Ill prepared boaties
The weather was great on Sunday just gone (15/3/09) and me mate Bob and I decided to go out to the west end for a troll. We took off from CPBA at around 8 ish. About half way out this what looked like an old penguin type cruiser sped past us toward rotto which really didn't bother us but for the fact that they broke down a few hundred meters in front of us ( we found this out because they waved for our assistance).
Now before we go any further I will help anyone in need of assistance any time regardless. But what I witnessed on this day is beyond it.
We saddled up beside them and asked them what the problem was and the man on board said that the engine just stopped. Now there were two couples on board upper middle class types.
I asked if their radio was working and he said that it wasnt as his arial had been broken. I said that I would radio in for him and request sea rescue to give them a tow in as I was a bit too small to do this.
They flattely refused this request (why?? Ill tell ya soon) they went on to say that they will look at the motor and try to fire it up shortly. I said that if you get it going you should head back home as I wold not trust this not to happen again today. Wesaid that we would hang around in the vicinity for the next 20 or minutes just in case.
Any way they did eventually get it going and guess what... they went further out to sea for about 200 metres until their boat broke down again.
They waved us over and we went to see them again. My deckie was getting a bit frustrated at the fact that they continued out to sea, and asked the question
1 Do you have a skippers ticket? No real answer.
2 Do you have an EPIRB? a half backed yes
3 why are you still pursuing out to sea when clearly you are not capable?? no answer
They again refused us to call it in.
What we did find out is that they ran out of oil. They asked us if that was the cause of the motor stopping and could we give them some.
I had none to give otherwise i would . What I can say is that they had no idea what they were doing out there. they had no radio and I guarantee that they had no EPIRB or skippers ticket.
When they got their boat going they wuld run it until it over heated and stopped and wait to cool and start again.
All in all we lost 3/4 hour of our time for a bunch of idiots.
BTW the water police were out checking all water craft on Sunday. Where were they when these idiots were around. To make matters worse I didnt write down their number to give to the police.
After that a good day was had on the water.
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I JUST LOVE THE SMELL OF NAPALM IN THE MORNING
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CPBA MEMBER
milsey
Posts: 1462
Date Joined: 22/08/07
yer not good, we also got
yer not good, we also got checked. how'd you go round the west end.
cheers
Auslobster
Posts: 1901
Date Joined: 03/05/08
You did the right thing...
...there is an unwritten rule (or maybe it IS written somewhere?) that if you see anyone in trouble on the high seas, you must provide assistance, even if it just means standing by until more help can arrive. It makes it a real head scratcher, however, when you get morons like that who refuse to help themselves.
I think in that situation I would've covered my *ss and radioed Sea Rescue anyway and informed them...at the very least the proper authorities would've been made aware of how poorly prepared these people were and they most likely would not be heading out sea again anytime soon, saving everyone else another headache!
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Definately written, but good
Definately written, but good to know most people would follow it even if it wasnt.
Page 13:
All boaters have a legal obligation to assist people
in distress unless:
• they are unable to – perhaps the call for
assistance was from too far away;
• assistance is not required – perhaps Sea
Rescue has taken over; or
• the circumstances make it too dangerous.
If an accident occurs nearby, you must assist where
possible, provided it does not seriously endanger
you or your passengers.
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Addicted to jiggingroberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Must agree Auslobster we would have also radioed Sea
Rescue as well with all details, these morons give us the good boatie with all safety gear, plus epirb/RST on board a bad name. Unfortunately money can't buy brains.
SPEWIE LEWIE .. Ginger Tablets Rock
Cockburn Power Boat Member
Ginger Tablets Rock
tommytomato
Posts: 416
Date Joined: 25/07/05
That sounds so strange, yes
That sounds so strange, yes you did the right thing, I also would of called for water police or sea rescue, they would been there ASAP, you know security factor
You never know what their up too , are you sure you didn't see any cemet boots
TT ( karl )
HuggyB
Posts: 2515
Date Joined: 03/08/08
and just an FYI
you dont technically need an EPIRB (although I agree they are a good thing to have) to get across to Rotto from Woodies as you would be within the exclusion zone. But you couldn't go out to the 5 fathom bank without an EPIRB - weird ruling IMO.
The Terrorist - coming to a fishing spot near you.........
hlokk
Posts: 4290
Date Joined: 04/04/08
I think the rationale is
I think the rationale is that it is a high traffic area, so someone is much more likely to spot you than drifting out in the open ocean in an area where boats might not be going past.
You can go straight from Hillaries, Ocean reef and possibly Mindarie as well (as long as you're less than 4.4nm directly west from Oceanreef). Though Garden Island kind of 'cuts' off the 5 fathom as its an island, you cant go more than 400m from it (same with west half of rotto). Otherwise it would be 2nm if it was mainland (and not in the 'rotto triangle')
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Addicted to jigging