Dear reader
Summer is finally here, and we have an Offshore issue brimming with boating brilliance to help you make the most of it.
Sailing clubs around the UK and Ireland are putting All Hands On Deck to get people to celebrate and raise funds in the RNLI’s 200th anniversary year. Read about one of these events on page 11.
It’s a popular time for overnighters, but when passage planning what are the most important considerations? Learn what RNLI crews do on page 4. Then travel overleaf to discover what RNLI lifesavers from Dublin love about the area. We revisit paddleboarding on page 14, with a handy guide to choosing the appropriate leash. And on page 16, we hear from the Clovelly crew about what to do in the event of an all-too-common issue at sea: engine failure.
Whether days spent afloat or ashore, we hope you’ll have an inspired and safe summer with the sea.
Warm wishes
dunnāco lee-morikū and the Offshore Team
Email: offshore@rnli.org.uk
Summer 2024 | ISSUE 99
editorial information is correct at the time of going to press but is subject to change.
Chair: Janet Legrand KC (Hon)
Chief Executive: Mark Dowie
Offshore Editor: dunnāco lee-morikū
Offshore Design: Andy Perryman
If you have any enquiries – or would prefer not to receive this magazine – please email supporterexperience@rnli.org.uk. Alternatively, please call 0300 300 9990 (from the UK), 01 511 9836 (from Ireland) or +44 1202 663234 (from any other country) weekdays 8am–6pm, or post c/o RNLI Support Centre, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, a charity registered in England and Wales (209603), Scotland (SC037736), the Republic of Ireland (CHY 2678 and 20003326), the Bailiwick of Jersey (14), the Isle of Man (1308 and 006329F), the Bailiwick of Guernsey and Alderney
Join us on 25 July 2024 at venues including UNESCO World Heritage sites
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Join us at a UNESCO World Heritage site to mark World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July 2024.
The RNLI’s 200th anniversary has been included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) 2024–25 list of global anniversaries. So the RNLI and UNESCO are working closely together throughout 2024 on a range of domestic and international opportunities – including World Drowning Prevention Day.
You’re invited to join us on 25 July 2024 for this special day, at venues including UNESCO World Heritage sites. Together we’ll boost awareness of our safety messages and help prevent drowning.
RNLI Chief Executive Mark Dowie says: ‘This partnership with UNESCO will help us deliver vital water safety messages worldwide. We have this opportunity to amplify the reach of our drowning prevention messages in the UK, Ireland and internationally.’
'Every other minute, someone in the world drowns – this is a shocking fact and one which we are determined to change'
Mark Dowie, RNLI Chief Executive
RNLI Chief Executive Mark Dowie champions our lifesaving cause at 10 Downing Street for World Drowning Prevention Day 2023
FIND OUT MORE For World Drowning Prevention Day events happening near you, head to RNLI.org/25July
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In this issue of Offshore, quotes, practical advice and lifesaving tips are brought to you by: GUY ADDINGTON
RNLI REGIONAL WATER SAFETY LEAD
As well as leading on water safety in the south-east of England, Guy serves as a volunteer crew member at Margate and is involved with lifeboat passages.
KEVIN O’SULLIVAN
VOLUNTEER TRACTOR DRIVER, SKERRIES RNLI
An experienced kayaker, Kevin circumnavigated Ireland by kayak and is currently writing a book about his journey.
SAM HUGHES
RNLI NATIONAL WATER SAFETY PARTNER
Sam collaborates with watersports governing bodies and organisations on water safety programmes, and is also an experienced sailor.
VOLUNTEER CREW MEMBER, CLOVELLY RNLI
Phil is saving lives on the north coast of Devon, where boating is popular – and rescues of sailors are a regular occurrence.
RNLI 200 CAP
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PHIL VAN KUFFELER
When planning an overnight passage, there’s one key question you should ask yourself …
'DOES
IT REALLY NEED TO BE AN OVERNIGHTER?'
If your trip isn’t time-critical, ask yourself whether you can sail in the daylight rather than overnight. Navigating by day may be safer, and less demanding of the crew. RNLI crews are called out to lots of incidents when people succumb to the effects of fatigue on overnight trips.
Of course you can’t always avoid overnight passages, so what do you need to do to prepare? First, you’re required by legislation (SOLAS chapter V) to do a passage plan. By working through a passage plan methodically, you’re going to have a better chance of enjoying your trip without incident.
Crew Member and Regional Water Safety Lead Guy Addington says: ‘If you set to sea with no plan and something goes wrong, then you're in a world of pain. That’s because you have no idea how you're going to get where you're going or what safe refuge options you have, and you are flustered by the pilotage. That's when incidents and accidents occur.’
Longer passages require more planning, for the longer distance and time afloat, but Guy insists that planning needn’t be a chore: ‘Think about the planning you do for a long car journey –route, timings, vehicle checks, provisions and so on. Essentially, you need to think about what that looks like in a boat. And write it all down, for easy reference.’
HOW DOES THE RNLI DO PASSAGE PLANNING?
There are times when lifeboat crews have to plan long passages. Alex Geere, RNLI Lifeboat Trainer, explains why: ‘The RNLI has to move its lifeboats around for maintenance, refit or changing lifeboats at a station. Moving our large all-weather lifeboats by road is not often practical,
so the passage is by sea.’ The detail in our plan will differ depending on the length of the trip and the type of RNLI craft, but below is an outline of the factors we consider at the RNLI. Are they on your passage plan too?
When passage planning for a long trip, we consider the crew. We select a crew with the right skills, capable of completing the passage. Training is vital for anybody going to sea. For a lifeboat long passage, the crew will be made up of a coxswain and mechanic, either spared from a station or from the RNLI’s experienced fleet staff. The rest of the volunteer crew will all be trained in night navigation.
On a longer trip, we take more crew to enable regular rotation of duties. The crew can easily become cold, wet or seasick, so regular rotation is essential. At night, we recommend two crew at a time on watch rota. If it’s a while since you had training in night navigation, it’s a good idea to brush up on your skills before you go.
By planning our route carefully on a chart and monitoring progress at regular intervals, we can avoid areas of danger.
As part of passage planning, RNLI crews familiarise themselves with what pilotage to expect when approaching a port or an area of complicated navigation.
These tips apply to all of us when planning overnight passages:
• Plan for safe refuges along your route and consider a route that’s closer to safe refuges than you would in daylight hours.
• Consider avoiding heavy traffic areas and busy shipping areas.
• Pick out any navigation marks or areas with sandbanks to keep away from.
• Talk to local people about pilotage.
• At night, flashing lights can be disorientating, so have the detail of the pilotage step by step in your notebook.
'If you set to sea with no plan and something goes wrong, then you're in a world of pain'
Guy Addington, RNLI Crew Member and Regional Water Safety Lead
Shop for food and drinks to give you an energy boost and to keep you warm
'Careful passage planning is a must'
Robert Jones
SECOND COXSWAIN AT PORTHDINLLAEN LIFEBOAT STATION
During Storm Betty in force 10 winds, we went out to a crew of a yacht seeking shelter. The sailors did the right thing heading for shelter rather than continuing to battle against the storm towards their planned destination. And they called for help on the VHF radio. We got them safely into Porthdinllaen Harbour.
Storms pose significant risks at sea and careful passage planning is a must. When dealing with storms it is essential to assess their intensity, direction and potential impact on a planned route. Always be ready to postpone your journey until the storm passes.
RNLI crews get an accurate forecast for the area they’re going to transit, for the time period that they’re afloat. Guy says: ‘Be aware that it feels rougher, windier and colder at night, making things onboard more difficult and more daunting.’
You’ll know that tides can have a big effect on how much ground you can cover, on the conditions and whether you can get to certain places, such as into harbours. The tide may even be the reason you’re considering an overnight passage – it can be the deciding factor.
'As part of our planning, we assess carefully if the RNLI craft is suitable. Will the boat handle the conditions? Will it make the journey with the kit, fuel and provisions it can carry? For night travel, we check if it has the correct navigation lights (and spare bulbs) and that we have appropriate means of navigating in the dark. We set up any equipment beforehand, for example adjusting the brilliance on screens. If we have radar, we
check it’s working and ensure we have someone qualified to use the equipment.
'We check all of our safety kit too. On your list you might have: lifejackets, navigation kit, radio, distress flares, electronics, liferaft, alternative means of propulsion and whether you’ve had a recent boat service.'
On a lifeboat, everybody wears a lifejacket. The RNLI strongly recommends you follow suit on your boat.
All lifeboat crew also have a PLB (personal locator beacon) in their lifejackets. You should consider a PLB or an EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon). We would also recommend that your yacht has a radar reflector and/or AIS system, to help other sea users identify your craft.
'Before an RNLI passage, we submit plans to our RNLI Operations Room in Poole. It’s essential for all of us going afloat to tell someone responsible ashore where you are going and when you’ll be back. From the boat, we call in with
regular updates to the coastguard. The coastguard won’t check routinely that everyone’s arrived, so we recommend using the RYA SafeTRX app or the Irish Sailing Safe Trx app to help raise the alarm if you are overdue.
'As part of our passage plan, we all need to think about communications. VHF radio is ideal. Your phone also needs to be kept charged and kept in a watertight bag or case.'
'There's nothing more miserable than being cold, tired and hungry,’ says Guy. ‘Onboard all-weather lifeboats, our kit keeps us warm, plus there’s a locker with bars of chocolate and crew can make hot drinks. Even on the inshore boats we carry water and then if things go on a bit on a shout, we try and ferry out some supplies.'
'We calculate timing for the journey carefully, thinking about what has to
happen at the destination. If you don’t plan carefully, you might find that you can’t get under that bridge or over the sill into the marina.'
YOU CAN’T PLAN FOR EVERYTHING 'No plan is going to run like clockwork,’ says Guy. 'At sea, things can spiral quite quickly – especially when it’s dark – and experience matters. Having the capacity to adjust the plan as you go along is an important skill – something we train for here at the RNLI.'
Your planning skills and flexibility will be in high demand with an overnight passage – working with them, you’ve a better chance of a comfortable and much more enjoyable trip.
Best known for its city breaks, live music and vibrant nightlife, Dublin is also a perfect destination for water lovers
'THERE'S KAYAKING AND WINDSURFING RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE CITY'
I’m the marine supervisor here in Howth. Our sailing waters are very good for cruiser and dinghy racing because it’s not as tidal as further south in Dublin Bay. The yearly regatta attracts sailors from all across Ireland and the UK.
Our marina here has 250 berths and we always keep some space for visitors. We very seldom have to turn people away outside of the big regattas, so always check the diary for when the big events are taking place.
There are beautiful walks on the Howth Peninsula, the most popular of which is the cliff walk. You can pick up a route map from the marina or the tourist office.
'It’s the ideal place to go for anyone who loves the sea'
At weekends it can be extremely busy. It’s great to see for the tourism here in Howth, but it also keeps the lifeboat and the coast guard active with trips, falls and sprained ankles.
It’s an ideal place to go for anyone who loves the sea.
I lay claim to possibly the slowest circumnavigation of Ireland by kayak ever. I always wanted to do it but couldn’t work out how to balance it with my job. My wife suggested I do it in a staggered fashion. The East Coast Sea Kayak Club run trips down the east coast and they grade the trips. So if you’re a complete novice, intermediate or advanced, they have colour-coded excursions to choose from. There’s fantastic paddling around Dublin for experienced kayakers, or if you’re planning on going with an organised group. On the south side there’s Dalkey Island and Bray Head. North of Dublin Bay has the most interesting kayaking. 'Skerries' means rocky islands in Norse, and we have three islands here very close to the shore. Again, it’s not a spot for novices, but great fun if you’re experienced, and careful.
' There’s fantastic paddling around here'
In Dublin itself, Surfdock offers kayaking and windsurfing right in the heart of the city. You can also paddleboard in the Grand Canal Dock near the financial district.
Learn about an important chapter in Irish history at the moving Jeanie Johnston, a museum onboard a tall ship in Dublin. Guided tours and interactive exhibits tell the story of the 1 million people displaced during the Great Famine of 1845–49 and their difficult voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. jeaniejohnston.ie
Dublin is amazing for kitesurfing. There are three big beaches that cover all of the wind directions so there’s always somewhere you can do it safely with an onshore breeze. Dollymount Beach is the kitesurfing hotspot; on a good sunny day, you could see 100 kites out on the water.
'If you want to do watersports, there’s always a place to do it'
There’s great sea swimming here too. Balscadden Bay is a popular spot.
Portmarnock Beach is another and it’s lifeguarded during the summer.
The tide is the main danger on all the beaches here. We can have up to 3m of tide and, with the way beaches are laid out, you can get currents of 4 knots. There are deep channels that can quickly wash you out to sea.
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, I run a restaurant in Howth, the King Sitric. We specialise in local shellfish and fish, so if you want to eat what you've been looking at or swimming with, we’d love to welcome you!
Words: James Dwyer
Competitors take part in a race during the Bloody Mary event
The RNLI and our corporate partner GJW Direct are asking yacht and sailing clubs across the UK and Ireland to host an All Hands on Deck fundraising event this special anniversary year
One of the first events to take place was at the Queen Mary Sailing Club in Ashford, London, which turned its yearly Bloody Mary event into an RNLI fundraiser. Taking place on the Queen Mary Reservoir, the race is one of the first events in the sailing calendar, making it an ideal start for our All Hands on Deck campaign.
Now in its 48th year, the Bloody Mary race may be first on the calendar, but it’s also one of the highlights. ‘It’s possibly the world’s largest pursuit race,’ says Tony Bishop, Club Secretary at Queen Mary Sailing Club. ‘This year we had 52 different classes of boat enter the competition. In total, over 300 sailors were involved.’
Eighty-four different sailing clubs from across the UK made the trip down to take part in this year’s event on Saturday 6 January. The race forms part of the
' Hopefully it triggers a few other sailing clubs to get involved'
(Main) Over 300 sailors took part in this year’s racing event. (Inset left) The reservoir is an ideal location for racing. (Inset middle/right) Competitors in action during the race.
Seldén SailJuice Winter Series, a competition based around the UK’s biggest classification race events.
'All the boat classes compete against each other in a pursuit race, with the slowest boats starting first,' says Tony. 'The hope is that after 2½ hours of racing, everyone comes together to finish around the same time. This way you end up knowing the fastest boat and fastest sailor across all the different classifications.’
The build-up to this year’s race was interrupted by Storm Henk sweeping its way across central and southern England in the days before the event. Damaging strong winds and heavy rain caused havoc around the country.
‘One of the pontoons used for the race was completely smashed to bits,’ says Tony. ‘We had to call in some people to help make the repairs. Thankfully, by the time the race came round, you wouldn’t have known that there had been any damage at all.’
Wind calmed down to a much more sedate force 2–3 for the race, ideal conditions for the event. 186 boats took to the water to compete, with the first competitors beginning their race just after noon.
150 minutes of fierce competition later, the race was won by Sam Pascoe from Castle Cove Sailing Club, onboard a Musto Skiff. Sam previously finished second in 2023. ‘It’s a very great feeling, I’ve chased it for quite a long time, brilliant to win it,’ says Sam.
So why turn this race into an All Hands on Deck fundraiser for the RNLI? ‘We learned about the campaign from its launch at the Southampton Boat Show,’ says Tony. ‘You just never know when you’re going to need the RNLI. It wasn’t a difficult decision for us to get involved.’
Despite being based on landlocked inland waters, the club still feels a great affinity with the RNLI. ‘There’s a lot of people who start their sailing journey with us before going on to open waters and the sea,’ says Tony. ‘We’ve got a lot of members who go on to big boat racing and sailing down on the south coast, as well as people who go to open meetings around the country.’
'For an awareness campaign, it’s obviously one of the first events to take place this year. Hopefully it triggers a few other sailing clubs to get involved. And this is just our first event – we’re planning more RNLI fundraisers throughout the year.'
Whether it's a yacht race or a barbecue on the beach, hosting an All Hands on Deck event will make a real difference in the RNLI's 200th-anniversary year.
Your fundraiser can be an existing event that you choose to act as a fundraiser, or you can create something new. No matter the scale or complexity of your fundraiser, your support will help save lives at sea.
Make sure you let the RNLI know about it too, so we can help spread the word.
Find out how you can host an All Hands on Deck event with your yacht or sailing club by visiting our event page: RNLI.org/AllHandsOnDeck
We appreciate leisure boat insurer GJW Direct's support for All Hands on Deck. Visit GJWdirect.com ■
Words: James Dwyer Photos: Mark JardineAnkle, calf or waist? Coiled or straight? Picking the right paddleboard leash is important, so here are a few things to consider when making your decision
'When it comes to paddleboarding leashes, you need to consider where you’re paddling and what the conditions are,’ says Sam Hughes, RNLI National Water Safety Partner. ‘This will affect what type of leash you use and where you wear it on your body.’
There are three types of leash: a quick-release belt system worn on your waist, a calf leash and an ankle leash. Leashes can also be coiled or straight.
‘If you’re paddling in tidal or flowing waters such as estuaries and rivers – or anywhere there is a risk of entrapment or being caught on an object – you should wear a quick-release belt system . This is really important as it means you can quickly release yourself if your leash gets snagged on an obstacle like a pier, jetty or mooring buoy,’ says Sam. ‘If you’re paddling on lakes, canals, the sea, or coastal bays – and where there is no risk of snag or entrapment – you can use a calf leash or an ankle leash .’
While most paddleboards come with an ankle leash, this may not be suitable for the environment you’re planning to paddle in. Take a look at the flow chart opposite to work out which type of leash you’ll need.
To choose the right leash for you, consider where you’re paddling and what the conditions are
Where are you paddling?*
In lakes, canals, sea, coastal bays, surf
In moving or flowing water such as rivers and estuaries
Is there any risk of snag or entrapment (such as piers, jetties, mooring buoys) there?
What type of paddling will you be doing?
*If you’re paddling on white water, please follow British Canoeing’s advice (paddleuk.org.uk) not to use any leash system
As well as making sure you wear the correct leash, remember:
• wear a buoyancy aid to help keep you afloat
• carry a phone in a waterproof pouch to raise the alarm in an emergency
• avoid offshore winds, which can blow you and your paddleboard out to sea.
Wear a quick-release belt system (with a coiled leash) when you’re paddling in tidal or flowing waters – or anywhere there’s risk of snagging or entrapment
You’re enjoying a day’s sailing when the wind dies and your engine won’t start. You’re drifting dangerously close to the rocky shoreline.
YOU SCENARIO C B A
Prepare to abandon ship and ready the liferaft?
Call for help immediately?
Deploy the anchor?
PHIL VAN KUFFELER
It’s important to stay calm. The very first thing you should do is drop your anchor (C), to try to prevent collision with the rocks.
Once the anchor is deployed, then call for help (B). Don’t let pride get in the way. Drifting close to a rocky shoreline means there’s grave and imminent life-threatening danger, so make a mayday call. If your engine fails in circumstances that aren't life-threatening and you’re not in immediate danger, make a pan pan urgency call – there might be someone close who can help with a simple repair.
While it’s safe to do so, stay with your vessel. A liferaft is a last resort (A). When we’re searching for you, your boat is easier for us to spot.
Mechanical failure is the single biggest cause of rescue call outs to sailing and motor cruisers. Engine failure can happen to anybody, but you’ll decrease the chances of trouble by keeping your engine well maintained.
A yacht had lost power and was caught in sharp, steep waves that were pushing it towards the cliffs near Clovelly. It was a lone sailor. He’d done the right thing by dropping his anchor and calling for help.
The Clovelly crew launched quickly and found him just a few hundred metres from the shore. He was sensibly wearing a lifejacket, the boat was well-maintained and he had safety equipment onboard. The volunteers transferred a crew member aboard and towed the boat to safety.
Lifeboat volunteer Phil van Kuffeler says: ‘It’s an unforgiving coastline along here – pebbles, rocks and cliffs. If we hadn’t been there, the boat would have been a wreck. He might have made it –impossible to say.’ ■
Photos: RNLI/(Clovelly, Suzi March)