Boating Skills Practice

[Alan]

Ah so that'll be Mr Garside, Mr Micklewright and your goodself then!

I think a key thing for your size boat, particularly for singlehanded work is using springs and warps to help you come alongside and leave a mooring in different types of conditions. (e.g. wind onto the pontoon, wind off, bow mooring, stern mooring etc.)

Trying the auxillary outboard has also got to be a must although I would tend to agree with you that its not going to do a lot on a boat of cyanides size! But at least trying to get it out of the engine box, mount it (fnarr fnarr) and get it going without a) putting your back out b) dropping it over the side or c) dropping yourself over the side might be instructional to say the least!

Trying a sea anchor is also a good idea and might surprise you. I found the sea anchor I had on Yellow Tang and Blue Ice was not nearly big enough for the job. The bow tends to weathercock down wind (especially on the Scorpion) and the only way to get it to work was to raise the outboard so the stern had less grip on the water. Not an option for you I think. Lying with you bow to the sea really makes life more comfortable. Beam on to a sea stationary is sea sick territory as I think I have comprehensively proved in the past! The real thing with the sea anchor is slowing your rate of drift - maybe to give you time to rig that aux outboard!!

Towing good thing to practice too with the associated ropework - e.g. making up a bridle, deploying it, hitching onto the right tow point etc.

Finally what about a bit of SAR. Get one boat to go to an approx area, give position and then drift. Try and calculate which way the boat will go (current / wind) and use search patterns to look for. If you want to be really smart try it with a substitute manoverboard e.g. large fender.

Sounds like a fun couple of days!

Alan

[Manos]

Just out of curiosity sake

How do you actually put this net around someone who is at sea in distress and in bad weather conditions??
Looks good in the photo posing nicely by the lake but does it actually work in real life?
Any examples and how?

[cloudy]

Can you not just drag them in like the rest of us?

[Rogue Wave]

This may come accross as flippant , bit I am being serious

Do you guys have a policy for getting yourself back in the boat after you have been chucked out.

I know Mike G is fairly experienced after his Bay of Biscay troubles but I don't think most Rib owners do get chucked out. when it happens it helps to have a clear idea of how you would get back in your boat.

[Manos]

Try GREEK RIB owners Stu LOLOL

[Rogue Wave]

Fair enough Manos, but it's all together a more pleasant experience in Warm water.

Out of interest Britt was just watching Animal Hospital or Pet Fixers or something like that. The RSPCA were delivering a seal they had mended back to the sea in a RIB and they used a Jasons Cradle to put it back in the water

[Manos]

LOLOL

Re seal news quite Interesting Stu!

[Ian]

Originally posted by Rogue Wave
Do you guys have a policy for getting yourself back in the boat after you have been chucked out.

Daniel should be able to give some pointers in this direction, ask him about the TWO, yes two , DOB's (Daniel overboard) he has had to deal with!!!

[Garygee]

Hi folks

Think us in NW should put a day toghther as this all makes a lot of sence. Maybe wait for the better weather though.

If it does not work first time in practiace you try another way until you fimd one that works, when its for real you may not get another go

As far as getting back in the RIB, I stand on the outdrive leg.
Maybe not ideal but if you go over either the engine will stop (you will of course have your kill cord on) or someone can stop the engine before tyring.

Failing this A Frames make good solid hand holds the pul yourself back in.

Regards Gary

[Brian]

Good point, Rogue Wave.
The strategy for recovery (so far) is:
1. This will be done probably inside the Plymouth Breakwater.
2. My only route back in will be via the drive leg and the projecting bathing platform. Anywhere else on the boat-forget it, big time.
3. If that doesn't work I will have two boats standing by, each with two crew on board, and will recover onto their boat and sea-to-sea transfer back to mine.
4. This is not a high speed exit. Its an engine-off, hold your nose, gentle jump jobbie.
5. I will be wearing a drysuit, lots of warm clobber under, a lifejacket and carrying a strobe. Worst case I will drift, in company with the other two boats to something fixed to the seabed, like land. Sod the boat.

Attached photo shows rear of boat and proximity to water level.

[wavelength]

getting back in anything other than a very small rib is not easy-try ski-ing for a while and then get back unaided. Its gets more difficult as the day goes on!
Try towing alonside for a practise day. This was taken in December and yes it is flat calm (and sub zero) - but we have used the techniques they are practising to put some quite big yachts onto their moorings in some fair old blows over the last few years after various yottie mishaps.
oops pressed wrong button-piccie on next post!

[wavelength]

oops pic should be here!

[Louise]

Originally posted by Rogue Wave
an electronics section, programming your GSP or HVF/DCS

Cher

Hi RW (or do you prefer to be known as Cher now?),

Seems you're progressing well with your lessons in gArfspeak.

[Daniel]

Originally posted by Ian
Daniel should be able to give some pointers in this direction, ask him about the TWO, yes two , DOB's (Daniel overboard) he has had to deal with!!!

Noone noticed it mate- ha, ha!

[Louise]

Originally posted by Ian
TWO, yes two , DOB's (Daniel overboard) he has had to deal with!!!

Come on then, Daniel - you're obviously dying to spill the beans. We all know about one but what else have you been up to?

[mstacey]

Originally posted by Rogue Wave
This may come accross as flippant , bit I am being serious

Do you guys have a policy for getting yourself back in the boat after you have been chucked out.

I.

Smaller RIB than Brians but ..

If the engines off, and it will be (u were wairing the kill cord were u not) then up the back using the engine fin as a step and the life line/ A Frame as hand holds.

If u are in the boat and want to get somebody else in one of my fenders with rope attached to both ends hanging over the side from the life line makes a softer step.


Using the net stuff to get somebody in.

Attach one end of net to side of boat.
Have line/rope attached to the other two corners and float casulty into net then pull the two lines in effectivley rolling the casulty up into the boat. Not neccassarily good for injuries but far better than leaving them to dronw in the ogging.

[Alex Brown]

Looks like I should probably try getting onboard the boat from the transom..... not sure how easy it'll be with the a-frame in the correct position to knock me out just as I step up onto the engine though

When towing another rib back from half way out to Skomer last Summer, we opted to tow it inline with my rib since there was a lot of current around which was causing a fair bit of chop and the two boats were moving around quite a bit. At the time, we used around 20metres of rope, and made sure one person was right at the back of the other rib to try and keep it going straight. Although we were only making 4.5knots, both boats were quite happy and with the line constantly tight, there was no jarring either. As we got back, I went alongside for the last bit of tow, and proceeded very slowly into the lock pits so as not to damage the tubes on either rib.
I like Dave M's pic there (nice angle between boats) - how do you find towing the larger rib with the little'n?
I've only got experience really with towing sailing and motor boats with the dory at work either into marina berths in gales or into the boat hoist.

-Alex

[Brian]

Alex
Seems to me you have two ways back in. Your boat has a nice low freeboard campared to mine.
Option 1. One foot on the cavitation plate on the starboard side, and wriggle up between the engine and with your back to the tube. Probably the easiest, esp. if you are tired.
Second option, esp. if you wish to impress the locals, is to grab hold of two of your looped ropes along the side of the boat, and then, with arms extended and after kicking your feet up so your body is as parallel to the surface as possible, give one good hard pull and you should slither up over the tube and neatly right into the boat. Impressive if you can do it in one, but tends to knacker you quickly after several failed attempts. Even more impressive if you are wearing twin steel tanks and a weight belt (but amazingly easy if you think Jaws is closing in fast behind you).

[gingercoastie]

We have a rope ladder tied to the A frame. Usually it is tucked away inside the boat, but it can be reached from the water and pulled over to facilitate boarding if required.

[Alan]

I had a similar rope ladder set up on Blue Ice. Stowed away in a nice little velcro bag and permanently fastened onto the A frame.
Jolly useful for climbing up into the trailer when the boat was ashore too! (Its a long way up on a 7.5m Scorp!). I assume Richard probably still has this intact.

Some experiences on towing. If you are towing out at sea then best way is definately a long line (the longer the better) and tow behind. If conditions permit and the towed boat still has the ability to steer with engine/leg then you can tow on the plane. (Assuming your towing points are up to it of course. e.g. use the bow eye and a bridle to two cleats or ski tows on your transom.)
Can recall Cyanide being towed at 20kts plus by Hot Lemon VI on the Hebrides cruise a couple of years back.

If the boat being towed has no steerage then much more difficult. When we towed a 4.8m ribcraft into Milford Sound from the middle of the Bristol Channel with a busted saddle we couldnt do more than 12kts before there was a danger of the towed boat broaching. Same thing happened when I had to tow a small yot (mini transat) into Lymington when he'd lost his rudder.

When in confined spaces alongside is def the way to go!