Monday 29 April 2013

Hillend Rescue Boat Capsized!

 
 
I had the day off work today so I was looking forward to a day of fly fishing up at the loch. However when I got to the loch my fishing plans were scuppered as a ferocious wind was blowing from the west right down the loch and the weather forecast was suggesting that the winds were to get even stronger. Our club have an anemometer for measuring wind speed and its was showing 34mph. Fly fishing would have been impossible in these conditions. So I hung about the clubhouse and sat in my car for a bit listening to some recently downloaded angling podcasts while I looked over the loch with the wind battering down the loch. The boats were getting hammered with the wind and were bobbing up and down violently despite the presence of a boom to protect them.
I must have taken my eyes away from the boats for a few minutes when I heard a shout then a few lads came running out the clubhouse. It was then I noticed that our club’s rescue boat had capsized and was lying completely upside down. Thankfully nobody was in it. The lads managed to haul the boat into the jetty and secure it but there was no chance of getting it turned over manually. Next one of the rowing boats broke from its moorings but was soon hauled ashore as it was forced into the lochside by the wind.
I’m not sure how they will get the boat upright but I imagine some sort of pulley system will have to put in place. The boat will be ruined I would imagine as all the electrics etc. will need replaced.
The loch looked like the sea today although it was dramatic to look at it’s just a pity about the mishap with our boat.
They will now attempt to recover the boat when the gale force winds cease later tonight.

2 comments:

  1. Just to say that the lads at the clubhouse have done a fantastic job in getting the rescue boat back into use and nothing was damaged I just wish that for the size of membership hillend has there is only a hand full to do the work. and the rest who moan and complain on blogs about it well guys it time to get of your A*** and work for YOUR club and stop the moaning

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  2. Well done lads! To the best of my knowledge no one has came on here to complain about our club.
    I can say with complete confidence that I certainly don't complain or moan about the work the committee and members put in at Hillend. In fact, quite the opposite. I doff my cap to them for the work they do.

    The Dabbler of Hillend.

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Heres' to better days ahead!

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