Filing passage plans with CG - Page 2

codprawn · 11 January 2008, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete7

Deffinately not the case. The Royal Artillery RADAR at Manorbier, Pembroke tracked two ribs all the way across the Bristol Channel for 45 miles, even recording the time we turned to enter the harbour at Barnstaple. This was before the days we started carrying RADAR reflectors.

Pete

Oh it can be done in the right conditions but if RADAR was so good no small boat would ever be run down!!!

Once you get some waves and rain it all goes pear shaped!!!

Then again you already know that - was it your crowd who tracked you???

jwalker · 11 January 2008, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Once you get some waves and rain it all goes pear shaped!!!

Poly · 12 January 2008, 00:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Considering we are always being told that small boats are very hard to spot on radar I wonder if this is really the case. I brought my boat back from Guernsey(minus refelctor) with no interference at all. I then phoned the national yacht line before stepping ashore and they just didn't want to know - wouldn't even take my name and address to show that I had phoned. I then had to chase THEM to pay the VAT!!!

I know NautiBuoy had all sorts of fun with customs etc but we can over on a nice sunny evening when there were loads of boats around. Of course no drug smugglers would EVER think of that..............

to bring us vaguely back OT. What is the protocol for the filing passage plans with th CG from the Codship?

codprawn · 12 January 2008, 00:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

to bring us vaguely back OT. What is the protocol for the filing passage plans with th CG from the Codship?

Not a clue - it's pretty hard to find them at Burryport out of hours and the signal won't reach anywhere until you are around the headland anyway.

To me being at sea is one of the few freedoms left - it is great to leave your troubles behind - if only for a little while. I don't want to start having to worry about paperwork or procedures etc.

Swansea Marina have their own system where they log you out and then back in again - the lock operators are a good bunch who will soon spot if a boat is overdue.

Poly · 12 January 2008, 00:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

To me being at sea is one of the few freedoms left - it is great to leave your troubles behind - if only for a little while. I don't want to start having to worry about paperwork or procedures etc.

mmm... it seems plans are normally filed via VHF so not exactly paperwork... I do presume you have filed a CG66? whilst you can be a twat sometimes - it would be a shame if we didn't have the banter because you were so averse to procedures that the CG didn't know where to start looking for that luminous blue monster of yours,

Quote:

the lock operators are a good bunch who will soon spot if a boat is overdue.

that will only work on a round trip...

codprawn · 12 January 2008, 03:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

mmm... it seems plans are normally filed via VHF so not exactly paperwork... I do presume you have filed a CG66? whilst you can be a twat sometimes - it would be a shame if we didn't have the banter because you were so averse to procedures that the CG didn't know where to start looking for that luminous blue monster of yours,

that will only work on a round trip...

Yes I have filled in the CG66. I am sure the coasties would find me though - 2 vhfs - a mobile phone in a plastic bag - enough flares for Nov 5th and of course a depth charge so that the Irish Sea hydrophones will be able to get a fix.......

Limey Linda · 12 January 2008, 03:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

whilst you can be a twat sometimes - it would be a shame if we didn't have the banter because you were so averse to procedures that the CG didn't know where to start looking for that luminous blue monster of yours,

jwalker · 12 January 2008, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

To me being at sea is one of the few freedoms left - it is great to leave your troubles behind - if only for a little while.

I find myself agreeing with the Codmeister.

Peter J · 15 January 2008, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

How many of you file passage plans with the CG before setting off?
How long (distance, time) does a trip have to be before you bother?
.

Getting back to the original question, if I am going from the top of southampton water to the folly or Gosport and back should I file a passage plan with the CG?

For those of you who don't know the area we a talking about a 10 to 15 mile trip, one way, in an area (usually, make that always in summer) full of other vessels.

John Kennett · 15 January 2008, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter J

Getting back to the original question, if I am going from the top of southampton water to the folly or Gosport and back should I file a passage plan with the CG?

No

John

Avocet · 15 January 2008, 15:23

"No

John"

..... although it might be prudent if you were on your own, at night and/or in bad weather!

I would suggest that it should depend on the circumstances.

John Kennett · 15 January 2008, 16:37

In my opinion there is absolutely no need to file a passage plan for any trip in the Solent. By all means let someone ashore know where you're going and when you expect to be there, but channels 16 and 67 are busy enough as it is without people adding to the traffic with pointless passage plan information.

If the circumstances were such that I ever felt it necessary to file a passage plan with the coast guard for either journey suggested by Peter J, I would go to the pub instead.

John

Avocet · 15 January 2008, 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

In my opinion there is absolutely no need to file a passage plan for any trip in the Solent. By all means let someone ashore know where you're going and when you expect to be there, but channels 16 and 67 are busy enough as it is without people adding to the traffic with pointless passage plan information.

If the circumstances were such that I ever felt it necessary to file a passage plan with the coast guard for either journey suggested by Peter J, I would go to the pub instead.

John

I tend to agree with you - although presumably the aim of going to Folly is the pub in any event - there being little else there!

My point was rather that one should never say never

Poly · 15 January 2008, 17:13

I had to update my CG66 (which involved it changing where it is stored), and got a nice email back from the CG, including an invite to visit the MRCC - I followed this up with an enquiry to them asking their views on filing passage plans. The following is a quote from the email which they said I could post here. It may be different in the busy waters of the south coast.

Quote:

From a safety point of view we (the coastguard at Clyde) are happy for you to leave a passage plan each trip, should anything untoward happen at the very least we would have a starting point to begin a search plan, all we do is log your information in our working log.

If at the end of your passage you forget to tell us you have arrived we do not take any action - unless someone reports you overdue

Ideally the passage plan will contain a departure point and time, an arrival point and time and any deviation from a straight line course. For example 'Departing Largs Marina for Kip Marina via the Kyles of Bute ETA Kip 1700 Hours, 2 persons onboard.

If you have a CG66 it would also be usefull to say in your passage plan 'CG66 held at Clyde' or whichever station holds your CG66.

jwalker · 15 January 2008, 17:28

Quote:

If at the end of your passage you forget to tell us you have arrived we do not take any action - unless someone reports you overdue

I suppose it's a little bit useful should things go horribly wrong but that makes there little point in informing them. I don't usually know where I'm going until I get to the sea and see the conditions. So telling a shore contact at that time as well as the CG who are not going to act until the shore contact tells them, seems a waste of time.

Poly · 15 January 2008, 18:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

I suppose it's a little bit useful should things go horribly wrong but that makes there little point in informing them. I don't usually know where I'm going until I get to the sea and see the conditions. So telling a shore contact at that time as well as the CG who are not going to act until the shore contact tells them, seems a waste of time.

But I suppose this way you can just tell your shore contact you are off to the boat and will be back by 6pm (or whenever) and then leave the detail to the CG.

alystra · 15 January 2008, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

I suppose it's a little bit useful should things go horribly wrong but that makes there little point in informing them. I don't usually know where I'm going until I get to the sea and see the conditions. So telling a shore contact at that time as well as the CG who are not going to act until the shore contact tells them, seems a waste of time.

The passage plan is very useful once the vessel is reported overdue as all resources can be concentrated in more or less the right place.

When a vessel overdue report comes in, the CG will probably start with a radio search, asking all ships to look out for the boat in question, ('information is requested' etc.). Often, that's all that's necessary and the lost boat is found. Failing that, more and more resources are called in, gradually ending up with a full search. Before that time though, so many people know about the search that, even in this wild and isolated area full of nooks and crannies, the lost vessel is either found, or sighting position reports received which may narrow the search area.

I let my shore contact know the general area - Firth of Lorne, Snd of Jura, Snd of Mull, etc., - and the day and time I expect to return or make contact. If I'm going to be away longer than anticipated, or move areas and the mobile has no signal (more often than not around here) I let the CG know where I'm anchored for the night, and say they may get a call re my whereabouts. They seem happy with that.

jwalker · 15 January 2008, 19:12

With out the shore contact you're fekked, though.

alystra · 15 January 2008, 22:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

With out the shore contact you're fekked, though.

Ah! But that's what the red button on your DSC VHF is for. Or your hand held VHF. Or your red flares. Or your EPIRB. Or your PLB.

Or a whistle, gun (loud bang), burning tar barrel, NC flags (I think), waving arms, upside down ensign! Oh! Yes. And your mobile phone - you did listen to Codprawn, didn't you, and wrap it in three plastic freezer bags?

No? No VHF? What's an EPIRB, PLB? Flares? What, those soggy things in the container full of water?

Well. Yes. You're fekked.

DJL · 16 January 2008, 01:43

I personally will only file a passage plan with the CG if I feel the risk and necessity for a quick rescue are higher than normal.

While working commercially this includes activities at night or long passages. When I’m out for pleasure it generally includes solo night passages, especially in rougher conditions and longer than normal passages, i.e. channel crossings.

I will always have a shore contact aware I’m out on the boat.

I have been called on VHF by Portland Coastguard after a solo night passage from Cowes to Poole in nasty weather. It took me an hour longer than expected and they called me 30mins after my original est arrival time.