Need a boat and berth? Just ask !
When our AVO-North, Chris Todd, had to secure a small boat for the North East area at short notice and without having an immediate berth for it, three organisations rallied round to make things happen.
The nearest MVS Unit – Humber under the leadership of Nicholas Spencer offered to speak to their local Sea Cadets. Coming up trumps, CPO Steve Dale, First Lt and currently acting CO Scunthorpe Sea Cadet Corps, offered a place on the hard standing at their canal-side location near Keadby.
Being unsure of the condition of the boats trailer and also unwilling to subject anyone to special police attention on the 140 mile journey, a piggyback was required. So Chris spoke to colleagues from the Preston Park based Teesside Fire Engine Rally and their Committee Chairman Brett Clayton. As a retired fire officer and sometime recovery vehicle driver, he offered a flat bed lift for the boat.
The recovery was carried out in two stages – South Shields to Darlington and then on to Scunthorpe. On the appointed day all went well until it was noticed that the wheel base of the boat trailer exceeded the flat bed by 12 inches (or 30.5 cms for the younger at heart). After removing one wheel from the boat trailer and employing brute force in the best traditions of both the MVS and the Fire Service, the boat was lifted onto the trailer and the convoy set off.
The convoy – with one wheel missing on the boat trailer
The second part of the journey took place on Wednesday 21st December – the shortest day of the year! The convoy arrived at the A18 Rendezvous Point to be met by Shayne Arnold wearing both his MVS and Sea Cadet Corps hats. Andrew Lee a member of the Teesside Fire Engine committee also attended (he stated it was the first opportunity he had had in over 28 years to see your AVO get his hands dirty)
A short trip to the Sea Cadets premises was only marred by Andrew becoming marooned on the wrong side of the tracks at Althotrpe Level Crossing. The boat was swiftly unloaded and placed on to hard standing.
Shayne said “The Sea Cadets are very pleased to help out with this move, and wearing my MVS hat: the Humber Unit will be placing a strong bid to retain the boat which is ideal for work on Inland waters”
You will notice from the photos that Chris is not to be seen with or without dirty hands!
Petty Officer Aiden Smith looks on as Shayne asks “where does this go then?”
to the amusement of Fire Engine enthusiasts Brett and Andrew
