I do not have enough friends......

[Duster]

To be able to risk losing any more….
It is almost a year since I lost two good boating friends, they were both well qualified, yachtmaster / instructor, with many years experiences each. It was late evening and they were returning to their yacht on its mooring by inflatable dingy, neither were wearing life jackets. No one really knows what happened, it is thought that one fell in as they boarded the yacht and the other went in as he tried to help. Sadly both were found drowned.
As much of my boating is alone, in remote areas, and with this tragedy in my mind, I have become particularly careful to wearing my life jacket whenever I leave the helm. In June this paid off, I had pulled up to the pontoon at the quiet west highland boatyard where I am fortunate enough to keep my boat and, as I stepped on to the pontoon, I tripped/stumbled and fell between it and my boat.
I was holding onto the centre mooring line and my life jacket auto inflated immediately, the water was not particularly cold but I was hyperventilating (shock?) and could not call for help. I do not swim very well and inappropriate clothing (jeans and a baggy jumper) combined with an inflated life jacket does not make swimming any easier. As I was in no immediate danger and my boat was drifting towards the shore and shallow water my reaction was to hang onto the rope and wait until I could walk ashore. As I calmed a little, I threaded the rope through the ring on my life jacket and was starting to release a little slack to allow me to make my way round to the stern boarding ladder. I had only got part way when one of the boatyard staff saw my situation, and came to help in a dingy.
Other than an early bath and slight loss of dignity (which I never had much of anyway) I was none the worse for the experience. However, with no life jacket, an offshore wind, two hours later when the yard staff had gone home, who knows?
I do worry that many boat owners I know and like, travel out to their moorings in tiny dinghies, in all weather, very often without lifejackets. Many of these friends are neither young nor particularly fit and may not be as fortunate as I was if anything went wrong.
So, please could I ask that; even if you do not know me, or know me and do not like me (you may have other friends who would miss you), you wear your life jacket when you are alone or at any risk.
Ps
Yes, I have done sea survival and good as it is, it did little to help me in a solo situation. If you want to help yourself as much as possible, may I also suggest; -
That you try reboarding your boat in your normal clothing and lifejacket? (With help available).
Also, find the whistle with your jacket; I forgot that mine had one until I was repacking it.

Regards, mikej

 

[Allan]

This is one of the few posts on here that I agree with 100%. I have taken quite a few risks in my life, and I have the scars to prove it. Glass eye, small bit of scull missing, arthritis due to previously broken bones etc. I also now love heavy weather sailing and often sail single handed. While I rarely wear a lifejacket while sailing, I wear a harness and hook on, I would not think of going into the dingy without one. I really wish everyone would do the same.
Allan

 

[Major Catastrophe]

Good advice. I am rarely seen without my LJ.

 

[palmeras]

Great advice , I had the same experience the end of 2006 season , slipped and fell between the pontoon and boat , the auto jacket saved me by inflating and stopped the boat crushing me between pontoon & hull. Happened in a split second , so get those jackets on. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Duster]

Thanks Allen, - I am certainly not anti risk taking or an 'elf n safety nut, would not go on the water if I were. I was just surprised how much at risk we can be in what we think of (pontoon on a summer afternoon) as a relatively safe environment.
Also after my very minor incedent it was amazing how many experianced friends said that they too had fallen in doing something innocuouse. The real divider seems to be if help is available - but even that can mean two people are at risk.
Regards mikej

 

[Wiggo]

When RickP and I were doing our YM exam, an old boy fell in between the pontoon and his yacht in East Cowes. No LJ, and no-one else around, so it was fortunate we were on the pontoon at the time...

 

[DAKA]

Good post /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As you move away from the summer months May to Sept and further north July and August I cant help but feel an all in one drysuit is also required as the cold water will kill most off very quickly.

 

[Allan]

When I lived in France I saw a guy laying on the pontoon in the corner of the marina. I thought he was scrubbing the bottom of his boat. After a beer in the yacht club I saw he had not moved, so I went to have a look. He had stepped off his boat onto a cleat and broken his ankle. He could not move with the pain and was too far away for anyone to hear him shouting. Luckily I am a nosy git and went over there.
Allan

 

[Sneds]

Sorry, but that did make me smile /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

What about those floatation suits that fishermen wear, are they any good? Could one be used instead of a LJ?
BTW, no one comes on board BushBaby (if she's gonna move) without one.

 

[No Regrets]

Phew!

As a humble river user, I can only suggest underestimating the inherant dangers of water is not a good move.

I'm so gladyou were thus equiped Mike, and your tale will make me extra vigilant, if it's any consolation for the sad loss of friends.

Cheers. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[holderone]

Couldn't agree more, I saw a man in his fifties struggling to get back onto his boat and then the pontoon after falling in, at first it seemed funny (it was a sunny day) but within a couple of minutes it was obvious he was getting into trouble. We were a long way away to be any immediate help but luckily for him people saw his struggling and got him out. We have always warn life jackets, initially to encourage the kids to do the right thing but since listening to stories like these I really don't know why it isn't second nature for everyone, its not as if the modern life jacket gets in the way.

 

[Ripster]

Very good advice.... I have not been in yet, but its been close and I know how easy it is to make the simplist error! Bimbling out the Harbour at 3k and was just reaching to get that last fender in as I had done 100s times (had a LJ on) and forgot where the rail was! Next thing I fell, winded myself, managed to grab something by luck and scrambled back in - too close for comfort.

We dont move without LJs fitted to all crew!

 

[bilbobaggins]

This is one of the better posts. Yes, I agree...... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Duster]

These suits are great for what they are intended to do. For fishing, recreational or commercial, they are very warm and waterproof, they will make a cold drizzley day on an open boat, quite tolerable. We wear them as foul weather clothing, much cheaper from a fishing tackle shop than a chandelery!!
They can greatly increase survival of exposure but their bouyancy is only that of a bouyancy aid and they will not turn you face up if you are unconciouse.
Regards mikej

 

[Searush]

I hadn't realised how dangerous marinas are! Seriously, I had assumed that the big risk areas were dinghy trips to/ from moored boats & the pub. However, on reflection, I can see that the apparent security of a marina pontoon has its own hazards - possibly aggravated by the appearance of complete safety which lowers one's guard. Perhaps a bit like why the vast majority of car accidents occur within a mile or so of home. Mind you, that may partly be due to most motorists/ boaters spending the majority of their time within a mile or two of home/ in the marina.

Thank you for a thought provoking post. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Duster]

I think that your summary is spot on, that is just what surprised me - summer afternoon, marina pontoon etc. what we would consider a low risk situation.
The biggest hazard seems to be - no one there to help.
Regards mikej

 

[robertjames]

We used to moor our boat just down stream from a weir on the Thames. A few years ago after a long hot summer day we returned to the mooring after midnight. As we approached my wife went to the stern as she had done a hundred times before. I was looking for the bow mooring post and did not notice that in fact he had tripped and fallen in.

It was pitch black and the weir stream was running quite fast. By the time I had realised she was missing I could not see her anywhere. I jumped in myself and by sheer luckwe found each other.

After we returned to the bank with wet wallet, phone, keys and hysterical wife I realised our boat was floating down river all on its own. Yes another trip into the river to collect her. My wife was not wearing a LJ and the result could have been a lot different. We purchased new auto jackets the very next weekend.

 

[Duster]

Thank goodness it was a happy ending.
Regards mikej

 

[Scotty_Tradewind]

Hi Captslow, Your story concerning the dangers of the river, brings to mind an incident I was on the periphery of.
After 45 years of work and play on the Upper reaches of the Thames I know just how dangerous things can be when the stream is fast flowing. As a professional rowing coach in my later years I had just come off the river after coaching a rowing crew. At the stages was a now famous Olympic Gold Medalist just about to go out with another crew as an advisor to their coaches. I made my way over and advised him and the coaches of the dangers on the water that particular morning on a stretch of water that I knew like the back of my hand. I didn't feel thay had taken much heed of my advice and arrogance came to mind.
The crew they were coaching managed to go where I had advised not to and the viii went through the weir with some of the crew, the rest were just able to get out before going through. Thankfully, bruises and a good fright was the extent of the damage and of course the loss of thousands of pounds worth of rowing equipment.
This incident brought about a ruling from the club we represented, that no crews were allowed afloat in any circumstances when the red boards were shown at the locks and weirs.
This meant that very experienced coaches, coxes and crews were denied access to the water for much of the winter in the future.
Arrogance, ignorance and stupidity the cause.
The moral of this is that you shouldn't be on the river in flood conditions if you are not an experienced 'expert'. If you do go afloat in those conditions and it is possible, wear a life jacket!

 

[MrCramp]

Just seen this post as it has been resurected.

I was with the two guys the previous time they were down there, 4 weeks earlier. Instead of going to Felixstowe Ferry at the mouth of the river Deben, we went up near Woodbridge and picked up a mooring.

Our fourth mate picked us up in his dinghy and we went up the river for 7/8 minutes until we reached the landing stage so we could walk to the pubs in Woodbridge. It was a dark October night. Two of us allways wear life jackets (as does the dog that was with us), but as normal the two who later drowned didn't.

These two chaps were very experienced and one of them called me a fool for questioning his judgement re when it was wise to wear a life jacket. He said my jacket would probably be stolen from the dinghy where I left it.

I wear a life jacket just like I fasten a seat belt in a car, I allways have done and thankfully I just do it without thought.

Please make a New Year resolution to wear a life jacket at all times when on the water. (Before some oink responds, you don't need to sleep in one).