The effect of Helicopter downdraft..
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Banter
Forum Discription: For all those non-sailing related discussions
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5867
Printed Date: 13 Aug 25 at 1:55am
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Topic: The effect of Helicopter downdraft..
Posted By: G.R.F.
Subject: The effect of Helicopter downdraft..
Date Posted: 25 Aug 09 at 1:09pm
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So it was saturday, I'm home alone, bored, have failed in my appeal for a
three day free trial on either Russian or Estonian Brides.com so f**k it I'll go for a sail thought I. The local mackerel fishing fleet (lasers)were out in the benign conditions as an onshore force two struggled to be three but failed and a deeply troubled woman further down the coast wrestled with the thought of public suicide by sea immersion in front of a crowded beach.. We'd played cat and mouse along the coast some three to four miles when Steve said he'd arranged to meet his breadknife at three (it was four) and set off back with Tony keeping him company. I thought I'd continue to the Mermaid, a recently constructed inlet and harbour adjacent to the Mermaid Cafe. In the meanwhile someone had thoughtfully alerted just about every emergency service short of the RSPCA to the plight of psycho-cry-for- help-woman. Seriously love if you want to top yourself.. Dover Harbour ..late at night ...end of pier... jump off.. But the Grockles who by now were presumably enjoying the spectacle of PCFH woman thrashing about and craning their collective necks whilst steadfastly refusing to move to allow the Rescue chopper to land. Enter me and Frank.. Its bad enough off here at the best of times, the mole rocks throw up a cross chop as the water rebounds off the sea wall, compound that with too little wind, a dead run, fannying about trying to run by the lee (I'll get it right one day) then chuck in another chopper, this time the air ambulance and who do they decide to circle round? Moi.. Shift - Sheer, duck, dive, dodge feck me it was like dodgeball, the rig swinging one way then the other as the twin copters circled whilst the boys in blue tried in vain to move the rubbernecks so they could land.. How I got ashore without swimming I dont know, talk about a balancing act.. Testament to the stability of Frank I guess but eventually I made it into the harbour bruised by repeated boom bashing as I missed the duck.. The moral of the tail. Dont use kicker in the event of suicide attempts... Edit.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/8218690.stm - News Article No mention I note of gallant Blaze sailor battling against the odds.. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Replies:
Posted By: timnoyce
Date Posted: 25 Aug 09 at 1:22pm
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Gael and Mark take note.... If you ever need to pad out an article, speak to Grumph. Excellent. A* ------------- http://www.facebook.com/bearfootdesign - BEARFOOT DESIGN Cherub 2648 - Comfortably Numb |
Posted By: Contender 541
Date Posted: 25 Aug 09 at 1:38pm
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I have changed my mind Grumpf was a read to avoid - sorry one too many rants and personal attacks (not on me it has to be said) That was pure genius - A round of applause to you sir. Now I have to explain my work time surfing to the boss after my out loud chuckling
------------- When you find a big kettle of crazy it's probably best not to stir it - Pointy Haired Boss Crew on 505 8780 |
Posted By: timnoyce
Date Posted: 25 Aug 09 at 1:44pm
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Having read the linked news article, I think the point they are trying to make is that fast spinning helicopter rotor blades (the clue is in the name here)... are dangerous! Thanks for pointing that one out Spike 'Sherlock' Hughes!
------------- http://www.facebook.com/bearfootdesign - BEARFOOT DESIGN Cherub 2648 - Comfortably Numb |
Posted By: bert
Date Posted: 25 Aug 09 at 8:41pm
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Yah but the idiots on the beach didn`t get it did they " sherlock" !. Mind you a rotor blade in the forehead will slow you up a bit & you won`t need reminding again about the dangers of rotors afterwards. Also the gene pool will have improved. Could be a win win position Hope injured party survives i wish her well. ------------- Phantom 1181 AC-227 IC 304 blaze / halo 586 |
Posted By: rogerd
Date Posted: 26 Aug 09 at 8:07am
| Cheered me up this morning. Thanks Grumpf |
Posted By: tack'ho
Date Posted: 26 Aug 09 at 7:14pm
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And thats why our helicopters are better. Firstly you'd have never stayed upright in a Sea King downdraft, less ducking more sitting on the side waiting for it all to end! Secondly we have winches, no clear landing spot....no problem! Shame their old and the government have some crazy plan.....PFi....do me a favour!
------------- I might be sailing it, but it's still sh**e! |
Posted By: G.R.F.
Date Posted: 26 Aug 09 at 7:36pm
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It was a http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/seakingrecognition.cfm - Sea King and it hit me twice, the third
time it was the http://www.kentairambulance.co.uk/home - air ambulance and it was pretty sketchy in the 'which side do you go to as it hits you department' not at all pleasant. ------------- https://www.ease-distribution.com/" rel="nofollow - https://www.ease-distribution.com/ |
Posted By: Steve411
Date Posted: 27 Aug 09 at 3:24pm
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On the other hand.. I was out training in Weymouth Bay one day last year. There wasn't much wind and I had just decided to head in when the local rescue services consisting of a helicopter and RIB started doing a series of training runs. The RIB would head off at full speed and the chopper would follow his route and practise picking up someone from the RIB. Then they'd return to their starting point and do it again (and again). It was relatively easy therefore to position the boat about 50 yards behind the RIB and get the full force of the helicopter downdraft. The result - a force 5 reach lasting about 20 seconds. Brilliant, and surreal. ------------- Steve B RS300 411 https://www.facebook.com/groups/55859303803" rel="nofollow - RS300 page |
Posted By: sargesail
Date Posted: 29 Aug 09 at 6:54pm
| Ah yes - and then there was the camera helicopter downdraft at the Mount's Bay Nats that probably cost me second! (Actually finishing 8th in my favourite breeezey conditions did the real damage but I was mighty annoyed at the helicopter which created a pretty header for me on the approach to the last windward mark! |
Posted By: FireballNeil
Date Posted: 29 Aug 09 at 9:45pm
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=3J4GPLkqnEM&feature=PlayList&p=101F73ACC499C8EE&index=0&p laynext=1 ------------- Neil 
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