The owner of a former rescue boat that has come ashore on Ryde Beach has been asked to remove it at the earliest opportunity by the Isle of Wight Council.
As previously reported by Island Echo, the large orange RIB ended up high and dry on the beach near Ryde Harbour over the weekend. HM Coastguard were sent to the scene early on Sunday morning to inspect the vessel and check for any signs of danger or pollution.
It is understood that the 19m boat – now part of Blues Seas Protection – does not have any working engines and is therefore unable to move under its own power. It was being towed into Ryde Harbour on Saturday evening when it first ran aground, according to eyewitnesses. It was later anchored and is now in its current position just off the harbour wall.
The vessel has come into the jurisdiction of the Council due to its position on the beach.
‘James’ was recently purchased through an auction after being disposed of from its previous role as a rescue boat for workers on oil platforms in the North Sea. The RIB was towed from Cowes to Ryde in the hope of mooring the vessel in the harbour, but permission had been refused.
Local mariners have raised concerns that not only is the vessel an eyesore in its current location, but it poses a risk to public safety.
A spokesperson for the Isle of Wight Council has told Island Echo:
“The council can confirm that it is aware of a RIB currently located on Ryde Sands without permission, on a stretch that is in the council’s ownership.
Article continues below this advertisement “The vessel’s owner has been asked to remove it at the earliest opportunity and to confirm when this will be taking place and where it will be berthed.
“The council is closely monitoring the situation”.
UPDATE – A statement issued to Island Echo by Blue Seas protection reads:
“We asked permission from Ryde Harbourmaster to berth the boat in Ryde Harbour as our other boat is already berthed there. Ryde HM said it would not fit. The IOW Council Head of Neighbourhoods (and boss of Ryde Harbourmaster) Mr Sean Newton said that he “saw no reason why the boat could not be berthed in the harbour as it would quite obviously fit”. We spoke to the Police and the QHM at Portsmouth to clarify why we anchored at the pier while we awaited an answer.
“While we were waiting for the Council to sort themselves out and get one department to speak to another, we had Hurricane Hanna on the way and needed to make safe the boat so that it would not cause any incident during said storm so we asked for permission from Ryde HM to temporarily moor the boat until the storm blew over, to which he had to agree to, due to Marine Laws of the Sea under “Port of Refuge”. However, when we came to bring the boat into Ryde Harbour the HM had moored another vessel at the end of the pontoon which he had told us to moor to. Due to the high winds we had no choice but to take it to anchor on the sands and make safe there.
“The vessel is safely at anchor and we will move it when we have a suitable berth.
“At no time were we moved on by police or ‘a danger to shipping’. We have over 40 years of seamanship and experience”.
Knob
lol
Any thoughts on Chris Packham
Maybe it his boat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If he had been allowed to moor in the harbour .none of this would have happened. Why was he refused a berth ? Wrong tie and no dodgy handshake ? .
Its 60 foot long and nearly 20 foot wide. It’s way to big to moor in Ryde harbour
An ‘Eyesore’? It is a boat, sat, where there is the sea. There are many times I have seen boats banked upon the sands at low tide. Are the Council going to put enforcement on all boats now resting on the banks whenever there is a low time? Is the Council now going to be concerned about how a boat ‘looks’? “You cannot put your Mr McBoatFace here as we don’t like the colour orange”.
There are more important issues the Council ought to be tackling, such as getting the Ice Rink back into public ownership so residents can get their community activities reinstated.
I think, but not 100% sure, that the area the boat is on is owned by the crown. I think the council only have control up to the high tide mark. I would expect it’s harbour control to assess and remove unsafe vessels. Please, correct me if I am wrong. 🙂
Is it 4 sale I’ll buy it
Who the owner I’ll buy it
The vessel did not brake free ,or were it abandoned , but is anchored, th awaiting a berth within the harbour , to which a senior council offical quote “saw no problem to it berthing “, however after consulting with the councils senoir harbour master and Ryde harbour master.
now say the harbouris full ! and theres no room .
Clearly there is room , why is a marine charity doing good ,free of charge being treated and discredited by council paid officals and harbour masters who are unqualified for the position there imployed in ?
Thats the cause of the matter !