Lifeboatman Time Commitment.

[toad_oftoadhall]

A couple of mates in the RNLI made the point today that all the local lifeboat stations (both RNLI and independent) are short of people available during working hours and on the face of it I'd be a pretty useful person because, well, I am available at those times.

My employer would be happy to give me time off for shouts. I've done some exercises with them purely for fun so my face would fit IYSWIM.

Sounds perfect, but there is, of course, a big catch. I don't have time for (and I'm not interested in) a lot of weekend training, and weekend fundraising which I suspect are part and parcel of the role. I'm not looking for a new hobby but if I can help out at their problem times for a minimum of my own time investment, that's great.

I don't want to ask anyone I know what would be required because I don't really think it'll work out so figured I'd try to do some research of my own. However the RNLI web site doesn't appear to give info on the time requirements of crew.

So time to turn to the FOAK. What's the minimum start up and ongoing training commitment for crew of inshore/all weather life boats (both independent and RNLI)? Anyone know?

[rib]

let me get this right you want to help rescue peeps but have minimum training to do so !

[toad_oftoadhall]

let me get this right you want to help rescue peeps but have minimum training to do so !

I don't want to do anything, the last thing I need is another drain on my time. But I potentially could help at their difficult times if the training/fund raising commitments outside of shouts aren't too onerous. You can tell from my post that I strongly suspect they will be too onerous or I'd simply be asking the people who know rather than asking on here.

[prv]

It's funny - I was reading a lifeboat crewman's blog a while back and it gave the impression that they had more volunteers than they knew what to do with, every shout was oversubscribed and the coxn had to "pick teams" trying to give everyone a fair go over time. I guess that must be the weekends and evenings version of the situation.

I quite like the idea of volunteering and my job doesn't rule it out (though at present I work slightly too far from the coast for it to be practical) but the picture he painted of having to rise through the "ranks" of the local lifeboat clique before you even get to train as a crewman rather put me off.

Pete

[toad_oftoadhall]

I guess that must be the weekends and evenings version of the situation.

They were very specific that working hours are the problem which is why they reckoned I'd be a good fit. (Although I naturally assume they actually meant I'd be a good fit due to my godlike talent in a boat.)

I quite like the idea of volunteering

To be honest, I don't. I love playing in big waves as much as the next man but from the stories I hear they do very little of that and an awful lot of training, fundraising, towing broken down Mobos and pulling smelly suicide corpses out of the water.

Seems churlish not at least to check, though.

[Blueboatman]

FOAK I got, though perhaps more muddy pool than ecclesiastic location

But IYSWIM ? FOAKED if I kno that one, sorry. Hang on, I see

A chat/beer with the coxsain p'haps?

[rib]

me sir me sir if you know what i mean

[rib]

see

[rib]

not know see

[rib]

know what i mean