Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 13 July 2014, 04:08   #1
Member
 
Country: USA
Town: CA
Make: Zodiac RIB-P
Length: 7m +
Engine: Suzuki 250
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,235
Weather signal flag reminder

My first mate (10yo son) and I took the boat out for its first ocean spin today. The older son was doing his scuba certification dives today so we had some time to kill. Puttering out I saw the signal flag flying over the coast guard station, I just couldn't remember what was what but was distracted getting the boat organized.

The squid were in so the sea bass have been about and there were lots of people out fishing so plenty of company. We ran about 30 minutes down the coast to the nuclear power plant, a fine destination, and back. The zodiac handled beautifully, a very comfortable and dry ride.

On the return to the harbor I dug out the iPhone and refreshed my memory on signal flag, red triangle, small craft advisory. That would explain it. 4-6 foot swells and blowing just below a gale, very confused seas, lots of big whitecaps. The crew was happiest limited to the low 20's mph out on the water. I probably could have gone faster with out the first mate but it would have been a bit of work.

Unfortunately no pictures as I had my hands full with the controls. No time to bust out the phone.

Jason
__________________
Bigtalljv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 09:24   #2
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Length: 3m +
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,767
I've always found this a slightly strange concept that as far as I know doesn't exist in the UK.

So if you boat near the CG station you can see the flag. if you boat elsewhere you just go out regardless.

Does it not encourage people to evalaute the conditions based on no flag it must be OK type approach rather than all the variables together?
__________________
ShinyShoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 10:10   #3
Member
 
Pikey Dave's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: South Yorks
Boat name: Black Pig
Make: Ribcraft
Length: 5m +
Engine: DF140a
MMSI: 235111389
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,163
RIBase
Weather signal flag reminder

Quote:
Originally Posted by ShinyShoe View Post
So if you boat near the CG station you can see the flag. if you boat elsewhere you just go out regardless.
No, take out your spyglass & observe the nearest telegraph station. Personally I have one of those new fangled Marconi sets on the old girl, absolutely marvellous don't you know.

and to think, they put a man on the moon
__________________
Rule#2: Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level & then beat you with experience.
Rule#3: Tha' can't educate pork.
Rule#4:Don't feed the troll
Pikey Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 10:46   #4
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Length: 3m +
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,767
OOOH... they could put a man on the moon and get him to hold up different flags at different times and then you could use your telescope to see him on the moon and see if its OK to go out.

I know its all a bit science fiction but I've heard rumours that marconi stuff will be outdated soon and people will use telephones without wires to connect to a web of other machines and might be able to get weather data from it... ...I know its crazy isn't it. Imagine that you could be in your house miles from the shore and know what the weather was like... if only!
__________________
ShinyShoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 10:49   #5
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Length: 3m +
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,767
Oh and someone just suggested that rather than those devices using a code like a red triangle you'd maybe be able to see a full text description of any codes used. They suggested it could "link" (whatever that would mean!) to a dictionary of terms to make it even easier to understand... They then said there could be an encyclopedia maintained by the General Public which would explain everything in the world. I laughed and stopped listening! Honestly some people have whacky ideas don't they!
__________________
ShinyShoe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 11:24   #6
Member
 
Pikey Dave's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: South Yorks
Boat name: Black Pig
Make: Ribcraft
Length: 5m +
Engine: DF140a
MMSI: 235111389
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,163
RIBase
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShinyShoe View Post
I know its all a bit science fiction but I've heard rumours that marconi stuff will be outdated soon and people will use telephones without wires to connect to a web of other machines .....,,,,,,,,,

& look up what the flag means....,,........oh the irony


.....sh1t happens.......
__________________
Rule#2: Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level & then beat you with experience.
Rule#3: Tha' can't educate pork.
Rule#4:Don't feed the troll
Pikey Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 13:55   #7
RIBnet admin team
 
willk's Avatar
 
Country: Ireland
Length: 4m +
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 14,893
Warning "flegs"

It's kinda the same here this weekend...

On a more serious note, we have a Met Office Small Craft Warning here. It is given when the forecast winds in a particular coastal area are F6 and over. Good enough but obviously doesn't allow for sheltered areas and so forth. Many a good day out was missed because of a blanket small craft warning.
__________________
.
willk is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 16:28   #8
Member
 
Country: USA
Town: CA
Make: Zodiac RIB-P
Length: 7m +
Engine: Suzuki 250
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,235
And to think I actually checked the forecast (only the night before), but it didn't match the conditions that actually happened

It's amazing how effective the old technology can be. A little flag on a pole, rarely breaks, visible to all (we have two boat ramps for 100 miles of coast to launch boats bigger than you can carry across a beach), and updated to the conditions that are happening not what the guys in Boulder CO say they should be. All I need is the capability to decipher them. Thank goodness I have my iPhone rather than an abundance of knowledge.
__________________
Bigtalljv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 17:05   #9
Member
 
m chappelow's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: yorkshire
Boat name: little vicky
Make: avon ex RNLI
Length: 3m +
Engine: tohatsu
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,310
its not that long ago many Harbours( especialy larger ones with a fishing fleet) ,Lighthouses & Local small Coastguard stations ( until they were closed down ) hoisted Storm cones to warn of weather .
__________________
m chappelow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 19:00   #10
Member
 
Country: USA
Town: Torrance
Length: no boat
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 335
I seem to recall last time I was in Jersey the signal station above St Helier hoisted the cones. Along with a signal (?) ball when the days newspapers had arrived on the island.

SDG
__________________
Compass Deliveries
SDGANDER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 20:58   #11
Member
 
Peter_C's Avatar
 
Country: USA
Town: NorCal
Boat name: SHARKY
Make: AB
Length: 4m +
Engine: Honda BF75 & BF5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,089
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigtalljv View Post
(we have two boat ramps for 100 miles of coast to launch boats bigger than you can carry across a beach)
If you wouldn't mind, could you share what city county area or proximity you are boating in? Almost sounds like the North Coast of California.

Congrats on your sons scuba cert? We dove yesterday.
__________________
Peter_C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 21:00   #12
Member
 
Country: USA
Town: CA
Make: Zodiac RIB-P
Length: 7m +
Engine: Suzuki 250
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,235
Down the road from you, central California.
__________________
Bigtalljv is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 21:03   #13
Member
 
Peter_C's Avatar
 
Country: USA
Town: NorCal
Boat name: SHARKY
Make: AB
Length: 4m +
Engine: Honda BF75 & BF5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,089
Ah, my friend was diving the Monterey Breakwater yesterday. I was supposed to be there, but everyone in our dive club just about didn't seem to want to go, so we choose to stay local, and dove in Sonoma County.

So today is your sons second dive day?
__________________
Peter_C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13 July 2014, 21:24   #14
Member
 
Country: USA
Town: CA
Make: Zodiac RIB-P
Length: 7m +
Engine: Suzuki 250
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,235
Supposed to be but the rest of the class went out in a charter boat and that wasn't in the cards for us.
__________________
Bigtalljv is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 16:20.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.