Can't proceed without VHF radio

INCIDENTS caused by narrowboats and yachts exiting the Witham through the locks at Boston have prompted the authorities to insist on all boats carrying VHF radio.

There was an incident at the dock entrance last week with the yacht Spring Time interfering with the departing vessel Sormovskiy 3064, for despite attempts by the pilot to contact the yacht on VHF Channel  12, no response was received.

Forced to stop

The departing vessel is a maximum size vessel for the port, has extremely limited room for manæuvre and was forced to stop part way through the lock until it was considered safe to continue.

After this occurrence, a spokesman told us:

"Another incident occurred a few minutes ago of a narrowboat not responding to a call from the pilot on a different vessel. Please note that it is a requirement of the Port of Boston under its Annual Standing Notice to Mariners to monitor Channel 12 and an offence under Section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act for a seaman to omit to do anything that is likely to cause loss, destruction or serious damage to any other ship or structure."

No means of communication

These were the latest of other incidents of both narrowboats and yachts having no means of communication, and thus hindering the movement of shipping, that at worst could cause a fatal accident.

From now on, lock keepers are expected to prevent any boat proceeding through either Grand Sluice or Black Sluice if they do not have the correct means of communication, with the statement from the authority:

Following recent incidents, the Port of Boston wish to confirm it considers that the carriage of a marine band radio, capable of receiving and transmitting on VHF Channel 12 is important to the safety of shipping movements in the river and expects that the lock keepers at their respective stations ensure that every vessel proceeding into the tidal waters is equipped with the necessary VHF Radio.