

Paul



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[Twister_Ken]

Very impressed

Wire splices while swinging around at the masthead. I can't even do them in the comfort of my kitchen.

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[Cornishman]

Re: Yes - several times

Me too. In nearly 30 years at sea in a professional or semi professional career in both sailing yachts and motor cruisers I have had many similar experiences of helping boats which were not always in dire straits but had asked for assistance. I have never been disappointed with the gratitude shown.
My only problem was with the Coastguard who insisted on taking my name and our vessel's name on some occasions, which then appeared in the local daily paper the next morning, much to my owner's distress.

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[snowleopard]

Re: Yes - several times

why was the owner distressed? who was he trying to keep the existence of the boat secret from - wife? taxman? fraud squad?

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[Gunfleet]

Re: Yes - several times

it could of course be that the chap had been propping up a yacht club bar for 30 years and he didn't want people to know he had an instructor out on his boat with him!

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[Metabarca]

Re: Yes - several times

Or is it that Cornishman is a dog and his owner doesn't want the neighbours to know he let's his hound out on a very long lead?!

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[Metabarca]

Re: Yes - several times

Or is it that Cornishman is a computer-literate dog and his owner doesn't want the neighbours to know he let's his hound out on a very long lead?!

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[graham]

Came across a windsurfer a few miles offshore just as it was getting dark.Bloke was totally exhausted and very gratefull despite us not being able to recover the wind surfer and him getting some serious bruises while being hauled aboard.

I think people dont come back and see you because after the adrenalin has stopped the main feeling is one of embarrasment.

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