Well done GAFIRS ...and a case for pocket flares?

[dom]

Non-dramatic and efficient rescue of three people following the sinking of a little speedboat Gosport on Sunday.

http://gafirs.org.uk/2017/04/30/quick-thinking-sailors-save-crew-from-sinking-vessel/

Could have been a very different ending were it not not for that passing racing dinghy.

Makes one think about pocket flares - either incandescent or electronic?

 

[Angele]

The vessel had been overcome by the weather

Hmm! The photos show pretty benign conditions. Seems to me a pretty unseaworthy boat (or, at least one never intended for sea, as opposed to a lake) if it can't survive those conditions.

 

[status]

If the speedboat sunk, how did they manage to get it onto the beach?

 

[Iminei]

Makes one think about pocket flares - either incandescent or electronic?

I was chatting to a very experienced Yachtmaster instructor last week who is wholeheartedly in favour of electronic flares. Ideal for anything with petrol involved like the sinking speedboat. A DSC handheld would also have been handy.

 

[Angele]

If the speedboat sunk, how did they manage to get it onto the beach?

From the images in the link in Dom's OP, shall we just say that some of it was floating.

 

[DownWest]

Client showed me his newly bought LED 'flare' Flashes red for a bit, then flashes SOS. Lasts for several hours and is not time expired after three years. Was Very bright in daylight and is likely to be acceptable instead of the mandatory three reds we have to carry.

In this case, ANY handheld VHF would have been handy, or even a water proof phone.

 

[GrahamD]

Really good seamanship by the crew of the skiff in spotting the situation and recovering the casualties. Not easy in such a high performance dinghy

Well done to them.

 

[ShinyShoe]

Really good seamanship by the crew of the skiff in spotting the situation and recovering the casualties. Not easy in such a high performance dinghy

Well done to them.

yes. while GAFIRS did a decent job, and their approach of being on patrol clearly made for a rapid response. I can't help but think the outcome would have been different but for the RS800 sailors and I don't envy them trying to recover 3 MOBs from the water on a wobbly boat like that. While they might not have had to put themselves in much danger doing it, they certainly showed so serious boating skills.

Flares - yes but actually a VHF in that location would be more certain of a response, probably cheaper in the long run. Not even a need for DSC.

No boat like that should sink from a wave. Completely inadequate buoyancy - presumably just a single bow compartment. If that had involved a fatality MAIB would be all over it. Yet I didn't get the impression the owners had done much to prevent it or self rescue etc. Should MAIB still be all over it? There should be a recommendation to install buoyancy bags I'd have thought, plus whatever safety arrangements.