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[Bartapuss]

Man 'sailing around Britain' in small boat was doing lap of small island off Kent

A man who thought he was sailing round the UK turned out to be circling a small island off the coast of Kent and didn't realise until he ran out of fuel.
A lifeboat was called to rescue him after his engine wound down off the Elmley Marshes on the Isle of Sheppey, which he had been sailing round all day and night.
In addition to his tour of the 8-mile-wide island, the man, who had set out from Gillingham, had also made a series of other unfortunate decisions: The man had bought the motor cruiser online, and it only had a 20-litre fuel tank and a 20 horse power engine - not designed for sea use. 
Coastguard officers spoke to the man after he set off for Southampton from Kent and got lost,
he had taken the 'wrong' turn on the road map he was using and had no provisions onboard.
He was making his way to Southampton alone with no navigation equipment.
He thought that because he could drive in his car to Southampton using a single tank of fuel, he only needed one tank of fuel for the vessel and he had a VHF radio, but did not know how to use it.
Lifeboat volunteer Tom Ware said: 'Because he had no chart and he didn't even know what navigational charts were, his general principle was to keep the land on his right, except he didn't realise Sheppey was an Island.
'It took him a day and a half to get from Gillingham to where he ran out of fuel.'
Coastguards, who met the man at Queenborough, advised him that engine sizes and therefore fuel consumption differs and the coast route was longer than the road distance in any case, 'We passed on relevant safety advice and advised him that the best way to Southampton would be by train. However, he said he would get some fuel and get under way but asked us if he went left or right when he came out of the Swale.'

It is not known whether the man made it to Southampton. 



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1269257/Man-sailing-Britain-small-boat-doing-laps-small-island-Kent.html?ITO=1708&referrer=yahoo#ixzz0mLDBPZZS

[geoff p]

Reminds me of the time my dear old Dad was helping me shift my old girl down the east coast.  It was his turn at the helm, while I went below to do some chores.  "OK, Dad, keep her on this heading (about South East(ish))"

When I came back up and glanced at the compass, we were heading slightly North of East.

Dad explained: " When I took over, that big boat was straight ahead of us so I just followed it."

'It' was the ferry to Denmark!

Geoff

[malcolmfrary]

Dad explained: " When I took over, that big boat was straight ahead of us so I just followed it."

'It' was the ferry to Denmark!

Shades of "The Navy Lark" -
"Left hand down a bit Chief"
"Left 'and dahn a bit it is Mr Phillips.  We are now followin' the Isle of Wight ferry."

[Patrick Henry]

Makes you wonder if his father had any nautical genes?

[Shipmate60]

Well he is from Southampton!!!   

Bob

[BarryM]

When he saw land to port did he assume it was France?

[Colin Bishop]

These people have a vote!

[meechingman]

These people have a vote!

True, but first he has to make it to the polling station.

Now let me see. That's left out of the front door, or was it right, and should Asda be in front of me or behind me..... 

[BarryM]

Back in the 80's I recall a gentleman who was offering "Luxury Cruises to the Red Sea via the Mediterranean and Suez Canal". Fortunately the vessel ran aground and was declared CTL before it took on a single passenger. Subsequently it was found that the gentleman who was also acting as Master had no nautical qualifications/experience whatsoever, his ship had neither charts nor navigation instruments and his 'cruise ship' was an old minesweeper.

When asked how he intended to find the Mediterranean he replied that he intended to 'find a ship going there and follow it'. In respect of finding the Suez Canal. he didn't see this as a problem as the Canal was the 'only way out at the end of the Mediterranean'.

Perhaps he had a son?

Barry M

[Martin (Admin)]

Original post 3 removed after a "Report to Moderator."

[longshanks]

Reminds me of when I was at sea.
Working on the lightening boats in Torbay. One day we had gone alongside a 300,000 ton Greek registered tanker, we were going to take off 70,000 tons of crude before she proceeded on to Rotterdam.
Their Second Mate asked if he could look at our charts for the Dover Straits. OK no problem - after studying them for a while he asked if he could trace the chart 

Turns out they had no charts on board, he produced a map torn out of the National Geographic mag. On it was plotted the noon positions for the trip from the Gulf to Torbay. 

Unbelievable but true