Limehouse to Teddington

[Naughty Cal]

After a lifetime of coastal and inland boating including 12 years in the Royal Navy. Are you kidding?

 

Tone

 

No im not kidding because at times your attitude to safety on the water makes me wonder about "your lifetime of coastal boating". Nobody who has a lifetime of coastal boating has such a lax attitude to the safety of both themselves and others around them.

 

After a "lifetime of coastal boating" how come you never gained a VHF certificate Tone. Were you the head cleaner on the boat?

[canaldrifter]

No im not kidding because at times your attitude to safety on the water makes me wonder about "your lifetime of coastal boating". Nobody who has a lifetime of coastal boating has such a lax attitude to the safety of both themselves and others around them.

 

After a "lifetime of coastal boating" how come you never gained a VHF certificate Tone. Were you the head cleaner on the boat?

 

I was a qualified RN coxwain twenty years before you were born, lass, now off you go and do some fast circles in your little boat for a while. This is getting boring.

 

Tone

[Naughty Cal]

I was a qualified RN coxwain twenty years before you were born, lass, now off you go and do some fast circles in your little boat for a while. This is getting boring.

 

Tone

 

Ok the head chef then?

[canaldrifter]

.but they called the police launch which was there...and had a rope on it in a flash.

 

I thought I knew the Tidal Thames fairly well, but I've never found the Flash.

 

Tone

[Naughty Cal]

Chief potwasher?

[ditchcrawler]

"Would it be fair to sumarise this thread by saying that no-one has ever been prosecuted for not having a VHF certificate"

!

I have come across 2 "Radio Operators" who didn't have licences, although they were British they had been working in Dutch waters and had moved into the UK. They were not prosecuted but give the opportunity to "do the course" and get the cert, Sat at the back full of sh*t until the instructor/examiner tied them in knots

[David Mack]

That works for an organised flotilla that are in mobile phone contact with each other. So if you are arranging to travel with someone else it is acceptable (so I understand) if only one has a VHF radio so long as the one with the VHF radio agrees to phone the other one if necessary

 

But don't rely on someone else being present, in five trips I've never shared limehouse lock

If you want to do the trip as part of an organised flotilla, join one of the St Pancras Cruising Club events. They are a very friendly bunch and welcome non members to join their convoys. You don't need VHF (just mobile phone) and if you do get any problems there will be other boats on hand to assist.

 

I have been on one tideway trip with SPCC when one of the boats suffered engine failure and had to be taken in tow. On another occasion a boat with an undersized skin tank started overheating and had to slow right down. One of the other boats held back and stayed with them in case of further problems.

 

David

[canaldrifter]

If you want to do the trip as part of an organised flotilla, join one of the St Pancras Cruising Club events. They are a very friendly bunch and welcome non members to join their convoys. You don't need VHF (just mobile phone) and if you do get any problems there will be other boats on hand to assist.

 

I have been on one tideway trip with SPCC when one of the boats suffered engine failure and had to be taken in tow. On another occasion a boat with an undersized skin tank started overheating and had to slow right down. One of the other boats held back and stayed with them in case of further problems.

 

David

 

Hoorah and a greenie for a good common sense, non-patronising or pontificating post. Thanks David.

 

Tone

[Albion]

Hoorah and a greenie for a good common sense, non-patronising or pontificating post. Thanks David.

 

Tone

 

Looks like you awarded yourself a greeny then, rather than David. Still it's one way of increasing your score I suppose.

Roger

[canaldrifter]

Looks like you awarded yourself a greeny then, rather than David. Still it's one way of increasing your score I suppose.

Roger

 

You're right! Sorry. Finger trouble again! If we still had red ones I'd take it off.... but then I would probably have used 'em up on Phylis already....

 

Tone

[Naughty Cal]

You're right! Sorry. Finger trouble again! If we still had red ones I'd take it off.... but then I would probably have used 'em up on Phylis already....

 

Tone

 

Why? For telling peeople the truth. It may not be what people want to hear.

 

Telling people to just go for it regardless of the dangers is not a big or clever move Tony. You may get away with winging it, others may not be so lucky. Persoanlly i hope that Evo sees sense at some point and decides to stick to the canal route because with his attitiude he will come a cropper on the tideway.

[Evo]

There must be hundreds of boats that have drifted out of that lock blissfully unaware of any requirements for radios. Why would you know, a couple of years ago that would have been me, I would of piled out of Limehouse tootled upto Teddington paid me £130 and out off up the non-tidal totally unaware I'd done anything wrong.

 

Look at that bloke that went round and round Sheppey till he ran out of fuel and had to be rescued. He'd only bought the boat the day before never having had a boat before...bet he had a VHF license. He filled back up with juice and off he went again. Nothing to stop him.

 

Theres little to no policing of anything....just a big fast police cruiser parked along the river guarding the Royal/Government bits I presume. Sat on their arses all day until they feel like harrassing someone every now and then....great.

 

 

Its good though isn't it...we are all banned from using our phones in our cars or twiddling with our radios...fines payable and points. On a boat in certain waters you have to have a radio to fanny about with..doesn't affect your concentration on a boat.... eh.

[Naughty Cal]

There must be hundreds of boats that have drifted out of that lock blissfully unaware of any requirements for radios. Why would you know, a couple of years ago that would have been me, I would of piled out of Limehouse tootled upto Teddington paid me £130 and out off up the non-tidal totally unaware I'd done anything wrong.

 

Look at that bloke that went round and round Sheppey till he ran out of fuel and had to be rescued. He'd only bought the boat the day before never having had a boat before...bet he had a VHF license. He filled back up with juice and off he went again. Nothing to stop him.

 

Theres little to no policing of anything....just a big fast police cruiser parked along the river guarding the Royal/Government bits I presume. Sat on their arses all day until they feel like harrassing someone every now and then....great.

 

 

Its good though isn't it...we are all banned from using our phones in our cars or twiddling with our radios...fines payable and points. On a boat in certain waters you have to have a radio to fanny about with..doesn't affect your concentration on a boat.... eh.

 

No it dosent affect your concentration on a boat. Its is how you communicate with other boats around you and is a vital piece of emergency equipment if nothing else. Comparing it to a car is nonsense and just a way of you trying to avoid the real issue at question.

 

There is no requirement to have a VHF aboard a boat at sea. It is however advisable, especially for emergency situations. Mobile phones often lose signal at sea so become useless. People go to sea ill equipped all the time they are more often than not dragged back in by the RNLI.

 

The big fast police vessel is there to ensure the safety of the public and also other river users. If it does flag you down and you dont have the required equipment aboard expect at the very least a ticking off but most likely a hefty fine. The fine is much more than the £400 you reckon on by the way.

 

Ignorance is no excuse for being ill equipped, ill prepared and a danger to those around you. You are no aware of the VHF requirements, how you play it is of course your choice.

[Midnight Rider]

Is there anything in this VHF training that couldn't be done on t'internet?

 

Just curious as a lot of training seems to be done that way now.

[Naughty Cal]

Is there anything in this VHF training that couldn't be done on t'internet?

 

Just curious as a lot of training seems to be done that way now.

 

Yes the minimum 8 hours you need to have using the VHF sets in the training centre

[Midnight Rider]

Yes the minimum 8 hours you need to have using the VHF sets in the training centre

That doesn't really answer the question.

 

The 8 hours must include a lot more than using the set. How much of the course could be done with visual explanation on the net --- & don't roll your eyes at me

[jonk]

I was unaware of the VHF requirements for the tidal Thames, but I can see the reasoning behind it.

Does anyone know whether overseas Offshore Skippers licence with VHF component satisfies that requirement or is it a Thames specific licence that is required?

Thanks,

John

[Naughty Cal]

That doesn't really answer the question.

 

The 8 hours must include a lot more than using the set. How much of the course could be done with visual explanation on the net --- & don't roll your eyes at me

 

You are introduced to the VHF training sets, the instructer gives you a series of tasks to do with the sets whilst under supervison. You practice the correct procedure, you are taught the DCS side of the emergency procedure, you have to do a minimum amount of hours training on the centres VHF sets and then you have a short written exam at the end of the day.

 

You are expected to put in some reading and homework before the course. When you book it they send you a book with the legal requirements, phonetic alphabet, procedures for using the radio. All of which you are expected to know before attending your course.

 

ETA:

Edited March 17, 2011 by Phylis

[Evo]

I'm sorted, I have a radio (portable £20) and my mate has done me a waterproof A4 sheet with 5 or 6 paragraphs of the only relevant stuff that applies to me. No certificate, but what lockie is going to stand there and demand proof of training.

[Naughty Cal]

I'm sorted, I have a radio (portable £20) and my mate has done me a waterproof A4 sheet with 5 or 6 paragraphs of the only relevant stuff that applies to me. No certificate, but what lockie is going to stand there and demand proof of training.

 

Good luck. You will need it.

[Keeping Up]

I wonder if any of the relevant authorities ever read this Forum?

[Naughty Cal]

I wonder if any of the relevant authorities ever read this Forum?

 

They may have no need. It only takes for one person to report them after having read this topic. Isnt the internet an amazing invention

[Midnight Rider]

You are introduced to the VHF training sets, the instructer gives you a series of tasks to do with the sets whilst under supervison. You practice the correct procedure, you are taught the DCS side of the emergency procedure, you have to do a minimum amount of hours training on the centres VHF sets and then you have a short written exam at the end of the day.

 

You are expected to put in some reading and homework before the course. When you book it they send you a book with the legal requirements, phonetic alphabet, procedures for using the radio. All of which you are expected to know before attending your course.

 

ETA:

Thank you Phylis, much more helpful.

 

Well, I am halfway there. I've used VHF for 30 years, know the phonetic alphabet --- Bravo/Echo means 'bring a bacon & egg sandwich in'.

 

With so much E learning these days, there is nothing there that couldn't be done online & reading the radio handbook I would venture to suggest.

 

I of course stand to be corrected, as usual.

[Tillerman]

So we've always done everything by the book, followed exactly the letter of the law and done nowt we might have got a "ticking off" for....Yeah right?

 

Reminds me of Al Murray's..."if we had too many rules where would we be...?

 

Although I don't know Evo, for all we know he seems better equipped and possibly more experienced than some boaters I've met coming the other way!

[carlt]

 

With so much E learning these days, there is nothing there that couldn't be done online & reading the radio handbook I would venture to suggest.

 

The absence of an approved course, issuing certificates, is one major obstacle.