Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Summary

1.1. This report summarises the activities and events on the River from 21 November 2008. Any incidents taking place after this report is distributed will be the subject of a separate Annex to be distributed at the meeting. Incidents that were reported to the Harbour Board on the 21 November are attached at Annex A to this report.

2. Recommendation

2.1 That the contents of the report be noted.

3. Background Information

3.1 The River has been patrolled daily by the Duty Harbour Master from 0830hrs until 1700hrs.

4. Incidents

4.1 1 December: Armed robbery in Hamble at the Nat West Bank. A getaway car found in Port Hamble. Patrol liaised with the Marine Police launch at Port Hamble. A person was apprehended in Mercury Marina with money and a knife. The Police helicopter landed in Port Hamble during the incident.

4.2 1 December: Adjusted all signage with the amended VAT prices.

4.3 9 December: The Patrol attended and gave assistance to a 10 metre sailing boat that was found sitting on top of the Spit, under full sail but hard aground. The patrol heeled the yacht over with a halyard from the top of the mast and a fishing boat then towed the boat off the Spit.

4.4 17 December: The Patrol rescued a gentleman from the harbour after his tender had been swamped and capsized. The Patrol was alerted by calls of help from the darkness and on further investigation they found a man clinging to an upturned tender. The man was recovered into the patrol boat and taken to the Harbour Office. The man was fully dressed in waterproof sailing clothing including heavy boots which he was unable to remove. He was unable to swim without sinking as he was not wearing a life jacket. Two other younger persons who had also been in the tender had been able to swim for the midstream pontoon and haul themselves out of the water leaving the older person clinging to the upturned tender. Paramedics and an ambulance attended to the gentleman to ensure he was fit enough to go home. The incident happened in the dark on a very cold night when the water temperature was 8 degrees C and the air temperature was 2 degrees C. He had been in the water for about 5 minutes and was beginning to suffer from the effects of the cold. If the man had been wearing a lifejacket he would have had a better chance of rescuing himself. The tender was overloaded, had no lights and none of the crew had lifejackets on.

5. Port Marine Safety Code

5.1 On the 24 December the Designated Person completed an audit of the harbour's Safety Management System. The audit report has not yet been received but will be included within the next report to the Management Committee.

6. Lifejackets and Tenders

6.1 The wearing of lifejackets has become a very emotive subject in the sailing world over the last few months. The Harbour Master and the Patrol Team does not wish to get further embroiled in the argument about whether lifejackets should be worn when afloat in a yacht or motor cruiser on a sunny day while sitting in the cockpit, but does strongly recommend the following to those using tenders within the Harbour:

a. Modern lifejackets are small and light and should be worn by all who use tenders within the Harbour. Should there be an incident and the crew suddenly and unexpectedly find themselves in the water the lifejacket may assist in self- rescue.

b. In the incident reported in 4.3 above the person was not wearing a lifejacket and was forced to remain clinging to the upturned tender. Unable to attempt to swim to a point of self-rescue because his clothing weighed him down he was forced to remain in the water. It was very cold and dark with hardly anyone on the water or in the immediate vicinity. If he had been alone, he would have been in significant danger of drowning.

6.2 The Harbour Authority strongly recommends the following to all those using small tenders within the Harbour.

a. Always wear a lifejacket.

b. Do not overload and be aware of the freeboard.

c. Carry a torch and be seen at night.

d. Use an engine but always carry oars.

e. Carry a bailer attached to the tender.

f. Consider enhancing the buoyancy of the tender.

g. Try not to use in poor weather conditions.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Annex A

Incidents Reported to the Harbour Board (21 November 2008)

a. 20 September: Patrol attended to a drifting power boat at the entrance to the Harbour.

b. 28 September: Patrol attended to an incident at the entrance to the Harbour. The patrol found three Laser dinghies and 1 Pico dinghy tangled around the double piles a beacon No. 7. The four dinghies were being towed by a RIB belonging to Warsash Sailing Club when one dinghy capsized causing difficulties. The patrol untangled the lines and towed a number of dinghies back to Warsash Sailing Club. During the incident the children were removed from the dinghies. The incident was possibly caused because the centre boards had remained in the water during the tow.

c. 2 October; Report from Port Hamble of a fuel spillage. On further investigation by the Harbour Patrol a small spillage was discovered which had been contained by marina staff with absorbent booms. The marina had reported the incident immediately and appeared to have followed their pre-established responses.

d. 11 October; Incident involving the yacht `Jolie Brise' and a moored boat. Slight damage to the canvas cover of the moored yacht. The bowsprit of `Jolie Brise' entered the plastic window of the canvas cockpit cover before the engine of the Jolie Brise could be put in astern.

e. 12 October: The patrol assisted a yacht that had gone aground in the approach channel between the L and M moorings. The patrol pulled the boat off the mud. The yacht had attempted to approach his berth at low water through the channel when there was only 1.4 metres and his boat drew 2 metres.

f. The patrol also gave assistance to a number of other vessels with engine failure and on one occasion a yacht with a rope caught around its propellers. Vessels have been slowed by the patrol and on occasions verbal warnings have been given. One master was prosecuted and pleaded guilty.

g. 25 October: The Patrol gave assistance to a yacht with a fouled propeller.

h. 9 November: The Patrol observed two youths acting suspiciously in two small boats in the area of Swanwick. The Marine Police were called who attended and detained the youths also confiscating some tools. The incident is under further investigation by the Marine Police.