How many rescues / incidents have you been involved with

boristhebold · 12 September 2011, 11:15

In just over a year and a half ive been involved in the following; I would be interested to learn from other members if they have been involved in similar incidences and do they think the number of incidences are increasing ?

Rescues/Incidences

Last summer I picked up two kayaks'ers and both their kayaks from about half a mile off Lulworth cover, both kayaks had become swomped and they were struggling. No VHF, No Mobile Phone, drifting out to sea.

This year I towed a broken down motor boat back to poole harbour.

This sunday, a very windy day, spotted a very small sailing boat without mast in Studland Bay drifting towards Old Harry and beyond. One small wave from them, thought at first they were waving to say hello, looked through binoculars and spotted the broken mast. Went over and towed them back to studland, 4 persons on board no VHF. They were lucky the breakers by Old Harry were large and only 4 boats in studland bay that day, 3 of which were unocupied.

Leapy · 12 September 2011, 11:22

Towed two boats in last year, neither with VHF or a clue

Erin · 12 September 2011, 12:58

Four at least that I can remember over the last few years.

Two rescues for people who'd run out of fuel or had spare fuel but no tools/key to open the fuel cap.

One dayboat that had a couple of fishermen on that had become totally disorientated in fog with no vhf or navigation equipment less than a mile offshore.

And one rescue for a couple of lads on a rib well past its best. They had engine failure and were hanging on to a pot marker 1/2 mile offshore. No radio, mobile or safey gear. Not even a shirt on their backs (nice sunny day when they left harbour

)

9D280 · 12 September 2011, 13:00

Ignoring dinghy rescue where I'm sat there for that very reason......

Oppie nationals in Falmouth 198?, first day blew up a right good hoolie, and in the first 2 hrs towed 2 motor boats, a yacht, a heavily reefed wayfarer and a dead jetski back in... the Oppies just kept racing!

Not much since then, How much of that is down to my boat being OOU for a while I don't know, but was recently involved in a search for a supposed body in the Clyde that had been reported from shore (turned out to be a false alarm - debris was found that probably looked like a head & waving arm from shore) - but as I was on the "sun deck" of the Waverley at the time it probably doesn't count for this thread!

Oscarguitar · 12 September 2011, 13:33

Boris,

That is quite a tally it's good to know that there are people like you about. I have helped out a lot of people over the years (and been helped myself) but not so many recently. I suspect that you got there first!

Fair play being out yesterday. Blowing 6 - 7 according to Poole Harbour Weather. I went for a walk at Baiter with my boat keys in my pocket (boat is kept at nearby marina, just in case!) but though better of it.

martini · 12 September 2011, 13:36

Despite the mileage I've been doing in recent years, for some reason I've not been in the right place at the right time for quite a while.

In the past I've had to locate and tow in a couple of broken down motor cruisers inc one at night.

Then there was a 40' motor sailor which grounded on an isolated rock, 1st on scene she wasn't taking on water but started to rock quite violently in the swell. Took the wife & 2 kids off as they were panicking then when the lifeboat arrived I transferred one of their crew and a towline.

Last year I responded to the mayday relay from Condor Vitesse. I was at work at the time but there was only one fv in a 20nm radius so figured I may be able to help. Unfortunately this was 08.00 on a weekday and the rush hour traffic was horrific. The ALB was launched whilst I was sat in the car. I got half way down to the casualty when I hit the fog bank which was a pea souper, by this time the last guy had been picked out the water so rather than become another casualty (no radar) I headed back in.

Erin · 12 September 2011, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

Four at least that I can remember over the last few years.

Oh, and almost forgot

5 - Rescued the skipper of an Arctic 28 with engine failure on the Seine

ribandlandy · 12 September 2011, 16:24

My first rescue was two weekends back, sibber drifting towards 'the orestone' off torquay. Couldnt get his engine going. Towed him back to Torquay. Didnt have a LJ or PFD, radio or anchor. 20ft from rocks when i picked him up. He runs a diving business for a living as well!!!hmmm, i was shocked!!

boristhebold · 12 September 2011, 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oscarguitar

Boris,

That is quite a tally it's good to know that there are people like you about. I have helped out a lot of people over the years (and been helped myself) but not so many recently. I suspect that you got there first!

Fair play being out yesterday. Blowing 6 - 7 according to Poole Harbour Weather. I went for a walk at Baiter with my boat keys in my pocket (boat is kept at nearby marina, just in case!) but though better of it.

I only popped out to studland, was windy but had some sunshine for a while. Didn't venture any further that day came back and did a slow cruise round Poole harbour.

SPR · 12 September 2011, 17:34

one reason for owning one, is to stop your wife tracking you!

Simulating GPS failing in an Advance course?

S.

martini · 12 September 2011, 20:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

Oh, and almost forgot

5 - Rescued the skipper of an Arctic 28 with engine failure on the Seine

Yes, hilarious

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPR

one reason for owning one, is to stop your wife tracking you!

Simulating GPS failing in an Advance course?

S.

Wrong thread Scott

http://www.rib.net/forum/f37/gps-tra...ase-44002.html

GJ0KYZ · 12 September 2011, 20:44

Martini forgot to mention towing me to Granville on Christmas Day. I've towed two boats back to harbour, towed several wandering around in the harbour and like Matt was involved in an offshore rescue last year.

SPR · 12 September 2011, 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini

Yes, hilarious

Wrong thread Scott

http://www.rib.net/forum/f37/gps-tra...ase-44002.html

doh slaps head homer simpson style - I blame the 52 mph wind ... fried my head!

BogMonster · 12 September 2011, 22:14

Not a lot of opportunities for rescue here but -

- Towed a speedboat with engine failure back to the beach, still awaiting the promised case of beer two years later

there will be a next time!

- Went out to help a search for missing divers - a team of divers had shipped their two ribs down from the UK to go diving here, and some of them got carried away by the current so they requested assistance with a search. Launched and got out there just as the other boats found them, to find one of the ribs motoring around the dive site on his aux, looking a bit p***ed off. They seemed OK so we set off back to find the other rib waiting for them a mile or so away. They couldn't raise the man on the aux, as their radio wouldn't work, so I called the first rib up and I think the conversation went something like "please tell them that SOMEBODY forgot to check the oil tank before we left and SOMEBODY forgot to check there was any oil in the console" - whoops

- anyway message was duly passed, judging by the faces I think "somebody" was on the rib sitting next to us

anyway we went back to the first rib with them and waited around till they had the main engine running again and then left them to it.

- Towed a few derelict rafts during and after the annual New Year's Day raft race

I have also been involved with a search for missing fishermen (jumped overboard) but not on my boat - and sadly without success

HUMBER P4VWL · 13 September 2011, 08:35

Over the last decade or two, had quite a few rescues. I'd guess about 8-10

Best was a call from a WAFI delivering from America. 12 mile off the coast of N Wales, no wind, engine dead. Brand new 40ft yacht towed by diesel dub dub fishing boat at no more than a few knots. Maaaaannnny hours later we put him on a mooring. It was in the morning we went back out to him and said casually "you did try bleeding the engine for an air lock?"..... "what do you mean?"

How can someone delivering a £100k yacht not know what that means. Suffice to say, that was the problem. Been sailing for days and then when they tried the engine, nothing.

Also found a drifting old fletcher type with inboard waving their paddles at us. Grandad (no lj) Dad (no lj) and son (6 ish, no lj) trying to paddle against the tide, but drifting at 2 knots away from land. Flat battery. No radio, no flares, nothing. They'd phoned the RNLI but didn't know how to describe to them where they were. We gave them our spare battery and called the RNLI to where they were. We even had a strange look from the RNLI when we told them they were just fitting a new battery we had given them. "where's yours then?" "we carry a spare." Must be rare on a 5.4SR, but then my old man pretty much used to carry a spare boat in the boat....... until it all started getting nicked each week since last year.

jezza2011 · 13 September 2011, 10:30

3

first one was when I was out in tenby and we came accross a speed boat behind the island dead in the water.
Covers off and the use of a large pair of pliers across the starter solonoid to start it and they were off.
second was to a yacht in plymouth sound with no rudder. stood on station untill the navy arrived to tow it back. too big to tow with mine but kept it off the breakwater.
third was to free a yachts prop of line in Dale sound. Good job we had all our diving gear and enough air... guy never even offered to give us a few coins for the effort.. miserable yachtty.