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Narrowboats to the rescue

Flyboy

By Flyboy
in General Boating

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Flyboy Experienced

Flyboy

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Posted (edited)

This actually took place in Liverpools Salthouse Dock when the Yellow Duck sank a few years ago. I don't think it's Dr. Bobs duck. It was good to see a few narrowboats come off the far pontoons to give assistance.

 

 

Edited by Flyboy
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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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7 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

It is well worth noting how difficult (impossible) the people in the water found it to get onto the rescuing narrow boats without assistance from the crew on the boats. 

Which is why it is a requirement of the RCD that some form of 'unaided boarding assistance' is mandatory.

On NBs this is often a 'step' welded on the stern 'transom'

 

Covered under :

 

ISO 15085:2003/Amd.2:2017(en)

Small craft — Man-overboard prevention and recovery AMENDMENT 2

 
 
 
Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Flyboy Experienced

Flyboy

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7 hours ago, blackrose said:

I'm sure this was posted several years ago at the time it happened?

 

Yes it was, 5 years ago actually. I resurected it because a lot of boaters will not have seen it and it shows how difficult it is to get people out of the water. What's your problem with that?

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Mad Harold Experienced

Mad HaroldDonate to Canal World

Posted
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9 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

It is well worth noting how difficult (impossible) the people in the water found it to get onto the rescuing narrow boats without assistance from the crew on the boats. 

Yes, it is. A friend of mine one dark freezing night [after too much beer] slipped between the bank and his boat,and eventually managed to climb aboard.

He then had a stroke [we later found out] and was found days later by a neighbour unconscious and suffering from hypothermia.

He has now had a foot amputated due to frostbite and has limited motor movement,so his boating days are over.

I have tied two thick ropes to my rails reaching to the waterline to aid climbing aboard if that ever happens to me.

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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8 hours ago, Flyboy said:

Yes it was, 5 years ago actually. I resurected it because a lot of boaters will not have seen it and it shows how difficult it is to get people out of the water. What's your problem with that?

 

Where did I say I had any problem with it? Did you have a problem with me asking if it was posted on the forum at the time?

15 minutes ago, MJG said:

The video nicely shows how easy it would be to hit somebody in the water in such a scenario and render their rescue superfluous.

I know, all those props turning with all those people in the water...

Edited by blackrose
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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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I was just amazed at how long everyone stayed inside the boat as it went down. Even if you're a strong swimmer you're unlikely to survive if you're trapped inside a sinking boat.

 

I remember leaving Limehouse lock once and just as we were going out onto the Thames the lockkeeper said "Make sure everyone stays out on deck in case the boat goes down." It didn't do much for my confidence. I just thought "We're not going down are we?" It is good advice though, but not very practical on a Duck boat. The best advice for anyone thinking about getting onto one of those things is "Don't!" 

Edited by blackrose
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Tumshie Influencer

TumshieDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted
Just now, blackrose said:

I was just amazed at how long everyone stayed inside the boat as it went down. Even if you're a strong swimmer you're unlikely to survive if you're trapped inside a sinking boat.

I'm a strong and confident swimmer so I wouldn't think twice about moving away from any thing that may cause me damage but I wonder if the people who stayed on the yellow boat actually couldn't swim and were not sure how to manage what was happening.  

6 minutes ago, Athy said:

Absolutely. If someone falls in near your boat, the first thing you do is engage neutral.

Also the third boat in their haste nearly crushed some people trying to get onto the Burgundy semi-trad. 

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tosher Community Regular

tosher

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Posted

I was moored in Salt House Dock that day and watched it all unfold. The video doesn't really get across the seriousness of it, There were many non swimmers and young children on board the Duck and hearing their screams for help will live with me forever. The narrow boat crews were absolute heroes and saved many lives that day.  Look at the timings on the video and see how long it is before other help arrived, a fire engine & ambulance and it was about 20 minutes before the first rescue craft arrived. If it wasn't for the narrow boats they would have been recovering bodies. 

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Flyboy Experienced

Flyboy

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There's a few more videos of the rescue and recovery of the Yellow Duck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_BbWXiddG4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvqqn6-qiD0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAxcGDaXHpE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WrOe5WWE6M

 

Edited by Flyboy
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jonathanA Experienced

jonathanA

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1 hour ago, tosher said:

I was moored in Salt House Dock that day and watched it all unfold. The video doesn't really get across the seriousness of it, There were many non swimmers and young children on board the Duck and hearing their screams for help will live with me forever. The narrow boat crews were absolute heroes and saved many lives that day.  Look at the timings on the video and see how long it is before other help arrived, a fire engine & ambulance and it was about 20 minutes before the first rescue craft arrived. If it wasn't for the narrow boats they would have been recovering bodies. 

Indeed

 

IIRC didn’t one of the crews receive some sort of award ? 

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Guest

Guest

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3 hours ago, Athy said:

Absolutely. If someone falls in near your boat, the first thing you do is engage neutral.

That reminds me of a time we were moored at  Fradley and a boat turning into the Coventry lost a crew member off the stern.

 

Not only did the skipper not engage neutral but he actually engaged reverse to move closer to her.

 

I couldn't believe what I was watching and shouted loudly for him to stop, but as I was on the Swan side I don't think he heard above the engine revving.

 

Amazingly they dragged her out with all limbs intact but quite how I'm not sure.

Edited by MJG
Too many nots
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Tacet Rising Star

Tacet

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, Athy said:

Absolutely. If someone falls in near your boat, the first thing you do is engage neutral.

When a river police officer fell off my boat just upstream of Westminster Bridge, I just kept chugging on.

 

The office was soon recovered by his colleagues on the launch.  I felt that hanging around would likely hamper his rescue. 

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