In a week of storms I’m sure you’ve seen some footage of rough seas, spare a thought for the RNLI volunteers who have been out saving lives in those conditions. The Largs RNLI team were out on Monday night 21 February in response to an incident involving a fishing vessel which had caught its net around the anchor line of a cargo vessel at anchor.
Just like the charity’s lifeboats, the RNLI’s retail team is staffed by volunteers who can give a little time to help save lives at sea. Largs RNLI are currently looking for new shop volunteers to join their team.
I sat down with Allan McLaren from the RNLI this week to discuss their relaunched Safety Roadshows and the importance of making sure your equipment is up to the job.
“The one bit of equipment that could let you be your own life-saver and mean that you get home safe to your family is a lifejacket. This should be an absolute necessity in your gear EVERY time you’re on the water.
“As Covid regulations restricted our lifejacket clinics from late 2019 until March 2022 our thoughts are that lifejacket owners have not had the opportunity to have their jackets checked as fit for purpose. So, we expect our clinics to have a high percentage of jackets presented for checking this year.
“Additionally, during lockdown more people have taken up water based activities & may not have considered purchasing a lifejacket or a buoyance aid. So would hope that we will be asked for advice on what type of jacket should be purchased. You need the right device, well maintained and fit for purpose/
“Our big shout out though is Lifejackets & Buoyance Aids are USELESS unless Worn! ”
“Pre-Covid Roadshow records show that in one summer season of local events where over 1,000 jackets were checked by RNLI volunteers 800 jackets would have potentially failed due to loose gas bottles that meant the jacket on activation would inflate and then immediately de-inflate, possibly causing a fatality.”
Allan advised … “RNLI Lifejacket Checks are designed to check that the jacket is fit for purpose it is NOT a replacement for the Annual Service that should be carried out by the manufacturers or approved partners.”
RNLI community safety volunteers from the Largs and Helensburgh lifeboat stations are attending the Glasgow Angling Centre Open Weekend March 4-6th, 16th April at Largs Yacht Haven, Troon Lifeboat Station Open Day 16 th July and Scotland’s Boat Show at Kip Marina 7-9th October. Where they be providing advice and free lifejacket checks.
If you can, bring along your lifejacket along to these events. It’s a FREE check on a simple, inexpensive device that can make the difference between life and death.
If you’d like to support the RNLI, check out https://rnli.org/
Fish of the Week Winner
This week's winner of the Daiwa Fish of the Week is Amy Wood with a hard
earned Carp from Springwater Fishery in Ayrshire. It was a tough day and
all the anglers were struggling for bites when Amy hooked her prize
winner on a complex-t boilie topped with pop-up corn. The fish put up a
lengthy fight before netting, once unhooked Amy was delighted to weigh
in her first Carp over 10lb.
