Coastguard member or not?

[snatch]

I recently signed up for membership to the coastguard for the measley sum of $55.00 per year. The day after I paid my membership I watched as the guard towed a vessel into Trinity inlet (Cairns) that had broken down. I then took a line and ran him to the ramp.

Several years ago , a friend of mine broke down out at the reef on the Whitsunday Coast. Besides the obvious risk to his safety, his tow back to Airlie BEach cost him $1500.00. No coastguard in that area. Rather surprising given it's poularity. The reason they aren't there is due to costs. It is a voluntary operation and relies on donations.

I am curious as to what proportion of blue water fishos in these forums are members.

[JRBK]

Not a member of the Coast Guard, but i am a member of VMR Redland Bay.

JRBK

[zigfreed]

I am a member of Mooloolaba coastal.


Mick

[garman1]

Not Coastguard, But a member of redcliffe vmr...................

[Outsider1]

Ditto to others, Not Coastguard, Raby Bay VMR.

Cheers

Dave

[fez]

Yep Redcliffe.

Fez

[stingau]

Yep Redcliffe coast guard..associate member altho thinking of volunteering to help man the radio's.. depends I suppose if I pass my course should know soon.

[station-rat]

Also not Coastguard, but a member of Jacob's Well VMR

[1lastcast]

Yep i am a member of southport coastguard it makes me feel comfortable knowing if i have any problems they are there to help .

I know they will come to your assistance regardless of if you are a member or not
but they would require some sort of donation if you are not a member and for $55.00 a year why wouldnt you be

As a member you get other benifits to like free use of the clubhouse facilities and discount courses etc etc

Coastguard southport is affiliated with redcliffe vmr so i am covered in there area also along with others .

So basically i am covered from tweed to the top of bribie

I recommend every boaty becomes a member of thier local vmr or coast guard because without membership and donations they wouldnt exist.

MONOSTRETCHO !!

[bennyb]

Gold Coast VMR :))

[SCOTTYGC]

i am a member of both

VMR southport with the added gold option

and a member of coast gaurd southport that i won at a fishing night

so im covered

[runci]

NSW VRA Marine but i dont call them......... because its me that will come and get me...... i am not supposed to be in that position lol

[trueblue]

Yep VMR Redcliffe.

Fez

you might want to read the documents you signed when joining...

Redcliffe is Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association, not VMR (Volunteer Marine Rescue)

cheers

Mick

[trueblue]

Not Coastguard, But a member of redcliffe vmr...................

same - Redcliffe is Coast Guard, not VMR

[tunaticer]

Bribie VMR for me.

Jack.

[Mr__Bean]

Redcliffe Mobile 140.

- Darren

[3rd degree]

VMR Raby Bay for me....


Cheers

Jim

[Skusto]

we havent as yet we were goin to but when we saw that they wanted over 200 for a year we didnt worry. 100 yeah thats far but not 200.

[Foxy4]

Active member, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard QF3 Redcliffe (7years) and very proud to be at that.

[Oh Gee]

Associate member of Caloundra Coastguard.

[Mad-One]

VMR southport with the added gold option

[charleville]

Hey! I want two votes! ;D

I subscribe to both the Manly Coastguard and to the Jacobs Well VMR so that I am covered for my regular open Moreton Bay trips and also my Jumpinpin trips.

The fees at around $55 or thereabouts to each are chicken-feed in the overall cost of boating and fishing.

[Roobone]

Which is the correct one to join at the Goldy? VMR or CG?

[Roobone]

I'm from Quilpie!

[charleville]

I'm from Quilpie!



My commiserations!


;D ;D ;D



.

[snatch]

Hey! I want two votes! ;D

I subscribe to both the Manly Coastguard and to the Jacobs Well VMR so that I am covered for my regular open Moreton Bay trips and also my Jumpinpin trips.

The fees at around $55 or thereabouts to each are chicken-feed in the overall cost of boating and fishing.


Yes, it's a bargain for what they provide.

[TheRealAndy]

I voted a yes, but I am not a member of coastgard. I am a VMR Brisbane Member.

[lippa]

mobile 752 redcliffe

[snatch]

Vote yes if you are VMR members. They are essentially a form of coastguard. It was vmr that towed my friend back in an charged $1500 . He wasn't a member.

As I understand it however, if you are towed by the coastguard they will ask for a donation. It seems silly to me not to pay a membership upfront and support these fantastic support groups.

Even the post above complaining about a $200 fee would find it small change should he end up separated from his boat. Most of us pay and hope we will only ever need a toe due to engine failure and brush off the possibility of an overturned vessel.

[samson]

worth every cent but they need some type of system that lets you get overall coverage, at the moment i'm a member at tweed heads, gold coast seaway, mooloolabah and noosa and will be joining others when needed, if only there was a lump sum for everywhere and they were more organized it would save alot of headaches.
Cheers samson

[aussie_true_blue]

I,m a member of Redcliffe Coast guard and from what I've been told is, they have a reciprical agreement with other Volunteer Coast Guard flotillas up and down the coast. This is for the Volunteer Coast Guard as far as know only.

cheers Bob

[Dick Pasfield]

Member of the East Kimberley VSRG. Payed off this January when we did a trip out of Wyndham, up the Gulf and down into the Ord (access roads to the Ord closed by Shire) All enclosed waters but sandbars tides and storms can make the area around the mouth of the Ord a bit hairy if you get stuck.

It was at this spot where the timing belt and pulleys had a heart attack and self destructed (warantee), still 50 ks from port.

Paddled up to a sandbar and got on the radio at 3.15pm, by 5.30pm we were under tow. The rescue boat had to negotiate and got stuck on a number of sand bars my boat would have skimmed over as the tide dropped out. Situation made worse by late afternoon storm that decided it wanted to come over and have a look. Caught us half way home but we'd got out of the path of the brunt of it by then.

Back to the ramp by dark and very happy that we wern't still out there.

A couple of pics of the day, including one where the rescue boat is doing a bit of ploughing:o

[mik01]

vmr victoria point
yeah definitely worth the money.
this has been posted a few times before - theres quite a few boaties that shy away from paying $60 for coverage when really it should be the first thing you do when you buy a boat.
anything can, and does, go wrong out there and it can be a very lonely place if you're in trouble.

happy to pay the money and happy to support some great people who volunteer their personal time to look after all of us :)

[onerabbit]

Yes, associate member of Coast Guard Ballina for the last 8 years,

just a bit of a plug for them,

Coast Guard Ballina is having a Gala day tomorrow, rain, hail or shine, hoping to raise enough funds to help replace the present tower, which gets a REAL wobble up in a strong wind, I've been up there.

Boaties have been asked to take part in a flotilla, escorting the Coast Guard boat to the tower, timed to co-incide with a long line of people holding hands along Nth wall,
anyone keen to be involved should be at the end of Fishery Ck by 9.30am,
or be at Nth wall about the same time.
I understand there will be plenty of festivities at the park below the tower to follow.

Hope to see you there ,

Muzz

[tenzing]

Yep.-Redcliffe coastguard.

[reel scream]

we havent as yet we were goin to but when we saw that they wanted over 200 for a year we didnt worry. 100 yeah thats far but not 200.

Sounds like you had a mortgage broker setting it up for you mate.

VMR Bribie_ $88 the first year ($44 member fee), then $44 every year after. Includes 5hrs of towing before charges apply.

Will be joining up with Redcliffe coastgaurd shortly though as well, as the coverage hours is greater, (and if the deckie stuffed up something and we needeed a second tow for the year) ts a matter of a decent, IMO, donation of cartons for all involved, (not policy but should be). Memories coming back. Will go another thread.

Cheets Scott.

[Searaider 2]

Yes Both .
Redcliffe & Mooloolaba .

[QF3 MROCP]

Am I right in thinking that the membership fee is soooo cheap for the value you receive, it could go a bit higher?....;D;)

Great to see the support to redcliffe - QF3

[Kendall249]

QF 8 - Townsville

[Outsider1]

Am I right in thinking that the membership fee is soooo cheap for the value you receive, it could go a bit higher?....;D;)

Great to see the support to redcliffe - QF3

Yep,

I was going to post the same thought QF3.

Not the time I guess with a lot of pain out there due to increasing interest rates, fuel prices etc. however it never is really.

I currently pay $60 pa, but reckon most could happily handle $100 pa in normal circumstances. That is still less than my boat rego (which is also about to go up, thanks Anna!). Still very cheap for what you get.

I guess fuel prices would be applying a lot of pressure on VMR/Coastguard costs at present!?

My personal view anyway.

Cheers

Dave

[Taroona]

Member VMR Vicky point and if the fees go up to $100 I won't complain.

[LostNearBribie]

Not a member of the coastguard, but am a family member of VMR Bribie.

[Spaniard_King]

I am a member of VMR Point Danger but I am looking to join another rescue organisation which would cover me from M/ba to Double Island can anyone recommend who covers this area??

TIA

[samson]

spaniad king you need a membership with coastguard noosa they will cover you to DI and to point cartright off mooloolabah in both directions but if going further north, south or wider you may want tin can bay or mooloolabah coverage as none of them are reciprical like tweed is with the seaway and other areas.

[Spaniard_King]

spaniad king you need a membership with coastguard noosa they will cover you to DI and to point cartright off mooloolabah in both directions but if going further north, south or wider you may want tin can bay or mooloolabah coverage as none of them are reciprical like tweed is with the seaway and other areas.

So how wide do these organisation cover??

[samson]

from memory the seaway is 100nm but mooloolabah is only about 25nm and the noosa guys are about the same i guess if your a member you'll have to row into range or get a tow to get a tow, who knows i guess they might try and charge you $150 an hour for any distance beyond their limits haven't tested out noosa or mooloolabah yet only time will tell.