Helicopter Rescue off Dover

**fireball** · 04-01-12, 11:36

Originally Posted by Boomshanka

You can watch crew and skipper being interviewed here (for the next 7 hours on iPlayer) [http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ay_03_01_2012/]

from 03:10 to 04:28

Crew member - "Very Scary, but I have every confidence in the RNLI ... "

Skipper - "A large wave, almost a freak wave picked up over the back of the boat and threw our helmsman into the wheel"

The commentator then carries on saying that the skipper thought he would have been able to get the boat to safety if they hadn't encountered the wave.

Having seen the report I recognise the skipper ... he brought a boat into Yarmouth - teaching young crew what to do coming into a finger berth ... with a line trailing over his starboard quarter right where it could foul the prop and little if any fendering on his offside. Didn't like him then - like him even less now...

**OGITD** · 04-01-12, 11:39

The poor chap (skipper) apparently had steering failure after a freak wave came over the transom, slamming the helmsman into the wheel and binnacle rendering the steering US....

A combination of poor design and bad luck.
With the right boat and crew you can be quite happy in a 10.

Just ask my old pal Smudge!

**photodog** · 04-01-12, 11:41

What I find astonishing about this whole thing is that the company appears to have learnt no lessons from last years debacle when they made the same trip.. (albeit the return...) and lost the boat in bad weather due to crew failure... and here we are... 12 months down the road and the same lifeboats and the same helo have to go out and save their ass again due to a crew failure...

Its simply astonishing that they have not had a good look at their risk strategies...

Its mind boggling.

**photodog** · 04-01-12, 11:43

Originally Posted by fireball

Crew member - "Very Scary, but I have every confidence in the RNLI ... "

...

A very telling quote.... I note that he didnt depart with the skipper...

**pauljn** · 04-01-12, 11:43

What an earth were they doing out there. I remember seeing the forecast on TV the day before and saying to my wife that I was pleased our boat was afloat in the marina and not sat on a cradle. The forecast even warned of likely structural damage to properties. This is the same yacht and sailing school that has already received a very critical MAIB report this year and didn't this same company have another of its yachts sink about this time last year when it ran onto the Goodwins in a gale? Something needs to be done, they can't keep putting our brave RNLI and Helicopter crews at risk, let alone their own customers.
I am in the construction industry and the Health and Safety Executive publish details of companies that have had safety incidents so that our clients can assess if they wish to use that company. Shouldn't the RYA or someone publish incidents involving the coastguard and sailing schools so that potential clients can assess the risk to themselves before spending their money?

**OR4751** · 04-01-12, 11:44

Originally Posted by snooks

A freak wave?

In a force 10?

Who'd have thunk it?

**Searush** · 04-01-12, 11:51

The trouble with running downwind in a big SW wind in the Channel is that you have virtually no options left. Turning upwind, heaving to or lying ahull are probably not viable due to lack of sea room, other traffic or sea conditions.

There is no plan B available, to me that's the key issue, when plan A failed due to sea state (wind over tide?) his only option was to call for help. Sorry, but I don't see that as exciting fun so much as poor planning.

**Vara** · 04-01-12, 11:56

Posted by LF about 11.30

**Minn** · 04-01-12, 11:56

Originally Posted by Searush

The trouble with running downwind in a big SW wind in the Channel is that you have virtually no options left. Turning upwind, heaving to or lying ahull are probably not viable due to lack of sea room, other traffic or sea conditions.

There is no plan B available, to me that's the key issue, when plan A failed due to sea state (wind over tide?) his only option was to call for help. Sorry, but I don't see that as exciting fun so much as poor planning.

Exactly.