Left brain at marina award this week

boristhebold · 22 September 2013, 08:30

Spotted a poerboat at speed through poole harbour suddenly turned around and then stop, looked like something was up so i went near them. Yes person waving franticly so stopped to see if assistance was required. They had just left a marina in poole and had ran out of fuel. They asked for a tow, as i didnt have an appropriate tow rope i suggested they call on vhf, have you a vhf i asked, yes they said but no aerial ! I called coastguard to see if assistance coule be got, while calling and waiting for response i suggested they put down an anchor as they were drifting into very shallow water. As i was chatting to coastguard another rib showed up and offerred to tow them back, i stayed on station and told coastguard situation and all was now ok. The other rib towed them back to cobbs. When i returned to cobbs i saw them refuel and head back out. 3 people onboard man, wife and kid.

So obvious dumb things, the skipper left the marina without checking fuel guage. What is the point of a vhf if you dont have an aerial. After refuelling went back out even though risk of crap being sucked up into engines from fuel starvation didnt come into mind. Considering he still did not have an aerial for vhf and set off again anyway is dumb.

Talk about stupid, and wasted my time the other rib persons time and a coatsguard call.

I dont mind assisting people breaking down etc but when they are obviously plain stupid it bugs the hell out of me. Grrrrr. But having said that if i ever breakdown please rescue me even if it is something stupid. Lol

paulbrown22 · 22 September 2013, 08:46

I was anchored in Studland on the sailing boat and heard it all on the radio!

Did they not have a mobile phone between them either?

GordyP · 22 September 2013, 09:02

God, who would go out on the water without a rope that you could use to tow??

Hightower · 22 September 2013, 09:09

They didn't forget everything, at least they had an Anchor

I rescued a RIB that flagged me down off of Yarmouth once, he'd run out of fuel. Turned out he's a RIBnet Member

Mollers · 22 September 2013, 09:16

Rubbish, but not uncommon unfortunately.

Also crap that the op had nothing to use as a tow line.

Hightower · 22 September 2013, 09:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

Also crap that the op had nothing to use as a tow line.

You can use shortish mooring warps and the bow painter to link two boats together for tow alongside.

What about the anchor rope?

Mollers · 22 September 2013, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

You can use shortish mooring warps and the bow painter to link two boats together for tow alongside.

What about the anchor rope?

In the list of stuff that needs to be on a boat before it goes to sea, lines and warps aren't far below fuel.

Poly · 22 September 2013, 09:49

Boris, have you never screwed up in life? I can imagine having brought extra fuel and forgetting to load it in the boat before leaving for example. Gauges are notoriously unreliable too, so perhaps he did look and trusted it too much.

Could you not have used his anchor line (or yours) for a tow rope?

Did he breakdown again? No, perhaps his assessment of the risk of crap being stirred up was better than yours. I agree VHF not working is not smart, but many people would go without one, or a defective one, or never having tested it. Perhaps he takes the aerial off for trailing or storage and refitted before going out again.

Obviously it's possible he was just a moron but I thought maybe you were posting here looking for feedback rather than a pointless rant!

Mollers · 22 September 2013, 10:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Gauges are notoriously unreliable too, so perhaps he did look and trusted it too much.

Personally, I never trust boat gauges. I always put in at least what I think that I'm going to use that day, on the way to launching and use what's in the tank as a buffer. Keep doing it for a few trips and she'll be full. (220Ltrs).

It would kill me to be in such close proximity to a boat requiring help and not being able to give it due to being ill-equipped.

ShinyShoe · 22 September 2013, 10:02

Poor Boris. I bet he wasn't expecting the RibNet Possy to turn on him so fast!

I was thinking Boris presumably had a spare 5L can of fuel on board and could have lent it to the stranded boat, got him restarted and followed him in to make sure he got back in safely and get his fuel (and maybe a spare beer voucher) back...

Mollers · 22 September 2013, 10:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

I was thinking Boris presumably had a spare 5L can of fuel on board and could have lent it to the stranded boat.

Unfortunately, to compound 'Billy No Fuel's' situation, 'Boris No Kit' rocks up as first responder.

Pikey Dave · 22 September 2013, 10:19

Jeeze, poor Boris. Now where's that "Shoot yourself in the foot" emoticon

Boats&Outboards · 22 September 2013, 12:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by boristhebold

Spotted a poerboat at speed through poole harbour suddenly turned around and then stop, looked like something was up so i went near them. Yes person waving franticly so stopped to see if assistance was required. They had just left a marina in poole and had ran out of fuel. They asked for a tow, as i didnt have an appropriate tow rope i suggested they call on vhf, have you a vhf i asked, yes they said but no aerial ! I called coastguard to see if assistance coule be got, while calling and waiting for response i suggested they put down an anchor as they were drifting into very shallow water. As i was chatting to coastguard another rib showed up and offerred to tow them back, i stayed on station and told coastguard situation and all was now ok. The other rib towed them back to cobbs. When i returned to cobbs i saw them refuel and head back out. 3 people onboard man, wife and kid. So obvious dumb things, the skipper left the marina without checking fuel guage. What is the point of a vhf if you dont have an aerial. After refuelling went back out even though risk of crap being sucked up into engines from fuel starvation didnt come into mind. Considering he still did not have an aerial for vhf and set off again anyway is dumb. Talk about stupid, and wasted my time the other rib persons time and a coatsguard call. I dont mind assisting people breaking down etc but when they are obviously plain stupid it bugs the hell out of me. Grrrrr. But having said that if i ever breakdown please rescue me even if it is something stupid. Lol

Forget the fact he had no VHF, fuel or brains - All that could have been avoided if you'd have had a tow rope, only joking

I see you've had your "ribbing" already

Seriously though, some people are quite naive, I don't think its recklessness for the sake of it. I just think these people do not tend to consider the consequences when the proverbial hits the fan. www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk

Hightower · 22 September 2013, 12:21

Just to make Boris feel better, I made a mistake yesterday and drove off down the road without connecting the light board

Pikey Dave · 22 September 2013, 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Just to make Boris feel better, I made a mistake yesterday and drove off down the road without connecting the light board

Hands up all those who've never dropped a b0110ck. Hmm! thought so

Mollers · 22 September 2013, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

drove off down the road without connecting the light board

NO WAY?!!

What is a light board?

willk · 22 September 2013, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

Unfortunately, to compound 'Billy No Fuel's' situation, 'Boris No Kit' rocks up as first responder.

Jeeze - even my SIB has a tow line and 5L spare gas - someday I'm gonna claim salvage on a RIB

Dhf · 22 September 2013, 14:38

I suspect Boris would have offered a tow if things really where gonna hit the fan, but realised someone else would be along soon to play the hero. Maybe.

Mollers · 22 September 2013, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Jeeze - even my SIB has a tow line and 5L spare gas - someday I'm gonna claim salvage on a RIB

Put a tracker on Boris, you'll get him eventually.

Then again, he might spot the tracker, being as it would be the only 'device' onboard.

nugent · 22 September 2013, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Hands up all those who've never dropped a b0110ck. Hmm! thought so

Not going to mention my single carling switch I fitted yesterday,

Measured switch cut nice oblong into my console to receive it,, DOH, only cut it the same fecking size as the switch !

If you do not make a mistake your a lazy git with no life to look forward to,,,