WHO WANTS TO LEARN STUFF? 96% Don't want to...!

[Mudcrab]

Wow! What a turn up for the books was the above post a few weeks ago offering courses in vessel handling skills, weather, tides, navigation, boating safety etc. Out of the 144 "reads" only 6 responded and only about half of them showed a real interest anyway! Like ah, that means about 97% of all boat operators know it all or don't want to improve their experience and knowledge!! Bad news is that we, at the "coal face" estimate around 10 to 20% of all Boaties really know their stuff and have an all round, broad experience and knowledge base. . Sure we #can all chuck a boat in the water and skip from beacon to beacon but with this Unit now having done over 4,000 rescues and saved over $30,000,000 in hulls, we can assure you the 97% is way out! Maybe it was the suggestion of donating $20 to us for running the course? If so, what a sad value is placed on life and vessels! If anybody doubts our figures, then come down to ANY boat ramp on a weekend and check out how boat operations are conducted, ask how many either a) have a radio on board or b) have the vaguest idea of how to use it! Knowledge of weather and tides? Forget it! Anyhow, guess this project ain't going to fly so certainly disappointing but about par for the course! We'll be seeing the other 90% one way or another! Sigh!
Ian Fischer
Commodore
VMR Vicky Point

[Jeremy]

Ian,

how many of those 144 reads live close to Vicky pt? How many people can find time after work or on weekends to be away from their families?

I am interested in the courses, but I live in Auchenflower, so it would be a 45 min to 1 hour drive for me to get there. The money wouldn't be an issue for me, but the time would.

Jeremy

[el_carpo]

So THAT'S where I left my boat! ;D D'OH!!!

[Barrymundi]

You cannot be serious; I read the post and live in Townsville.

With that attitude I cannot understand why they are not lining up at the door to see you and hand over money

;D Rescue in Townsville is fantastic and do a great job ;D

[Heath]

I respect you guys at the VMR, but fair suck of the sav Ian.

How many of the people who read the string own a boat?
How many of the people who read the string live in the immediate area?
How many of the people who read the string, think themselves to be proficient in the topics you mention?

[agnes_jack]

Yeah
Fair go Ian!
We dont all live close enough to you and some of us are heavily commited to work and family etc. And nearly all of us find it hard enough just to get time to fish! I'm sure that most people on this site really appreciate the job you guys do, and would luv to learn more about the safety side of our chosen hobbie, When possible. And a lot of the fellas on this site are about as experienced as any you would meet anywhere!


# # # # # # # # # Regards, Tony

[jaybee]

then there are pensioners who cant go fishing on a regular basis as every cent needs to go to the next trip, they may have nice boats etc, but cant afford to run them on a regular basis, so some thought should be given here as well.
cheers
Joe.

[ba229]

Not wanting to be rude but i stay away from courses like that because of the attitude.

Enough people in our lives look down at us, so why go and have someone spoil what you like doing?

The coast guard around here do a great job no doubt but geez they look like wan%#rs. Always looking like you are doing it wrong and they know everything.

this is just my observation and not intended to annoy, offend or provoke.

[bidkev]

What all the other guys said Ian.

Time, location, family commitments.

I only hope a judgemental post like that isn't enough to scare away those who *are* interested but fear being condemned for their lack of knowledge.

Agreed the VMR does a bloody good job, but quoting rescue figures, which comes across to me as a veiled hint that most boaties don't know their stuff or can't be bothered to upskill is just not on.

We know that there are idiots without safety gear and we know that there are folk without radios but I doubt very much though that the majority who do have 'em, don't know how to use 'em.

Yes there are *some* idiots out there but I would hazard a guess (from the knowledge that I have gleaned here) that this forum contains very few, if any at all.

I understand your frustration but hinting at us valueing $20 more than life can only serve to alienate...........you can't educate if you alienate.

Good luck

kev

[Mudcrab]

Ah geez guys! Take it the way it is meant! Time and distance is not an excuse really! Ask Mum if she would object to you going off on a course that might ensure you, she, the kids and the boat may have a better chance of getting home safely, and I know her answer! Other interesting and totally proven facts by all VMR, Coastguards and Water Police across Queensland proves conclusively that 90% of Boaties do NOT LOG ON with a rescue unit when heading out on the water! Them's the facts! We have something like the last ten ten years records and can prove this is correct. The Courier Mail gave this same issue a burst last weekend I think. Without going into other issues like knowledge of weather, tides, navigation, knowledge of IALA buoys and beacons, vessel maintenance and on and on............. the radio issue is more than enough to prove that there are many Boaties who operate on the "it won't happen to me" principle. Remembeer the poor fisho who lost his life at Flat Rock? A boat quivering with safety equipment, two marine radios and not totally inexperienced - but he didn't log on with anybody, and there is always someone to take your details if you put your mind to it. If we gave him the chance now to attend a course on marine radios now, he would pay thousands to do it, and come from anywhere into the bargain. I have also learnt that Archies and Allstate have no intention of running MROVP courses due lack of interest by this (90%) of Boaties. Each year VMR and Coastguard save $40,000,000 worth of boats and hundreds of lives. This must mean that something is wrong somewhere? I guess what got my back up a bit is seeing day after day the condition of boats, radios and safety equipment that a very high percentage of Boaties really believe is to a good standard. Some of you guys are dead right though, Coastguard and VMR have some dreadful bloody cowboys getting around and we all see what happens in the papers from time to time. Seeing as how I have hurt all your feelings, I will post another dreaded and much feared Boaties Quiz up here in a few days time and see how you score. Nothing stupid, nothing trick, just common sense questions. And of course, I have to put young and old men and women with their own families into quite often very bad and possibly hazardous conditions to "rescue" those who reckon they all knew about safety and vessel handling. I'm having a bad hair day and oh, we have to train our crewmembers on less than the old age pension now. That's why Commodores get pissed orf sometimes! Safe boating.

[jaybee]

VMR Vicky Point Boaties do NOT LOG ON well i have been in a situation where no one answered to log on, and at another time a 2nd boat with me logged on, only to find he couldnt log off, this was using wynnum ramp fishing green. btw redcliffe eventually answered him after the boat was up on the traler for around 20 mins.... mmmmm if need be i can probably get the guy to confirm this. this doesnt help the cause although i am in great favour of it, but as stated earlier, pensioners don't get a go.
cheers
Joe.

[bubba]

bugger me , this is a contentious issue!! i can see both sides of this argument!! being a member of VMR Beenleigh i can see the vicky points side, we see some stupid things when we are out and about on the water, but time is important to, but a majority of these incidents are the blokes who go fishing once or twice a year, and not the blokes who go fishing often. Case in point, two guys and young girl, pin bar saturday just gone, regular fishers of this area, got swamped and overturned, wrong place, wrong time. AS for the time, if its important to u, u will make the time.cheers bubba...

[Zeeke]

LOL, good post and id come if i had transport, my local one is Mooloolaba, so ill go with them when they host something.. but lol, talk about stupid boaties, my brother is one!! a mate of his recently boat a 4.3 meter tinny with a very old evinrude which goes sometimes, ive been out in it once up the river thank god.. heh, the engine goes, but once its been running for more then 10mins and you turn it off, it floods itself with fuel and wont start up for atleast an hour after.. anyways, yesterday while i was out fishing in the bay in my boat with vertico, i saw my brother and his mate fishing in his mates boat, now, i wouldnt trust that engine as far as i could throw it with a catapult, but they did.. and guess what, i ended towing them back into the harbour, they only had mobiles, no safety gear cept for some life jackets.. so no flares, no v sheet, no reflective mirror, no bailing bucket, and ofcourse.. no radio and would of had to of relied on there mobile phone if i wasnt out there.. now thats what i call a case of stupidity.. oh yea. they dont have a boat liscence.. my brother had one.. but when u get done for DUI.. you loose ur boat liscence aswell.. and you know what, they were the only boat that didnt get tagged by the police doing boating checks in the area, yet i saw them tag nearly every other boat, mine included!

Tim

[el_carpo]

Great story Zeeke! Ha ha ha! You've got him for years with this one. You've got a free pass! You're virtually immune to all criticism from him for years. The next time you make a mistake and he tries to laugh at you, just bring up the time you had to drag him ashore! Isn't it great having something over your brothers? ;D It makes life so much easier--for you that is! ;D

Great story!

[Zeeke]

nah, dont have anything over him, he's one of those sly bastards that think everything is a joke and nothing to worry about, he decided to take his 12yr old son out fishing a couple of weeks ago, son got crook as soon as we got to the reefs, it took his kid 5 pukes and some water works before he broke down and said "we better go back in" meanwhile he was swearing and cussing, and said "You'll be right mate, hahahaha" so i shoulda done that to him yesterday "You'll be right mate, jump out and paddle your way in"

Tim

[el_carpo]

Oh boy, that's pretty low, swearing at a sick kid like that. >:( I think you're right. Maybe a nice swim would have done him good! Might have given "Mr. Happy" a new outlook on life. Oh well, hope your brother turns his attitude around and sees the light soon (at least for the sake of his son if nothing else!). :-/

[bidkev]

well i have been in a situation where no one answered to log on, and at another time a 2nd boat with me logged on, only to find he couldnt log off, this was using wynnum ramp fishing green. btw redcliffe eventually answered him after the boat was up on the traler for around 20 mins.... mmmmm if need be i can probably get the guy to confirm this. this doesnt help the cause although i am in great favour of it, but as stated earlier, pensioners don't get a go.
cheers
Joe.


Hi Ian,

What *is* the preferred channel to log on/off?

The first time I logged on at (location witheld in order to avoid undermining confidence) was via channel 88 as I couldn't raise 'em on 90. 91. 98. When I got back in I couldn't raise 'em at all and I was on the ramp! I walked over to the station and told 'em that I couldn't raise them and that my radio was ok. They looked at me as if they thought I was bloody lying or something. I then asked 'em what was their preferred channel for logging. There was three of them sat playing cards and they all looked at me as if I was thick......OK.......I have a strong Pom accent so I'm used to those looks :-) They had to discuss it between themselves to give me an answer! and they came up with 91. The next time out I tried 91 and got no response and haven't used the bloody log out/in facility since.

I now let friends know where and when I am returning, a habit that has stuck since my mountain leadership days. This isn't totally satisfactory for me, but I'm buggered if I'm going to be "looked down at" because some rescue org thinks that I'm thick, when in fact, not only I, but others had the same experience of not being able to raise them on the day in question.

On that day in particular, the return was very lumpy and I'd smashed above my eye on the corner of the windscreen. The resulting cut bled heavily into my eyes. My wife is a nurse and managed to steri-strip it very quickly whilst still under steam/control. I had been giving way to a yachting regatta when this bloody big yacht changed tack and headed right for us. I had no option than to attempt to turn away which dropped me into a big trough when I would be otherwise "cresting". I'm just making a further point that when I walked into that station I had a blood-soaked towel to my head and my face covered in blood and not one of the crew questioned me as to how.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not criticising the rescue organisations per se, but I must've got these buggers on a bad hair day. I felt totally alienated, which is why I used that word in my previous response.

Good luck and may the "boating wankers" get fewer :-)

kev

[bay_firey]

I agree with a lot of what has been said already


Time and distance is not an excuse really!

Time and distance IS an issue really.
Believe me, I would be the first with my hand up for the chance at the learning you are offering, but geeze it makes for an awfully long weekend when I would have to drive from Hervey Bay. Night courses are of course impossible.
I sat here reading of the last Radio Operators Course, thinking "geeze I wish I had the chance. ? I can get accom in Brissy for nothing, so maybe I can make the chance.?"

Maybe the post wasn't meant to come out the way it did, but it sure made me think twice about making arrangements to participate.

Thats just My Humble opinion