Dinghy to shore drowning

[alant]

Well it's a good start wearing a lifejacket, but if suffering a heart attack / stroke / fit while floating out into the dark in a very rough huge bay, I still suggest a means of attracting attention is also essential if one can manage it.

A torch is always handy and I always carry a small led job ashore or afloat, but for Mayday situations like this I suggest a day /night hand flare or much better a waterproof handheld VHF would be the real life saver.

Also I'd suggest if one gets the dinghy inverted it should be utmost priority Plan A to swim sideways to the current / wind and get to an anchored boat if at all possible and get help, the difficult decision would be to leave an inverted dinghy to it but it's essential to do so if there's help in sight...

In the case of this desperately unlucky skipper at Studland he was not doing anything other than we've all done, including the most vociferous lifejacket proponents.

In my and most cases I'd suggest we can't leave flares on our tenders, and in such a situation it woud be pure luck if someone saw a flare anyway.

I still don't understand why mobile phones aren't waterproof except very expensive models, so the current answer seems to be a waterproof handheld VHF on a lanyard to the tender operators' lifejacket; a torch is always handy too, I carry a small LED one 24/7 and recommend it.

There was a case a year or two ago of a speedboat which broke down off the South coast, they shone their lighted mobile phones to the shore and someone spotted them, then had the brains to call the coastguard; a remarkably lucky escape for them compared to the subject of this thread who was no doubt an experienced sailor.

Close enough inshore so that someone could see their mobile phone lights, which they casualties cleverly shone, but the casualties themselves didn't have the sense to dial 999!

 

[Croak]

.

It is hard to see how anyone can justify not wearing a lifejacket for tender transfers in UK water temperatures.

It beggars belief that anyone should think it is OK to expose young children to this kind of risk.

The monumentally stupid arguments put forward by the non-wearers seem to indicate to me that (sadly) legislation is probably necessary. """"Anyone else with an interest in this subject reading this thread is likely to come to the same conclusion.""""""

If you don't want legislation then perhaps you should just shut up about your own bravado instead of continually braying about it, as would-be legislators would have a field day with the nonsense posted on here.


- W

It is the section highlighted with the inverted commas that I have a problem with. Have your own opinion by all means, but don't back it up with a bull****.

 

[alant]

Some people keep repeating the same old mantra...along with bobbing along in your lifejacket you'll need a means of attracting attention, yes YOU ! A waterproof handheld VHF and a waterproof torch ( useful on shore too ) seems the best bet...

If your out at night/dark, surely you would have an LJ with light attached perhaps?

 

[webcraft]

It is the section highlighted with the inverted commas that I have a problem with. Have your own opinion by all means, but don't back it up with a bull****.

I was thinking in particular of the poster who thinks it is OK for his kids to travel in a tender without a lifejacket. Few H&S-minded would-be legislators would fail to pounce on that one with glee.

- W

 

[Talulah]

Close enough inshore so that someone could see their mobile phone lights, which they casualties cleverly shone, but the casualties themselves didn't have the sense to dial 999!

Maybe they had run out of PAYG and didn't realise 999 was for free.

 

[fireball]

I was thinking in particular of the poster who thinks it is OK for his kids to travel in a tender without a lifejacket. Few H&S-minded would-be legislators would fail to pounce on that one with glee.

Do you know the age of the kids and their abilities?
Do you know the tender make/model - and what it's stability is like?
Do you know the water where it is used?

Don't base your judgement on scant facts.

 

[webcraft]

I accept there is a difference. But equally some people are very steady in their small inflatable while others are very unsteady stepping on/off water taxi. I have seen a few people 'fall' into a water taxi where drink has been involved.
Can't you accept that some people are quite capable of doing things for themselves without having all the 'safety features'.

I find your attitude unusual for someone who is the principle of an RYA sailing school. Do you insist on lifejackets in the tender when running courses, or do you leave it up to the individual?

- W

 

[Croak]

I was thinking in particular of the poster who thinks it is OK for his kids to travel in a tender without a lifejacket. Few H&S-minded would-be legislators would fail to pounce on that one with glee.

- W

I think he would most likely disagree....

I can't understand when one changes from:- I have a good idea and I'm going to tell everyone about it.

To:- I am right and everyone must do as I say.


Educate, don't legislate.

I wear my flotation device most of the time, when I am in my tender, but not when I am swimming from it.

I am with Fireball on this one.

 

[Talulah]

I find your attitude unusual for someone who is the principle of an RYA sailing school. Do you insist on lifejackets in the tender when running courses, or do you leave it up to the individual?

- W

Lifejackets are required in the tender when running courses. The occupants are not experienced, not familiar with the 'bobbing' about and generally feel unstable.
However, if I were taking guests on board who were experienced in such things I would leave it up to them. I may make recommendations.

 

[webcraft]

I think he would most likely disagree....


Educate, don't legislate.

Those children ARE being educated. They are being taught that it is OK to use the tender without a lifejacket.

- W

 

[Croak]

Those children ARE being educated. They are being taught that it is OK to use the tender without a lifejacket.

- W

Which it is in certain situations.

 

[webcraft]

.
My view is slightly coloured because I pulled someone out of the water ten days ago who had gone in from a tender and was NOT wearing a lifejacket and who - all the witnesses agree - was most likely going to drown shortly without assistance.

This gentleman was truculent, abusive and adamant that he didn't need to be rescued. Some of the posters on here remind me of him.



- W

 

[chanelyacht]

, the CG is (soon to be) centralised somewhere and will have to call a man-in-a-van.

999 Coastguard is a good choice.

It won't affect response to your incident - MRCC's have never attended jobs, we've always sent local teams.

 

[Croak]

.
My view is slightly coloured because I pulled someone out of the water ten days ago who had gone in from a tender and was NOT wearing a lifejacket and who - all the witnesses agree - was most likely going to drown shortly without assistance.

This gentleman was truculent, abusive and adamant that he didn't need to be rescued. Some of the posters on here remind me of him.



- W

Do you think he would have been wearing a lifejacket if legislation had been brought in?

 

[Talulah]

It may help to give some examples of when I would/would not wear lifejackets.

Would not:
St Peters Port. Visitors pontoons to walk ashore pontoon.
Yarmouth Harbour inside harbour wall.
Chichester: East Head to beach in calm.

Would:
Yarmouth Harbour. On visitor bouys outside harbour.
Braye Harbour
Chichester: East Head to beach in rough.
Anchored off Herm to beach.

 

[fireball]

.
My view is slightly coloured because I pulled someone out of the water ten days ago who had gone in from a tender and was NOT wearing a lifejacket and who - all the witnesses agree - was most likely going to drown shortly without assistance.

This gentleman was truculent, abusive and adamant that he didn't need to be rescued. Some of the posters on here remind me of him.



- W

Wasn't he drunk?

 

[fireball]

Those children ARE being educated. They are being taught that it is OK to use the tender without a lifejacket.

....

Which it is in certain situations.

Exactly - they are being taught a life skill - how to make judgements on personal safety..

If they are taught when, where and why they should wear a lifejacket then they'll learn to look for the risks. Yes, they may question the judgement - but that is a good thing.

 

[Twister_Ken]

To those who advocate a handheld VHF or a waterproof mobile phone - is there any research that shows how strong a signal (if any) they propagate when soaking wet and 5cm above sea level?

 

[gunman]

Amazed and shocked I am. A lot of this sounds like the rubbish that comes from young drivers who speed on the roads, "Its OK because I am such a great driver, nothing bad would ever happen to me"

Many who don't wear a LJ on a tender say it is because they have evaluated the risk, therefore identifying there is a risk (even a small one). You take your LJ off in your main boat to climb into your tender, all because you think there is less risk???

It's not like you would have to go out of your way or buy extra equipment, you already own it and are quite likely already wearing it. I can see no reason to do this other than ego, sorry! Most acknowledge they are taking a calculated risk, why when you don't have to or can take simple steps to minimise it?

 

[Talulah]

Amazed and shocked I am. A lot of this sounds like the rubbish that comes from young drivers who speed on the roads, "Its OK because I am such a great driver, nothing bad would ever happen to me"

Many who don't wear a LJ on a tender say it is because they have evaluated the risk, therefore identifying there is a risk (even a small one). You take your LJ off in your main boat to climb into your tender, all because you think there is less risk???

It's not like you would have to go out of your way or buy extra equipment, you already own it and are quite likely already wearing it. I can see no reason to do this other than ego, sorry! Most acknowledge they are taking a calculated risk, why when you don't have to or can take simple steps to minimise it?

Well I'll have to disagree because when I decide not to wear a lifejacket when going ashore it's because other risks/inconveniences come into play that outweigh the risk.
i.e Theft of Lifejacket. Hiking with lifejacket. Carrying shopping etc.
Apart from the inconvenience there is the risk that the theft of the lifejacket would prevent me from having one when I really needed it.
I have gone beyond the immediate risks and balanced it against the long term risks.