When the sun comes out, out goes safety..

Daibheid · 29-07-2014 2:33am #1

and no they didn't take the jackets off on arrival - I noticed them inbound about a half a mile away.

I'm sure everyone has seen similar scenes recently with the good weather - all tragedies waiting to happen....

Pigeon Reaper · 29-07-2014 10:34am

Unfortunately it's far too common. Stand up paddle boarders seem to be the worse offenders these days. No flotation on them at all and I often see them over two nautical miles out in all conditions.

my friend · 29-07-2014 10:37am

were they collecting 'bales' ?

ahun · 29-07-2014 4:38pm

There was a few mayday/pan pan call at the weekend...

HeidiHeidi · 29-07-2014 7:22pm

ahun wrote: »

There was a few mayday/pan pan call at the weekend...

I heard a couple of those while racing on Saturday - two of our boats diverted to a mayday but weren't required in the end, a fishing boat got there first. Incredible how a boat can capsize/sink (wasn't clear which, except that it sank in the end) in no wind whatsoever. Just goes to show.

I wonder is that RIB driver wearing a kill cord?

ahun · 29-07-2014 8:13pm

Apparently, I am not long enough a member here to post web address or picture... The story can be found: w w w .

thejournal.ie/family-rescued-lifeboat-wicklow-1590813-Jul2014/

Daibheid · 29-07-2014 9:18pm

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I wonder is that RIB driver wearing a kill cord?

I didn't comment because I couldn't make out one way or another while I watched them coming in but if I had to put my money down...... He doesn't appear to be wearing one in the photo as they're berthing unless it's round his knee which in my experience just doesn't work wearing shorts as it'll slip off.

Sometimes people assume a fast boat can get back quickly to recover MOBs so they only need to tread water for a minute at most but fast boats are also capable of instantaneously spitting the entire crew a long way from the boat. Even with a kill cord the boat will be a very long way away when it stops. It can happen as a result of a hook in a fast turn or if the boat starts chine-walking in a straight line. Add the tiniest bit of tide and/or wind and you may never get back to the boat.

Paddleboarders and kayakers and inflatable toy users all seem just as unaware of the real risk of losing contact with the craft in even moderate conditions. Not many appreciate any advice on the subject either!

HeidiHeidi · 29-07-2014 9:25pm

ahun wrote: »

Apparently, I am not long enough a member here to post web address or picture... The story can be found: w w w .

thejournal.ie/family-rescued-lifeboat-wicklow-1590813-Jul2014/

That's the one that we heard and that our boats diverted to. Thankfully they weren't needed, and all were safely brought ashore.

I'd take the journal report with a LARGE dose of salt, though, having seen a media report of another incident we "witnessed" earlier this year (didn't actually see it but know the full reality of it) which was reported in the press as a dismasting and near-death experience (I think they might have used those actual words) and was nothing of the sort. Don't know if it was hype, or just a journo not familiar with these things getting completely over-excited at the story - but I no longer take these reports at face value!

Sorry for going O/T, rant over

Daibheid · 29-07-2014 9:25pm

ahun wrote: »

thejournal.ie/family-rescued-lifeboat-wicklow-1590813-Jul2014/

Led me to another rescue by Howth RNLI - similar sinking boat family rescued. check out the seating in the left hand of the RNLI crew in this pic to get an idea of what people are taking their families to sea in:
http://c3.thejournal.ie/media/2014/07/unnamed-14-4.jpg

Full story

Churchy · 29-07-2014 11:00pm

Daibheid wrote: »

Led me to another rescue by Howth RNLI - similar sinking boat family rescued. check out the seating in the left hand of the RNLI crew in this pic to get an idea of what people are taking their families to sea in:
http://c3.thejournal.ie/media/2014/07/unnamed-14-4.jpg

Full story

A garden chair! Just perfect for that sunny day off shore.

Boaty · 29-07-2014 11:14pm

http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Wicklow-RNLI-rescues-five-people-from-grounded-vessel.aspx

Another one from Wicklow.

Rental boat gets seaweed wrapped around the prop and can't start the engine.

Calls the person who they rented the boat from on a mobile phone because they aren't given radios.Boat owner takes out another one of his boats out to rescue the rental boat he ends up running out of fuel and has to call the coast guard.

Alkers · 30-07-2014 1:28pm

Boaty wrote: »

http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Wicklow-RNLI-rescues-five-people-from-grounded-vessel.aspx

Another one from Wicklow.

Rental boat gets seaweed wrapped around the prop and can't start the engine.

Calls the person who they rented the boat from on a mobile phone because they aren't given radios.Boat owner takes out another one of his boats out to rescue the rental boat he ends up running out of fuel and has to call the coast guard.

It mentions going aground, not running out of fuel.

Boaty · 30-07-2014 8:49pm

Simona1986 wrote: »

It mentions going aground, not running out of fuel.

That's how the second boat went aground it ran out of fuel

spaceHopper · 31-07-2014 2:11pm

Pigeon Reaper wrote: »

Unfortunately it's far too common. Stand up paddle boarders seem to be the worse offenders these days. No flotation on them at all and I often see them over two nautical miles out in all conditions.

Surfers and SUP's who surf don't wear vest, if you wipe out then you'd come up like a cork as your board comes down on your head. You also can't duck dive or turtle role to get past breaking waves.

I agree though a flat water paddler could do with a vest but they are also leashed to the board that can't sink.

The rule is you should only paddle out if you can swim in.

miss no stars · 31-07-2014 3:23pm

spaceHopper wrote: »

Surfers and SUP's who surf don't wear vest, if you wipe out then you'd come up like a cork as your board comes down on your head. You also can't duck dive or turtle role to get past breaking waves.

I agree though a flat water paddler could do with a vest but they are also leashed to the board that can't sink.

The rule is you should only paddle out if you can swim in.

Because that'll help if they're incapacitated.

pedroeibar1 · 31-07-2014 5:37pm

spaceHopper wrote: »

Surfers and SUP's who surf don't wear vest, if you wipe out then you'd come up like a cork as your board comes down on your head. You also can't duck dive or turtle role to get past breaking waves.

I agree though a flat water paddler could do with a vest but they are also leashed to the board that can't sink.

The rule is you should only paddle out if you can swim in.

I accept the 'pop-up' logic when surfing but that is a minimal risk compared to others e.g. undertow. A roll can be done wearing a vest.The culture in surfing is that a vest is 'uncool'.

I live on the coast and have on several occasions called out the emergency services to rescue people. The stupidity of some never ceases to amaze me. Equally, the zeal/dedication of the Rescue Services never ceases to amaze me. That is why I do not suffer fools who think a rescue is cool, ‘funny’ or make jokes about it.

There are long distance swimmers who swim ‘point to point’ rather than parallel to the coast at a safe distance. Some paddle boarders appear equally bereft of brains, far offshore, no PFDs or wetsuits (never heard of sunstroke or hypothermia?) Others, usually teenagers ignore/are unaware of tides and get into difficulties on cliffs. Small craft suffer from engine failures and on two separate occasions neither had an anchor on board to prevent being blown towards/ onto rocks. One had no PFDs for the adults on board. I have wasted hours just keeping an eye on various events, when it appears that they might lead to difficulty.

Two photos from just the last 12 months – a body recovery and kids being winched up from a cliff.

Boaty · 01-08-2014 12:19am

But being near the edge of a cliff near a helicopter with a powerful rotorwash is ok..

pedroeibar1 · 01-08-2014 8:13am

There always is one.:rolleyes: It was perfectly safe:p:D:D

It was flying of a superior variety

spaceHopper · 01-08-2014 11:17am

pedroeibar1 wrote: »

The culture in surfing is that a vest is 'uncool'.

Very sad photos, however it's not that it's uncool, nowhere around the world do surfers wear life jackets, they can't all be wrong and you right!.

They put you in more danger, you can't swim under water, you get trapped inside by white water so you get washed on to rocks.

You come up after a wipe out much faster while your board is close by and risk being it by it. Normally if I wipe out on a wave I'm forced underwater and the wave will pass over me after a good shaking, my board is more buoyant so it carried in by the wave as far as the lease will let it, that keeps it way from me.

I've been in a good few scrapes surfing and never did I wish I was wearing a vest - mostly because I don't go in if it's bigger than I think I can handle and if I get it wrong I'm not to proud to go back ashore.

pedroeibar1 · 01-08-2014 12:34pm

spaceHopper wrote: »

………………, nowhere around the world do surfers wear life jackets, they can't all be wrong and you right!. They put you in more danger, you can't swim under water, you get trapped inside by white water so you get washed on to rocks.

Wrong. If you had more experience of surfing you would know that all the big companies (Quicksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl, and Dakine) all have life vests for surfers. O’Neil probably has the best selection of surfing-specific vests, tailored to allow you to paddle and swim, have in-built ‘rib-protectors’ and they also have quick-release buckles like diving belts should you need to lose it fast.

spaceHopper wrote: »

You come up after a wipe out much faster while your board is close by and risk being it by it. Normally if I wipe out on a wave I'm forced underwater and the wave will pass over me after a good shaking, my board is more buoyant so it carried in by the wave as far as the lease will let it, that keeps it way from me.

Wrong. Your body does not have positive buoyancy; also if you have a really bad wipe-out the air can be driven from your lungs, worsening the situation. Added to that you are seriously tumbled and disoriented so it is extremely difficult to ascertain where the surface is. Occasionally you will lose your board. (It’s ‘leash’ btw) Big wave surfers wear life jackets to bring them up and keep them afloat. There is a downside – it will want to keep you up when you want to go down, but that is more annoying and awkward than dangerous.

spaceHopper wrote: »

I've been in a good few scrapes surfing and never did I wish I was wearing a vest - mostly because I don't go in if it's bigger than I think I can handle and if I get it wrong I'm not to proud to go back ashore.

That is about the only bit I agree with – the rest is a bit like a cyclist saying that helmets are dangerous because they restrict one’s vision.
I’m not advocating that it should be mandatory for all surfers to wear a PFD, what I am saying is that too many of them are clueless when it comes to water safety.

spaceHopper · 01-08-2014 3:48pm

Yes I knew all that, the guys doing tow surfing wear impact vest and sometimes buoyancy aids but that is because there is a jet ski to pick them up and to bring them out they don't need to duck dive the board or swim under water to avoided a set.

I've been surfing more than 10 years and know what it's like to wipe out, break a board, hit the reef, be hit by a board/fins, get caught in rips, split open a wet suit and or snap a leash, they are for convince an not stop you losing you board.

Most important thing you can do is swim under water which isn't always easy in a wet suit which is buoyant.

Daibheid · 08-08-2014 1:14pm

Fresh Irish Coastguard update seems timely: "Dun Laoghaire also tasked to a paddle boarder having difficulties off Killiney with no wet suit or lifejacket on. Safety advice given."

Is "Safety advice" a euphemism for a kick up the...?

Seriously the RNLI /CG people never make anyone feel bad about a call-out because it's important that people don't hesitate to call for help or at least advise the CG of a developing situation. Plus they need to do a certain number of exercises anyway.

On surfers and PFDs, I can think of a number of watersports that I've been involved with over the years that eventually adopted PFDs or LJs, e.g. windsurfing, divers -first while diving and eventually while transiting on the boat.

Legislation and developing technology play a part as does - unfortunately- natural selection.

the beer revolu · 08-08-2014 3:37pm

I can never understand why slidey seat rowers are allowed out without PFDs.
Whatever about when racing, when training it is, imo, insane that people of all ages are out on the water without PFDs. In Cork, I see an tragedy waiting to happen on the River with often a dozen or so boats, some single handers, over about 2km of water with only one support boat providing safety backup.

On one occasion, one of our currachs pulled a young fella out of the water. He'd been clinging to his capsized boat for about 15 minutes before our boat came upon him. No safety boat in sight.

neris · 18-08-2014 3:55pm

Saw this on the RNLI website. Doesnt need good weather to get a Darwin award winning wanabe out on the water

http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Mudeford-RNLI-launched-to-a-14ft-dinghy-heading-to-America.aspx

Mudeford Servant was launched to investigate a 14ft dinghy which was having difficulty in strong winds three miles of Hengistbury Head on Saturday evening (16 August). A passing yacht called the Coastguard to alert them to the dinghy which they were concerned about which led to the crew from Mudeford RNLI launching at 4.17pm. On arrival at the scene a crew member, who is a sailing instructor, transferred to the dinghy to ascertain where the man, who was of Bulgarian descent, was going to and to assess the situation. The man was exceedingly cold, wet and being violently ill but was refusing any assistance from the crew. He had bought the dinghy earlier in the day and had packed a bag of food and a bag of clothing and was trying to sail over to America. With 20 knot rough seas the dinghy, which had no safety equipment on board, was taking on water. The crew eventually managed to transfer the man to the lifeboat and whilst trying to keep him warm he was taken to Mudeford Quay and the awaiting Ambulance crew, Coastguard and Police. The lifeboat crew then went back out to sea to retrieve his boat where it was taken to the local slipway

HeidiHeidi · 18-08-2014 5:34pm

neris wrote: »

Saw this on the RNLI website. Doesnt need good weather to get a Darwin award winning wanabe out on the water

http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Mudeford-RNLI-launched-to-a-14ft-dinghy-heading-to-America.aspx

Mudeford Servant was launched to investigate a 14ft dinghy which was having difficulty in strong winds three miles of Hengistbury Head on Saturday evening (16 August). A passing yacht called the Coastguard to alert them to the dinghy which they were concerned about which led to the crew from Mudeford RNLI launching at 4.17pm. On arrival at the scene a crew member, who is a sailing instructor, transferred to the dinghy to ascertain where the man, who was of Bulgarian descent, was going to and to assess the situation. The man was exceedingly cold, wet and being violently ill but was refusing any assistance from the crew. He had bought the dinghy earlier in the day and had packed a bag of food and a bag of clothing and was trying to sail over to America. With 20 knot rough seas the dinghy, which had no safety equipment on board, was taking on water. The crew eventually managed to transfer the man to the lifeboat and whilst trying to keep him warm he was taken to Mudeford Quay and the awaiting Ambulance crew, Coastguard and Police. The lifeboat crew then went back out to sea to retrieve his boat where it was taken to the local slipway

:eek:

There seems to be one or two of these every season. Wasn't there some loon taken from a Lidl blow-up paddling pool trying to sail to Cork from somewhere in Dorset last year (or maybe it was earlier this year). One paddle was the mast, the other paddle was the rudder.

At least this weekend's nutcase had an actual boat.

If they actually got away from the coast and went over/under, would we ever even know about them?

Bio Mech · 19-08-2014 4:40pm

neris wrote: »

Saw this on the RNLI website. Doesnt need good weather to get a Darwin award winning wanabe out on the water

http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Mudeford-RNLI-launched-to-a-14ft-dinghy-heading-to-America.aspx

Mudeford Servant was launched to investigate a 14ft dinghy which was having difficulty in strong winds three miles of Hengistbury Head on Saturday evening (16 August). A passing yacht called the Coastguard to alert them to the dinghy which they were concerned about which led to the crew from Mudeford RNLI launching at 4.17pm. On arrival at the scene a crew member, who is a sailing instructor, transferred to the dinghy to ascertain where the man, who was of Bulgarian descent, was going to and to assess the situation. The man was exceedingly cold, wet and being violently ill but was refusing any assistance from the crew. He had bought the dinghy earlier in the day and had packed a bag of food and a bag of clothing and was trying to sail over to America. With 20 knot rough seas the dinghy, which had no safety equipment on board, was taking on water. The crew eventually managed to transfer the man to the lifeboat and whilst trying to keep him warm he was taken to Mudeford Quay and the awaiting Ambulance crew, Coastguard and Police. The lifeboat crew then went back out to sea to retrieve his boat where it was taken to the local slipway

That's clearly someone with some fairly serious mental health issues really and I don't mean that as a joke. Not someone who ignored basic safety but someone who has little grip on reality.

neris · 24-08-2014 1:58pm

With some of the idiotic things happening on the water this year i thought the below which i borrowed off someone on sailing anarchys quotes was quite close to the truth

if murphy doesnt get you, darwin will

neris · 02-09-2014 10:33pm

Someone mentioned paddle boards before. Heres 1 from howth

http://www.howthcoastguard.com/news/paddleboarder-portmarnock

Glenalla · 03-09-2014 11:32am

"SUP" pers and "gig type" boat rowers regularly in Killiney Bay with no PDFs at all. Rowers sometimes on the edge of darkness. Should make sense to have a PDF on in an open boat especially near dark.

pedroeibar1 · 04-09-2014 10:29pm

That is the skiff from the Dalkey rowing club. Personally I don't have an issue with them not wearing LJs, they only come out in calm weather, stay withing 20-30 metres of the shore and trying to keep up 40 + strokes a minute would not be easy in a vest. Agree 100% on the SUPs, I've seen them as far out as the sewage buoy with neither vest nor wetsuit.

fergal.b · 07-09-2014 12:08pm

Could have ended very badly "wear your kill cord" http://www.thejournal.ie/cobh-crash-boat-1659033-Sep2014/

.

When the sun comes out, out goes safety..

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