Insurance claims - straightforward?

The folk doing the safety boat cover at a club will always to the best they can. If you think their best isn't good enough for you don't sail there. Its not as if they're being paid. In this case it sounds as if they didn't pick up that the guy had been separated from his boat immediately, but that they fetched him and kept him safe. No doubt they'd have liked to spot him sooner, but alls well that ends well. The boat is always a "so what". Its people that matter.

in responce to this letter:

ouch!! At least they got to your boat!!

We were watching some laser sailing at Farmoor this weekend and the safety cover was appaling............

One of the Lasers death rolled and the guy fell out. The boat went screaming off downwind on its side and flipped a few times, about 4mins after he fell out it crashed into the sides with him still floating somewhere out in the middle. Only then did the rib go out to pick him up and get the boat off the wall (they casually sauntered over to the rib - hardly rushing). If it wasn't for a few members of public it would have been smashed but they reduced the damage by trying to hold it off the rocks.

A lot of the 600 sailors that were there will agree that it was awful and didn't exactly fill us with confidence!!

Rant over!!

As the coach for this weeknd trainning for the rs600 fleet i feel that i should post a reply to this post. there was a few boats out on the sunday due to alot of breeze after the racing had finished a few of the boats had stayed out on the water to enjoy the conditions. as with most other clubs that i have been to the rescue boats did come into shore to grab some lunch before they set out for the afternoon racing, there were still people whatchin the lake for rescue. and plenty of spectaters as well.

yes the sailor did get departed from the boat  but was clearly fine and swimming after his boat, the rescue crew got to there boat and picked the sailor out of the water and recovered the boat with minimal damage. i dont think that it is fair to say that the rescue crew were not doing there job properly i have been to the club quite alot over the years and have always been happy with the standards around the club on and off the water so please dont be put off by a fantastic club that dose alot for all of its members and customers

james sainsbury rs600 827

rs association coach

Originally posted by GBR884 with him still floating somewhere out in the middle.

Originally posted by GBR884 Its not even as if he capsized a long way from the club, he was just the other side of the tower so everybody on the shore could see it

t seems to me that you are not a very good witness. As you where watching this event unfold why did you not bother to ask anyone connected with the club about it or even the safety helm himself .................??

Originally posted by turnturtle Originally posted by Merlinboy What a load of rubbish, it is the decision of the officer of the day and or race officer as to whether racing or sailing should be allowed.  seriously? not a loaded but question, but are you sure Russ? I haven't picked up a rule book on the subject but I was pretty sure it was down to individual sailors to determine if the conditions are suitable for them?

 

I think its down to the club James, at our club it is down to the OOD and race officer.  If they deem it to dangerous then you sail at your own risk.

 

Can i just say that i feel i Have miss read 884's post, The chaps on rescue should be aloud to nip off the water for a sarnie and a leak!  and if the chap was swimming and not struggling then all should be well. We are after all in June now and not November so its a little warmer!  In future i will wait for the facts before engaging the finger!

1. At OSC there is a two-boat rule, which does not require the permission
or presence of an OOD, or the availability of rescue services. If someone is
sailing particularly ineptly, generally a rescue boat will go out and advise,
though if the sailors are that inept they are usually glad to see the RIB.
Training courses are run at OSC throughout the summer, and the staff
tends to keep a weather eye out for trouble. The reservoir was still
available for anyone to go sailing in the afternoon, even without rescue
cover, though no-one did. Sailors have always been required to use their
noddle, and it would dangerous to reduce the requirement for all sailors
to develop their own judgement by taking the decision to sail/not sail
away from them.

2. On Sunday the club racing had finished. The RS600s had sensibly
decided to can their training, but Lasers are more controllable in strong
winds, and several sailors can cope with stronger winds than Sunday
provided. You can only learn how by doing it. The boat is tough enough.
Several Laser sailors made the sensible decision not to go out; some were
involved in the rescue from the shore. The three leading race-finishers -
one Standard-rig, and two Radials - decided to stay out and do a few
windward-leewards (buoys 3 to 8, 8 being in front of the clubhouse), as
an afternoon race was improbable.

3. Originally the gybe from S to P was to be made near buoy 8, but this
proved impracticable. The race had been essentially triangular (3,5,8-9,
8-9 being a short leg to avoid inadvertent hook finishes). A fourth Laser
joined them, and though the sailor is less experienced, was coping
adequately; this was not the Laser that capsized.

4. The sailor who capsized was competent, having completed the race.
He has been sailing Lasers competitively since the late 1970s - so have
the other two. He fell out of the boat when it was going downwind at
speed - who doesn't? The Laser floats very high, and in its capsized state
drifts very rapidly downwind in a strong wind . The best advice in these
circumstances is to let go the tiller and hold on to the mainsheet - if it's
still in your hand - and pull yourself towards the boat. It appeared to me,
from some distance, that he had lost contact with the boat entirely, and
was floating free, well off the shore.

5. The Laser came ashore out of direct sight from the clubhouse, that
part of the shore being hidden by a large construction with a tower jutting
out into the reservoir. It may not have been relayed to the clubhouse for
some time after.

6. What might have appeared to a bystander to be a slow response was
probably the rescue crew taking care not to slip on the undulating
pontoon. Haste not speed. Running along it is not a sensible option, even
in light winds.