ETVs gone in a fortnight

[Nick]

We did have a nice picknick on Tuesday, in the Disco, on the road to Easdale, looking out to Pladda, thinking "I'm glad I'm sat here and not out in that lot". It may have been not so bad in a bigger boat but not for us.
We had a nice run out though.

You passed within 50 yards of our house - you should have dropped in and distracted me from tiling the bathroom . . .

[Mark]

For Scotland, £4m per annum is a reasonable insurance premium IMO based on what we know of past, current and future costs - to ordinary people and the environment as well as to the economy.

That looks like a 'cost-benefit analysis' to me.

[ubergeekian]

... the only insurance we have against a major maritime disaster in the Minch ...

Apart from charts, lighthouses, the GPS system, the coastguard, the GMDSS system, training and regulatory schemes for officers and crew, inspections of vessels in ports, insurance company requirements, depth sounders, radar ... ?

Nope, the ONLY thing averting disaster is clearly that tug in Stornoway which has never actually been called out to avert a disaster.

Oh, and aqueducts, obviously.

[Nick]

... the only insurance we have against a major maritime disaster in the Minch ...

Apart from charts, lighthouses, the GPS system, the coastguard, the GMDSS system, training and regulatory schemes for officers and crew, inspections of vessels in ports, insurance company requirements, depth sounders, radar ... ?

Nope, the ONLY thing averting disaster is clearly that tug in Stornoway which has never actually been called out to avert a disaster.

Oh, and aqueducts, obviously.

Oi!

I thought you were told to stop feeding me!

[Nick]

.
Looks like there's been a last minute reprieve - only for three months though.

[Alan_D]

.
Looks like there's been a last minute reprieve - only for three months though.

Might have been better to announce it before Anglian Sovereign had overpainted the big white letters on the hull saying "COASTGUARD".

[ubergeekian]

.
Looks like there's been a last minute reprieve - only for three months though.

Or maybe not.

Incidentally, if it costs £32m to run 4 tugs for 4.5 years (£1.8m per tug per year) why is it costing £3m to keep two tugs for three months (£6m per tug per year)?

[Nick]

Incidentally, if it costs £32m to run 4 tugs for 4.5 years (£1.8m per tug per year) why is it costing £3m to keep two tugs for three months (£6m per tug per year)?

Good question. Unfortunately if I had to answer it it would lead us onto politics and my opinion of the Boy Dave, and that would not do as THIS IS A SAILING FORUM!

[marisca]

Good question. Unfortunately if I had to answer it it would lead us onto politics and my opinion of the Boy Dave, and that would not do as THIS IS A SAILING FORUM!

Oh, go on! You know you want to .....

[Rowana]

Good question. Unfortunately if I had to answer it it would lead us onto politics and my opinion of the Boy Dave, and that would not do as THIS IS A SAILING FORUM!

Good job we're not discussing Gordon Clown and Tony B Liar then

[Nick]

.
Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore officially announced the £3m 3-month 'interim' funding funding during a visit to Stornoway yesterday. AFAIK there is currently not a tug on station in the Minch.

The Secretary of State also confirmed that the UK Government is committed to finding a way to fund the service on a long term basis.