Bitter Experience Tv Filming

[WINDRIDER]

Many will have heared by now of our dramas this morning off the Kent coast when we ended up needing a bit of help from the brave boys of the lifeboat. Following detailed risk assessments and tidal flow predictions we dropped a film team off on the Goodwin Sands to do their thing. We identified a safe recovery time for their extraction and added a fudge/safety factor but despite crew and coswain protestations the TV company we were contracted to provide a boat for refused to pack up and a 10 minute delay resulted in a swamping leading to massive boat damage and an MAIB report!!! Exonerated by both coasties and third party passengers (the local cricket team who were the subjects of the filming) the following points come to mind that might help others:
1. Stick to the plan and don't be swayed by overly enthusiatic TV directors who "just want to do 2 more pieces to camera".
2. Make sure your gear is 100%. Ours was and we needed most of it even going as far as preparing the liferaft for deployment with jobs dedicated to individuals. (Didn't need it in the end though!!!)
3. Keep bloody calm. When it is all going Pete Tong, a flapping skipper never helped anybody. ( Ours deserves a medal for neing cooler than a very cool thing straight from the fridge)
4. Keep evryone informed of what is happening. (Life boat ETA etc. Let them hear the radio traffic so they know help is coming
5. Rehearse with your contract party emergency procedures without scaring them, before you set sail.
6. On return, be proactive in ensuring true story is heared by as many as possible. By the time we got in the story had gone from a sunny day swamping leading to too much weight and resulting in engine submersion, had become near death event involving RIBs turning turtle, people being swept off in ripe currents and mass hysteria!!!
7. Finally (and a little tongue in cheek). Make sure your fags stay dry. The telephone calls immediately following return to shore from MAIB, MCA, POLICE, local papers etc will see 20 silkies going in about 5 minutes!!!
PS Thanks to the Ramsgate RNLI ILB and all weather boat. Very professional as ever. Hope you enjoyed the Stella!

[codprawn]

Glad everything was ok - haven't been able to find anything on the news though!!! What sort of damage did you suffer - must have been bad as those Quinquari/Humbers are as tough as old boots!!!

Very interesting story - did the film crew keep filming? Would make great viewing knowing everyone is ok.

[Shaggy]

Blimey

Glad everyone was ok, in the interests of safety (and being dam right nosey) how does a 10 Metre Humber get its engines submerged?


Shaggy

[Mollers]

Breaking sea whils't trying to recover off the sands, I would guess. Did the boat get thrown over?

[Shaggy]

Nasty..

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-ne...0DB&m=7&y=2006

Shaggy

[WINDRIDER]

Thanks all. Yup everyone in fine fettle. The boat was positioned head to wind with bow anchor and stern anchor out to keep her true and riding the 2 ft waves nicely. TV crew needed to walk out about 15 yards out up to knee deep and board over transom. (Engines up and off) Once estimated departure time had come and gone, we repositioned but whilst crossing the prevailing sea took 2 pretty big ones over the aft quarter which led to a starboard stall. Port continued to run and we re-established anchor site closer to shore but took another 2 or 3 biggies over the side. Decks now awash pumps running nicely and not really too concerned. Tide now running hard but lots of fannying being done on the beach delayed departure even longer which gave time for more water to join us in the boat. Finally all aboard but due to increased weight in boat and passengers anchors began to drag. Finally pushed side on to majority of waves and she just filled to the gunnels. Port stalled and DSC hit.
Damage sustained mainly to engines and shafts as we tried to drive her off in to shallow water. Hull fine, tubes 100% fine, internal damage sustained largely due to TV filming gantry being smashed around the boat. Sorry no film by the crew as their £80K camera was doing a good impression of Nemo's Nautilus. RNLI fiolmed it though from the fly bridge over the all weather boat.

[Mollers]

It's amazing how incidents such as this are always 'added to' by the press. They have you as 'almost sinking'. Our 'Shark Harassment' became a joke once it had been through a few different press agencies. Actually it was a joke from the start.

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by Mollers

It's amazing how incidents such as this are always 'added to' by the press. They have you as 'almost sinking'. Our 'Shark Harassment' became a joke once it had been through a few different press agencies. Actually it was a joke from the start.

And both local TV stations

On a serious note, how did the outboard manage to stall? I would have thought that they (Johnson?) should be able to take a good wave on the head without drawing in the water?

Or did you take on so much water that they ended up below water?

Shaggy

[Paul F]

Glad all well and that only minor repairable damage to boat, a boat can be replaced quite easy different for a human.
As for the Goodwins, well i have been out a couple of times and the problem is that the sea state can change very rapidily due to shallows of one side and deep water other.
I once tried to organise a charity do on them and when approached Ramsgate LB, they wisely didnt want to know and would not endorse or recommend anyone to go out there. Best craft for the job Large Hovercraft.
Paul

[WINDRIDER]

Just to let you all know. 48 hours later boat is completely cleaned down, sparkling with polish, rewired where necessary and looking A! brand new. Engines still an issue but being sorted by Paul at Highway Marine Services in Sandwich on Monday. First indication suggest that they are fine if a little confused (ECUs appear quite p***ed off about the whole episode given the fault codes on the start up sequence!!)
Perhaps the boys in St Davids might like to include an advert that the only boat ever to survive a sinking (?) on the infamous and mysterious Goodwin Sands was a John Price built Quinquari 10m!!!!
Now where is that f***ing TV director......................