ghostlymoron
Well-Known Member
My point was that it's hardly worth starting the engine to cover 200ydsQuote> so we were faced with 200 yard row <Quote
I wonder what Dylan used to row with then?
Fail safe - fail dangerous
- Thread starter dylanwinter
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I wonder how many of these involved being ejected from a dinghy powered by a 2.3 hp egg beater.
My guess is not a lot.
prv
Well-Known Member
Depends on the dinghy - mine doesn't row worth a damn. Also, in an inflatable particularly, depends on the wind.
Pete
prv
Well-Known Member
I accidentally ejected my passenger from a 2.3hp dinghy once - fortunately he landed on the pontoon we had just hit, rather than in the water.
If my outboard had a kill cord I'd use it, but it doesn't and I'm not rushing to fit one.
Pete
Elessar
Well-Known Member
my murcury has an on off switch
you can attach the kill cord to the switch if you wish, or not if you wish
best of both worlds
and no more dangerous than a kill cord left dangling
and safer when cord breaks or wearer falls overboard
mlines
Well-Known Member
in a similar vein but a larger boat and larger engine/prop.
Why is there not a kill cord alarm that sounds when the kill cord has been activated??
Having played around Solent we returned to Yarmouth, stopped in the entrance to chat to the HM. Could not restart and began drifting (quickly) into side of ferry. Started to throw ropes to HM to pull us from danger when we noticed the Kill Cord had pulled from the switch as the skipper (correctly wearing the kill cord) had lent over to speak to HM. The urgency of the threat of hitting the ferry meant we overlooked the obvious reason why the engine stopped.
Why is there not a kill cord alarm that sounds when the kill cord has been activated??
Having played around Solent we returned to Yarmouth, stopped in the entrance to chat to the HM. Could not restart and began drifting (quickly) into side of ferry. Started to throw ropes to HM to pull us from danger when we noticed the Kill Cord had pulled from the switch as the skipper (correctly wearing the kill cord) had lent over to speak to HM. The urgency of the threat of hitting the ferry meant we overlooked the obvious reason why the engine stopped.
Storyline
Well-Known Member
Seem to remember a few years back a yachtsman falling out of his dinghy which then proceeded to motor away from him - think he died
From memory I do not think he was going particularly fast.
Never used to wear a kill cord but now it is de rigueur.
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MikeBz
Well-Known Member
I would never rely on a small outboard motor for my safety!
Robin
Well-Known Member
When we had a Honda 2hp with one of those kill cord thingies, I taped a spare one inside the engine cover for just such an eventuality, also had a spare shear pin taped there. WE now have a mercury 9.9 on a RIB and have a spare cord and basic toolkit in the fitted underseat bag.[/SMUG]
sailorman
Well-Known Member
The Honda comes with a spare grass box :ambivalence:
dylanwinter
Well-Known Member
smug
dear smug,
so how is your spare kill cord gonna help with this problem
http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/kill-cord-button.jpg
dear smug,
so how is your spare kill cord gonna help with this problem
http://www.keepturningleft.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/kill-cord-button.jpg
mrming
Well-Known Member
As usual, half the armchair safety crew haven't even read the (very short) thread properly *sigh*.
wully1
Well-Known Member
Most inflatable dinghies are utter rubbish to row - paddling them open canoe style works better that the carp oars supplied- if there are two aboard. If the OBM isn't working then even a short row can be problematic in dark, misty, breezy conditions.
prv
Well-Known Member
+1
I always carry an anchor in mine (in an old flare box along with various other gear) because I'm not convinced I could make headway against a stiff breeze with the oars.
Pete
rob2
Well-Known Member
It's probably a good idea to consider all options before embarking on even a short journey in an inflatable. Most of mine have been on a river just to get to the mooring, so if the outboard fails I'm on the lookout for the nearest mooring downwind or landing place in that sector. It's a strain to row an inflatable any distance, but going downwind you only have to contribute the element needed to get you directly upwind of your target. I've drifted happily a mile up the river on the wind, just gently paddling across the stream to achive the track required.
Nothing is more miserable than carrying a dead outboard, especially if you still have it dragging in the water whilst desperately rowing out of danger. It doesn't help the OP's given situation, but I thought I'd mention that I no longer bother with a killcord key, just a length of sash cord wrapped half a turn under the button and round my ankle. It's thick enough to make the contact, pulls out easily and is more comfortable if you sit on it.
I guess most of us have seen the suggestions on improving the rowing performance of an inflatable in PBO. I'm now looking for a suitable strong plastic box as a seat and a brace for my feet (the most tiring part of the wrong posture for me). I'm also considering the design of a cross brace to attach to the built in rowlocks offering greater beam across the rowlocks so I can use oars about 50% longer - the really difficult part is trying to avoid a load of clutter to carry in the car to achieve it!
Rob.
Nothing is more miserable than carrying a dead outboard, especially if you still have it dragging in the water whilst desperately rowing out of danger. It doesn't help the OP's given situation, but I thought I'd mention that I no longer bother with a killcord key, just a length of sash cord wrapped half a turn under the button and round my ankle. It's thick enough to make the contact, pulls out easily and is more comfortable if you sit on it.
I guess most of us have seen the suggestions on improving the rowing performance of an inflatable in PBO. I'm now looking for a suitable strong plastic box as a seat and a brace for my feet (the most tiring part of the wrong posture for me). I'm also considering the design of a cross brace to attach to the built in rowlocks offering greater beam across the rowlocks so I can use oars about 50% longer - the really difficult part is trying to avoid a load of clutter to carry in the car to achieve it!
Rob.
William_H
Well-Known Member
Infaltables do not row well. We had a case some years back of an elderly couple rowing a short distance back to their moored boat after a party ashore at night. The wind was behind them and it seems they were blown past the boat and failed to attach. The inflatable could not be rowed against the wind. They both perished the inflatable and one body being found about 20 miles down wind the other never found. The moral is be very careful of relying on rowing an inflatable.
Regarding kill cords. The manufacturer provides them and rightly so I think. The operator can decide for himself which is the greater danger falling out of the boat or having an engine failure. I have not seen a failure like Dylan's. It might be worth any owner researching if the wires need to be cut from the switch or shorted together to get the motor going in an emergency. After this failure Dylan might have been safer staying ashore rather than rowing. Certainly he should have made a realistic assessment of the situation before rowing. good luck Dylan olewill
Regarding kill cords. The manufacturer provides them and rightly so I think. The operator can decide for himself which is the greater danger falling out of the boat or having an engine failure. I have not seen a failure like Dylan's. It might be worth any owner researching if the wires need to be cut from the switch or shorted together to get the motor going in an emergency. After this failure Dylan might have been safer staying ashore rather than rowing. Certainly he should have made a realistic assessment of the situation before rowing. good luck Dylan olewill
BlueChip
Well-Known Member
Regarding kill cords, here's a tip you may find useful.
If you lose your kill cord a small length of line looped around the switch works just as well.
I have a bowline in the end of the safety line securing the engine to the transom, put that round my wrist and then loop the line round the switch.
It works fine and nothing to lose or get stolen.
If you lose your kill cord a small length of line looped around the switch works just as well.
I have a bowline in the end of the safety line securing the engine to the transom, put that round my wrist and then loop the line round the switch.
It works fine and nothing to lose or get stolen.
lw395
Well-Known Member
I would regard the ob not starting as 'very annoying' rather than dangerous.
If rowing is not an option, to the point where not having the motor working is actually dangerous, should you be out there in your inflatable?
I'm not talking about being inconvenienced, like having to pay for a water taxi in Salcombe, or being stuck in Gosport and needing to scrounge a favour to get towed back, but actual danger, like being swept out to sea.
If your dinghy does not row adequately to survive, perhaps the oars etc can be improved?
Or are you asking too much of it?
My ob is great, and it saves me a lot of effort sometimes, but I don't think I routinely rely on it to keep me out of 'proper' serious danger.
My dinghy is an AX3, which is moderately rowable, there are better and worse.
Longer oars would help.
But if say being swept out to sea is a serious possibility, perhaps it's time to carry and anchor and warp, phone and VHF, flares?
At times, the best safety is being in company with another boat, e.g. crossing Portsmouth Harbour?
If rowing is not an option, to the point where not having the motor working is actually dangerous, should you be out there in your inflatable?
I'm not talking about being inconvenienced, like having to pay for a water taxi in Salcombe, or being stuck in Gosport and needing to scrounge a favour to get towed back, but actual danger, like being swept out to sea.
If your dinghy does not row adequately to survive, perhaps the oars etc can be improved?
Or are you asking too much of it?
My ob is great, and it saves me a lot of effort sometimes, but I don't think I routinely rely on it to keep me out of 'proper' serious danger.
My dinghy is an AX3, which is moderately rowable, there are better and worse.
Longer oars would help.
But if say being swept out to sea is a serious possibility, perhaps it's time to carry and anchor and warp, phone and VHF, flares?
At times, the best safety is being in company with another boat, e.g. crossing Portsmouth Harbour?
rob2
Well-Known Member
OK, so we've discussed self rescue and the next is alerting help if the plan goes t*ts up. Quite a few people have laughed at me, not for wearing a lifejacket in the tender but for insisting on carrying a handheld VHF. Most journeys are within an anchorage with plenty of others around us so a call on the VHF is likely to get someone willing to come and haul us back without recourse to the RNLI or other local rescue service. Going further afield, such as being alone in an anchorage, I'd consider it all the more important - it's no good waving your arms about if no-one is around to see you.
One of the things I found strange recently is that RIBS used for RYA training courses don't have a secondary engine. I might be able to manouvre a few yards to a mooring with the mandatory paddle, but if the engine expired a mile offshore and the battery wasn't up to snuff for the VHF then you might as well be up sh*t creek even with the paddle supplied. I've looked at the options available on a new-build RIB and none seem to offer a place to stow a small back-up outboard. Up to 5m I'd expect to be able to limp home quite effectively with 3.3 or 5hp engine - doubly so if it can use the fuel from the main engine.
Rob.
One of the things I found strange recently is that RIBS used for RYA training courses don't have a secondary engine. I might be able to manouvre a few yards to a mooring with the mandatory paddle, but if the engine expired a mile offshore and the battery wasn't up to snuff for the VHF then you might as well be up sh*t creek even with the paddle supplied. I've looked at the options available on a new-build RIB and none seem to offer a place to stow a small back-up outboard. Up to 5m I'd expect to be able to limp home quite effectively with 3.3 or 5hp engine - doubly so if it can use the fuel from the main engine.
Rob.
prv
Well-Known Member
Exactly. I do carry an anchor and warp (the warp doubles as an extra mooring line if the painter is insufficient for some reason), I will usually have a phone on me if going ashore, and there is a single red hand-flare in the dinghy box along with the torch, locking cable, repair clamp, etc. I don't carry a VHF, which I agree is probably more use than the phone, but hopefully letting off the flare would attract attention from other occupied boats just as well. Most people I think turn off the VHF once moored or anchored.
Pete