Not a RIB but

[Paul F]

Forgot to say, they got rid of the SIBs and have surf canoes now.

By the way there was a RIB in harbour last night off of our hard boat mike thinks it was a ribtec orange hull and blue tubes with silver donk any ideas(wasnt scouts) just curious.

Paul

[Bilge Rat]

Originally Posted by Paul F

Forgot to say, they got rid of the SIBs and have surf canoes now.

By the way there was a RIB in harbour last night off of our hard boat mike thinks it was a ribtec orange hull and blue tubes with silver donk any ideas(wasnt scouts) just curious.

Paul

Hi Paul

It may have been the guys from the wind farm ship moored out buy the site, i know they have a orange hulled rib out there, maybe they came ashore ?

I do understand your reluctance to speak out, i on the other hand can and will say what i think,

i'd very much like to see the statistics for rescues and boating incidents in our area over the past say 3 years, do the statistics warrant such expendature when the local roads are falling apart, pavments need replacing, it takes 2 months to have the bulb replaced in an over head street light and slipways in the area (Besides Hampton) desperately need updating and modernisation work done on them ?

Now i'm in no way implying that you can put a monetry value on any life saved and if i thought the boat was absolutely needed i'd be singing its praise, but i dont and ask the question is it completely justifyable having such an expensive patrol boat on the water manned by a crew with no teeth (no offence meant to anyone) whizzing about at the expense of the local tax payer ?

Its also worth mentioning that this wonderful patrol boat is restricted to certain tides, what happens if there is an emergency on a weekend when the tides are really early or late in the day and the boat cant be launched, the RNLI get around this by using a tractor and pushing there RIB into the sea of a muscle bed by the harbour, people still go into the sea when the tides right out !
It also really bugs me that they seem to have put very little thought into buying this boat, ok i'm no rescue expert but surely its easier to pull a body or swimmer from the water over the low soft tubes of a rib ? even with the crane Jon spoke about it would be difficult without someone getting into the water to strap the body into a sling of some sort, surely a rib has to be more safer to a person in the water than a high free board hard boat, and does that boat really need such a big engine, a 5.5 metre rib with a 100hp engine would have done the job adequately and cost half as much money as this patrol boat !

[Paul F]

Ratty,
You seem to have missed my first comment.
The boat is not designed for rescue and was not purchased for that task, believe it or not it was brought purely as a patrol boat and was coded so it could be used as an a additional resource for HMCG only WHILST afloat.

I do not disagree with any of your points and your feelings do match that of quite a lot of other people in the bay.

Will PM you later.
Paul

[Jon Brooks]

Rat

Two weeks ago a young girl (about 8) fell off the back of a jet ski in the fog.
The WASP boat found and rescued her with in a few mins.
She was very cold and frightened when picked up.

She was rescued in mins.
The RNLI boat would not even have got launched in the time she was picked up.
If she had been lost in the fog waiting for the RNLI she would have been hypothemic or worse by time they arrived.

We made a difference that day.

I have 110% support for the RNLI and don't think that we on the WASP replace or are better than them.
The rest of the crew feel the same.

No it does not go out on certain tides.
As Paul said we are an MCA resource when on the water, I should have made that clear.

Why that boat was chosen I have no Idea but why not come down next weekend meet Gary and ask him.
Rather than blow a gasket on here ask the right people the questions.
We would be only to pleased to see you.
Get the facts rather than here say.

The guys feel it is not a good idea to publish in the press tales of the rescues but they do happen, regularly.
I have said that it would help the locals to see what the boat does and help justify its use.

The crew get a lot of unjustified stick from people who think it is a waste of money and don't bother to find out what the boat actually does.
We have been acused of fishing, diving, towing skiers and all other kinds of rubbish.
It is all a pretty poor show if you ask me.

Due the number of people like yourself that think it is a waste of money, a comprehensive log is kept whilst we are a float, via dictaphone, updated every few mins, I think that this cause further un-needed pressure on the crew but we have to do it to justify what we do each day.

The people who it has resuced don't feel it is a waste of money.
The family of the little girl whom we pulled out the other week don't feel it is a waste of money.

If one life has been save this, in my book, justify's the expense.
Not just because I am on the crew but because as you said earlier you can't put a value on a human life.

Jet skiers can be a pain but so can sailers and power boat users, skiers just get a bad press.
There is good and bad in every walk of life.

Sorry to go on a bit but I think the WASP is a valued service.
If I did not I would not have got involved with it.

Regards

[Daniel TD5]

i must ask if its not a rescue boat but can act if needed in such a roll which i am sure we all would if needed
but is a patrol boat for for the herne bay area and inshore but no one seems to be inforcing any by laws or speed limits what is it patroling

and whats the point

i have used a jet ski from hampton for over five years and the standard of sea man ship shown by a few jet ski is down right dangerous which as never been stopped by any wasp or ramp crew. ive watch them pick up the bits after a crash but never have a go at any one

hope thing will change we will see

dan

[Al79]

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

Rat

Two weeks ago a young girl (about 8) fell off the back of a jet ski in the fog.
The WASP boat found and rescued her with in a few mins.
She was very cold and frightened when picked up.

She was rescued in mins.
The RNLI boat would not even have got launched in the time she was picked up.
If she had been lost in the fog waiting for the RNLI she would have been hypothemic or worse by time they arrived.

We made a difference that day.

I have 110% support for the RNLI and don't think that we on the WASP replace or are better than them.
The rest of the crew feel the same.

No it does not go out on certain tides.
As Paul said we are an MCA resource when on the water, I should have made that clear.

Why that boat was chosen I have no Idea but why not come down next weekend meet Gary and ask him.
Rather than blow a gasket on here ask the right people the questions.
We would be only to pleased to see you.
Get the facts rather than here say.

The guys feel it is not a good idea to publish in the press tales of the rescues but they do happen, regularly.
I have said that it would help the locals to see what the boat does and help justify its use.

The crew get a lot of unjustified stick from people who think it is a waste of money and don't bother to find out what the boat actually does.
We have been acused of fishing, diving, towing skiers and all other kinds of rubbish.
It is all a pretty poor show if you ask me.

Due the number of people like yourself that think it is a waste of money, a comprehensive log is kept whilst we are a float, via dictaphone, updated every few mins, I think that this cause further un-needed pressure on the crew but we have to do it to justify what we do each day.

The people who it has resuced don't feel it is a waste of money.
The family of the little girl whom we pulled out the other week don't feel it is a waste of money.

If one life has been save this, in my book, justify's the expense.
Not just because I am on the crew but because as you said earlier you can't put a value on a human life.

Jet skiers can be a pain but so can sailers and power boat users, skiers just get a bad press.
There is good and bad in every walk of life.

Sorry to go on a bit but I think the WASP is a valued service.
If I did not I would not have got involved with it.

Regards

I totally agree with you, no one has the right to put a price on someones life. Unless they are Osama Bin Bag Laden that is! I am a member of a lifeboat crew and the boat we have cost over a million pounds when it was new. This craft in my opinion only has to save one persons life and it has paid for itself ten fold.
Being out on patrol, im sure you come across a few things first hand and good on you for getting in there and giving a hand. Many people would fill their pants and go the other way!!!

[Bilge Rat]

Originally Posted by Al79

I totally agree with you, no one has the right to put a price on someones life. Unless they are Osama Bin Bag Laden that is! I am a member of a lifeboat crew and the boat we have cost over a million pounds when it was new. This craft in my opinion only has to save one persons life and it has paid for itself ten fold.
Being out on patrol, im sure you come across a few things first hand and good on you for getting in there and giving a hand. Many people would fill their pants and go the other way!!!

Totally agree with you, and as i said earlier there's no way you can put a price or cost on someone's life, but as Jons said there is a lot of resentment to the boat in the bay area, people see this big white thing hammering about and wonder what the hell they are up to, even i a local in the area didn't know its remit was patrol and not rescue ! until Paul F put set me correct, and as Dans said it would be nice to see them enforce the local bye laws and stop people acting dangerously in and around the harbour area.

Jon - maybe the facts and figures should be published, as a tax payer surely i have the right to see where my money goes to ? maybe telling the locals about the "good work" you do will get you a little more support locally and less resentment, and please dont understate the effectivness of the RNLi to operate in the Hern Bay/Whistable area, those guys train long and hard and are ready and willing to go out at any time in any sea state with little or no regard for there own safety to rescue people, and they are not paid either !

[GarryP]

I am the Head Cox / Water Safety Coordinator for Canterbury City Council and am responsible for the WASPII Patrol Boat operation.
My attention has been drawn to certain matters being discussed on this Forum group in respect of the Councils Patrol Boat.
I am required to inform members of this Forum that any views or opinions expressed on this Forum in respect of the Patrol Boat are personal to the members involved and do not necessarily reflect the Policy or Operating procedures of Canterbury City Council in respect of either the Patrol Boat operation or its Policy in respect of water users in general.
If members of this Forum have matters they wish to raise in respect of the Patrol Boat or other water users in the area of the Councils responsibility then please put these in writing to :-
Canterbury City Council
Foreshore Services
Harbour Office
Whitstable, Kent
CT5 1AB
This message has to be for INFORMATION ONLY and no further discussion by the Council can therefore take place on this matter through this media.
I thank all members for their indulgance in that respect -
GarryP -
Head Cox / Water Safety Cordinator
Canterbury City Council

[codprawn]

Why do all councils sound the same??????

[Brian]

Canterbury sounds like another place I am lucky not to be living in!

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by GarryP

I am the Head Cox / Water Safety Coordinator for Canterbury City Council and am responsible for the WASPII Patrol Boat operation.

Hi! Welcome to RIBnet

I am required to inform members of this Forum that any views or opinions expressed on this Forum in respect of the Patrol Boat are personal to the members involved and do not necessarily reflect the Policy or Operating procedures of Canterbury City Council in respect of either the Patrol Boat operation or its Policy in respect of water users in general.

OK. Does your message reflect the Policy or Operating procedures of Canterbury City Council, or is it your personal view?

If members of this Forum have matters they wish to raise in respect of the Patrol Boat or other water users in the area of the Councils responsibility then please put these in writing to :-
Canterbury City Council
Foreshore Services
Harbour Office
Whitstable, Kent
CT5 1AB

Or, if forum members have access to the internet, they can contact Canterbury City Council by email at pointsofview@canterbury.gov.uk or use the on-line Points of View form. They could even phone on 01227 862 000

This message has to be for INFORMATION ONLY and no further discussion by the Council can therefore take place on this matter through this media.

Have you been instructed not to discuss it here, or are you acting on your own initiative?

I wonder what it was that has made you so concerned that you thought it worth reviving a thread that fizzled out a good three months ago . . .

John

[Daniel TD5]

seems very strange as you say john to read such a old thread and reply

i will ask the council for the policy regarding the wasp

dan

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by GarryP

Posted on 20 July 2005 02:29I am the Head Cox / Water Safety Coordinator for Canterbury City Council and am responsible for the WASPII Patrol Boat operation.....

Garry what overtime rate do you get for working at 02:30 Des

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by Bilge Rat

Jon - maybe the facts and figures should be published, as a tax payer surely i have the right to see where my money goes to ?

With Tonys’ open government policy this information is available, just ask. Des

[The Garfish]

Originally Posted by GarryP

no further discussion by the Council can therefore take place on this matter through

fuk mee itt luks lyke bruksy az bin gaggid bi de thort poliss


gArf

[Alan]

Originally Posted by The Garfish

fuk mee itt luks lyke bruksy az bin gaggid bi de thort poliss


gArf

Very duble-plus-fkin-ungood eh Garf!

[Paul F]

Originally Posted by The Garfish

fuk mee itt luks lyke bruksy az bin gaggid bi de thort poliss


gArf

NICE ONE

[Jon Brooks]

Garf

You are a very funny bloke!
Brought a very big smile to my face on what was looking at being a very boring Thursday morning, thanks

Best regards