‘Name and shame’ may follow boating incidents

TWO men adrift in a rigid inflatable with no safety equipment or lights narrowly avoided being hit by a Condor fast ferry, it emerged yesterday.

And they were spotted only after setting fire to an oily rag. There was also evidence that the pair had been drinking.

The lifeboat picked up the two men off Herm at 11.45pm on Tuesday.

They were talking to St Peter Port Radio by occasional use of a mobile phone and the harbour radio station was directing a Travel Trident vessel towards the pair using that information.

‘St Peter Port Radio told us that the men were going to set fire to an oily rag and that was how we eventually spotted them,’ said skipper Steve Lowe. Herm Trident was involved in the late-night rescue for about an hour.

‘If they hadn’t had a mobile phone, goodness knows what might have happened. The Condor fast ferry would have gone through the place where we picked them up about 20 minutes before.’

Harbour master Captain Peter Gill said: ‘There is evidence that they had been drinking. That’s not to say they were drunk, but drinking and boating don’t mix.’

As lifeboat operations manager, Capt. Gill said he could understand why some made the argument that people who put to sea inappropriately prepared and who caused the lifeboat to be called should be made to meet the cost.

‘The RNLI is a charitable organisation which relies entirely on voluntary support to deliver a service,’ he said. ‘That’s the traditional position and I wouldn’t want to see it change.’

But he would not rule out the possibility of naming and shaming the perpetrators of such irresponsible behaviour in future. (from thisisguernsey)

Not only name & shame, make them pay for all the charges incurred by the emergency services...

Not only name & shame, make them pay for all the charges incurred by the emergency services...

I quite agree....

I heard today that one of the guys on the boat had only got it that morning, had gone straight to Herm, got lashed and then set off back to St PP with no idea of what he was doing!!

No common sense there then!! They should be held accountable for all costs involved in their rescue due to their stupidity. Beggars belief, really!!!!

Should there be the equivalent of a driving licence for private boaters? I would support that. Safety is the main issue, it is completely irresponsible to set out to sea without any basic knowledge or clue of what others are doing. This was always going to be a recipe for disaster!





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A licencing system wouldn't help this pair.They are typical of many today.No sense of personal or public safety or any commonsense.They should be made to pay for their irresponsible behavior.

I'm all for licensing for all boaters. It is down to crass stupidity by "The Few" that take to the seas with a couldn't care less attitude. believe me, i've seen some sights in the past ten years, and it beggars belief how anybody can simply write the cheque, jump on board, and away they go. Also bites my arse when "experienced" boaters see newcomers attempting to moor (possibly for the first time) and audibly take the piss !! Give them a chance, or better still, offer them some help & advice. Let's keep boating friendly, as i have found in the past ten years, the boating fraternity to be very helpful & friendly to me.

Seems strange that private driving and flying need licences to prove competance but private boating doesn't.

Also why do not boaters have to take out 'Rescue Insurance' to help fund the rescue services.

I'm not sure if there is a "Rescue Insurance", Kingcolemk. Never heard of one myself. I don't think the rescue services charge.

steve 19 wrote:I'm not sure if there is a "Rescue Insurance", Kingcolemk. Never heard of one myself. I don't think the rescue services charge.

That is my point, there should such a scheme in place then the rescue services could charge for their services, just like a garage would if my car broke down, which is why I have breakdown insurance.