Yacht Skipper accused obstructing warship

1. Why would you want to wind up the mod plod and the warship? Perhaps I am too much of a compliant and law abiding citizen, but I utterly fail to see why you would want to play games with the warship and the modplod in this way.

2. What wouldn't you want to have a licence for the radio? They are free, and even when we had to pay for them it was about the least expensive thing for the boat in the annual budget.

See compliant and law abiding comments above I suppose. Its a free country, but as I work with the people who you annoyed and perhaps its easy for me to to see the other side.

Our navigator has a very low opinion of most yachtsmen; fortunately our captain is a sailor and so some sort of balance is restored.

Well...

Being ex RN and having suffered at the hands of a few- a very few- hofficer p r i c k s it is nice to be on equal footing with the management of a warship....
As for the licence- they might be free now- I don't know,still don't have one, but then they cost money. Not that I have a problem spending a few bob but it really peed me off to fork out some cash for yet another useless bit of paper.

BTW - loved the Blue Peter show with the young elephant.
 
Would you mind terribly if I emigrated south of the border?

Och, don't go - it'll all blow over soon enough.

And anyway, you'd hate it down there. I mean, where would you go? The Solent????? (looking for shock/horror smiley)
 
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Well...

Being ex RN and having suffered at the hands of a few- a very few- hofficer p r i c k s it is nice to be on equal footing with the management of a warship....
As for the licence- they might be free now- I don't know,still don't have one, but then they cost money. Not that I have a problem spending a few bob but it really peed me off to fork out some cash for yet another useless bit of paper.

BTW - loved the Blue Peter show with the young elephant.
Oh - well if you've got axes to grind then that's another matter...

I met the Animal Magic Johnny Morris once (when I was 11). All I could say was

"My names John morris too".

He said "Oh".

A memorable exchange and meeting of minds.

Bit like this forum sometimes.
 
My axe is well ground.

It must have been nice to meet a legend- didn't know the 'real' Johnny Morris was dead.

S'pose you miss out on the big stories when you don't read the papers or have a telly. (or a VHF licence)
 
My axe is well ground.

It must have been nice to meet a legend- didn't know the 'real' Johnny Morris was dead.

S'pose you miss out on the big stories when you don't read the papers or have a telly. (or a VHF licence)
I am typing this from my cabin in a pussers grey and we don't have papers out here either. The internet connection is VERY slow and the TV is via a very dodgy satellite link.
 
I am typing this from my cabin in a pussers grey and we don't have papers out here either. The internet connection is VERY slow and the TV is via a very dodgy satellite link.

Your in heaven compared to me, stuck in my mess in sultan, with a very dodgy internet connection and no tv as i refuse to pay for two!
 
Not a numpty!

Until we hear the full story it is very difficult to take sides, it could be a numpty yachtsman, it could be an over officious modplod, time will tell

He wasn't a numpty yachtsman when I crewed for him at Cowes, far from it. 700 yards is not exactly close either. Ridiculous officialdom is my guess. Yes, we should wait until we get the full story.
 
Its not RN. They used to belong to the Navy but were sold to Scottish Fisheries Protection. No reason to suggest that the professionalism of the crew is any the less. Who knows what he was doing - he might have been bored and came to have a look at you - as you suggested.

Even in the days of the Fish Squadron there were min of Ag and Fish cruisers as well. The Fish Squadron concentrated on intrusions into UK waters whilst the ministry vessels dealt more with actual fishing regulations, nets etc. It is now all ministry boats.
 
Just out of interest if you ever feel like getting you own back on a warship, or just feel in the mood. Dip your Ensign as they go past - if you don't know how to do it - take the flagstaff out of the holder and hold the flag horizontal until they lower theirs and then raise it again then put yours back.
By rights your meant to do it anyway. (please don't lets start another flag etiquette thread!) As many of the ships in Plymouth are doing sea training they may have staff on board just waiting to see if they respond correctly.
I've done it several times and they are normally are very good - not sure what the language on the bridge is though - and yes I am ex RN and have been on the warship side.
 
But what offence has he committed? Is it aledged that he has he come within a 500 meter limit? It is not clear if he (the defendant) says that he was 700yds away or if that is what they allege. My feeling is that the 700yds is his defence i.e. not a close encounter.

Terrible reporting.

I think the nub of the matter is that he failed to comply with directions. Those directions may be questionable but the plod have the right to impose them.
Despite his "5 yrs experience in Plymouth" he may have made the mistake of thinking he was dealing with marina berthing officers in fancy hats. They can impound your boat and make you walk home, and they have.
 
Ensign dipping

Just out of interest if you ever feel like getting you own back on a warship, or just feel in the mood. Dip your Ensign as they go past - if you don't know how to do it - take the flagstaff out of the holder and hold the flag horizontal until they lower theirs and then raise it again then put yours back.
By rights your meant to do it anyway. (please don't lets start another flag etiquette thread!) As many of the ships in Plymouth are doing sea training they may have staff on board just waiting to see if they respond correctly.
I've done it several times and they are normally are very good - not sure what the language on the bridge is though - and yes I am ex RN and have been on the warship side.

We used to have great fun doing this as children, dip the ensign to a warship and then wait for a little figure to go scurrying aft to lower their own. They must have cursed us.
Little things pleasing little minds I guess! I didn't think anyone did it anymore.....
 
We used to have great fun doing this as children, dip the ensign to a warship and then wait for a little figure to go scurrying aft to lower their own. They must have cursed us.
Little things pleasing little minds I guess! I didn't think anyone did it anymore.....

Tee hee - I'll try to remember that to tell my children as well
 
I think the nub of the matter is that he failed to comply with directions. Those directions may be questionable but the plod have the right to impose them.
Despite his "5 yrs experience in Plymouth" he may have made the mistake of thinking he was dealing with marina berthing officers in fancy hats. They can impound your boat and make you walk home, and they have.

How can they do that? What powers do they have is there a bylaw?
 
How can they do that? What powers do they have is there a bylaw?

Loads of them! The notice board in Mayflower Marina (next to the loos) has Harbourmaster Notices that are about 4ft high and 3ft wide. Updated for special events, like closing areas of the Sound to all traffic for the start of the OSTAR etc. Usual story with all laws & bylaws, ignorance is no defence.

Having said that, I wonder if the HM has a website and an email newsletter, so we can find out in advance?
 
Just out of interest if you ever feel like getting you own back on a warship, or just feel in the mood. Dip your Ensign as they go past - if you don't know how to do it - take the flagstaff out of the holder and hold the flag horizontal until they lower theirs and then raise it again then put yours back.
By rights your meant to do it anyway. (please don't lets start another flag etiquette thread!) As many of the ships in Plymouth are doing sea training they may have staff on board just waiting to see if they respond correctly.
I've done it several times and they are normally are very good - not sure what the language on the bridge is though - and yes I am ex RN and have been on the warship side.

Just don't let them see you giggling when the poor "new lad" goes legging it along to the aft end to lower it.
 
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