thinwater
Well-known member
Have you considered taking up walking instead? Perhaps within the confines of your yard?
Have you ever been overboard - unplanned?
- Thread starter LadyInBed
- Start date
Have you considered taking up walking instead? Perhaps within the confines of your yard?
Gwylan
Well-known member
Twice
The second we were out from Crinan on an island fixing mooring chains and so on. Anyway, it was getting dark and we wanted to get finished and go home.
One last line, had to go ashore with a line and then walk along the beach and haul the chain and all the gear to a fixing point.
Being super keen, I jumped from the boat onto the little stone quay. The boat lurched and I missed and fell into the water between the heavy wooden boat and the stone quay.
The helm is wondering where the hell I have gone and what to do next. I am anxious about getting bashed by the boat against the quay. Least of my worries.
In landing in the water I planted one foot on a large pointy rock. The crack from my foot passed through my body and arrived at my brain just before the excruciating pain. That is the bit I really remember.
Now I'm up to my chest in freezing sea water and the pain in my foot is making me sweat.
I am taking stock as my colleague joins me.
We are 2 hours with the boat from Crinan and then a while to get to Lochgilphead, where we assume there is a hospital. It's not really a Mayday Call, there is no mobile coverage. It's getting dark. I know I've broken something in my foot or lower leg. Am I bleeding internally?
We decide to make the boat journey back to Crinan and then get to one of the cars and drive to the hospital.
At the hospital there is a nurse on duty, no X ray facilities, it's Friday night. We could drive over to Greenock and see someone there! Maybe not.
Or wait until Monday - well I took the pain killers that were offered and we hunkered down to wait for Monday.
Took my boot off and watched my foot swell.
I was not resident in the UK at the time and have to get myself back to my home in Belgium. Local estimate was that it would be several days in hospital before and after the operation and a long way from any support.
We find a mobile phone signal and contact the insurance company and explain the situation.
Simple, says the girl, get a taxi to Glasgow airport buy a ticket, quote this reference when you send me the bills and it will all be sorted. Phone me from Glasgow and we will pick you up from Brussels.
You cannot fly from Glasgow to Brussels - that's a bit odd for a nation with European intentions, but I digress.
So, phone the nice insurance lady and she says fine, go to Amsterdam and someone will be waiting for you.
Good as their word, I get an entire row to myself, at who knows what cost. I am met at Amsterdam and driven back to Brussels in my personal ambulance.
The following day I see the specialist and she insists that I am admitted to hospital for a week for the swelling to go down before they will operate.
Watched the Tour de France in Flemish with my room mate who explained the complex subtleties of road racing and the TdF.
Get my operation and wake up with pins, plates and wire everywhere in my foot.
Another week and the TdF is over so they send me home.
In the meantime my wife has gone off to Africa for 4 weeks - her trip was supposed to coincide with my Scottish trip and then sailing in The Netherlands.
Home to look after myself.
My 'house doctor' GP was also my land based theory instructor - a regular visitor as a professional and friend, but he kept laughing every time at my amazing stupidity and luck that things were not worse. Then would go on to give me lists if all the things that could have gone much worse or the complications that I could encounter.
Daily physio was to get strength back into my foot and help me recover my sense of balance that seemed to go away in the weeks that has passed. Sadly that was only partially successful and I walk like I'm slightly drunk - people who know me understand others look a bit disapprovingly at me.
The moral of this is the rule on our boat "Step don't Jump" and " if in doubt don't"
I would rather miss a mooring and go around again than have anyone do what I did or risk injury being a bit 'gung ho'
Why? Because my foot hurts most days and is an amazing rain predictor.
Over the intervening time I have had other operations to reduce the pain and remove bits of hardware. Pins have migrated out of my ankle which is not a pretty sight. Also it need someone else with a strong stomach and sterilised pliers to remove them when they appear.
That's my experience of dinghies and my foolishness.
The second we were out from Crinan on an island fixing mooring chains and so on. Anyway, it was getting dark and we wanted to get finished and go home.
One last line, had to go ashore with a line and then walk along the beach and haul the chain and all the gear to a fixing point.
Being super keen, I jumped from the boat onto the little stone quay. The boat lurched and I missed and fell into the water between the heavy wooden boat and the stone quay.
The helm is wondering where the hell I have gone and what to do next. I am anxious about getting bashed by the boat against the quay. Least of my worries.
In landing in the water I planted one foot on a large pointy rock. The crack from my foot passed through my body and arrived at my brain just before the excruciating pain. That is the bit I really remember.
Now I'm up to my chest in freezing sea water and the pain in my foot is making me sweat.
I am taking stock as my colleague joins me.
We are 2 hours with the boat from Crinan and then a while to get to Lochgilphead, where we assume there is a hospital. It's not really a Mayday Call, there is no mobile coverage. It's getting dark. I know I've broken something in my foot or lower leg. Am I bleeding internally?
We decide to make the boat journey back to Crinan and then get to one of the cars and drive to the hospital.
At the hospital there is a nurse on duty, no X ray facilities, it's Friday night. We could drive over to Greenock and see someone there! Maybe not.
Or wait until Monday - well I took the pain killers that were offered and we hunkered down to wait for Monday.
Took my boot off and watched my foot swell.
I was not resident in the UK at the time and have to get myself back to my home in Belgium. Local estimate was that it would be several days in hospital before and after the operation and a long way from any support.
We find a mobile phone signal and contact the insurance company and explain the situation.
Simple, says the girl, get a taxi to Glasgow airport buy a ticket, quote this reference when you send me the bills and it will all be sorted. Phone me from Glasgow and we will pick you up from Brussels.
You cannot fly from Glasgow to Brussels - that's a bit odd for a nation with European intentions, but I digress.
So, phone the nice insurance lady and she says fine, go to Amsterdam and someone will be waiting for you.
Good as their word, I get an entire row to myself, at who knows what cost. I am met at Amsterdam and driven back to Brussels in my personal ambulance.
The following day I see the specialist and she insists that I am admitted to hospital for a week for the swelling to go down before they will operate.
Watched the Tour de France in Flemish with my room mate who explained the complex subtleties of road racing and the TdF.
Get my operation and wake up with pins, plates and wire everywhere in my foot.
Another week and the TdF is over so they send me home.
In the meantime my wife has gone off to Africa for 4 weeks - her trip was supposed to coincide with my Scottish trip and then sailing in The Netherlands.
Home to look after myself.
My 'house doctor' GP was also my land based theory instructor - a regular visitor as a professional and friend, but he kept laughing every time at my amazing stupidity and luck that things were not worse. Then would go on to give me lists if all the things that could have gone much worse or the complications that I could encounter.
Daily physio was to get strength back into my foot and help me recover my sense of balance that seemed to go away in the weeks that has passed. Sadly that was only partially successful and I walk like I'm slightly drunk - people who know me understand others look a bit disapprovingly at me.
The moral of this is the rule on our boat "Step don't Jump" and " if in doubt don't"
I would rather miss a mooring and go around again than have anyone do what I did or risk injury being a bit 'gung ho'
Why? Because my foot hurts most days and is an amazing rain predictor.
Over the intervening time I have had other operations to reduce the pain and remove bits of hardware. Pins have migrated out of my ankle which is not a pretty sight. Also it need someone else with a strong stomach and sterilised pliers to remove them when they appear.
That's my experience of dinghies and my foolishness.
prv
Well-known member
Never been in off a yacht, tender, pontoon, etc.
Obviously various water sports where you half expect it, like paddleboarding, which don’t count.
Only time I can think of where I’ve unexpectedly ended up in the water off a boat was being bounced out of a zapcat in a turn across a wake. It was a surprise, and I nearly lost my glasses, but it was an exciting enough experience that I did it again on purpose (after warning the helmsman this time). I was wearing a drysuit, which floated me comfortably enough that I felt no need to set off the manual lifejacket I was wearing.
Pete
Obviously various water sports where you half expect it, like paddleboarding, which don’t count.
Only time I can think of where I’ve unexpectedly ended up in the water off a boat was being bounced out of a zapcat in a turn across a wake. It was a surprise, and I nearly lost my glasses, but it was an exciting enough experience that I did it again on purpose (after warning the helmsman this time). I was wearing a drysuit, which floated me comfortably enough that I felt no need to set off the manual lifejacket I was wearing.
Pete
RupertW
Well-known member
My wife has fallen in numerous times after a few drinks but I’ve only gone in once accidentally once. We’d had a rough long trip across half of Biscsy from Santander to La Rochelle and I was so relieved to dock at the marina that when I stepped onto the finger pontoon and couldn’t hold the boat against the wind I just held the rope in one hand and the pontoon cleat in the other and let myself fall in the water and didn’t mind getting wet at all.
That was the moment I learnt to get a turn round a pontoon cleat.
That was the moment I learnt to get a turn round a pontoon cleat.
rotrax
Well-known member
Both First Mate and I went overboard big time when writing the cheque for our current boat!
Fell out of the Lockeepers punt in Marlow Weirpool while fishing once, and fell forward into the water while freeing a stemmed up narrowboat just below Slapton on the GU Canal. Slapstick stuff - as I pushed the bow went backwards and I moved lower and stretched more. The boat became free and I fell into the canal on my face.
Fell out of the Lockeepers punt in Marlow Weirpool while fishing once, and fell forward into the water while freeing a stemmed up narrowboat just below Slapton on the GU Canal. Slapstick stuff - as I pushed the bow went backwards and I moved lower and stretched more. The boat became free and I fell into the canal on my face.
Wansworth
Well-known member
Happened to my late parents,Attempting to board from the dinghy somehow the tide seerated the dinghy from the boat my mother left hanging from the guard rails father not strong enough to sort problem out,luckily a nearby yachtsman saw the situation and came over and helped but both parents both well shaken and soon after they gave up sailing.
BigJoe
Member
Yes.
I was a teenager and crewing on a Dragon in the mid to late 70" taking part in a multi-boat regatta in the Forth Estuary.
We were close-hauled and on starboard tack when the pulpit of an Achilles 24 miraculously came crashing through our foresail, hitting me in the chest and knocking me into the water.
I was picked up by a rib and returned to dry land, thankful that my oversized heavily padded lifejacket cushioned the blow.
I was a teenager and crewing on a Dragon in the mid to late 70" taking part in a multi-boat regatta in the Forth Estuary.
We were close-hauled and on starboard tack when the pulpit of an Achilles 24 miraculously came crashing through our foresail, hitting me in the chest and knocking me into the water.
I was picked up by a rib and returned to dry land, thankful that my oversized heavily padded lifejacket cushioned the blow.
DownWest
Well-known member
Went over in March, boat blew away in the brisk wind, so I inflated the LJ and started swimming to shore, on my back, so slowly, in full clobber . Pushed the LJ to make it more central for the long haul and the mouth inflation valve blew out... Thinking that things might get a bit tricky now, I managed to puff some more air into it and held the tube closed with one hand. Shore was about 400mtrs and when I finally got there, I could not use my legs, so just lay in the shallow water until I could crawl up the beach.
Stemar
Well-known member
Twice, not counting racing dinghies.
Once from a pontoon. I was sighted crew on a jaunt to take blind people sailing. We moored up at the Royal Harwich on the Orwell and had dinner in the clubhouse. Coming back, we hear a splash and hollering. One of the blind people and his guide have stepped off the pontoon and are now swimming. We haul them out and get them sorted. I take the blind guy's wallet and dry it out with a hair dryer. Coming back with the dry wallet, I arrive at their boat and turn onto the finger pontoon. I step out in full confidence that there will be wood under my foot. There isn't. Fortunately I'm a good swimmer and comfortable in the water, so I think, "Oh, I'm in, no, under the water. Better just wait until I surface, which I do. Once I'm out, I look at where I went in. There's a spring from the next boat that's exactly where you'd expect the edge of the finger to be, but no, this is the first of the narrow fingers towards the end of the pontoon, so what's there is wood coloured water. Even knowing what was going on, it wasn't obvious and it had fooled two people, neither of whom had drunk significant amounts of alcohol.
The second time was while the boat was on a mooring. No 2 Son had come with me to go out sailing, but it was a bit too blowy, so the original plan wasn't on. He was disappointed, so I though a little trip from Hardway to Langstone, where we could pick up a buoy for lunch, would at least get him out on the water. I tow my flubber and on the way out, had forgotten to tilt the outboard out of the water, so while we were moored, I got in the dinghy to tip it up. As I went to get back on the boat, the dinghy moved back from under me. "Oh, I could get wet here." "Oh, I'm going to get wet here." "Oh, I am wet here" The boarding ladder on the stern was tied up, with a little fender across it to protect the dinghy and wasn't going to come undone. I need a knife. I have one in my trouser pocket, but I'm wearing my oily trousers, so it isn't accessible. Fortunately No2 Son is a strong lad, and he heaves me up, so no harm done but, had I been alone, it could have been nasty. It was a blustery day in October, so no one else about and there was quite a strong current. If I'd let go of the boat, next stop, the Solent. Since then, I've been a bit fanatical about ensuring a boarding ladder can be got down unaided by someone in the water.
In neither case was I wearing a lifejacket, but in neither case, would one have been any help, indeed, I was better off without as I was able to move more easily without, but I regard them as exceptional cases, and I still try to treat my lifejacket like I do my seat belt in the car - putting it on automatically, even if I'm only going to get the boat from my mooring.
Once from a pontoon. I was sighted crew on a jaunt to take blind people sailing. We moored up at the Royal Harwich on the Orwell and had dinner in the clubhouse. Coming back, we hear a splash and hollering. One of the blind people and his guide have stepped off the pontoon and are now swimming. We haul them out and get them sorted. I take the blind guy's wallet and dry it out with a hair dryer. Coming back with the dry wallet, I arrive at their boat and turn onto the finger pontoon. I step out in full confidence that there will be wood under my foot. There isn't. Fortunately I'm a good swimmer and comfortable in the water, so I think, "Oh, I'm in, no, under the water. Better just wait until I surface, which I do. Once I'm out, I look at where I went in. There's a spring from the next boat that's exactly where you'd expect the edge of the finger to be, but no, this is the first of the narrow fingers towards the end of the pontoon, so what's there is wood coloured water. Even knowing what was going on, it wasn't obvious and it had fooled two people, neither of whom had drunk significant amounts of alcohol.
The second time was while the boat was on a mooring. No 2 Son had come with me to go out sailing, but it was a bit too blowy, so the original plan wasn't on. He was disappointed, so I though a little trip from Hardway to Langstone, where we could pick up a buoy for lunch, would at least get him out on the water. I tow my flubber and on the way out, had forgotten to tilt the outboard out of the water, so while we were moored, I got in the dinghy to tip it up. As I went to get back on the boat, the dinghy moved back from under me. "Oh, I could get wet here." "Oh, I'm going to get wet here." "Oh, I am wet here" The boarding ladder on the stern was tied up, with a little fender across it to protect the dinghy and wasn't going to come undone. I need a knife. I have one in my trouser pocket, but I'm wearing my oily trousers, so it isn't accessible. Fortunately No2 Son is a strong lad, and he heaves me up, so no harm done but, had I been alone, it could have been nasty. It was a blustery day in October, so no one else about and there was quite a strong current. If I'd let go of the boat, next stop, the Solent. Since then, I've been a bit fanatical about ensuring a boarding ladder can be got down unaided by someone in the water.
In neither case was I wearing a lifejacket, but in neither case, would one have been any help, indeed, I was better off without as I was able to move more easily without, but I regard them as exceptional cases, and I still try to treat my lifejacket like I do my seat belt in the car - putting it on automatically, even if I'm only going to get the boat from my mooring.
Juan Twothree
Well-known member
At least you all fell into water.
A few years ago, someone slipped off the deck of their yacht moored in a tidal creek, and landed feet first in the mud between the yacht and the wooden staging. He was well and truly stuck, with his mobile phone still on the boat. It was 6 o'clock in the evening, in December, with hardly anyone around, and the tide was flooding.
Eventually, after an hour, a dog walker heard his shouts for help, and alerted the emergency services. The CG and fire brigade got him out, whilst the lifeboat stood by.
Another half an hour and he'd have been under water.
A few years ago, someone slipped off the deck of their yacht moored in a tidal creek, and landed feet first in the mud between the yacht and the wooden staging. He was well and truly stuck, with his mobile phone still on the boat. It was 6 o'clock in the evening, in December, with hardly anyone around, and the tide was flooding.
Eventually, after an hour, a dog walker heard his shouts for help, and alerted the emergency services. The CG and fire brigade got him out, whilst the lifeboat stood by.
Another half an hour and he'd have been under water.
kof
Active member
Years ago , when I were a young lad, I was bow man on a big IOR boat. Reaching down the start line for a race and we came port and starboard with another equal size boat - long story short, we hit at speed, bow to bow, with our bow embedded in the bow of the other. Everything from the pulpit back about 6 feet was ripped off our deck. One second I was running back away from the bow, then I was in the water. I had been hit in the back by the forestay and all its bits being ripped away and flying back.
No lifejacket on, boots filled with water so I got rid of them. Unfortunately I ended up between the boats and as the bow of one disengaged from the other I was going to get squeezed between the two. A hand came down and I grabbed it and ended up flopped in the cockpit of the other boat. As we sailed away I said to myself, great - I got away with that one. Then I looked down below and saw the floorboards floating and water rushing in every time we dipped and heeled over. Time to change boats again.
No lifejacket on, boots filled with water so I got rid of them. Unfortunately I ended up between the boats and as the bow of one disengaged from the other I was going to get squeezed between the two. A hand came down and I grabbed it and ended up flopped in the cockpit of the other boat. As we sailed away I said to myself, great - I got away with that one. Then I looked down below and saw the floorboards floating and water rushing in every time we dipped and heeled over. Time to change boats again.
LittleSister
Well-known member
For exactly that reason (and others) I prefer a foam buoyancy aid to a lifejacket when using the dinghy. Provides a lesser (though helpful) degree of buoyancy, but enables one to swim or climb a ladder, etc. much more easily.
Mark-1
Well-known member
Dinghy sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and general dicking about (and sailing in the Med): About a gazzilion times.
Off a big boat in the UK in clothing: Twice. Both with the boat safely moored in sheltered water. First time as a 10yo. Second time was micturition syncope while weeing over the side at Easter a couple of years back. No life jacket in either case.
My son as a baby/toddler has been in twice off a kayak - he sees something in the water leans over to get it and goes in head first. First time he wasn't really old enough to understand that what happened wasn't perfectly normal, second time there were tears. He was wearing a LJ both times which gave something to pull him out by.
Off a big boat in the UK in clothing: Twice. Both with the boat safely moored in sheltered water. First time as a 10yo. Second time was micturition syncope while weeing over the side at Easter a couple of years back. No life jacket in either case.
My son as a baby/toddler has been in twice off a kayak - he sees something in the water leans over to get it and goes in head first. First time he wasn't really old enough to understand that what happened wasn't perfectly normal, second time there were tears. He was wearing a LJ both times which gave something to pull him out by.
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Elessar
Well-known member
love your hose longer than the pontoon tale ?
Ignoring the countless in sailing dinghys and from windsurfers - twice.
Once turning a friends boat in the marina with no engine, on the side deck I grabbed the handrail which was covered by canvas. Sploosh.
Once in Dartmouth getting out of the tender onto the harbour wall ladder. In full sight of the queue for the ferry. They all showed their appreciation
I always look where ladders are in a marina because it’s the most likely pace to fall in. My own boat has a ladder that can be deployed from the water. It almost certainly saved the life of someone who fell in in February alone in a marina with no ladders. He knew my boat and was near it thankfully.
In Thames marinas with no ladders they tie ribbons to the boat ladders that can be deployed from the water. Community self help.
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Stemar
Well-known member
Good idea, but better would be for all ladders to be deployable from the water. I'd also question how not having ladders in marinas squares with the duty of care the management owes to users of the marina. If I'm not mistaken, reasonable precautions have to be taken and ladders seem to me to be a reasonable precaution.
Elessar
Well-known member
Have to agree with you.
But we are where we are and the ribbon solution is a good sticking plaster.
The south coast marina that I said has no ladders actually has them but they have to be deployed by someone standing on the marina.
So if you are in the water alone it effectively has no ladders which is a particularly stupid situation. They could be all put into and left in the deployed position at zero cost.
I worry about marina “duty of care” going too far. My marina tried to tell me that I couldn’t go to my boat when the pontoons were icy for example. Tried being the operative word.
V1701
Well-known member
It's not big and clever to cycle along the main pontoon and turn on to your pontoon finger, the wheels of your bicycle can slide from under you and you can fall in the sea. I shall say no more than that...
LadyInBed
Well-known member
I once watched a chap extract and assemble his folding bike with great aplomb, then cycle off along the pontoon - the wrong way!
He looked a little sheepish as he cycled back
elton
Well-known member
After brushing off the weed around the waterline, I tried to climb the boarding ladder, and as I stepped out, the toy dinghy flipped over, depositing me straight in the drink. I didn't need the LJ, but you can't be too careful. The other time was when my boat was destroyed on Boulby rocks, and I got even wetter than this. I was so wet in fact, one of the nurses at Middlesbrough hospital suspected me of peeing my pants on the emergency trolley.
