BSAC Boat Handling Course
Back in June I had a crazy idea to try and organise a boat-handling course in the Hull area. I wanted to set one up ASAP so that we could make use of the branch boat that summer, but as it turned out the earliest dates I could get were 2nd and 3rd October when instructors stopped diving and returned to instructing!
Four months later and after a lot of grovelling to boat owners, and having convinced John Dunwell to be the Course leader, my idea became reality. In all there were 10 branch members on the course wanting to become boat handlers and 2 diver coxswain's on the course who wanted to become ABI's (Assistant Boat handling Instructors).
The course itself was broken down into a Theory day, which was held at Hull College and a Practical day that occurred on the River Humber. The theory day introduced us to the boat and its equipment, responsibilities of the owner/driver, pre-launch planning and safety and emergency actions. Practical sessions on chart work and flares and well timed breaks kept us alert and ensured that we were unable to die of death by PowerPoint! The day passed without any hitches but events were about to take a turn.
There is only one word that would describe the practical day and that word is eventful! Within the hour we had our first casualty of the day. Brian's boat (Delta Force) experienced fuel difficulties so a decision was made to continue the course without her. The reduction in boats meant that reshuffling was required. To keep the boat crews to a minimum Brian decided to sit the day out meaning he would not be able to gain his ABI qualification. Reshuffling over (7 on each boat), we got back to practicing what we were there to do. The first few hours were spent familiarising ourselves with our boats; getting the boat on the plain, manoeuvring left and right, starting and stopping etc. Once the instructors had gained faith in our new found skills we were then allowed down the river towards the Marina, our lunch location.
After lunch we all had the opportunity to practice 'holding off' which was no easy feat (buoy number 26A has the marks to prove it), our 'coming alongside' skills were also tested - no marks this time but I think Tony's arms may be feeling sore from 'pushing off'.
Our final test was to demonstrate our 'man overboard' retrieval skills, all I can say is its just as well a buoy was used and not a person as I have no doubt that we would have also ended up demonstrating our first aid skills too!
The day was called to a close earlier than planned due to a number of reasons; time restraints (I for one was conscious that the tractor man wouldn't be around for ever), the Humber was getting very shallow - even in the centre I was struggling to find a depth greater than 1.5m and we had also suffered our second casualty of the day (Stray Lass experienced steering problems).
Despite the problems the course was a resounding success, the branch now has 10 newly qualified boat handlers and 1 assistant boat handling instructor and I think everyone will agree with me, the course was very worthwhile and enjoyable. All that remains now is for us all to develop our hands on experience.
Thanks must go to the boat owners Tony Hodge and Brian Smith for agreeing to allow a bunch of novices onboard and for giving up their free time. Thanks is also given to Andy Bannister for 'volunteering' to retrieve and return the branch boat from the Bridlington boat compound, and to Dermot Kelly for agreeing to accommodate the branch boat over the weekend.
Jo Brooks
History of Inflatable Boats
According to the Guiness Book of Motorboating, the history of the inflatable goes back as far as 880 BC, when the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II ordered troops to cross a river using greased animal skins, which they inflated continuously to keep the vessels afloat.
In ancient China, during the Sung and Ming dynasties, inflated, airtight skins were used for crossing rivers.
Four months later and after a lot of grovelling to boat owners, and having convinced John Dunwell to be the Course leader, my idea became reality. In all there were 10 branch members on the course wanting to become boat handlers and 2 diver coxswain's on the course who wanted to become ABI's (Assistant Boat handling Instructors).
The course itself was broken down into a Theory day, which was held at Hull College and a Practical day that occurred on the River Humber. The theory day introduced us to the boat and its equipment, responsibilities of the owner/driver, pre-launch planning and safety and emergency actions. Practical sessions on chart work and flares and well timed breaks kept us alert and ensured that we were unable to die of death by PowerPoint! The day passed without any hitches but events were about to take a turn.
There is only one word that would describe the practical day and that word is eventful! Within the hour we had our first casualty of the day. Brian's boat (Delta Force) experienced fuel difficulties so a decision was made to continue the course without her. The reduction in boats meant that reshuffling was required. To keep the boat crews to a minimum Brian decided to sit the day out meaning he would not be able to gain his ABI qualification. Reshuffling over (7 on each boat), we got back to practicing what we were there to do. The first few hours were spent familiarising ourselves with our boats; getting the boat on the plain, manoeuvring left and right, starting and stopping etc. Once the instructors had gained faith in our new found skills we were then allowed down the river towards the Marina, our lunch location.
After lunch we all had the opportunity to practice 'holding off' which was no easy feat (buoy number 26A has the marks to prove it), our 'coming alongside' skills were also tested - no marks this time but I think Tony's arms may be feeling sore from 'pushing off'.
Our final test was to demonstrate our 'man overboard' retrieval skills, all I can say is its just as well a buoy was used and not a person as I have no doubt that we would have also ended up demonstrating our first aid skills too!
The day was called to a close earlier than planned due to a number of reasons; time restraints (I for one was conscious that the tractor man wouldn't be around for ever), the Humber was getting very shallow - even in the centre I was struggling to find a depth greater than 1.5m and we had also suffered our second casualty of the day (Stray Lass experienced steering problems).
Despite the problems the course was a resounding success, the branch now has 10 newly qualified boat handlers and 1 assistant boat handling instructor and I think everyone will agree with me, the course was very worthwhile and enjoyable. All that remains now is for us all to develop our hands on experience.
Thanks must go to the boat owners Tony Hodge and Brian Smith for agreeing to allow a bunch of novices onboard and for giving up their free time. Thanks is also given to Andy Bannister for 'volunteering' to retrieve and return the branch boat from the Bridlington boat compound, and to Dermot Kelly for agreeing to accommodate the branch boat over the weekend.
Jo Brooks
History of Inflatable Boats
According to the Guiness Book of Motorboating, the history of the inflatable goes back as far as 880 BC, when the Assyrian king Ashurnasirpal II ordered troops to cross a river using greased animal skins, which they inflated continuously to keep the vessels afloat.
In ancient China, during the Sung and Ming dynasties, inflated, airtight skins were used for crossing rivers.