VMR / Coast Guard Membership

[bay_firey]

Kerry
Outside 25nm you have to pay full fare
And before you ask, no I do not know how much that is yet, but I am sure I will find out soon

[Kerry]

Mark,

One reason why I ask is that there are known occurances of basically total refusal to go past 25NM, regardless, well not regardless only if Canberra became involved and that basically meant activating and Epirb in an instance that was outside the legal requirements of Epirb activation.


Cheers, Kerry.

[boatboy50]

Hi Guys,

The costs above are pretty standard. The per hour cost depends on the boat used at each squadron.

Im an active member of VMR Southport, and STRONGLY recommend you join us Kiktz! Take a look at the makeup of the members you see at each squadron (ages, abilities and experience) and also their training system. Just looking closely at the two squadrons will make you decide which way to go.

The VMR/Coastguard thing is ongoing, and hopefully one day will be resolved, id like to, but not sure if ill see that day!

Both organisations basically do the same thing, but have different internal training systems, heirachy and procedures.

All VMR units have very strong ties with the SES already, and VMR members are officially SES members.

Whichway, I also agree with the private businesses getting into it. They refuse (rightly and thank god) to do any emergency services, and only want to take the average joe blow tows. PLEASE remember this is where VMR units get most of their funding from, members and assists. Support your VMR unit.

Kerry, ive never ever heard of any group refusing to go more than 25nm out and asking for an epirb to be set off, that is ludicrous. Maybe their vessels or crews werent up to the task?

Regards
Darren

[boatboy50]

Sorry,

Double post!

[Kerry]

....ive never ever heard of any group refusing to go more than 25nm out and asking for an epirb to be set off, that is ludicrous. Maybe their vessels or crews werent up to the task?

Nobody was specifically ASKING for an Epirb alert (there was possibly some indication thou) but it almost come down to that scenario.

Ludicrous?, Yes
The vessel not up to the task? Certainly Not the case.
The crew/s not up to the task? Should not have been the case either.

And considering this was in a period where manning was 24/7 it did leave a few dumb founded as to the "real" reasons why? There certainly appears to be a hierachy overkill in some organsiations structures.

Maybe there's some explanations, maybe insurance issues, maybe other issues? But when an organisation advertises the fact they are supposed fully manned 24 hours a day then basically refuse to go past 25nm, there's really some questions that should be asked of someone.

Cheers, Kerry.

[subzero]

Well said Boatboy50, some vessels at some of the units are not capable of being safely opperated that far off shore though, and their comercial survey rating may restrict this anyhow. In the event of this happening Kerry, no one would be left in the lurch waiting for an epirb to be activated and the assistance of another unit better equipped may be called upon to assist. This is not uncommon, nor should it be frowned upon by the units requesting assistance where required because of pride.... when our vessels were purchased, in consultation with VKR Water Police and the VMRAQ parent body, it was recomended when it came time to replace our secondary Rescue Vessel, Honda1 that it be with a 5.8m Gemini for fast response and shallow water rescue work as it could be seen at the time that a vessel along these lines was very lacking at the time... It proved invaluable when the Charter Boat "Dreamtime" ran aground on the bottom of Morton... The vessel was breaking up as the waves were pounding it and at the time the ONLY vessel capable of removing the 22 passengers on board was the new Gemini because of it's shallow draught, inflatable sides, power and very good handling characteristics... She made 5 or 6 trips to the flottila of larger vessels waiting in safe water evacuating all the passengers with no injurys in very nasty conditions.... every boat has it's limitations and advantages.... Generally Kerry, in places where their is unlikely to be better equipped vessels, then those units will purchase vessels purchased with the opperating requirements in mind and to hell with the expense.... i.e North Stradbroke1 (NS1), full medical fascillitys on board including heart monotors/starters etc for advanced care paramedics taking people of North Stradbroke to the mainland...
Normal proceedure does USUALLY require activation via Water Police for the more distant stuff and this usually means to the benefit of the Rescue Unit that fuel and oil can be claimed back from the Police. (At their estimates and rates).
Good luck to all you people putting your hand up to join and as Boatboy50 was saying, I dont think you can go to far wrong joining VMR Southport, very busy and highly regarded unit...
All the best to you all
Cheers Lloyd

[Kerry]

Lloyd, That's the thing that some areas of the coast don't have the luxury of neighbours with differently equipment vessels.

In this particular incidence the vessel is more than capable for the job but as you say there is this increasing influence coming to bear from the police and in many cases they have vessels sitting idle, far more capable and yet first response is pushed towards volunteer groups.

There does appear this rather blurred area between politics and authority, if you know what I mean.

But lets not go into water police boats #

Cheers, Kerry.
#

[damons33]

is that bacon i smell? lol

#i too am an associate member of the vmr(mooloolabah-cmdr don, you dont mess with the don! he's retired navy, he'll hit you with a monkeys fist!lol).
vmr is the best organisation we can fund or give time.
damon

[DR]

i joined Viccy Pt.as an associate member when i did my radio course.. beside the assistance, if required, you receive a little kit with a whole stack of helpful info.incl. stickers & laminated stuff to keep handy in the boat with all important radio channels, phone nos of all vmr & coast guards, even reminders on radio procedure for those that don't use it very often.

but one of the best things is an ID number. so when you log on at the boat ramp you use the number & not you boat name, description etc. apparently thieves have been scanning radio calls & knowing someone is going on the bay for the day gives them a long time to pinch your trailer, car etc.
they keep all required info on the comp.

[Kiktz]

Thanks Boatboy I will check it out, you guys are near the southport yaught clup aren't you?

It is really good to hear that there is a few guys out there that give something back to what we all enjoy.

Cheers

[DaneCross]

Interesting topic. The only thing stopping me from becoming a member is the fact that they aren't reciprocal. I fish anywhere between Noosa and the Tweed depending on season, whats biting where etc. Theres not really any particular area that I fish more often than the others, so what is the point of joining say, Manly, when the next week I'll be fishing out of the Tweed??? Surely many more people would be willing to join a State-wide (or even Nation-wide) reciprocal service, it just seems to make sense?? I mean, you don't join Springwood RACQ then break down in Mt Gravatt and have to pay for the Mt Gravatt fella to come and get you. Its got me stuffed
Dane

[caveman]

DC i was told by jacobs well VMR that if i paid $65 i think instaed of $50
that i was covered any where in coastal waters in QLD

[Kerry]

But VMR (or Coastguard) don;t have full coverage cover of all Qld coastal waters. There's some awfull big gaps in Qld coastal waters and especially so if one starts this 25nm limit stuff.

perhaps like many other things, once one gets north of the so called "great southeast" Qld for some appears not to exist

Cheers, Kerry.

[subzero]

Some good points raised in here by everyone, it's covered quite a wide area from the initial post...
Kerry, sure do understand the politics.... wish I could understand women just as well
Thanks DR for the good rap for Vicky Point
Caveman, yep I have heard the same thing, it would be very interesting to know for sure if that is correct.....
DC, couldnt agree more, the boating public is being disadvantaged by the 2 groups not getting together and tidying up both our acts.... Their was a panel set up between VMR, Coastguard and I believe a couple of other people from the emergency Services to thrash out this nonsense.... Unfortunately an accord could not be reached and so the nonsense continues.... I was not at the meeting as I am somewhere near the bottom of the dung heap, but was given a slant on it by someone in the know that the other Mob wanted to stick to their own program which they considered suffice at the present time.... now I cant say if this is TRUE OR NOT, like I said, I wasnt there. I DO KNOW, that as Kerry states, their are massive gaps in coverage if you take out 1 group or the other especially when you talk of a State Wide plan.... Piss poor really but it is fair to say that as some groups, AND ORGANISATIONS, are better prepared in some areas of training and accreditation that with the recently imposed NATIONAL STANDARDS, if requirements are not met within a very short timeframe, then the units and groups NOT ADHERING to the National Standards may be forced to close.... What does this mean??? Requests of assistance between all the Groups Nationally to the other groups is forcing each other to work together.... a good thing.... the downside is at grassroots level the requirement for the active members is that they now train to National Standards level.... why is it a downside, many MORE hours spent fundraising for many more hours training.... both theory and practice... very hard on those older members who are EXTREMELY skilled and experienced who now have to re-sit many examinations previously attained and competancies displayed.... We have 1 such member in our unit that is likely to toss it who has spent 15 years doing rescue work, has sailed in the Sidney-Hobart many times... Gladstone etc.... had his own charter boat, salvage boat, fishing boat and now he has to have someone come along like me who knows nothing in comparison to him and put him back through written tests, oral examinations and practical observations... the bloke is as sharp as a knife.... big loss to any group to loose people with this experience (He is also 1 of the only 2 bar rated skippers in our unit).... never mind, thats a whole other issue... I have rambled on long enough
Cheers Lloyd

[boatboy50]

Guys,

VMR Southport is located near Seaworld on the Spit side of Southport.

We too have a "Gold" membership base, which covers you in a select group of units within the Brisbane /Moreton Bay area. Its a little more than the usual, but you are covered for most of the Goldie/Brisbane and Sunny area. Subzero probs knows more about this than me, as i just drive the boat. Dont care much for politics.

You will find a huge difference between the training standards of the bay groups, and those in remote areas such as 1770 ect, its just the way it is. There is no way the coast will ever be entirely covered, its such a huge spanse. Dont hold your breath for it to happen. We all have enough trouble getting money as it is with around 24 groups, imagine if we had 48!

Kerry, lets not get into this "one time we couldnt get towed s**t". Tell us which group, where it was and why it happened that way. Dont do a Troy, and tell us specifics. Im sure theres an explanation. Ive been at Southport over 10 years and we've never said "No" at any time, and never heard anyone else say it either.

Regards
Darren