AN INTERNAL report by Canal & River Trust (CaRT) into the near sinking of the historic narrowboat, Flamingo, has held the son of the skipper partially to blame.
The document was published late last week and follows a meeting, on 12th November, between the Fincher family and CaRT managers Vicky Martin, South East Waterways Manager and Tony Stammers, Head of Health & Safety (The Flamingo Incident).
Speculation
Following that meeting, Alan Fincher made a short statement on his blog detailing the report's recommendations. However, his account of the meeting omitted to say that that his incident report conflicted with one or more accounts given by others. Perhaps this is why it ended 'We have been unhappy about the degree of speculation that our incident has provoked, and having made this statement, we do not intend to discuss this matter further'.
A similar post on Canalworld Discussion Forum was immediately locked thus preventing any discussion.
In the cabin?
In his incident report, Mr Fincher states that his son David was on board Flamingo with the family dog and goes to some lengths to explain why this was. The incident report states that, with the boat hung up by the bow and a volunteer lock keeper failing to respond to two requests from his wife to close a bottom paddle, David emerged from the cabin yelling for the paddle to be lowered. The report goes on to say that being ‘young and agile' he was able to get off the boat via the roof and sprint to the top of the lock and open a paddle in an attempt to recover the situation.
However, CaRT's report says there are two different versions of events with the alternative suggesting that David Fincher was not actually inside the boat when it started to hang up!
Not recommended
Having cast some doubt on the accuracy of Mr Fincher's statement the report then goes on to suggest that David Fincher's action in opening top paddles (rather than assisting the Volunteer Lock Keeper in closing the bottom one) was not appropriate in a hang-up situation and almost sank the boat:
'The turbulence caused by Mr D Fincher drawing paddles caused the boat to fall, but then cannon up and down the lock on a massive wave caused by it falling down to the water. The rudder was repeatedly dropped onto the lock cill and lifted from its pintle'.
...and later:
'This is not a recommended way to resolve this type of incident. Instead, if he had stayed by the bottom gates [according to Mr Finchers account he was on the boat!] and closed the paddles first (or ensured the Volunteer Lock Keeper did), it would have enabled him more time to gently open the top paddles to re-float the boat back level again, potentially eliminating the reported turbulence when the boat fell'.
The missing foot
The report also points out a twelve inch discrepancy regarding the length of Flamingo. In his incident report, Mr Fincher gave Flamingo's length as 71' 8" but when licensing the boat, 72' 8". The report provides no explanation of the difference but takes the longer length suggesting this ‘is a key factor in the incident'.
The report states that the length of Flamingo is 2' 8" longer than the maximum craft dimensions given in Nicholson's guide and 8" longer than the maximum dimensions given on CaRT's website.
Suitable and sufficient?
CaRT's report states that Volunteer Lock Keeper training is deemed suitable and sufficient and has not been attributed to any part of the incident.
However, in attempting to undermine Alan Fincher's credibility and place the blame for the incident on his son, the report fails to make the common sense recommendations needed for all in responding to a hanging-up incident:
1. In all cases immediately drop all panels to stop the flow of water.
2. Refill lock, slowly if safe and appropriate to do so.
3. Always put personal safety over property.
[Allan tells us that, whilst happy to provide Mr Fincher's incident report, CaRT are currently refusing to provide any witness statements that contradict it!]