The "auxilliary or not?" argument

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jwalker

You could try a panini, it makes more sense than this fkin thread! I'm invoking Pikey Dave's number 2 rule.

They’ve not even started on whether the Aux should be L or XL...........[emoji23]

[Dan Gurney]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

They’ve not even started on whether the Aux should be L or XL...........[emoji23]

Hahahhaahhahahahahahahah [emoji23]

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

They’ve not even started on whether the Aux should be L or XL...........[emoji23]

Now your taking the p#ss, people’s reputations are on the line - this is a serious discussion!!!

Oh, 2 stroke or 4? Lol

[chipko]

We have a 350hp aux.
Oh No! hang on, I mean 3.5hp - those pesky little decimal points.

Great thread, not. But here’s my take anyway.

As stated we have an Aux.

Would I recommend to anyone they need one? No

Do I care if you have one? No

Do I care for your reasons not to have one? No.

Would I dissuade anyone from fitting one? No.

Would I give advice to anyone thinking of fitting one? Yes if it was relevant/useful.

Do I think it will save us in all eventualities? No.

Do you maintain your main engine? Yes meticulously.

Does your aux have an independent fuel supply? Yes

Does having the aux make you complacent? No, shite happens.

Do you compare it’s value to your life jacket? No, get real.

Do you think you need a mahoosive aux? No, we’re aiming to propel hull at around its max displacement speed. This will be slow and surprisingly modest motors can achieve this.

Will it get you home in all situations? Probably not but is hundreds of times better than the two paddles we also have aboard, and that’s if we have two bodies on board to wield them.

Do we have an anchor on board? Yes two and spare warp.

Do you go out 30 miles offshore?
Not intentionally.

Are you the only boat on the water? Yes quite often.

Right, wrong or indifferent?
Who knows, but wouldn’t be seeking constructive advice on here.

[jeffstevens763@g]

If you have the dosh, the room and you want one problem solved. What do one engined commercial fishing/cargo boats do?

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

If you have the dosh, the room and you want one problem solved. What do one engined commercial fishing/cargo boats do?

Pay a yearly subscription to the ‘boarding negligent and very irresponsible club’ ? 😂😂

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by gpsguru

Dragging anchor is usually either lack of warp or not enough chain or an unsuitable anchor ....... I carry a 5kg bruce, a rebar fishermans, chain that is 2m longer than the boat, and 220m of warp

But ...... how many times do you hear a call on the VHF for assistance and the coastguard usually replies with 'can you anchor' , which is often replied with 'no, I dont have an anchor / enough warp' .......... you wouldnt drive a car without a handbrake !

I do about 100 - 150 engine hours a year and honestly dont feel the need for an aux. However, on the south west coast we do not have the remoteness of the guys up in jockshire.

To be fair, when I take the offshore 25 out to the 50 mile wrecks it has twin Suzuki 140's .......... that is called 'built in redundancy' and vastly different to placing your life in the hands of a sewing machine on the transom.

Generally, a lot of breakdowns at sea are fuel related and quite a lot of boaters run their aux from the same tank .............. Installations are much better these days ...... water separator - prefilter - engine filter. Running out of fuel is complete negligence...........

Onwards and upwards

1) The incident I describe my 21ft Tremlet had a a 12KG Bruce anchor with 10mtr of chain. and 50mtr or rope. Rock bottom and was not going to hold.

2) Calls for assistance? If a boat comes back to harbour under it's own steam be that one engine AUX or otherwise it's a non-event.

3) I do about the same hours a yourself and do feel the need for an AUX.
Jockshire.....? Really?

4)When I took out our Offshore 27 on charter it was always a concern for me that it had no means of auxiliary power. We did bring it home from Dublin with it's one engine but I would have been far happier if it had some means of auxiliary backup.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

They're just not the same are they? I can't get nice Italian bread anywhere over here...

Sure it’s not a panacotta 🤣

[Last Tango]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Why??....
You get stuck with no power at dead stop for any reason in ROUGH sea's on a Lee shore and you'll SOON get educated!......depending on 6 horses in a Big RIB simply won't cut it ...in ROUGH conditions.

An aux is for some is a nice handy edition....and can on occasion save a call out or a long wait.... for others it's simply a comfort blanket,but DO NOT bank on one saving you're arse in a "REAL"Jam ...it defiantly won't out perform an Anchor when ITS FOR REAL"!
Your "poor conditions" must be a WORLD away from mine!...if it's ROUGH you don't go anywhere near the shore except to get in!..as for jumping from the RIB onto Rocks?!!..
..well I suppose that says it all

That's the point........... You're not "stuck with no power at dead stop". You have very little power but you'll still be making as much headway as you would with your engine in gear without any throttle and surely even if that was all you could muster you wouldn't stop and throw out the anchor until you found somewhere safe..

I don't imagine for a minute it'll get me out of every jam but the best I can hope from an anchor is, it'll hold me in my position of peril for however many hours it might take for help to arrive and that could be a long time.

My poor conditions are what they are. I do 100 to 150hrs a year, I've owned and been around boats for the best part of 50yrs, Commercially endorsed Advanced PB cert. Several trips to Ireland and almost every Island on the West coast of Scotland so I would have to have had some kind of enchanted fairy godmother looking after me not to have encountered the same "poor conditions" that you refer to at some time or other.

"You don't go near the shore".....that would be my first choice. And no, no one was going to jump onto the rocks, just trying to paint the picture, probably 5mts.

[gpsguru]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

1) The incident I describe my 21ft Tremlet had a a 12KG Bruce anchor with 10mtr of chain. and 50mtr or rope. Rock bottom and was not going to hold.

3) I do about the same hours a yourself and do feel the need for an AUX.
Jockshire.....? Really?

4)When I took out our Offshore 27 on charter it was always a concern for me that it had no means of auxiliary power. We did bring it home from Dublin with it's one engine but I would have been far happier if it had some means of auxiliary backup.

Tremlets are lovely boats, very seaworthy with no hidden surprises

I carry the 'rebar fishermans' for use over rocks and reefs because that is one place where a bruce is useless ............

If you are happy to carry an Aux then I am not going to argue with that. If I lived on the scottish coast then I would probably consider an aux.

Another consideration is the depth of water that you guys have on the near coastline and the lochs ........some of it is just too deep to anchor effectively which would be another plus for the aux.

Here in devon, Jockshire & sweaties is a local colloquialism for you guys north of the border ....... its not said to be offensive in any way, its just the way they talk here ........ Geordies are known as 'brainless sweaties'. I'm a londoner but came to Devon when I was 3 years old ....... I am now 65 and still regarded as a 'feck'in import'

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Last Tango

That's the point........... You're not "stuck with no power at dead stop". You have very little power but you'll still be making as much headway as you would with your engine in gear without any throttle and surely even if that was all you could muster you wouldn't stop and throw out the anchor until you found somewhere safe..

I don't imagine for a minute it'll get me out of every jam but the best I can hope from an anchor is, it'll hold me in my position of peril for however many hours it might take for help to arrive and that could be a long time.

My poor conditions are what they are. I do 100 to 150hrs a year, I've owned and been around boats for the best part of 50yrs, Commercially endorsed Advanced PB cert. Several trips to Ireland and almost every Island on the West coast of Scotland so I would have to have had some kind of enchanted fairy godmother looking after me not to have encountered the same "poor conditions" that you refer to at some time or other.

"You don't go near the shore".....that would be my first choice. And no, no one was going to jump onto the rocks, just trying to paint the picture, probably 5mts.

I don't think we are (too) far away actually...if you read my posts properly

As YOU just said ..you don't imagine for a MINUTE your Auxe would be able to get you out of EVERY Jam....Good! because in the conditions ....I stipulated! it wouldn't...ROUGH water on a Lee shore and the back swell CONFUSED Sea's it generates ...you need REAL power to navigate safely or you'd soon be swamped and/or washed ashore...and not the Phutt Phutt of a small get me home Tiller controlled Auxe.
Trying to control a large RIB in those conditions with so little power is a recipie for disaster.
Standing /or more likely kneeling up in the extreme stern of a heavily Pitching and Bouncing RIB.. (which would near impossible anyway!) COUPLED with no clear view of the Bow OR the waves coming ..you'd come un-stuck pronto.

As for the Anchor holding you in a position of Peril...I'd see it as holding me in a position of RELATIVE safety....and keeping myself... and Crew Alive

All said..I very Sincerely hope you never have to put it to the test!

[John Kennett]

I've closed this thread as there's nothing new being added now and we're getting into a bit of a circular argument.

There are clearly a number of different opinions on this matter, and readers will need to draw their own conclusions.