Chereads / Vrika: The War For Survival / Chapter 5 - Mission Started

Chapter 5 - Mission Started

(Dr. Gyan Singh's Point of View.)

After our training was completed, we were ready to go for the mission.

We went to the our Head Quarter docks. We had to start the mission that day. The motor boat had 8 seats 4 on each side, and 1 driving seat. I (Dr. Gyan Singh), Dr. Avinash Sarvottam Verma, Dr. Navneet Prajwal Mishra, Dr. Apyash Bajrang Kshitij Singh took our seats 2 of us, Me (Dr. Gyan Singh) and Dr. Apyash Bajrang Kshitij Singh sat on right side seats and the other 2 Dr. Avinash Sarvottam Verma and Dr. Navneet Prajwal Mishra sat on the left side seats. Our main Helmsman (A person who steers a ship or boat. Helmsman is the technically correct term for someone driving the boat who is not the owner.) was Mr. Ajay Kumar, while Mr. Lakshman Prasad Ganesh Prasad Hanumaan Chettri was our assistant or secondary Helmsman.

Therefore, Mr. Ajay Kumar sat on the driving seat while Mr. Lakshman Prasad Ganesh Prasad Hanumaan Chettri didn't took a seat instead he was standing at the end of our motor boat holding an handle attached to it's roof. He was facing towards the back of the boat so that he could keep an eye on what is going behind us and warn us about all the dangers coming from our back.

It was time to steer the boat. Our Head Quarters head Mr. Prabhakarna Sripalawardhana Atapattu Jaya Suriya Laxmana Sri Ram Krishna Shiva Venkata Raja Sekhara Sriniwasana Trichipalli Yekya Parampeel Parambatur Chinna Swami Muthu Swami Venu Gopal Iyer, came with twenty two members of Head Quarters to start the mission. Mr. Sujal Suyash Upadhyay and Mr. Ravi Ritesh Thakur were also with him. Mr. Sujal Suyash Upadhyay and Mr. Ravi Ritesh Thakur came to us. "All the best for your mission, I hope you will be successful in your missions." Mr. Sujal Suyash Upadhyay spoke. "Thanks sir." We replied. "Best of luck." Mr. Ravi Ritesh Thakur wished. "Thanks sir." We replied.

Then they both went to thier places. Then our head Mr. Prabhakarna Sripalawardhana Atapattu Jaya Suriya Laxmana Sri Ram Krishna Shiva Venkata Raja Sekhara Sriniwasana Trichipalli Yekya Parampeel Parambatur Chinna Swami Muthu Swami Venu Gopal Iyer announced that if we succed in our mission we all will get increment. Then he ordered one of the Head Quarters member namely, Mr. Himansh Harshit Rathod to briefly explain our task. The guy came to us firstly he explained both the Helmsman how to drive the motor boat. They knew it but for formality he explained it.

Step 1 This boat is powered by gasoline and has an engine compartment, run the "blower" (an exhaust fan).

Step 2 The boat has a push-button. Press it to start the engine.

Step 3 The boat also has a "kill switch" (also known as an engine safety cut-off, which automatically turns the engine off if you leave the helm for any reason), clip the lanyard on a belt loop of life jacket ring.

Step 4 Make sure all your gear is aboard and everyone in the boat are prepared to disembark.

Step 5 Remove all the lines securing the boat to the dock.

Step 6 Engage forward or reverse if you need to back out of a slip by pushing the throttle handle forward or pulling it back gently until you feel it shift into gear.

Step 7 When the boat begins moving, spin the wheel just as you would turn the steering wheel in a car to determine direction of travel.

Step 8 Advance the throttle as appropriate to reach the desired speed.

Step 9 Adjust running attitude, the boat as appropriate for the conditions.

Step 10 When you want to slow down, gently pull the throttle back towards the neutral position.

Then he explained some important points,

Firstly he told them about Engine Safety Cut-Off or "Kill Switch"

This is a small red knob found next to the ignition on most small or open boats. In the closed position, the switch won't allow the engine to start. A small clip fitted to slide under the knob pulls it back, into the open position. This clip is attached to a lanyard, which has a tether clip on the other end. You should always clip this onto a loop on your lifejacket or a belt loop, prior to operating your boat. Then, if for any reason you move away from the helm, the lanyard yanks the clip out from under the knob and the engine immediately.

Then he told them about the Throttle.

Another safety feature that can prevent a boat engine from starting is the throttle, which must be in the neutral position. If the boat battery is turned on and fully charged, you turn the key, and the engine doesn't start, it's often because the kill switch is engaged or the throttle isn't in neutral.

Then he explained them about maintaining a proper lookout.

In boating terms this is referred to as "maintaining a proper lookout," and it means that as the Helmsman of a boat, you have to always be watching your surroundings and recognize when there's a risk of collision, running aground, hitting a big wave, or any other factor that could require a response at the helm.

Then he told them to calculate, when and how much they have to turn the steering wheel.

He told that, one need to always remember that there are other factors influencing a boat's direction of travel, like wind, waves, and current. As a result, boats may handle differently in different conditions and a turn of the wheel may not always change the boat's direction exactly as planned.

Then he explained one of the most challenging task Slowing a Boat.

Remmeber these points while dlowing the boat.

1) Always calculate how much stopping distance is needed to come to a complete stop in a safe fashion when running at different speeds.

2) Boats don't have seatbelts and are subject to a lot more motion than land vehicles. As a result, sudden or abrupt changes in speed or direction can throw people off balance or even cause them to fall overboard. So, always be careful and try to avoid quick maneuvers.

3) Always be conscious of how you adjust speed or turn. In cases of quick maneuvers, try to shout out a warning to everyone on the boat so they know to hold on.

Main steps to slow a boat are

Step 1 First pulling the throttle back to neutral.

Step 2 Pausing for a moment.

Step 3 Then shifting into reverse and applying some power.

At last, he told them How to Trim a Boat.

a) How you trim it determines how high the low rises in relation to the stern, and how level the boat does or does not run.

b) Trim is different on every boat, so trial and error is the best way to learn how your own boat responds to changes in drive angle and / or using tabs.

c) Also keep in mind that on smaller boats, shifts in weight distribution such as a passenger moving from one area of the boat to another can cause changes in trim.

Then he wished them luck and sent them back. Then he told Me, Dr. Avinash Sarvottam Verma, Dr. Navneet Prajwal Mishra and Dr. Apyash Bajrang Kshitij Singh about plastic skin and its cure. He also reminded us about how to collect Honeycomb Lily. At last he wished us luck and went back to his position. Now it was time for the countdown to begin.

Mr. Ajay Kumar and Mr. Ganesh Prasad Lakshman Prasad Hanumaan Chettri started to disconnect boat from dock.

The countdown started.

One hundred one

One hundred

Ninety nine

Ninety Eight

Ninety seven

Ninety six

Ninety five

Ninety four

Ninety three

Ninety two

Ninety one

Mr. Ajay Kumar and Mr Ganesh Prasad Lakshman Prasad Hanumaan Chettri tried to break the main connection between boat and dock.

Ninety

Eighty nine

Eighty eight

Eighty seven

Eighty six

Eighty five

Eighty four

Eighty three

Eighty two

Eighty one

The main connection from the dock was now disconnected the boat was connected to the dock only due to secondary connections.

Eighty

Seventy nine

Seventy eight

Seventy seven

Seventy six

Seventy five

Seventy four

Seventy three

Seventy two

Seventy one

Mr. Ajay took his seat.

Seventy

Sixty nine

Sixty eight

Sixty seven

Sixty six

Sixty five

Sixty four

Sixty three

Sixty two

Sixty one

All the connections from the dock were broken

Sixty

Fifty nine

fifty eight

Fifty seven

Fifty six

fifty five

Fifty four

Fifty three

Fifty two

Fifty one

Our boat was completely disconnected from the dock.

Fifty

Forty nine

Forty eight

Forty seven

Forty six

Forty five

Forty four

Forty three

Forty two

Forty one

We all were on our places.

Forty

Thirty nine

Thirty eight

Thirty seven

Thirty six

Thirty five

Thirty four

Thirty three

Thirty two

Thirty one

Mr. Ganesh Prasad Lakshman Prasad Hanumaan Chettri took his position and tightly hold the handle that was attached to the roof.

Thirty

Twenty nine

Twenty eight

Twenty seven

Twenty six

Twenty five

twenty four

twenty three

Twenty two

Twenty one

Mr. Ajay Kumar was ready to start.

Twenty

Nineteen

Eighteen

Seventeen

Sixteen

fifteen

Fourteen

Thirteen

Twelve

Eleven

Mr. Ajay Kumar started the "blower" (an exhaust fan).

Ten

Nine

Eight

Seven

Six

Five

Four

Three

Two

One

and

Zero

The Boat started.

The docks gate opened and our boat went out of the dock.

The mission was now started.

TO BE CONTINUED