Cowes Monte Carlo - safety boats

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Carl

you dont need quals to be a safety boat

[C2 RIBS]

Originally Posted by Cookee

Not sure that has anything to do with powerboat racing:

I have honestly never seen any powerboat race organiser insist on a safety boat skipper having a ticket to do the job. I think sailing and yacht clubs might require it if they use the club boats?

Not sure what darts has got to do with anything? Yes many sports get more money that powerboat racing - even yacht racing is much better funded with huge sponsors but they are in the Olympics. Unless you have a brilliant idea to change that then we have to man up and get on with it and do the best with what we've got and stop wingeing!

Cookee, it has nothing to do with racing, but RYA seem to have caused you all this grief as outlined in recent media and posts. Race organisers ask for safety boats I assume to marshal and act as rescue staff- RYA course states "communication, rescuing other water users" so it may be relevant.

I was unaware that organisers dont ask for a safety/training ticket- so effectively a volunteer could bring their boat into a high speed environment and act as a marshall with no training? I have worked at many of these from Cowes and seen the speeds and dangers and have seen some marshalls not helping your arguement.

I am fully behind your sport- my reference to darts was sponsors and TV money, Equestrian sports have the same problems your sport has, lack of funding for expensive activity. The RYA have a massive role to play here as they have influence

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by C2 RIBS

Cookee, it has nothing to do with racing, but RYA seem to have caused you all this grief as outlined in recent media and posts. Race organisers ask for safety boats I assume to marshal and act as rescue staff- RYA course states "communication, rescuing other water users" so it may be relevant.

I was unaware that organisers dont ask for a safety/training ticket- so effectively a volunteer could bring their boat into a high speed environment and act as a marshall with no training? I have worked at many of these from Cowes and seen the speeds and dangers and have seen some marshalls not helping your arguement.

I am fully behind your sport- my reference to darts was sponsors and TV money, Equestrian sports have the same problems your sport has, lack of funding for expensive activity. The RYA have a massive role to play here as they have influence

The recent media reports are not surprisingly a highly distorted view of the situation and I would ignore everything in the media. Mike Lloyd in all fairness has allegedly been misquoted and although the RYA haven't helped as much as I think they could they didn't sink the race, that's a whole bigger story that I'm not prepared to discuss in public as it is just my opinion.

Safety boats are briefed extensively in their roles before each day of an event and are placed in areas which are out of harms way, to my knowledge no safety boat has ever been involved in an incident with a race boat - all you need is a bit of common sense. Experienced safety guys are always put in the more critical areas.

[Cookee]

AndrewN - For the record I have suggested to the organisers that they try and include the owners of cross channel powerboats to follow the race route and take part as a cruise - something you might be interested in helping promote?

[biffer]

Been out doing my good knight bit with my 4x4 my post was a general observation. But while in on what about medically I had to do the same medical on a different bit if paper. One for my commercial skipper and another for race licence What's that all about then

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by biffer

Been out doing my good knight bit with my 4x4 my post was a general observation. But while in on what about medically I had to do the same medical on a different bit if paper. One for my commercial skipper and another for race licence What's that all about then

Nothing new there - same for HGV driving licence and the bit of paper that says you aren't a kiddy fiddler - one isn't enough and you have to get a new piece of paper for every organisation you are involved with!

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Cookee

even yacht racing is much better funded with huge sponsors but they are in the Olympics.

Missed a trick there then, think London 1908 was the last time there was powerboating in the olympics, perhaps there could have been a campaign to bring it back last year!

[AndrewN]

Originally Posted by Cookee

AndrewN - For the record I have suggested to the organisers that they try and include the owners of cross channel powerboats to follow the race route and take part as a cruise - something you might be interested in helping promote?

Thanks Cookee, certainly something to look at when we have more details of what is planned etc....

[treerat]

Originally Posted by Cookee

Nothing new there - same for HGV driving licence and the bit of paper that says you aren't a kiddy fiddler - one isn't enough and you have to get a new piece of paper for every organisation you are involved with!

Not any longer - they are portable - IF the place you are taking it to excepts the portability.

Some do, some don't.

[CJL]

Originally Posted by Carl

you dont need quals to be a safety boat

As an event organiser really you should be doing though!

And quals don't necessarily mean you are any good!! We don't let people out unless they are qualified and experienced.

People who are highly qualified but can't demonstrate a decent history of experience seriously worry me!! Ticket chasers??

Chris

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by CJL

As an event organiser really you should be doing though!

And quals don't necessarily mean you are any good!! We don't let people out unless they are qualified and experienced.

People who are highly qualified but can't demonstrate a decent history of experience seriously worry me!! Ticket chasers??

Chris

I'm guessing you are a formal organisation of some sort? Club or even International racing is run entirely by volunteers and if we get any more H and S we won't have any racing, simple as that!

[CJL]

Originally Posted by Cookee

I'm guessing you are a formal organisation of some sort? Club or even International racing is run entirely by volunteers and if we get any more H and S we won't have any racing, simple as that!

We are a charity providing safety cover to event organisers on a not for profit basis.

I agree that H+S regulations needs to be implemented proportionately but if you're not careful you run the risk of being in trouble with a powerboat level 2 ticket holder alongside with one person on board, who has no idea how to help you. In that case are they any use??

Getting volunteers to RYA Safety Boat standard and with some experience under their belt isn't hard. In my experience I have found that volunteers will come forward to help if the opportunity to get training and experiences are available. Most sailing clubs run powerboat and safety boat courses during winter months so they have enough safety cover in the spring.

Volunteering in Powerboat racing does not seem very developed as sailing currently is. For example most RYA sailing events have online sign up systems for volunteers and if they run short of volunteers there are email lists and contacts to fall back on.

I'm not sure why this hasn't happened with PB racing as it would be a good initiative to get started!

Chris

[Sailorsamc]

The dinghy rescue sign up stuff is provided by 3rd parties usually class associations and very rarely by the rya themselves

[CJL]

No it isn't sorry. Check out RYA Racing Events.

http://www.sailracer.org/events/even...eventid=118819

Chris

[Smithyyy]

Think you're both right!
Rya events like the Eric Twiname often sign up volunteers
The majority of UK sailing events are run by clubs or class associations ( not the RYA) who will also often sign up volunteers

[Cookee]

The route and timetable has been published now - The organisers hope to include as many Offshore race boats as possible in the event, I'm sure that the start at Tower Bridge will be a great spectacle and give some great PR for the sport and we need that!

I hope we get to meet lots of the members from here in London, Brighton, Guernsey, Northern France and of course in Poole at the finish!

THURSDAY 6th JUNE
Event site and pit-area (wet & dry) opens at West India Dock, London


FRIDAY 7th JUNE
Scrutineering at Pits in West India Dock


SATURDAY 8th JUNE
LEG 1: Morning - Tower Bridge London to Brighton (approx. 170nm)
Mandatory stop of 1-hour minimum (fuel & basic maintenance)
To be considered a pit-stop, so boats can leave once 1-hour time completed
LEG 2: Afternoon - Brighton to Guernsey (approx. 160nm)


SUNDAY 9th JUNE
Lay day in Guernsey with local class racing & entertainment


MONDAY 10th JUNE
LEG 3: Morning - Guernsey, around Channel Islands (including Guillot Passage) to Northern France (approx 150nm)
Mandatory stop of 1-hour minimum (fuel & basic maintenance)
To be considered a pit-stop, so boats can leave once 1-hour time completed
LEG 4: Afternoon - Northern France, around Channel Islands to Guernsey (approx 150nm)


TUESDAY 11th JUNE
LEG 5: Guernsey to finish-line at Bournemouth Pier (approx 160nm)
Various marks to be included to add 'spice'
Final pits & extraction will be in Poole, followed by prize-giving and celebration

[biffer]

That's great news. There is light at the end of the tunnel and not some bugger with a torch

[martini]

Forgotten all about this, race starts next saturday 8th June.

Now includes Guernsey-Jersey-Guernsey legs on monday 10th

Best of luck to all the crews especially our very own Cookee in the E-Lites Bananashark

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by martini

Best of luck to all the crews especially our very own Cookee in the E-Lites Bananashark

Thanks very much indeed.

We will be in the pits in Wood Wharf from Thursday lunchtime until the start on Saturday at Tower Bridge with the E-Lites crew, there will be a convoy down to Southend where the real start will happen and then we'll be off to Guernsey via Brighton for a drop of diesel (not all of the boats will stop there).

The full course, entry list and lots more information including how to track the boats live via PC or Iphone on the website Venture Cup website

[RichT]

Cookee, just saw you come past the Longnose near North Foreland before turning West up the English Channel. It looked pretty lumpy out there today, but awesome to watch. It is going to be a long old day at the speeds we saw on the race website