Giblets
Well-Known Member
Pyjamas? Cor, you were on a posh boat. We've done the same in undergarments only. In fact we had to tell the skipper to go back down below and put some on so as not to frighten the locals!
ThLore of the Sea - v - 21st Century Selfishness
- Thread starter STATUE
- Start date
Pyjamas? Cor, you were on a posh boat. We've done the same in undergarments only. In fact we had to tell the skipper to go back down below and put some on so as not to frighten the locals!
Kelpie
Well-Known Member
Is there not some sort of legal duty to assist mariners in peril? Or is that just a big ship/ open water thing? Or even just a Hollywood thing?
Appledore
Well-Known Member
Friend and myself went to Mevagissey last August Bank Holiday. When off Looe I 'phoned the Harbourmaster with an ETA of 1700 hrs, and he said the harbour was empty. We arrived dead on time and found the place full to the brim! Never seen so many boats in there. There were 5 boats on the trot moorings so we asked the skipper of the single boat if we could come alongside. 'If you do', he said ' the dog will bark all the time!'. So we went alongside another boat. The yappy little dog did bark, every time someone walked along the quayside!
Seajet
...
If that was me or a friend of mine I'd have made it my mission in life to have them
A, named & shamed
B, prosecuted if at all possible
C, blacklisted everywhere from One Stops to clubs and Marina's !
D, Could probably think of a few satisfying ways of revenge...
Woodlouse
Well-Known Member
Had similar happen in Breat during the festival years ago. Que three skippers too hungover to speak, silently work together to manuver a raft of three boats back along side without untying from each other before disappearing back down below to their respective pits.
jakeroyd
Well-Known Member
A bit of thread drift.
I came into the visitors pontoon on the Yealm afew years back.
There was a reasonable flood tide so I could turn round and approach the pontoon controlling my position to the pontoon very accurately.
The only place left was in the middle second out from the pontoon but the raft in front of me had three boats on it.
So I approached very slowly and I have to say under complete control when the lady aboard the boat now on my bow started screaming 'don't touch my boat'
I think she thought I was going to ram it.
Fortunately I kept my cool and all went well.
Some people are really paranoid about these situations.
I came into the visitors pontoon on the Yealm afew years back.
There was a reasonable flood tide so I could turn round and approach the pontoon controlling my position to the pontoon very accurately.
The only place left was in the middle second out from the pontoon but the raft in front of me had three boats on it.
So I approached very slowly and I have to say under complete control when the lady aboard the boat now on my bow started screaming 'don't touch my boat'
I think she thought I was going to ram it.
Fortunately I kept my cool and all went well.
Some people are really paranoid about these situations.
Boo2
Well-Known Member
What do you do though if there's another raft immediately downtide and no space to get the boat out between the two rafts ? </Genuine question>
Boo2
Serin
Well-Known Member
He knew who they were, but is a very forgiving soul (and a truthful one). It's possible I might have known them as well, but he wouldn't name them. With my friend and the boat's crew as the only witnesses, it might have been a little harder than you seem to assume to "go after them".
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Think ahead and get yourself to the outside when there are plenty of people around well in advance of leaving time.
Sandgrounder
Well-Known Member
I don't know any maritime law but ashore, in the UK, there is no legal obligation to assist unless there is some special duty of care between the one and the other such as someone minding a friends child. Sp probably OK legally but that doesn't cover the moral position or the social expectation
[3889]
...
Does Reg 33, SOLAS V, not apply?
Regulation 33
1. The master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance on receiving information from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them or the search and rescue service that the ship is doing so. This obligation to provide assistance applies regardless of the nationality or status of such persons or the circumstances in which they are found. If the ship receiving the distress alert is unable or, in the special circumstances of the case, considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to proceed to their assistance, the master must enter in the log-book the reason for failing to proceed to the assistance of the persons in distress, taking into account the recommendation of the Organization, to inform the appropriate search and rescue service accordingly.
Not sure that needing to catch the sill would cut much ice with the MCA.
Regulation 33
1. The master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance on receiving information from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance, if possible informing them or the search and rescue service that the ship is doing so. This obligation to provide assistance applies regardless of the nationality or status of such persons or the circumstances in which they are found. If the ship receiving the distress alert is unable or, in the special circumstances of the case, considers it unreasonable or unnecessary to proceed to their assistance, the master must enter in the log-book the reason for failing to proceed to the assistance of the persons in distress, taking into account the recommendation of the Organization, to inform the appropriate search and rescue service accordingly.
Not sure that needing to catch the sill would cut much ice with the MCA.
Last edited:
drakes drum
Well-Known Member
Weak to the wall! The mistake he made was in asking could he raft rather than just doing it.
Years ago as we were about to enter Brighton we saw a smallish sail boat with the cover off the outboard struggling to get it going. We approached and found they were in trouble but we couldnt help having a boat that wasnt capable of towing them. We asked several passing sailboats on their behalf to help and all refused. We asked the marina to send out their work boat and were told - no lie - that it wasnt in their job description! At the time Brighton Marina was a local authority set up.
Anyway a Dutch power boat eventually took them in tow into the marina. When we got in we found that the two guys on board the yacht were as pi55ed as rats, not that that is a reason for not helping.
Seajet
...
drakes drum,
I had a chat with one of the workers at Northney Marina in Chichester harbour last year; he mentioned they often had boats just outside - in the distinctly sheltered non threatening waters - with engine trouble and it was frustrating they couldn't go to help with a workboat, as insurance forbade it.
No excuse for the yotties off Brighton not helping though; I can imagine an inexperienced husband & wife thinking twice, but one would hope they'd give it a go, and there must have been someone up to the job if several boats passed by...
I had a chat with one of the workers at Northney Marina in Chichester harbour last year; he mentioned they often had boats just outside - in the distinctly sheltered non threatening waters - with engine trouble and it was frustrating they couldn't go to help with a workboat, as insurance forbade it.
No excuse for the yotties off Brighton not helping though; I can imagine an inexperienced husband & wife thinking twice, but one would hope they'd give it a go, and there must have been someone up to the job if several boats passed by...
Blue Sunray
Well-Known Member
My understanding is that whilst you are absolutely correct wrt to the general English (no idea about the celtic fringes) legal position. Under the Merchant Shipping Acts there is a general duty on masters to assist those in peril at sea.
Edit to add - as per the SOLAS provisions quoted above.
Last edited:
Seajet
...
I wonder if the ' reason ' behind some of these failures to lend assistance is a result of the ' Ambulance Chasers R Us ' litigation culture sadly spreading from the USA ?
I've read of American Doctors unwilling to help at road accidents in case they get blamed for something later...
I don't know if that legally holds water even in the US, but it may be a percieved worry among some ?
I'm not saying it's an excuse, and I for one would steam in if I could help and s*d lawyers, as I think anyone here would - just a thought.
I've read of American Doctors unwilling to help at road accidents in case they get blamed for something later...
I don't know if that legally holds water even in the US, but it may be a percieved worry among some ?
I'm not saying it's an excuse, and I for one would steam in if I could help and s*d lawyers, as I think anyone here would - just a thought.
[3889]
...
It does hold water in the UK. Under civil law there is no liability for failing to act, though, however well intentioned, acting in a way which may be deemed negligent does invoke liability. However, civil law is trumped by statute, in this case SOLAS 33 as quoted above
Dockhead
Well-Known Member
This
The odd cad rankles, sometimes years later, but this is a false perception, as the great majority are very hospitable. I have spent many delightful evenings with sailors I would never have met, had they not rafted up to me, or vice versa.
Sybarite
Well-Known Member
In France they would have risked jail. There is a specific law called "non-assistance à des personnes en danger" which applies in all circumstances. You must try to help anyone in danger of any kind.
[3889]
...
IIRC, the paparazzi at Diana's car crash were charged under this law?
dom
Well-Known Member
A dreadful story, which like Seajet I am somewhat struggling with. I mean if a singlehander falls off his boat, one's hands will reflexively turn the wheel/tiller to help with no thought of a cill or whatever. I am also trying to imagine the crew's reaction on the passing boat; they'd have gone completely nuts. And did nobody in the marina hear the yelling? For if they had, this story would surely have gone around like wild fire.
Come to think of it, even if your friend has forgiven the sailor in question and doesn't want to name and shame, your post on a public forum will certainly jog people's minds and quite possibly enable someone to conclude, "Jeez! Is that what happened!"
Perhaps it's just me.