Why lifeguard boats should have kill cords

[Matt]

I find watching the RNLI (and any rescue org, TBH) guys when they're operating the boats, especially the smaller ones, interesting. Was watching the Bembridge lot and you could see the different styles and experience of the helms/coxswains of each of the boats very clearly. I could write pages and pages about it to be honest since I find the human factor in rescue situations very interesting and whenever I see, or work with, a rescue boat/organisation, I try to use it as a learning opportunity.

It's also interesting to compare, in a similar situation, how a surf rescue vs sailing club rescue vs independant rescue org vs RNLI deal with a situation. There are lessons to be learnt from each - each has quite a different, identifiable, methods & style.

[Fergus3060]

Indeed, I'm relatively new to the RNLI but have been in and around RIBs for my entire life (as a sailing instructor/coach, club rescue boats, and professionally in the RN) and I'd agree there's very different 'styles'.

I've learned a huge amount from the more experienced guys on my crew, and equally they've been open to learning from my experience which was a pleasant surprise. The SOPs set out the 'proper' way of doing things but there's a certain amount of dynamic risk assessment (cuffing it/judgement) that happens. Understandable as no shout is the same. But either way, we have some boat handling ninjas on my crew.

Also, it's easy to forget that some RNLI crew have never set foot in a boat before they join so the only experience they have is learned during training scenarios and the 'real thing' so it can take quite a while to build up and mistakes are easy to make. I'd have thought that training, skill and experience are highly variable across the RNLI (as is every shout).

[Matt]

lol I nearly wrote RN in there too. As a lad in the cadets we used to get taken out in the Gemini SIBs with, I think it was a pull start mariner 40, on the back, launched from the fast patrol boat based in portsmouth. Made for a very entertaining day one time when we were surfing the gemini off the stern wake and the helmsman slightly misjudged it - bow ploughed in, sib hooked so the wake hit us broadside and turned us over. Was great fun, but glad it wasn't my motor.

Yes, I think when you get to the end of the SOP and the problems not gone away, that's when experience really kicks in. Same in aviation. Sully being the one everyone knows about, but you can read/see the same in many MAIB and AAIB reports where either experience (and sometimes over confidence through that experience), or lack of experience, has an impact.

May I ask what ship(s) you were on?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Matt

Do you have any insight why they selected a manual process rather than radio tag options? They look interesting, but it’s always good to understand all the perspectives.

I think I am right in saying that they've always had the switches installed - the big s/s toggle still with the kill cord just a red loop that hoops over it rather than a plastic horseshoe style connector. If I am right then they are already installed, electrical system proven to work in their conditions etc and the only change is actually hooping the red cord over it - rather than modifying boats with something more sophisticated (ie. vulnerable to problems!).

[Matt]

K.i.s.s.

[Fergus3060]

Originally Posted by Matt

but you can read/see the same in many MAIB and AAIB reports where either experience (and sometimes over confidence through that experience), or lack of experience, has an impact.

May I ask what ship(s) you were on?

Yup, and from my perspective understanding that you need to continue to build, learn and develop that experience in the team environment is pretty key.

Varied HM Ships...HMS Chiddingfold (MCMV), HMS Lancaster and HMS Kent (T23s), and HMS Ocean (LPH). Now shore based, which is great and has given me some time to join the RNLI. An RNLI crew isn't entirely unlike HM ship's mess.

Originally Posted by Poly

I think I am right in saying that they've always had the switches installed - the big s/s toggle still with the kill cord just a red loop that hoops over it rather than a plastic horseshoe style connector. If I am right then they are already installed, electrical system proven to work in their conditions etc and the only change is actually hooping the red cord over it - rather than modifying boats with something more sophisticated (ie. vulnerable to problems!).

The D Class with the Mariner/Tohatsu 50 is already fitted with the switch yes. Although strangely this is fitted upside down on the original spec so part of the change is swapping it round again. The A85 needs a new start panel installed but I believe its a pretty simple mod.

[Matt]

HMS Chiddingfold - minehunter. Really really big GRP hull?