Malpas marine
All of the pontoons on the new extension have been installed and are proving very popular with resident owners and visitors alike. A new unisex toilet and shower facility has been provided for our visitors; the new shower facility has proven very popular with visiting yacht crews.
The Heron Inn landlord and lady Nick and Amanda have taken a lease with the harbour office for a farm shop and café. Hot and cold food is available with a selection of Cornish produce. Tempting cakes and other treats are available along with Barista style coffee to eat in or take away. The café also has a beverage licence for off sales of wine and beer and sales on site if consumed with food. Please ‘Respect the Water’ and designate your sober ‘driver’ if crew members are consuming alcohol.
Ships laid up in Truro
‘European Seaway’ is a 175 m cross channel cargo and freight ferry which was laid up in January. The vessel is unlikely to return to the Dover to Calais route with the downturn in freight as a result of Brexit and the Covid 19 pandemic. The vessel will be either sold overseas or sent for safe disposal.
The salvage tug ‘Gladiator’ arrived from Falmouth last Summer where she was standing by for salvage work. The owners reviewed their fleet and income from salvage and then requested a cold lay-up berth with us. The vessel is currently being marketed for sale.
Cargo vessels to Lighterage Quay
The cargo vessel Sophie B loaded scrap metal in July for discharge at Rotterdam. Short sea voyages of this type have a very small carbon footprint. The vessels have a single engine of a similar horsepower to the most powerful road haulage tractors. The maximum load taken by one lorry hauling scrap to a major port is between 25 and 30 tonnes. With the drafts allowed on sailing dictated by spring tides each short sea ship is carrying between 1200 and 1500 tonnes of scrap metal for recycling. There is a big saving in road miles and carbon emissions using this type of transport.
Safety matters
We have seen a significant increase in stand-up paddle board and sit on kayaks using the river over the last few years. A number of these have been reported for NOT exhibiting navigational lights at night. Power driven vessels have no chance in seeing these craft unless they exhibit lights in sufficient time to prevent collision. Paddle sport users must comply with the collision regulations most relevant at night as described.
Wild swimming is increasing in popularity with a number of recent TV programs promoting the benefits to mental health and wellbeing. However, it is very important that all swimmers outside designated areas must be seen to be safe from other harbour users. The use of high visibility swim hats and towed floats is strongly recommended. Please avoid swimming in navigable channels and fairways where sailing and powered craft operate.
MAIB Report – Globetrotter
Following an investigation led by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch the UK Harbour Masters Association, RYA and other maritime bodies have been asked to highlight the lessons learned from this accident and other similar accidents and to request assistance with promulgating the advice contained in Emily’s Code to leisure boat users.
Summary of accident
At about 0800 on 31 May 2020, the 12m wooden hulled recreational boat Globetrotter sank in 5m of water during a sea angling trip off the coast of Fleetwood, England. Its owner made a Mayday call shortly before he, his son and a friend all entered the water. None of the sea anglers were wearing lifejackets or buoyancy aids, but they were able to use Globetrotter’s two lifebuoys to help them remain afloat. The legs of the owner’s son became entangled in Globetrotter’s anchor rope and despite the exhaustive rescue efforts of the crews of two nearby boats, he was dragged under the water and drowned.
Safety Issues
Globetrotter was not in a seaworthy condition and was ill prepared for the voyage the owner was an experienced leisure boat user but had little appreciation of the risks he was taking and the importance of passage planning the son’s chances of survival would have been increased had he been wearing a personal flotation device.
For further information please see – https://www.gov.uk/maib-reports/sinking-of-the-wooden-hulled-motorboat-globetrotter-with-loss-of-1-life & https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge/safety/emilys-code
