Yellow ribs in Cardiff bay

Csail

Csail

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I'm normally pretty relaxed but today the yellow rib came within 10 ft of me doing 30 + knts. I will be putting a complaint in officially.Wake was horendous and son got injured.

Lets see what happens to their ribs soon!!!!
 
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I think this matter has been raised with Cardiff Harbour Authority by at least one other forumite on a number of occasions.

Happy to pass the correspondence on to you if it stops the dangerous speeding.

I suggest there is now sufficient evidence that the CHA has a duty of care to carry out a full risk assessment of continuing to allow unrestricted speeds in certain areas.

Copy this guy in top your complaint, and also the Cardiff Council Solicitor.
http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2872,3250,4881,4892&parent_directory_id=2865&id=1104


Young B OK ?
 
Csail said:
Ben is bruised but ok.Warning to yellow ribs ....look out for ropes in the water and air guns!
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The last part of your post is likely to get a swat team from plod battering your door down gestapo style at 0300!

I agree entirely with your complaint. In August 2009 I had a long correspondence with both the harbour master and his bosses at the Council.He takes the view that it's perfectly safe to have such wide differences in speed so sadly it is going to take a serious accident to get him to ban speedboats from the harbour.

PM sent
 
Well under sail i will use the col regs and tack at just the right time,they will come off worse than 6 tons of my boat.
 
Although I completely agree with comments about the dangers of speed differences in the bay, I have never had an actual problem with the ribs. Recently I was in the lock with one of the newest, all yellow ribs, in the centre of two boats at the front of the lock. This has to be the easiest place possible to exit the lock from. He took THREE attempts! I could not believe it! All three of the original, black and yellow ribs have, in the past, proved in my opinion, to be very well and proffessionally helmed. I could not help but think, after seeing the ineptitude shown by the guy in the lock that everyone in the bay was at risk whilst he is allowed to be in control (or otherwise!!!) of a powerfull rib.
Allan
 
I was the only boat for miles around a few years back in a flat calm channel just off Flatholm when two of the buggers in the all yellow ribs buzzed me, caused such a wake that we spilt our tea,got back to the Bay and had a word with the owner in his little white hut and he was very apologetic.
 
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Yellow Ribs

The young guy, Rich, Left school and has devoted his time and effort into this business. From my understanding it is a Father and Son venture, with a LOT of effort and work from the son. I am sure that he didn't mean any harm.

I am not saying he was right or wrong, but I do admire his enthusiasm.
 
Hi, juts out of interest could you clarify: What are the "yellow ribs"? Hire operation, sightseeing?
 
The ribs are a 'high speed thrill' which the public pay a set amount per person for a high speed 'blast' around the bay or outside the barrage and around the holms (flat holm and steep holm).
 
chrishelen said:
I was the only boat for miles around a few years back in a flat calm channel just off Flatholm when two of the buggers in the all yellow ribs buzzed me, caused such a wake that we spilt our tea,got back to the Bay and had a word with the owner in his little white hut and he was very apologetic.
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I was anchored just off Flat Holm, and they circled around my boat. The wake was not that big, but still was enough to throw cups and plates off the table!
 
I saw them last weekend when we popped in to Cardiff. I thought it all looked a bit hairy with these big ribs doing doughnuts quite close to a fleet of Oppies, though I didn't see anything remotely approaching an "incident". Likewise although they came in our direction at high speed a couple of times, they always maintained a safe distance. One part of me says that Cardiff Bay isn't big enough for those sorts of speed. The other part says that the drivers appear to be quite adept at giving their punters a thrill without endangering or inconveniencing other water users.
 
I don't actually have a problem with them per se, but I'm not convinced they realise how much of a nuisance their wake actually is, especially to a sailing boat. I think, maybe if they did realise, they may alter their behaviour.

Just wondering whether anyone has any video of what it is like on a yacht when their wake hits? Maybe we could try and take some? Put it on youtube and on here?
 
martin,
they are a pain, as when I'm down the club everytime they go pass the wash makes all the boats on the trots and some on A pontoon move about alot, = damage?
However, I will have to defend the ribs on one thing, when we held the comet races in aug, they kept well out of our way to their credit, as I was on safetyboat duty, but the only thing that annoyed me was the poxy catamaran who sat on the windward marker and refused to move despite me (on the O boat) and the Rib asking him to move, (told me he was on starboard tack and had priority), what is the position regarding boats who stray onto the course just a quick question
 
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