Boat safety

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Dragonhawk ficht

Well around my way anyone caught more than a few hundred yards offshore with no safety gear, would be escorted back to shore with a ticking off.

Who by?

[willk]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Who by?

Traffic Warden RIBnobburs?

[Dhf]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Who by?

By the police usually or other port authority vessels, They can board any vessel to check if you got the right gear, I've never been stoped myself, but then they can see we've got all the gear, as it's all visable and easy to hand, including life rings on the Aframe, All life jacket'd up of cause.

[mick]

Originally Posted by willk

Traffic Warden RIBnobburs?

If you launch from Filey beach the carpark nobbur checks your gear to see if you can launch and that's only up to 15 hp

[willk]

Arrrh! Yer can go to sea in a bucket here and feck 'em wot objects. Some sinks and some floats. It weeds out the sick and the less bouyant. I'm surprised at you lot, slaves to a Nanny State...



P.S. Damn the one of 'em has a Short Cert. It's orl Roger this and 10-4 that good buddy, but they can fairly squeek when the water is lapping the auld crotch strap...

[9D280]

There's a time & place for banter, this thread doesnt strike me as being either....

(wow - some amber nectar & I get all sensible?)

Anyhoo, Lightning's concerns are very valid. I would definetly +1 the PB2 at a tidal location, and also the VHF. There is howerver a Plan B here - Pol correctly quotes £100 odd for the VHF. Do you know anyone you could borrow one from for this trip? (& +1 for tie it to you)

I would also tend to agree that although a VHF course is striclty the way to go, I had been using handhelds for years in rescue boats before I did my course with absolutely no training other than reading the book on the subject off my own back. Licences were covered by the clubs I was helping out, but I was doing it "by the book" some of the other "comms ops" were toe curling -"Roger over & out" etc......

Anchors can also be borrowed. Know any rock climbers? They get rid of their 100m ropes with reasonable frequency....

More than one way & all that. :controversialsmiley:


Edit: Wow. Amazing how slow I type whilst under the afluence.....

[lightning]

I believe there's a course at Menai in Anglesey which I'm guessing would be "offshore" but mainly I just need some idea of the correct procedures.
How to pass other boats for instance (on the right I believe) but if it's a sailing boat aren't you supposed to pass in it's wake or something? and how to deal with engine failure away from shore (we do have oars on the SIB though)
How to deal with tides. I have no idea about this....
VHF radio, sounds like a good idea. I would not go far from shore though. And I will get some flares which sounds like a good thing.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Dragonhawk ficht

Well around my way anyone caught more than a few hundred yards offshore with no safety gear, would be escorted back to shore with a ticking off..

In Wales? By who? Are people's freedoms to navigate UK waters different in Wales?

Originally Posted by Max...

Really surprised at advice on here to not do a VHF course and just (try) to muddle through.

Actually thats not what I said. What I suggested was that if all the costs of this extra stuff for going to cause a problem that you could prioritise the VHF course lower than some of the other stuff. A good proportion of the course is not particularly relevant to a user with only a handheld VHF - and lets face it they aren't exactly rocket science. Anyone with the patience to read the RYA VHF Handbook or spend some time on the net could gain much the same knowledge. The practical part of using an actual radio is probably over hyped - there is a good chance you will never use the same brand of radio ever again so need to learn the specifics; from what I have seen most schools do it with the sending and receiving stations within ear shot of each other so the working radio is almost pointless; the focus is (perhaps understandably) on distress calling, so the things you might actually use the radio for more regularly are largely skimmed over - even though things like logging passage plans, position polling etc are features which would help people get the most out of their investment and potentially improve safety. Its a day of my life I will never get back and I really don't think I came away with any new or significant extra knowledge. I had heard good feedback about the course before I went and came away dissapointed that I had spend time and money for a bit of paper.

Originally Posted by tim griffin

Why are you so anti RYA
Tim ?.

I don't think I am anti-RYA per se (afterall I was actively promoting PB2 further up the thread). But in terms of the VHF course they have an unhealthy monopoly. The actual examination is a joke. Issuing the certificate costs £30, almost certainly profit making for the RYA - not simply providing a service for the boating public. You need to do a course at an RYA approved school to sit the exam (as far as I can determine there is not an option for someone to simply be examined). The course is relatively expensive for the complexity (compared to say a PB2). It stikes me it is more in the interests of the RYA and RYA schools that this course is compulsary, and relatively pricey than it is in the interests of the boating public.

[Dhf]

Originally Posted by lightning

I believe there's a course at Menai in Anglesey which I'm guessing would be "offshore" but mainly I just need some idea of the correct procedures.
How to pass other boats for instance (on the right I believe) but if it's a sailing boat aren't you supposed to pass in it's wake or something? and how to deal with engine failure away from shore (we do have oars on the SIB though)
How to deal with tides. I have no idea about this....
VHF radio, sounds like a good idea. I would not go far from shore though. And I will get some flares which sounds like a good thing.

Well your correct about passing another small power'd vessel, You should pass port to port when heading toward each other making clear your intentions by steering to starboard in advance, Power driven vessels should give way to sailing vessels, and any other vessel with restricted maneuverability including vessels engaged with fishing towing etc. powered vessels should also keep to starboard when proceeding along narrow channels, These examples are just a few rules of the road, get a copy of the,( International regulations for preventing collisions at sea ) for full info,
As for engine failure, always make sure it's well maintained, and stay close to shore until warmed up proper, maybe carry a spare spark plug in a small emergency kit. Flares, VHF with licence all worth it and not to hard,
If your gonna do a job you just as well do it right
Your always best getting local advice with tides, plus learn how to read tidal diamonds on charts, Your probably best starting in a little bay somewhere, where there's others around, so you can learn from them aswell,
Go for it, Do the learning and you'll have hours of fun, Then you'll want a bigger boat.

[QUOTE=Polwart;446267]In Wales? By who? Are people's freedoms to navigate UK waters different in Wales?

Not at all, and i'm sure if they stayed within good shore range they would'nt be bothered, However we have a few thousand ton tankers travelling only a few hundred yards of the shores round here, And the tugs can't stop them in a hurry, theres been many a misshap where jo blogs decided to anchor in the shiping lane, then discovers his engine will not start, or his anchores caught all with a 200,000 ton tanker bearing down at 10kn plus,

[Phil Riley]

Safewater training in New Brighton on the Wirral provide brilliant RYA coastal courses.. Would highly recommend them..

[Max...]

Originally Posted by lightning

...mainly I just need some idea of the correct procedures.
How to pass other boats for instance (on the right I believe) but if it's a sailing boat aren't you supposed to pass in it's wake or something? and how to deal with engine failure away from shore (we do have oars on the SIB though)
How to deal with tides. I have no idea about this...

Please don't take this the wrong way but your post above really does show that you *need* to do the PB2 - it will cover all the above and tonnes more in reasonable detail as well as get you out on the water for many hours actually learning to handle a boat.

[tim griffin]

Originally Posted by Polwart

I don't think I am anti-RYA per se (afterall I was actively promoting PB2 further up the thread). But in terms of the VHF course they have an unhealthy monopoly. The actual examination is a joke. Issuing the certificate costs £30, almost certainly profit making for the RYA - not simply providing a service for the boating public. You need to do a course at an RYA approved school to sit the exam (as far as I can determine there is not an option for someone to simply be examined). The course is relatively expensive for the complexity (compared to say a PB2). It stikes me it is more in the interests of the RYA and RYA schools that this course is compulsary, and relatively pricey than it is in the interests of the boating public.

The course is run by the RYA on behalf of the MCA who make the rules so not a money maker for the RYA , and yes you can do a exam only details are on the RYA website RYA ..
Tim

[Poly]

Originally Posted by tim griffin

The course is run by the RYA on behalf of the MCA who make the rules so not a money maker for the RYA ,

So the £30 fee for sticking my photo on a flimsy bit of paper is paid to the MCA? It took them over a month.

and yes you can do a exam only details are on the RYA website RYA ..
Tim

As far as I was able to determine the 'exam only' option only applies to existing SRC holders who need to upgrade to include the DSC capability on their radio. I may be misinformed but I couldn't find anywhere just running the exam, all the schools wanted their £££ for the course.

[kawasaki]

Originally Posted by Polwart

In Wales? By who? Are people's freedoms to navigate UK waters different in Wales?

Ah yer see the difference is---
We got fire breathin Dragons etc
An on the Menai there are Sea Monsters an all sorts of Sand Demons that move sticky up bits overnight (beware full moons) an they look out especially for englanders from the Stockport area an UTD supporters an come out from behind rocks an go 'BOO'
An it's good to do Courses an that there, here cos it's always rainin an blowin an then the Singing
You gorra know the local bye laws too
Passing Port to Port on a Sunday has only just been allowed (Chapels for yer innit) an then there's the Eisteddfod RYA course
R. amming Y.achts A.lways
Well, only the furriners from west of Queensferry
Then, dont ferget, yer gorra have a leek onboard
An various safety kit which is generic innit
'Sospan Bach' - fer brewin up in an incase yer caught short
'Flares' in case yer abandon ship in Caernarfon an have ter be fashionable
'Telyn' (a harp) to make nice noises to the Dragons (bleedin difficult to stow on a rib I know)
Oh yeh an the VHF lingo is different
'Where were you goin, when I saw you comin back'?
Channel 16 always!
MMSI = MY Mam Said It
'Mayday' = Time to dance around the Druids stone
One short blast = I,m turnin to Port cos there's no beer left
One long blast = me horn is stuck
5 short blasts, a bit of pause an two long uns = Wales have beaten England at Twickenham
Plus them nautical terms can be different
'Bow' = when yer meets Shirley Bassey
'Stern' = The Ministers face
'Tide' =yer Grandad
'Flood' = when yer eyes fill up after winning The Triple Crown
'Outboard' = smokin on yer own outside the Pub
'Outdrive' = recoverin onto the trailer non stop!
'Prop' = big bloke
'Pitch' = where yer play Rugby
'Di ameter'= bloke who can't play Rugby
'Rubbin Strake'= hurty bit where yerv just been gouged by the big bloke
'Kill Cord'= needed for defence in Caernarfon
'Paddle' = alternative means of defence in Caernarfon
'Red Bouy'= Wales supporter
'Green Bouy' = Young Wales supporter (first at the Bar usually)
'Cardinal Bouy' = still goes to Chapel
'Special Mark' = English bloke sent to the bar first
'Wreck' = Italian captain
An so it goes on
See Boyos there's different by ere, innit

[kerny]

Yer a typical fooking mad Welshman k.

[willk]

Originally Posted by kawasaki

'Special Mark' = English bloke sent to the bar first

[SPR]

You can sit the full exam at ANY RYA src approved school

£70 for full examination
£45 for conversion course

These are paid to RYA and the centre gets I think around £30 back for the modetating the exam.

S.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

Plus one!! Brill.

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

[Siochair]

Originally Posted by willk

+2 One of the best I've read in ages

[DM]

Originally Posted by kerny

Yer a typical fooking mad Welshman k.

You're not wrong.

He bought a new flatscreen telly at Christmas to replace the one he'd owned for forty years. Nothing wrong with it apart from an annoying flicker every 10 seconds. But he said he wasn't going to bring the new one in til he'd had a bit more use out of the old one.

So I shot it with the loaded crossbow he keeps by the front door.

On carrying the old telly out, he slipped and cracked three ribs. (he was pissed by this time )

We spent the next week doing our best to make him laugh.

It was great!