Rescue Boat Liability?

However, I tend to think his reaction, to claim against somebody else is becoming driven into people in the UK by the frequent and continuous TV "no win no fee" type advertising which seems to suggest that when something happens to you you claim against somebody else for money. With such a barrage of "claim, claim, claim" publicity going on I am not surprised by the original question. It is part of the price the UK is paying for becoming Americanised.

In fact it is more than just UK becoming Americanised. Research has shown that younger generations are being over protected from risk. Children are no longer being allowed out to learn by mistakes. When I was a kid used to spend ages falling off things and getting hurt and apparently this is a critical part of the learning process. These days "health and safety", etc. is stopping children from such activities, school trips are often too great a risk and anything minor "goes wrong" and the teacher is subject to enquiries, etc. The result is that they have a greater need to feel "looked-after" (the nanny state being sought). Part of this is accidents not being "your fault" and claiming against them i.e. there is always a safety net for you. (Not for one moment suggesting Jamie is in this category but talking generally here).

Activities like sailing are really fantastic as they encourage learning by experience, getting it wrong, "falling over" and learning to stand on one's own two feet - and actually in a fairly protected environment. Get everybody out sailing.

Ian

Couldn't agree more!

jeffers 10th november states that his club is considering changing from RESCUE to ASSIST boats.We call ours SAFETY boats,but maybe we  should change to HELP boats.Someone hand me a Thesaurus !!!!!!! Seems that whatever title we allocate they are still quite obviously out on the water for our benefit.

Maybe it could be arranged that every club runs  safety boat courses to coincide with the clubs sailing programme?

Another option .....The competitors sign a disclaimer absolving the club of any responsibility........I seem to recall having had this discussion in the dim distant past and suspect that this suggestion is about to be shot down in flames!

Fantastic if only evert club did this.

But power boat L2 in no way trains people to rescue dinghies there is a 'talked thought' bit on towing but no requirement to do anything practical.

IMHO the RYA Safetyboat course give people basic the skills of rescuing dighies, it takes lots of experence to get to a point where you are comftable deeling with all situations.

I am not sure where the basic experence level for saftey boat driving should be set, too low and we have dangours drivers on the water, too high and you left with just a few people to do the duty. 

As sailor we must decide if the conditions are right for ourselfs to go sailing not relie on some one else to sort it all out when it all goes wrong. (I must addmit its great to have them when something unexpected breaks) But if go out on the water we must accept the consiquences of our actions (why would any saine normal person go out in 40kts?)

Please shoot me down if you feel im wrong