RYA say only day sailors wear lifejackets

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ricky_s

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A sailing friend of mine spent the weekend getting his power boat level 2 for when he has his turn on the safety boat.

His RYA instructor said you can always spot day sailors as they are the ones wearing life jackets and proper sailors don't wear them at all. I assume as she was there in a professional capacity that this reflects what the RYA say.

So there you go, the RYA say don't bother to wear one! ;)
 
Well the instructor is clearly a fool then... To demonstrate such an attitude to new sailors is at best foolish, and some might say dangerous.

I'm a firm believer in people wearing lifejackets when they want to, rather than have any form of compulsion, but to start people on a sailing career believing that wearing a lifejacket marks them as in some way 'inferior' is an act of crass stupidity.
 
Obviously speculation, but I wonder if the instructor has been taken out of context? It may be a fair comment that people that do the odd day sail never get into 'bad habits' like not bothering with a life jacket. Perhaps this was what he meant - the old salts are over confident!

For my boat, life jackets go on at night, in fog, cross channel and at any other time when I say so! The wife gave me permission to make this this decision, as long as she agrees with me.....
 
And as an abject lesson, I'm sat here in my cockpit at Haslar, and just watched a BOSS boat arrive... Crew jumped onto pontoon and straight over the otherside into the water... Full oilies.... And a lifejacket... Now recovered, and looking cold... Would have been in trouble without a lifejacket...

On the spot reporting from Morgana, Haslar marina for ybw!
 
I've tried swimming in full oilies... It's very very difficult.... And the pontoons are bucking around like wild things in this wind!... And as it was they had to get him to steps to lift him out... They couldn't do it where he fell in due the weight of his wet oilies...
 
Morgana said:
And as an abject lesson, I'm sat here in my cockpit at Haslar, and just watched a BOSS boat arrive... Crew jumped onto pontoon and straight over the otherside into the water... Full oilies.... And a lifejacket... Now recovered, and looking cold... Would have been in trouble without a lifejacket...

On the spot reporting from Morgana, Haslar marina for ybw!
Click to expand...

I have seen that as well. You have to smile! Was on his mobile phone at the same time. The guy jumped off the boat hit the pontoon and as if on a trampoline went straight into the drink.


When did you leave Weymouth?
 
As I read the original post, the instructor was making an observation of what happens.

To criticise him would be like saying that a policeman observing "most people don't lock their houses securely" is condoning crime.

When we have shot all the messengers, life will be lovely and safe?
 
cliffordpope said:
As I read the original post, the instructor was making an observation of what happens.

To criticise him would be like saying that a policeman observing "most people don't lock their houses securely" is condoning crime.

When we have shot all the messengers, life will be lovely and safe?
Click to expand...

My friend said her tone showed how she felt about this sort of sailor. He is a very easy going and friendly chap, even good friends with me and I have a mobo! But did feel offended by her attitude.
 
Morgana said:
Now recovered, and looking cold... Would have been in trouble without a lifejacket...
Click to expand...
I fell off a pontoon last year (or it might have been the year before). Of course I was cold and wet (I'd just fallen in the sea, FFS!) but fortunately I'd just taken my lifejacket off. Without it, I was able to get myself out, without assistance. I doubt whether I would have been able to hoist myself onto the pontoon if I had a bl00dy great plastic bag of CO2 strapped to my chest.

Why can't we accept that not wearing a lifejacket does not guarantee that you will die, any more than wearing one does not guarantee that you will live. Whether it will increase your chances of survival or not depends on the circumstances ... and I'm afraid I think the person on the spot is probably a better judge of those than someone sitting in an office, miles away, and several years before.
 
That sounds like another " I only survived because I wasn't wearing a seat belt"!

I believe that there are more instances of "a life jacket would have improved chances of survival" following an accidental dunking than, that "the deceased was wearing a life jacket, this inhibited freedom of movement and was therefor a contributory factor"!

It comes down to personal choice and assessment of risk, problem is, people fall of pontoons and boats when they believe there is minimal risk.

Take the woman who fell of a boat three times in one morning whilst transiting the Crinan Canal, she still wasn't wearing a life jacket even after her third dunking of the day!
 
Bat21 said:
That sounds like another " I only survived because I wasn't wearing a seat belt"!
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No, I survived because I was not in any danger of not surviving. And that is also why I wasn't wearing a lifejacket.
 
timbartlett said:
I was not in any danger of not surviving.
Click to expand...

There's very little risk pottering about the marina I agree. I think the main risk is banging your head on the way to your impromtu bath. A lady across from my berth lost her two front teeth to a mooring cleat on the way down last year. Luckily it didn't knock her out.......... but the dentist bill did a few weeks later. I lost one crew once between boat and pontoon but again luckily avoided a head crushing. Crew & I wear life jackets coming in to dock for this reason - to hold you face up if you go in. It may only take a minute for someone to come to your aid but try holding your breath for 52 seconds. If your Ok and its in your way just take it off & climb out - simples.
 
Bat21 said:
I believe that there are more instances of "a life jacket would have improved chances of survival" following an accidental dunking than, that "the deceased was wearing a life jacket, this inhibited freedom of movement and was therefor a contributory factor"!

It comes down to personal choice and assessment of risk, problem is, people fall of pontoons and boats when they believe there is minimal risk.
Click to expand...

Assessment of risk is exactly the point being made by TOP quote: The Instructor was perhaps saying that the risk assessment of an experieinced sailor may well determine that is not necessary to wear a life jacket all the time when on a boat - if they are asleep in the cockpit on a warm night v in the same cockpit in a F9? , whereas the day sailor determines that they are not as sure footed on the boat and therefore it is wise to be jacketed from the carpark for the whole day.
It is also interesting the pupil in this case appears to be an existing boater, so this is not encouraging bad practise, but as others have said, is merely making an observation of FACT.

ANOTHER FACT : In the last weeks I saw 7-8 members of RNLI crews near or on the water (pontoons etc) not wearing lifejackets. Now is that bad, or not? I should say that on these occassions they were "off duty" in civvies with families/friends if they are ever so, but should we be saying to them NEVER go near the water if you are not in a LJ? What sort of example is that?
IMHO - they are demonstrating an appropriate level of care without paranoia.

Finally,
When we have a threat of the next floods (ie Cumbria) should all the locals wear LJs? - There is a greater threat to them than for most of us walking down a pontoon to our boat!

Rant over.
 
I'm wearing my lifejacket more often these days. I find that age is catching up with me and I'm less athletic and flexible than I used to be when trying to 'gad' about the decks.
Mostly due to the fact that I'm a bit of a part-timer and having to get back in the groove again each time I go afloat, added to old age stiffness.
Discussing this with others recently some people felt the same and yet we all agreed that wearing a lifejacket feels very cumbersome if you've rarely done so before.
One very important thing I've always felt is that the inexperienced really don't have a 'feel' for a boat, don't automatically anticipate the next motion subconsciously and so there is a greater need for a lifejacket to be worn by them.
There's an automatic stance which experienced boaters adopt for a given sea condition, probably in the same way an experienced skier does which comes with that experience and for some from childhood. It seems they are very relaxed, being loose and flexible, balanced yet aware of the next move. Again, not easily learnt by many and for some adults especially, it will never be aquired late in life compared to those have who began boating/sailing as toddlers.
It makes great sense that a Lifeboat crew will all be geared up for whatever conditions they could possibly experience on a shout, but how many of them are fishermen and rarely wear a lifejacket at work?
I was crossing Biscay a couple of summers ago when we had to go and hank on a storm sail at night. I wore my full oilees, boots, lifejacket with harness and a 3 way lifeline giving me only about 2 foot of freedom.... but even in a big sea I felt as safe as being with no lifejacket in a F3 in a sunny solent :)
 
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