ThLore of the Sea - v - 21st Century Selfishness

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STATUE

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I do start to wonder when the first instance will be reported of ignoring the drowning soul so that one could get alongside before the pubs closed ?

I witnessed the following on Poole Quay last year. There were a few rafts of three alongside but one vessel was on its own.

As the next yacht came in and lined itself up with the singleton, the arrivee asked if they could raft - the lady in the cockpit said that they were only there for lunch and would be leaving soon.

The arrivee quickly had to recover its approach and think again.

After I had done my shopping and visited the pub for lunch, three hours had elapsed - the singleton was still there.

Should we have to ask to raft - surely the lore is 'any raft in a storm' or even a calm !
 
Nothing new there, the old ' we're leaving at dawn ' trick doesn't work now, as they're naturally still asleep at dawn the trick is to stomp on their deck and bang on their hatch with a helpful call...:)

The other nasty selfish trick is to tie a dinghy alongside to prevent rafting; these have been known to get barged out of the way, but if the harbourmaster is any good he won't tolerate dinghies left like this.
 
816swim said:
I do start to wonder when the first instance will be reported of ignoring the drowning soul so that one could get alongside before the pubs closed ?

I witnessed the following on Poole Quay last year. There were a few rafts of three alongside but one vessel was on its own.

As the next yacht came in and lined itself up with the singleton, the arrivee asked if they could raft - the lady in the cockpit said that they were only there for lunch and would be leaving soon.

The arrivee quickly had to recover its approach and think again.

After I had done my shopping and visited the pub for lunch, three hours had elapsed - the singleton was still there.

Should we have to ask to raft - surely the lore is 'any raft in a storm' or even a calm !
Click to expand...

Just say then "In that case it would be preferable if I were on the Inside."
 
I always think it is polite to ask but when they say they are leaving in an hour or at five in the morning my response is to go alongside anyway and ask them to let me know ten minutes before they wish to leave and I will stand off and let them out.
 
One does learn a lot about warping boats around when rafting, I've seen some humdingers at Poole town quay when selfish gits on the inside wanted to leave into tide, so cast off the shore lines letting the whole rest of the raft swing - fast in that tide - back one row, coming against the raft down tide...

I'd stay on the outside of probable git and be awake - if they really are leaving absolutely insist they depart down tide and the outside boat's shore lines uptide remain attached.

Lead a long line from the downtide cleat of the boat staying, soon to be insider, right around outside the leaving boat to a bollard ashore so the raft can be pulled in after the insider has gone.

The boat leaving can hand themselves out along the downtide ends of the boats staying.

This doesn't often happen at dawn of course as people only say they're leaving then; it's enough fun in daytime when hopefully plenty of crews are around.
 
Seajet said:
One does learn a lot about warping boats around when rafting, I've seen some humdingers at Poole town quay when selfish gits on the inside wanted to leave into tide, so cast off the shore lines letting the whole rest of the raft swing - fast in that tide - back one row, coming against the raft down tide...

I'd stay on the outside of probable git and be awake - if they really are leaving absolutely insist they depart down tide and the outside boat's shore lines uptide remain attached.

Lead a long line from the downtide cleat of the boat staying, soon to be insider, right around outside the leaving boat to a bollard ashore so the raft can be pulled in after the insider has gone.

The boat leaving can hand themselves out along the downtide ends of the boats staying.

This doesn't often happen at dawn of course as people only say they're leaving then; it's enough fun in daytime when hopefully plenty of crews are around.
Click to expand...

I remember asking permission to tie up alongside a trawler in Arklow.

Later, when we camle back from a restaurant there were 6 boats outside us.

At 7am, we were a raft of 7 boats floating aimlessly in the harbour.
 
I think it should be remembered though that while sailing around and rafting up one WILL meet the odd selfish prat, for every one of those there are 20 or more wonderful people, I am still in contact with people I met this way 30 years ago - have had some wonderful times meeting people from circles I'd probably never otherwise bump into, from bomb disposal experts to high speed train drivers !

I remember once when I was solo and ill, the people alongside couldn't do enough to help, taking rubbish ashore and helping out - I've met people heading out to where I've just got back from, loaned them pilot books etc and every time they were promptly posted back to me.

Approaching a rafting situation always has a certain something, usually very positive and it would be a very sad day if it ever became designed out of sailing by property developers ' offering more convenience ' !
 
816swim said:
I do start to wonder when the first instance will be reported of ignoring the drowning soul so that one could get alongside before the pubs closed ?
Click to expand...

Wait no longer. Someone I know was coming in to his mooring singlehanded when he tripped and fell overboard. So - tide on the turn, one man in the drink, boat adrift.

Early morning, so there was very little traffic about. A boat came by and he called for help. But they couldn't stop, as they might miss the tide over the marina cill.

He was wearing a lifejacket, so might not have drowned, but hypothermia could have got him anyway. With huge effort and great good fortune, he managed to catch up with the boat and get back on board. (Low freeboard 21 footer) But things could have turned out very differently.

True story. I find the inaction and selfishness of the people who refused to help almost unbelievable and possibly criminal.
 
Once rafted up in Poole and was told the inside boat wanted to leave at 5am, OK, we'll get up at 4.45 and go out and come back.

Rotten whatsit had misread the tide tables and banged on the hatches at 03.30 saying he wanted to leave now - it's something else helming a boat in Poole at 0345 with the you and the crew still in pyjamas, not a sight for the faint hearted.
 
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