John, let's not forget that much of the official justification for the enormous cost of the SOB was the safety aspect of the vessel and that she is, or was at least intended to be a declared rescue facility. Again and again she has proven herself unsuited for that task. However, what actually is her task, the very reason for her existence? Surely it's not just to parade backwards and forwards on Breydon? The simple addition of a small RIB would make her useful but that hasn't happened. Correct me if I'm wrong but if I understand correctly all the patrol vessels, and that presumably includes the SOB, have had their tow posts removed. Personally I believe that we have been mislead. The Broads Bill was much lauded in Parliament as being a 'safety Bill'. The Broads Bill & the subsequent Broads Act allowed for the takeover of Breydon Water by the Authority, once again 'safety' was a large part of the official justification.
Other than bellowing instructions, like slow down, at boaters on Breydon, what safety facility does the SOB offer if she is not going to be actively involved in rescuing people? Granted that she can't go into shallow water situations, neither can the bigger RNLI boats, but then they have at their disposal kayaks and beach boats. Vaughan has suggested the obvious addition of a dinghy to the SOB's equipment. I'm not suggesting that BA crews have immersion suits and that they take over from the RNLI but there are instances, such as in this case, when a boat is only just aground and easily accessible by a dinghy. Now, I'm not adverse to the RNLI turning out and rescuing people in distress, after all that is the reason for their existence, but I do object when I'm lied to. My feeling is that the SOB was and is an unnecessary extravagance and that we were mislead, don't forget that I went to Parliament in regard to the Broads (safety) Act.
So the SOB was at Thorpe, why? She was purchased as a patrol boat for Breydon.