Gillingham to Southampton - keep turning right
- Wed, 28 Apr 2010
- Comments (5)
A motorboater who thought he was sailing around the coast of the UK but was in fact circling the Isle of Sheppey off the coast of Kent had to be rescued by the RNLI earlier this month after running out of fuel.
It is believed the 45-year-old gentleman bought his 20-odd-foot motor boat online, and set off from Gillingham thinking he could reach Southampton on one 20lt tank of fuel.
He didn't take any charts or navigational equipment, instead thinking that if he kept the coast to his right, he could navigate into the North Sea, through the Dover Straits and onto the Solent.
But his plan came undone when he ended up sailing round the eight-mile-wide Isle of Sheppey for a day and a half before running out of fuel.
He told rescuers that since he could drive to Southampton on one tank of fuel, he could make the same journey by boat on just one tank.
Coastguard Ian Goodwin said: "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."
Photo: RNLI/Barry Crayford
Have your say!
Latest comments
Popeye
June 02 09:00
I agree its a disgrace, fancy not having sign posts on sheppy. It wouldn't cost much and it would prevent a re-occurance
A. Karim
May 03 14:46
Everyone knows that the Isle of Sheppy is one big roundabout and if he left at the third exit he would have been on his way.
Peter Harbour
May 01 19:48
There must be many of us who started sailing or motor boating with inadequate skills. The most important think here is to encourage such people to join a club.
Education is the key to curing ignorance. This guy doesn't realise he needs education. He soon will, but in a club there is always someone who explains the need to learn about navigation, safety rules and seamanship and many of us can remember our introduction to this education, a process which then continues for a lifetime.
Richard Vanston
May 01 16:47
I agree it only takes one idiotic clown for every one else who takes sensible precautions to suffer from excessive bureaucracy