Makes you think!

[snowy]

There is always an argument for freedom of the seas and freedom from regulation and I can see both sides of that argument. However this incident this evening does leave you wondering.

About 5.30pm today, Sunday 17th October, we were steaming back to Portsmouth when this comes over channel 16:

'Harbourmaster we have broken down'

Coastguard 'This is Solent Coastguard vessel calling broken down please identify yourself'

'Broken down near Nab Tower'

Coastguard 'This is Solent Coastguard, vessel broken down please identify yourself'

'Name omitted to spare blushes'

Conversation continues 'Please provide latitude and longitude'

'Sorry cant do that'

CG 'Are you wearing lifejackets'

'No'

CG 'Do you have lifejackets on board'

'No'

CG 'Do you have flares'

'No'

CG 'where exactly are you'

'Between the tower and some white cliffs on the Isle of Wight'

CG 'How far from the Tower'

'About half a mile'

At this point we called up and were asked to go and assist. We searched fruitlessly for the boat and could not raise it on the radio. It later transpired the boat was south of the Nab Tower and was found by another vessel.

Regulation? What do you think.

Simple measures and a helping of common sense would have assisted the searchers in this instance.

Suppose the message was 'we are sinking'! or 'we have a medical emergency' or like the woman screaming into the radio last summer 'man overboard, man overboard'. On that occassion she could not tell the coastguard who she was, where she was or what boat she was in.

Makes you think. I am all for deregulation if people can take responsibility for their own actions but plainly some cant.

[monkeynuts]

the are some right tools out there, why do peopel think the sea wont bite them. it nobs like that that waste the coast gaurds time and risk some elses life in real difficulty.
licences would be great in my opion, thay would need to be cheap to gain tho and not be a rip off like every think else to do with floating caravans

[BrianR]

Agreed idiots like that shouldn't be allowed out.
But if they are prepared to go to sea without lifejackets, what are the chances they would bother to comply with any regulations.

[Canuck]

Cant agree more with what's been said, but, licences is a sticky path and it won't be cheap. Any organisation that is set up to run/police any licences would be over subscribed with government bureaucracy over manned and overpaid. I agree there should be something to stop the idiots going out but I'm not sure what.

Rich.

[Purple]

Been thinking about a boat for a while - made up my mind I wouldn't take it out without doing the day skipper course first though ...... some things just need taking seriously or don't do them at all

[snowy]

Oct 18, 2010 19:56:03 GMT Purple said:

Been thinking about a boat for a while - made up my mind I wouldn't take it out without doing the day skipper course first though ...... some things just need taking seriously or don't do them at all

Day Skipper is excellent as are all the RYA courses. A quicker, and simpler, course is the Power Boat level 1/2. Same subjects covered but not in the same depth. Good grounding though and congratulations for taking the sensible route.

[swampduck]

Just read this and totally agree with Snowy, i didn't put the 'duck on the water until i was happy that I was going to be safe and had some idea as to what I was doing and, more importantly, the CORRECT equipment just in case it all did go 'orribly wrong.....at the end of the day why should somebody else put their life in jeopardy just because of my or anybody else's stupidity or "IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME ATTITUDE!"!!!!!

[Sunny]

Auto inflation lifejackets (175N for passengers and 275N for me), boat EPIRB, pocket personal EPIRB, flares, two fixed DSC VHF radios and one handheld; ..am I paranoid (I know that's what you are thinking :hysterical: )

Mission One: get home
Mission Two: catch some fish & have fun

[scotty]

Should be a law for carrying life jackets, you wouldnt drive your car without a seatbelt. Heavy fines and regular inspections on people leaving port might drum it into some people

[BrianR]

Everyone who comes on my boat has a choice, wear a lifejacket or you don't get on the boat.

[Cam]

WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF SOME COMPLACENCY.here we have people saying wear life jackets yet their avatars show them holding fish with no life jackets .THE LADS I GO OUT WITH ARE THE SAME .we have life jackets on board but we dont wear them ..they are there for emergency's .i got pulled for no seatbelt in the car this year i was a hundred yards from home and hadn't put it on yet ...there must be amongst us a puritanical type who does everything to the letter at all times ...
well we cannot all be that way but we must strive to make decent effort ..i believe the coastguard should be able to approach a vessel and see that there is a life jacket on board for everyone.if not "£65 fine first offence ....£1000 next offence ...if it saved one life it would be a winner

[Sunny]

Nov 22, 2010 20:38:46 GMT Cam said:

WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF SOME COMPLACENCY.here we have people saying wear life jackets yet their avatars show them holding fish with no life jackets .THE LADS I GO OUT WITH ARE THE SAME .

Cam, on my tub the rule is jackets on whenever lifting the hook or moving. Once at anchor then its a choice thing; especially if its calm and warm .... not suggesting this is perfect, but it sure beats going out without one at all.

Do you think it makes much difference on the size of your boat ?
So if you are steaming in a 45ft barge is it necessary to wear a jacket inside ...not sure.... but in a 17-20ft small private craft i prefer to wear mine whenever I' on the move or the seas are big...or its night time (cause I'm scared of the dark) ;D

[BrianR]

I think Lifejackets are like seatbelts, too late to put them on when the unexpected has happened.
I'd rather be in the boat wearing it unnecessarily than in the water, wishing I was wearing it.