This sad story.....

[Wight Skipper]

......is being discussed on a yachtie forum I use. Makes one think.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.p...0/fpart/1/vc/1

[Alice]

This is too sad for words. What ever happened regarding the safety boat driver, no one can imagine how he must be feeling over this.

What the hell happened for the kid to be in the water so long? There must be a sailing school or something similar in serious trouble. Surely if his parent(s) were aware they'd have called the lifeboat. My kids are 10 and 12 and sail dinghies. The second I can't see them,I'm in the boat and after them.

[ADS]

Done a fair bit of competitive sailing around the country in the past, and have found the main problem stems from inexperienced rescue boat helms, often parents who mean well but don't really have a clue. Usually in ribs completely unsuited to the task (big 7m+ massive outboard on the bk etc), all the gear but no idea. Stripey seats have no place on a race course, a rescue rib should be Orange. The RYA use Tornado 5.1's and Yamaha 4strokes, ideal comibination, small and easy to handle, quick enough in an emergency, and well balenced with a lot of internal space for race marks etc.
Very sad story, I expect there to be a full investigation into it, and a shakeup of 'the experience required' to drive a safety boat. My thoughts are with the boy.


EDIT, just read more of the YBW, and erm, none of thats relevant, seems it was a genuine accident and the safety boat helm was highly qualified.

[Yuley]

What has the colour of the seats got to do with ability & competence of the helm/crew????

If I ever need rescue I couldn't care less if im picked up by a bright PINK rib with Zebra pattern seatcovers !!!

Bizzare Opinions Abound.

[ADS]

Originally Posted by Yuley

What has the colour of the seats got to do with ability & competence of the helm/crew????

If I ever need rescue I couldn't care less if im picked up by a bright PINK rib with Zebra pattern seatcovers !!!

Bizzare Opinions Abound.

True, if I was in serious difficulty I wouldn't care who rescued me or in what craft. However, often when dinghy racing if you capsize a rescue boat nails it over to you, in a racing situation I would decline assistance as I would be disqualified with outside assistance, and merely askthem to standby. However, you often get spectator ribs far too big for the task who come over to assist whether you like it or not. V6 Merc ticking over, no thanks, had enough amauteurs put their prop through my sails, I would sort my self out, you have to remember a 7.5 rib looks massive from a small dinghy.

However, as the YBW thread shows it was a well qualified safety boat helm on a safety boat, i was just reiterating the point that safety boat helms should be experienced and that safety boats should be suitable for the task.

[codprawn]

A prop is a prop no matter what boat it's fitted to.

Maybe for certain safety boat apps they should use a guard. Not a good idea to make it compulsory though - then ALL safety boats would need them and the amount of power lost in surf etc would be dangerous - which is why the RNLI don't use them.

Don't see why they can't be fitted to most safety boats covering dinghy sailing etc though.

Also I can understand why the bloke wanted to get him out of the water so fast - it is different in the summer but in early spring when our water is at it's coldest then people don't last very long - more people prob die from the cold than drowning.

[Alice]

A 6yo kid was killed by a 6hp on a beach near us a couple of years ago. That was despite the efforts of a surgeon and an Intensive Care nurse, both of whom happened to be on the beach at the time.

[hannah]

Thats really sad ... and yer makes u think
I feel for the little lad XxX

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by codprawn

A prop is a prop no matter what boat it's fitted to.

Maybe for certain safety boat apps they should use a guard. Not a good idea to make it compulsory though - then ALL safety boats would need them and the amount of power lost in surf etc would be dangerous - which is why the RNLI don't use them.

Don't see why they can't be fitted to most safety boats covering dinghy sailing etc though.

Maybe we need some of these over here for the rescue boats...



Specs are here.I think they are USA only though.

http://www.smalloutboards.com/etec405060.htm

[codprawn]

They don't have the sudden power needed fpor many situations - they are just too inefficient.

I was suprised to see that in my Clymer suzuki workshop manual it shows similar waterjet suzuki outboards from years ago so nothing new - never seen one though!!! made from 1985 to 1991 apparently.