Dinghy Safety

[Chef]

Was saddened by the death of two people in Langston on Sunday. Raises a few questions about dinghy safety. Do we need to be a little stricter?

For example.

DINGHY SAFETY: Each person in the dinghy must have a life jacket handy. It is Maryland law and Coast Guard regulation....Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) will be checking boats this size for compliance...NRP will give a ticket if the current USCG regulations is violated. If there are no PFDs on-board, NRP will escort the boat to shore & terminate the voyage...If the proper sizes are not on board (infant, child, adult, etc.), NRP will issue a warning & provide instructions.

full page<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.apg.army.mil/SIBO/dinghy.htm> here </A>

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[Neraida]

The two people, father and son, who died so tragically on Sunday were actually on their way to a swinging mooring where their boat was and didn't get there or they would still be alive. Their rubber duck was washed up on Monday. Lifejackets were probably on the boat.The poor woman who was frantically waiting for them on the shore fell and broke her leg.

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[boatmike]

We were all saddened by the loss. But legislation is not the answer. Education perhaps is. We have all sorts of legislation on the roads but it does not stop people driving in a reckless and stupid manner. Sad though it is that little tender should not have gone out in those conditions, life jackets or no.....

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[chriscallender]

Would it have made a difference last Sunday? Additional rules are all fine but if there is noone at the launch points or patrolling the harbour and doing spot checks (unlikely on a windy February wekend, and not really reasonable to expect that people would volunteer to do this at such a quiet time of year) then those rules won't necessarily make a difference.

Although I agree with you there would be nothing to loose by a rule that all vessels had to carry lifejackets for all the occupants, and just maybe it would make a few people think twice about it. As well as giving the coastguard the potential power to order/escort someone off the water that had no lifejackets.

Chris

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[Cornishman]

The news of that incident did not reach the far SW, but even in the calmest of weathers I always insist that when in the dinghy lifejackets are WORN, not just handy. Around these parts you can often see all sorts of professionals such as Environment Agency scientists, CG officers, Customs officers, police etc on the water and they ALWAYS WEAR lifejackets.
With the modern jackets being so light and comfortable there seems no reason not to wear them under these circumstances.
It is also RYA and Sea Safety Initiative teaching.

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[longjohnsilver]

Whilst this was a sad incident I suspect that the wearing of lifejackets would probably have made little or no difference, at this time of year hypothermia will be a big survival issue. So should everyone in a dinghy therefore wear a drysuit?

Keep rules and regulation out of it, they would have to be enforced which creates more bureaucracy and still won't keep people safe. Education is fine, large warning signs etc but the day I'm told I HAVE to wear a lifejacket is the day I'll quit going to sea.

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

I must admit to not wearing a jacket in my dinghy, why, bravado no I don't think so, more lazyness, which is stupid really, especially at this time of year.

I will take heed, we generally leave the jackets aboard, but at the moment they are home as we have given them a full going over thanks to extravert and his observations. We carry 6 jackets, 2 modern and 4 old type, all gas inflating. One of the old type (built 1977) went down to soft overnight. The other 3 stayed up so are returning to TC. I would love to buy decent jackets for visitors, but alas there are other priorities. These might look horrible, but they are approved and they are 150N.

I always suggest to anyone coming sailing for the weekend to buy jackets, hell, £40.00 for a weekend sailing, they couldn't go to a B&B for that.

The really stupid thing, we always put the dogs lifejacket on but not our own, how stupid is that /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

I really feel for the wife and mother who has lost her family, but it has very possibly changed my attitude to wearing jackets in the tender.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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[robp]

This sad event was bought home to us as my three boys, working on the boat, witnessed it at close hand. The point is that the conditions were very bad for a dinghy. Even with lifejackets, persons in the water would have needed to be very lucky and reach another vessel within minutes and even then get in and raise the alarm. CG gave the water temparature at 6 or 7 degrees I think. Yes, sensible to have lifejackets but where do you go with regulation - don't allow someone to take a dinghy out in that weather?

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[claymore]

OK - I'm telling you - you HAVE to wear a lifejacket.

That should keep the place a bit tidier.

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Claymore
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[longjohnsilver]

Ah but how are you gonna enforce your new rule?

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[claymore]

I don't have to, you volunteered and so as a nice honourable Pirate who keeps their word........

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Claymore
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[longjohnsilver]

As per usual, total claptrap from our resident lecherer!

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[graham]

You could save more lives if everyone crossing the road had to wear a high vis jacket .

More people drown from beaches than from boats so lets close the beaches.

Problem is most accidents occur in the home so if we all stay in and watch TV were in real danger.



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[StephenSails]

I feel sadness for the people involved but I think a compulsory lifejacket rule might have not helped in this particular. Anyone looking at Chimet.co.uk at the moment will see that the water temperture is in the low single figures at the and so I doubt one would survive very long in such cold water. The lifejackets would have given them maybe minutes extra at a guess?



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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Or, it could have been the difference between two dark heads bobbing about or two bright higher in the water yellow reflective lifejackets in the water; thus raising the alarm far sooner to a passer by?

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

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[claymore]

Now look here Parrot face, If Jimi comes north this year he'll be sailing right past you and then you're in trouble right up to your stump

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Claymore
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[Cornishman]

Ah! Well, if you are going to come up with rather questionable statistics here is another one:
The most dangerous time in yachting is the trip 'twixt shore and yacht in the dinghy. I was taught that when I first started way back when? and nobody has either disagreed over all those years nor could anybody back up that statement with any figures. I still believe it to be true, though, which is why as a skipper of long standing I have always insisted on the wearing of lifejackets when in the tender. Trouble is, what do you do with the darned thing while in the pub, shop, etc?
And just how would you feel if, as skipper, you lost a crew member whose life could have been saved by wearing one? After all, it's your responsibility.

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[chas]

Lots and lots and lots of extra bureaucrats

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[MrG]

To back up this statement 'twixt shore and yacht', thats the only time I've had anyone fall in the water.
It was Braye harbour and we'd just been for a meal in the First and Last.
We were both wearing lifejackets in the tender,SWMBO missed her footing on a slippery sugar scoop, She went straight down and under, but she was able to climb the ladder within seconds..... Then I was able to give her a good rub down, but thats another story.

We wear lifejackets because its good seamanship to do so and because I'm responsible for my crews safety, If there were laws to say I / we SHALL wear lifejackets then it somehow shifts that responsibilty to the nanny state, which would be the thin end of the wedge...

Most accidents happen due to a combination of small issues, any one of which could prevent a bad outcome.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>Mark

 

[longjohnsilver]

You'd better look at a map (us sailors call them charts) and you'll see that Exmouth is not north of Southampton, unless of course he's taking the long route! Even then he'd never find his way into the Exe, I'd go and hide all the buoys.

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