Ribs with Machine guns???????

[Ian Jones]

I Recieved the Wavelength magazine from the RYA the other day to read a story on the back page!!!

During a training session in Athens earlier this year a coach was in a rib watching the olympic sailors!! He was unexpectally hit on the side of the rib by the wake from a passing ferry!!!

He was thrown out of the rib with the kill cord slipping off his wrist!!!

The rib carried on going at about 25 knots!!
Various people attempted to board the rib with no success!!
Some were damaged!!

The decision was made that the only way left to stop the rogue rib was to blow it out of the water!!!!

The first shots broke the steering rod resulting in the rib leaping out of the water and racing off in random patterns!!!

They finally stopped it by shooting the fuel tank and the engine!!

A question was asked at the end of it!!

Which do we think is the most dangerous????

1. The possibility of coaches falling out of RIB's which may cause damage

or

2. Fitting all RIB's with Sub-machine guns to ensure we can stop rogue boats before they hurt anyone????

What are you views?????


Ian J

[Tim M]

Can it really be that hard to board at RIB going at a relativly low speed - surly they could have done it with a helicopter. Would have been much cheaper than blowing a large RIB up.

Here's the American solution:

[JIY]

I was asked to attend an incident on the Clyde earlier this year, when a diver and his mate had fallen off a small Humber RIB. They were both in the water, with the RIB going round in circles about 25 knots - the diver (who had received quite nasty leg lacerations when the prop ran over his leg) and his mate were lifted out of the water by a Navy Sea King. I suggested to the Coastguard that as the RIB was going round in circles in open seas, and didn't represent a danger now that the crew were out of the water, that it would be saftest to let the boat run out of fuel (I was single handed).

I was amazed when about 5 minutes later another small dive RIB with two crew appeared and formated with the crewless RIB, both boats bumping violently against each other as they bounced out of the turn. One of the crew then leapt across and shut down the other RIB. It was either a great piece of seamanship or reckless, I'm not sure which.

Turns out the diver and his mate had recently finished a dive and were heading home, got caught out by a big wave and were both catapulted into the water - and of course, the killcord was unattached!

[Bilge Rat]

If the boats trimmed out correctly would it not run in a fairly straight line ?

I'd suggest rather than a machine gun a surface to surface heat seeking missile launched from the fordeck would be more appropriate and do a better job of stopping the rogue rib

[pettal]

Originally Posted by timofengland

Here's the American solution:

Can you imagine trying to aim the bloody machine gun when they are driving like that.........you could get yourself killed!

Oh hang on; you did say American didn't you? Okay carry on lads.

[simonnud]

If there is no danger fo life or over users then let the thing go as you said will run out of fuel. Yarmouth lifeboat was holed after they tried to stop a runaway rib in the solent. That cost around 10k to put that right!!

[Simon B]

Where's all that horrible blue floaty rope when you need it!!

You could rig it with primer cord as well so when it snags it blows the prop off for good measure.

[Jimbob]

I suppose the two examples show that the proper kill cord attachment is essential.

[Scary Des]

Originally Posted by Jimbob

I suppose the two examples show that the proper kill cord attachment is essential.

No I think it shows that kill cords are not user friendly

I think that there is scope for big improvement. A couple of ideas jump to mind:-
On some plant, like mini diggers there is a sensor in the seat that will not allow the digger to move unless someone is sitting there.
Some delivery drivers, to allow them to keep there vehicle running without them in it, have a transponder ‘credit card’ that they keep in the back pocket that has to be there for the vehicle to be moved.

Both these systems could be used on a rib and in the case of the second it would allow you to move around the boat when a kill cord would not.

Des

[freakwave]

I think it is a good idea to fit all Ribs as standard with a machine gun and a harpoon gun for hunting GARFISH when we find him!!!!!!!
Also they should have a shot gun on board for shooting those scousers with wings (seagulls)!

[freakwave]

Originally Posted by timofengland

Can it really be that hard to board at RIB going at a relativly low speed - surly they could have done it with a helicopter. Would have been much cheaper than blowing a large RIB up.

Here's the American solution:

Ye but it is more fun trying to shoot it out than to stop it with a chopper!!!!

[fred bolton]

Where was Manos? he would have sorted it out. Guess he was sunning himself on his rib with his dog. Happy birthday.

[freakwave]

Originally Posted by fred bolton

Where was Manos? he would have sorted it out. Guess he was sunning himself on his rib with his dog. Happy birthday.

Na Manos would have been too scared of getting banged up for having a gun on board !!!

[freakwave]

Originally Posted by Scary Des

No I think it shows that kill cords are not user friendly

I think that there is scope for big improvement. A couple of ideas jump to mind:-
On some plant, like mini diggers there is a sensor in the seat that will not allow the digger to move unless someone is sitting there.
Some delivery drivers, to allow them to keep there vehicle running without them in it, have a transponder ‘credit card’ that they keep in the back pocket that has to be there for the vehicle to be moved.

Both these systems could be used on a rib and in the case of the second it would allow you to move around the boat when a kill cord would not.

Des

how would you make the sensors waterproof though if you took a load of water on board?