Bill Posters Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 Well done boys Link It's nice to see these volunteers getting the recognition they deserve. The history of the RNLI on the Island makes it even more poignant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purrrrrrrrrrry Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 Good one Bill. Yet another example of what some of the people on this fine Isle are capable of. Stuff like this makes my heart truly glow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideways Posted August 27, 2004 Share Posted August 27, 2004 Fantastic! well spotted Bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted August 27, 2004 Share Posted August 27, 2004 Why oh why the government IOM and UK do not fund or part fund these guys is beyond me! I believe it costs about £280,000 a day in running costs to keep the lifeboats going. That's a staggering amount annually and must be so hard to fundraise for this amount. They must have to put so much in to fundraising that it could detract some of their resources away from the fantastic job that they do. http://www.rnli.org.uk/RUNNING.asp Correction - £274,000 / day I donate £500 every year to the local RNLI on the Island. Consider it an insurance policy when I'm out Kitesurfing! I have never had to use them, and hope I never will, but all credit has to go to these guys for the amazing work they do. I think that we probably have the best sea resue services, thanks to the RNLI, in the world. I'm all for the Arts, but lottery money buying a load of new instuments for a brass band? But RNLI gets nowt, there should be some priorities there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted August 27, 2004 Share Posted August 27, 2004 I think they do a great job to say that they are self funding and the crew are all volunteers. Whilst I was away earlier in the month, I visited the Historic Dockyard at Chatham. Part of the museum is dedicated to the lifeboats and it was very interesting to walk around it and read up on the history of the RNLI. They had some great boats there too and I even found one from Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight (about two miles away from where I lived at one time). I also remember staring in awe whislt watching the newly acquired Arun class boat go through its sea trials just outside the harbour in Yarmouth on one of our family holidays prior to us moving there. We got to see them deliberately capsize it to test out its self righting capabilities! You feel quite humbled when you hear/read some of the stories that these guys tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shamus Posted August 28, 2004 Share Posted August 28, 2004 Having been a fisherman in years gone by and knowing the people in the RNLI I agree with their policy to remain as a charity. Government do not like to contribute cash to a thing unless they have an element of control. The RNLI was founded on the Isle of Man and the first lifeboat was the Douglas one. Their founder built the Tower of Refuge on Conister Rock. Sir William Hillary. After all his works he died a broken man but defiant that Government should not have a say. The RNLI works, it is not broken, so we do not need any members of a defunct parliament like Tynwald to try and mend it. That is unless they they just grant cash which they will not do. Rather ironic when they grant cash for other things without control eh? The history of the RNLI is very interesting and would be a good thread to post but may be not in here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 Hey Mission, did you go on that submarine at Chatham Nautical Museum? Sacry the space they have to live on.... My dad lives in Chatham, but thats nothing to brag about! Bit of a dump, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 I did indeed Slinky. We got into the first compartment and the guy giving the tour said "this is the largest compartment in the submarine so, if anyone feels claustrophoic, you'd best turn round and go back up the ladder". No-one did until he showed us how we had to get between the compartments and one lady decided that wasn't her thing and disappeard up the ladder! It's hard to believe just how cramped it is in those things until you've actually been on one. There were literally only two spots on the entire boat that I could fully stand upright and both of those were no more than 3ft square! Apparently, her last Captain was 6' 4" tall and when you see his cabin and the rest of the boat, you just can't comprehend how he could have worked on there for 3 months at a time. He must have suffered with a bad back. That's quite possibly one of the most interesting places I've been too but you need a full day to see it all. We got there around noon so only did the lifeboat museum, the 2 ships, the sub and the ropery (I even made me some rope). There was loads more to see though, its an 80 acre site I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 There's a smaller "historic warship" site at Birkinhead. They have the Plymouth (a frigate that server in the Falklands) the Onyx (a sub that served in the Falklands) a minesweeper and, best of all, a U-Boat. http://www.historicwarships.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 I never knew about that place, thanks Old Git. The Onyx is the same class (Oberon) as the Ocelot at Chatham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 The Onyx is the same class (Oberon) as the Ocelot at Chatham. They are quite cramped inside, the Onyx carried about 20 SAS/SBS soldiers to the Falklands and came back at about 6-9 knots because of a damaged engine. It's quite a good half day out and you could easily do it on a Steam Packet day trip. Worth booking in advance for the U-Boat tour. I went on Saturday and it was full so I booked for the next day. Good job I was spending the weekend in Liverpool. The U-Boat has been cleared of sludge and munitions but apart from that it's been left as it was. Very interesting tour inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 They are quite cramped inside, the Onyx carried about 20 SAS/SBS soldiers to the Falklands and came back at about 6-9 knots because of a damaged engine.Hmm interesting. Apparently, the Ocelot was only ever used for surveilance / secret operations and as such, had her rear torpedo tubes decommissioned so they could use the extra space for bunks and storage. It's quite a good half day out and you could easily do it on a Steam Packet day trip. Worth booking in advance for the U-Boat tour. I went on Saturday and it was full so I booked for the next day. Good job I was spending the weekend in Liverpool. The U-Boat has been cleared of sludge and munitions but apart from that it's been left as it was. Very interesting tour inside. I was thinking exactly that. I'd love to go on a genuine U-Boat too. I think I know someone else who'd love to do that as he was gutted that I'd been to Chatham. Might have to have words with him when I'm back at work and get something arranged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 They won't let you take photos inside the U-Boat but here's one of the outside showing the restored lower conning tower section and the folded down snorkel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Git Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 Here's another photo showing the plates buckled by the depth charge and exit bullet holes from the Liberator's maching guns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted August 29, 2004 Share Posted August 29, 2004 They won't let you take photos inside the U-Boat Huh! Did they give a reason? Erm, from those pics it doesn't exactly look very safe to go on board it. What's it like inside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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