What now, skipper?

Poignard

Poignard

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You ask yourself that because you are on your own. Your 25-foot, single-engined motor cruiser is heading upstream against a strong ebb in a narrow river with moorings either side, eg the Hamble. There are some unoccupied moorings. There is a strong wind blowing downstream.

Suddenly, without warning, the engine cuts out. Attempts to restart it fail.

What will you do?
 
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Either:
- Re attach the kill cord
- Get the video camera out, the YouTube views should cover the cost of repair
- Fenders out, boat hook & roaming fender ready, VHF/call the marina for assistance, if it’s got a rudder - use the prevailing condition and steer away from hard things and light your Hamlet cigar :)
 
Sling out the anchor (not even pausing for a forum discussion as to whether it would have been wise to upgrade to a new-generation model). Ride to the least scope you can get away with. Reassess: Can you warp to a mooring? - If so, do; pick up mooring and buoy the anchor. Then summon assistance. If not, continue riding to anchor and summon assistance, first putting up NOC shapes/lights. (I would do that rather than display anchor shape/light.) Put kettle on.
 
Drop the auxiliary engine into place and hope it starts.
If it doesn’t, radio VTS, port ops, marina, etc to warn them in case anything big was moving and then hope to get a line to the mooring or moored boats.
If securing to a mooring was impossible and circumstances dictate, then get the anchor down and put the kettle on.
 
Get laptop out and post a 'what now skipper' question.
Obviously create new logon which is where you've screwed up!
 
I tweak myself and wake up to a nightmare. Why the diesel engine break off.:sleeping:

NBs
 
Get the anchor out and some fenders and lines ready. Call on VHF, see if any other boats about underway and hail them.
Above all, keep human parts clear of any impending collision. Ok, you might hit another boat, but sh*te happens...just make sure a bump or scrape doesn't turn into loss of a limb.
 
Anchor is the obvious first call but I'd try to determine if you are likely to snag those empty mooring's chain lines and so deliberately add to any potential damage. Was it a no anchor zone. If so would it be safer to drift below the moorings before throwing out the anchor. Always take the course of least potential damage if not in imminent danger. Once you've secured your boat then a more calculated assessment can be undertaken. i.e. will your aux presuming you have one carry you against the tide or do you need to sit it out. Are you a hazard to other boats now and need to make that call, or just tough it out if you can do a temporary remedial fix etc.
 
Get out the bell and ring it every time you bounce off one of the moored boats.
Use any steerage that you do have to aim for the large flippers at the river entrance. which will punt you back upstream again.
If you are able to guide the vessel towards a zone marked "bonus" or "time warp", you will gain extra points.
Try to avoid passing through the gap between the flippers into the drain, otherwise it's game over.
 
FlowerPower said:
Get out the bell and ring it every time you bounce off one of the moored boats.
Use any steerage that you do have to aim for the large flippers at the river entrance. which will punt you back upstream again.
If you are able to guide the vessel towards a zone marked "bonus" or "time warp", you will gain extra points.
Try to avoid passing through the gap between the flippers into the drain, otherwise it's game over.
Click to expand...

And above all, try not to tilt
 
FlowerPower said:
Get out the bell and ring it every time you bounce off one of the moored boats.
Use any steerage that you do have to aim for the large flippers at the river entrance. which will punt you back upstream again.
If you are able to guide the vessel towards a zone marked "bonus" or "time warp", you will gain extra points.
Try to avoid passing through the gap between the flippers into the drain, otherwise it's game over.
Click to expand...

:D:D:D
 
Anchor, stabilize the boat then see which way she is swinging, you may be able to let enough anchor out to get her alongside another vessel or pontoon. then drop anchor chain to sea bed and await help., but do call Harbourmaster asap when the anchor went down.
 
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