#coastguard – A man has been rescued nine miles off shore after he was thrown from his vessel and a signal from his personal locator beacon was picked up.

At 4.07pm last night Falmouth Coastguard contacted Milford Haven Coastguard about a signal from a PLB, (personal locator beacon) located nine miles offshore from St David's Head. Coastguard officers checked vessel and contact details on the UK Beacon Registry database and identified that this PLB was registered to the RIB (Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat) Merlin.

Milford Haven Coastguard requested the launch of St Davids RNLI Lifeboat and the rescue helicopter from RAF Chivenor. The rescue helicopter located the man in the water using the signal from the beacon and winched him into the aircraft. The man was checked by the crew in the helicopter and in agreement with Milford Haven Coastguard returned to his vessel and has made the return voyage to Milford Haven.

The single handed skipper was on voyage from Milford Haven to Kilmore Quay in Ireland when a wave knocked him out of his RIB. He was thrown into the water but was wearing a survival suit, lifejacket and had a PLB with him. The man spent approximately three hours in the water.

Milford Haven Coastguard Watch Manager Rob James says:
"Fortunately this skipper was prepared for a single handed voyage offshore and having the right gear has saved his life. The kill cord on the vessel did work and cut the engine when he was thrown from the boat.

Wearing a survival suit and lifejacket enabled him to survive the three hours in the sea while awaiting rescue and the PLB which was activated sent the exact location of the casualty to the Coastguard."

A Donegal based Redbay 6.1m RIB, Deep Six (the 'welcome wagon') along with another RIB from Belfast ran out to the Kish lighthouse on Dublin Bay on Saturday to escort a 10–boat RIB fleet from Wales up the river Liffey and into the heart of Dublin city.

The RIBs had departed the Welsh coast on Saturday morning and the fleet was on its second annual RIBnet Caernarfon to Dun Laoghaire cruise. 33 ribbers were involved. 

After arriving on Dublin Bay the crews proceeded to the city centre for a spectacular run up the river on one of the best days of the summer so far.

Navigation up the Liffey was easily handled even though the Ribbers encountered a new bridge that gave an air draft clearance of roughly 2.2 metres for boats/a-frames.

According to reports, the crews had a ball and were 'impressed' with local hospitality at Dun Laoghaire marina and the nearby Purty Kitchen pub. 

A third run to Dublin is planned again next year.

 Donegal ribbers Richard (left) and Danny provided a welcome for ten Welsh RIbs in Dublin at the weekend. Photo: Afloat.ie

#KillCord - An official report into the tragic speedboat accident in Cornwall earlier this month that killed a father and daughter says that the driver was not attached to the boat's 'kill cord'.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, BSkyB executive Nick Milligan and his eight-year-old daughter Emily were struck by the family's runaway RIB after being thrown overboard from the vessel on the afternoon of Sunday 5 May.

Four other family members were struck by the runaway boat as it circled in the water off Padstow. Nick's wife Victoria and four-year-old son Kit are recovering after sustaining "life-changing" leg injuries.

Police were reportedly investigating the role played in the incident by the boat's kill cord or safety lanyard, a device attached to the throttle that should automatically cut engine power if the driver is thrown from the vessel.

Now The Guardian reports the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's (MAIB) conclusion that the 8m Cobra RIB was fitted with a kill cord, but it was not attached to the driver.

It has not yet been determined who was driving the speedboat at the time of the accident, nor is it clear how the family was thrown from the vessel.

The report added: "The kill cord serves only one purpose, to stop the engine when the driver moves away from the controls.

"To ensure that this tragic accident is not repeated it is essential that all owners and operators of vessels ensure they are fitted with kill cords."

Irish Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) builder Red Bay Boats is exhibiting one of its giant 16–metre Pilot Boat Stormforce RIBs at next month's Seaworks commercial exhibition in Southampton.

Intended for a variety of commercial applications including Pilot, Patrol, and passenger carrying usages this new Stormforce 1650 is a development of the County Antrim firm's Rigid Inflatable Boats. Of particular interest is the keen handling of the 'keel–less' demonstrator craft 'Caledonia' (pictured above and vid below) when manoeuvring alongside ships during recent trials.

The Cushendall firm headed by Tom McLaughlin has been busy working on the commercial side of the RIB business and is seeking Port customers for The 1650 which has a deep-V hull, with foam filled collars bonded to the hull sides.

Red Bay is also exhibiting a new 12 metre jet powered RIB, a 7.4m with a new Hyundai diesel and two more outboard driven 7.4s with Suzuki engines.

#KillCord - Police in Cornwall investigating the deaths of a father and daughter in a speedboat accident off Padstow at the weekend are focusing on the boat's 'kill cord', according to BBC News.

BSkyB executive Nick Milligan and his eight-year-old daughter were struck by the family's runaway Cobra RIB after losing control of the vessel and being thrown overboard.

Four other family members in the water struck by the 8m-long boat were hospitalised, with the BBC reporting that Milligan's wife Victoria and four-year-old son Kit suffered "serious, potentially life-changing injuries".

Witnesses describe the speedboat circling to hit the family after turning sharply and throwing them into the water, then continuing to run around in circles before it was stopped by local waterskiing instructor Charlie Toogood who jumped on board.

Investigators are looking closely at the kill cord or safety lanyard, a device attached to a boat's throttle that should automatically cut engine power if the boat's pilot goes overboard.

A malfunctioning kill cord was identified in an incident in Cork Harbour last summer in which a RIB pilot lost an arm after he was thrown overboard and subsequently struck by his runaway vessel, as previously reported on Afloat.ie.

Months before, an angler died and another was treated for hypothermia after being thrown overboard and separated from their vessel, a result of neither man using the kill cord on their boat's engine.

#rib – The first ever Dublin Bay RIB raid to Wicklow  has been hailed a great success with plans afoot for more Raids writes Ronan Beirne.

Proceedings commenced on Sunday with a RNLI jife jacket check by the RNLI at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire.

After a course and safety briefing at 11.30 we set off - seven ribs and a Benneteau motor vessel.

With the ebb and c 20 knots of wind we set off on a course outside the Dublin Bay racing marks and outside the Muglins. A bit of a chop off Bray Head.

Greystones Marina allocated a handy berth for us near the steps. While the Greystones Gourmet event was happening in the main street most settled for ice cream and chips on the sea front. One rib came up from Wicklow to join the raid.

Set off for Dun Laoghaire before three and through Dalkey Sound and to Dun Laoghaire Harbour where we were met by the Lifeboat who escorted us back in for prize giving.

The National Yacht Club Ribbers return to base in Dun Laoghaire after a 12-mile run to Greystones. Photo: Michael Chester. More photos below.

Jimmy Kinahan's crew on the Zodiac won a big RNLI flag for the best dressed" Muglins Pirates".

Liam Shanahan's Red Bay a Lifeboat pennant for the rib with the most flags.

Sorcha Prouvier on the Antares the best dressed "scarey" pirate.

A great day was enjoyed by all and over €200 in the box for the Lifeboat.

Plans now in place for another Rib Raid adventure.

#RIB – The National Yacht Club is running Dublin Bay's first Rib Raid from Dun Laoghaire on the south side of the bay to the new harbour in Greystones in Co. Wicklow on Sunday 5th May.

The raid is in aid of the RNLI and it is open to all ribs & small motorcraft.

The plans are for the RIb fleet to assemble in the pool at the National Yacht Club at 10.00. There is a costume theme of Pirates of the Muglins plus a voluntary RNLI safety check and briefing.

There will be an 11.30 departure from Dun Laoghaire and plan for lunch at Greystones – ashore or onboard before heading home and a BBQ at National Yacht Club.

There are prizes for the best dressed pirates, a navigation challenge.

#MCIB - A man who lost his arm when he fell overboard from his boat in Cork Harbour last summer could have avoided the accident if he had followed essential safety precautions, according to the official report into the incident. The full report is available to download below as a PDF document.

Owen Corkery of Carrigaline was the subject of a 'miracle rescue' on 9 June 2012 when he was thrown overboard from his RIB, which subsequently struck him several times after he entered the water near Haulbowline Island, causing serious injuries to his head, back and left arm.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the RNLI said Corkery was "incredibly lucky to have been spotted from the shore" by a man now known to be Paul Bryans, who had been looking through a telescope at Fort Camden in Crosshaven approximately a mile away from the site of the incident.

Bryans and colleague Dick Gibson immediately raised the alarm with the emergency services and Crosshaven RNLI respectively, and rescue crews were dispatched within minutes.

While the lifeboat volunteers took control of the wayward RIB, Corkery was quickly retrieved from the water by the crew of the Cork Harbour Pilot boat Sonia. They found him incoherent and bleeding heavily, and also noted that while he was wearing a working personal flotation device (PFD), he was not wearing warm clothes or shoes.

Corkery was transferred via ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where his left arm was later amputated just above the elbow due to the severity of his injuries.

According to the official report into the incident by the Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB), the RIB was found to be undamaged but had no CE or other approval mark.

The kill cord on the boat's motor was also found to be malfunctioning, as the engine could be started whether or not it was attached, and did not shut off when removed.

The report states that Corkery - an experienced powerboat user who had not completed any recognised handling course - has since explained he was aware of the kill cord malfunction but continued to use the vessel.

He confirmed in the same interview with investigators that he was standing beside the helm of the RIB at the time of the incident, a position that "would have made him considerably more likely to be thrown from the vessel".

Investigators also found it likely that Corkery's lack of shoes would also have reduced his grip while standing on the floor of the RIB.

In its conclusions, the MCIB report - which is available to download below - emphasises that the kill cord is an "essential part of safety equipment for all open motorboats" that should always be used and checked regularly, and that the helm of any high-speed watercraft should always remain seated, even at low speeds.

It also recommends that all pleasure craft owners should complete a recognised powerboat handling course.

#MarineWildlife - Recent hijinks by a group of Irish surfers in 'shark-infested waters' off Donegal have been making the rounds online - but they're not all what they seem.

IrishCentral reports on the video, apparently posted by surfers from Rossnowlagh, which shows the group on a RIB pushing one of their own overboard into the path of an oncoming shark.

Yet despite their reactions, they were never in any danger, as the shark was one of Ireland's harmless giants - a basking shark - who clearly attempts to dodge the dinghy as it approaches.

Indeed, the shark may even have been in more danger from the surfers than they were from it, as the marine species is designated as protected under EU law, which makes it illegal to disturb or harass them.

As reported on Afloat.ie earlier this year, the UK's Shark Trust has published a code of conduct for anyone encountering basking sharks in British or Irish waters - and pushing someone overboard on top of one is definitely absent from the list.

#BOAT THEFT - A boat owned by the Garda Sub-Aqua Club worth €25,000 was last week stolen in broad daylight, as the Evening Herald reports.

Smooth criminals removed the Tornado RIB from its mooring at Coal Harbour in Dun Laoghaire and loaded onto a trailer on Friday afternoon.

The "brazen" theft went unnoticed till gardaí arrived at the mooring later that evening.

The top-of-the-range boat, used by the sub-aqua club for diving training, is fitted with VHF radios and specialist GPS equipment.

A source told the Herald that the thieves "were very calm and professional in how they removed the boat and left without being in any kind of panic."

The Evening Herald has more on the story HERE.