Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

[Neeves]

But you are taking my comment about helmets being commonplace in junior kids sailing out of context - this was in reply to a post suggesting “it’s surprising that sailing has never had a similar focus”.
As has already been stated earlier, there are helmets designed and used at the top end of the racing - eg Sail GP - designed for maximum protection. If a helmet can now avoid most head injuries in F1 crashes, there is no doubt that a well designed helmet could hugely increase likelihood of a safe outcome even in the 40 foot boat example you quote. Like bike and motorcycle helmets, they may not give 100% prevention of fatalities, but could reduce by 80% or so.
The issue with helmets for sail racing - or more positively the good thing - is that whilst tragic these accidents are still quite rare in terms of participants and miles sailed, hence many might choose not to wear them.
For cruising sailors, one important starting point is choosing a boat where the mainsheet is ahead of the hatchway, avoiding the mainsheet issue which seems to account for a substantial proportion of the fatalities.

I suspect that most people who have bike accidents don't hit their head - but the ones that do will surely be grateful they wore a helmet.

Surely on a cruising boat helmets would be treated similarly to LJs and harnesses mandated when the skipper thinks they become necessary and enough carried to protect the crew. Most of the cases of heads suffering damage due to booms probably go unreported, because no-one dies. But the reason helmets are mandated for many sports is simply the long term effects of injuries, boxing, contact sports, etc in schools. All the arborists I know of, who go up the tree, all wear helmets, similarly many, but not all, on the ground.

It would be interesting to know what motivated the need for helmets for Sail GP, I'm not aware that anyone died, I don't recall reports of 'accidents'. Its a fast moving sport and I can see the need - but I similarly see the need for sailing though more so in rough weather and mark rounding during a race.

I am conscious that helmets should be mandated for anyone up a mast at sea, then you focus more on getting a job done quickly and not quite so worried about turning your brain to porridge. Similarly they should be mandated if anyone needs to go overboard to help an incapacitated MOB - being hit on the head by a plunging hull is not much fun. We all do MOB drills - how many boats carry a helmet.

Helmets should not only be worn to minimise death but to reduce concussion - as the latter is long term and insidious.

The second death, the first was from being hit on the head by the boom, was caused by the individual being thrown and hitting his head on a winch (and winches have dangerous 'edges., the top of the winch). Its not only a mainsheet, or boom, that can throw a crew member off balance - but its really only the skull, or head, that is vulnerable.

If you read the report of the MOB on the Hobart race the individual was conscious and was able to turn his body such that his back was toward the seas - but he still swallowed seawater and threw it up when he was rescued. If he had hit his head before going overboard - and was unconscious - he would probably have drowned - another reason to wear a helmet.

The good result from the Hobart race - if you can call it good - is that there should be enquiries as to what went wrong and what went right - maybe attitudes will change.

But helmets are for wimps - it will take decades for there to be changes. Who wants to be a pansy and wear a helmet on a yacht.

Jonathan

 

[KevinV]

But helmets are for wimps - it will take decades for there to be changes. Who wants to be a pansy and wear a helmet on a yacht.

We all said that about skiing, now you look odd without one - I'm sure "serious" sailing will go the same way. Sponsors don't want to be connected to deaths.

 

[Wansworth]

There is probably more “danger “ from the sun and reflection of the sun onthe water with increasing skin cancers…..a sailing hat with a good stiff brim and sun glasses more suitable for normal yachting

 

[Roberto]

A main sheet [...] ahead of hatch seems to be a safer option.

It is indeed (I have one too), but in many places any new boat with such a set up would be very difficult to sell, in particular with models dubbed as cruiser racers, or similar terms. Mid-boom sheeting and deck traveller? No way. These people probably spend 90% of their sailing time steering and trimming the mainsail with a winch at an arm s length, little consideration for any other possible occurrence, until the accident.

 

[Laser310]

I suspect that most people who have bike accidents don't hit their head - but the ones that do will surely be grateful they wore a helmet.

i'm a cyclist.

cycling is _far_ more dangerous than ocean racing.

I think that considering the number of hours people are out there sailing, serious head injuries are pretty uncommon, and for a fair number of them, the helmet would make no difference. If you get hit square on by the boom on a large yacht during an accidental gybe in strong winds, you are probably done for, no matter what.

A friend of my wife said to me; "I asked her; don't you worry for him when he's out in the middle of the ocean?, and she replied; no, I worry when he's riding his bike."

 

[Laser310]

hese people probably spend 90% of their sailing time steering and trimming the mainsail with a winch at an arm s length, little consideration for any other possible occurrence, until the accident.

even with mid-boom sheeting to a companionway arch or a hard dodger, the sheet can be led aft to the helm.

i think mid-boom sheeting is a very good compromise for cruising yachts. Yes, you lose a few degrees of point, and it's probably a bit more frictiony and harder to trim, but the safety improvement is enormous.

a cleaner cockpit is another advantage.

 

[Neeves]

a cleaner cockpit is another advantage.

head sail sheets lying loose in a cockpit are but one of many hazards.

 

[Neeves]

Sailing Helmets and the Risk of Head Injury - Practical Sailor


http://www.rimed.org/rimedicaljournal/2019/02/2019-02-23-wilderness-nathanson.pdf

I had a quick glance at the 'medical journal' article and head trauma sailing accident were rated with same frequency as skiing accidents.

I'm really not sure that because cycling is more dangerous, (is it?) than sailing then there is less need to wear a helmet when sailing.

I don't follow the logic, or lack of.

surely the argument should be 'helmets save lives' or 'Helmets save head injuries' - and this alone justifies their use wherever head protecting might keep people out of hospitals or out of a morgue.

There is probably more “danger “ from the sun and reflection of the sun onthe water with increasing skin cancers…..a sailing hat with a good stiff brim and sun glasses more suitable for normal yachting

I agree, living in Skin Cancer Central

Again if 100 accidents are reduced in their severity by wearing a helmet vs 1,000 or 10,000 skin cancer deaths - I still see the case for helmets.

Which is why there are helmets on Clipper yachts, helmets on the heads of most who ski, Sail GP, kids playing contact sports, arborists, cyclists, cricket, work sites, miners, canoeists.

Helmets are bit like seabelts in cars - most of us never 'use' a seat belt in anger - but we see the logic. Interestingly seatbelts were mandated decades ago and even though cars are much safer than then - we still wear seat belts

 

[Stemar]

A friend of my wife said to me; "I asked her; don't you worry for him when he's out in the middle of the ocean?, and she replied; no, I worry when he's riding his bike."

I'm not a cyclist but, when I lived in London, I always reckoned that the most dangerous part of my weekend's sailing was the trip round the M25 and down the A3.

However, my sailing is pottering around the S coast in good weather, not blasting along at 20+knots in a mid-ocean storm. "Helmets are for wimps", as mentioned above. In that case, for ocean racing, I'd be very happy to be called a wimp. I'm very much with those who say that helmets should be carried on offshore racers, and worn when conditions warrant. No, they aren't a panacea, but they probably would have saved these two unfortunates.

 

[Neeves]

The Commodore of the CYCA, one of the Sydney/Hobart race organisers, has said (again) today, that an investigation will be conducted into the loss of lives during the race. No date has been mentioned nor who will be part of the body conducting the investigation. He has stated that it is recognised that helmets are mandated for other sectors of sailing and they will be part of the investigative process. The focus is part how or why did the deaths occur but also do the rules need to be changed or tightened. It was stated that the safety protocols for the Sydney Hobart are already the strictest in the world.

This investigation will be independent of the Coroners enquiry. Historically Coronial enquiries take months. The Police, who form a part of the evidence provided to the coroner, appear to have completed their investigation of the 2 yachts and released the yachts.

The recent statements are returning to the original quotes that both men were hit by their boom. The 'mainsheet' and 'hitting a head on a winch' are no longer being mentioned.

Independently the Commodore did mention during an earlier interview that he was surprised and/or disappointed at the number of yachts that retired due to damage. It has also been mentioned that the weather might have been challenging but not so severe that it was in anyway exceptional and the yachts are built to withstand such conditions (which does seem to contradict the evidence that a number of yachts retired due to damage).

There has been no mention, that I have seen, that the MOB event will be part of the investigation.


As an aside - in other sports when a participant suffers from concussion they are removed from the sport and placed in the care of professionals. They are commonly banned from further participation in the activity until a professional assessment is made of their 'health'.

Jonathan

 

[Roberto]

even with mid-boom sheeting to a companionway arch or a hard dodger, the sheet can be led aft to the helm.

Yes sure, I was referring somehow ironically to those buyers of cruiser-racers (to be used for a two week holiday and a few club races at most) who absolutely need black sails, plumb bows, two wheels two rudders, dyneema for fender lines because you know modern boats use dyneema, German style mainsail sheeting, etc etc; even if that means getting roasted under the sun because of no bimini, big stainless steel plates on the bow to protect it from the anchor, bow thrusters on 10m boats as they cannot steer in reverse, etc etc. In some places (eg Italy) boats with mid deck mainsail sheeting could never be sold as cruiser-racers, and it's a substantial portion of the local sailboats market. Funny how boats sometimes make people steer away from rationality.

 

[Laser310]

If a sailor wants to wear a helmet - that's fine with me.

If an owner wants to mandate that crew wear a helmet, that's also fine with me.

I don't want to see helmets mandated by race organizers.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

If a sailor wants to wear a helmet - that's fine with me.

If an owner wants to mandate that crew wear a helmet, that's also fine with me.

I don't want to see helmets mandated by race organizers.

It's a difficult one.
Are there any good reasons why racing boats can't rig preventers ?
There is normally plenty of crew to assist .
Admittedly , there will be more lines to trip over.
I would guess that many dismastings are caused by unplanned gybes in racing boats.

 

[Neeves]

If a sailor wants to wear a helmet - that's fine with me.

If an owner wants to mandate that crew wear a helmet, that's also fine with me.

I don't want to see helmets mandated by race organizers.

A few years ago and man was killed in a local club race when he was hit on the head racing a Coata boat, https://www.coutaboat.com.au/ - I think there are many such boats raced in other parts of the world. Here, in the summer, they are raced at least twice a week on Pittwater and I guess there are similar events on Sydney Harbour etc.

I'm not aware of other serious accidents.

But there is a difference between mandating for a local club event and an international Cat 1 or Cat 0 event. And each organising body has a responsibility to mandate safety devices, like personal MOB locator devices, LJs or tethers as technology moves forward and the knowledge base develops. Its not only the immediate damage caused by a boom hitting a skull - but our knowledge now of the effects of concussion is developing rapidly - the effects of which are seen decades later.

The CYCA need to provide leadership and advice but, to me, if the CYCA after deliberation mandate helmets - I'd be happy to comply (not that it would influence me - I cannot afford to compete in a race of that category any more. We competed to win, we were not there to make up the numbers). Yachts must carry LJs for all the crew, carrying helmets for all the crew (mandated) is hardly onerous - the debate then moves to when should the helmets be worn.

I'd be happy for the mandating of helmets being carried - the wearing of which is mandated by the skipper.

Most people wear beanies, hats or caps - and many wear a harness. Many wear a helmet skiing, or rock climbing, playing cricket - why would it be so onerous on a yacht.


As a skipper you would never forgive yourself if a crew members was killed - for whatever reason - if that life could have been saved by wearing a $50 tether or $250 helmet (that was part of the vessel inventory).

Jonathan

 

[Wansworth]

Maybe there should be a saftey officer ……keeping a eye out for possible saftey situations and calling out warnings?

 

[Laser310]

Where's the end of it?

How many lives could be saved by mandating helmets in automobiles?

It's not zero...

 

[Laser310]

Are there any good reasons why racing boats can't rig preventers ?

Some races require that a preventer is at least available; you need to demonstrate it to the inspectors.

Preventers are less useful now, as more and more ocean racing boats rig asymmetric spinnakers; the angles are not as deep, and the main is not eased as much.

The lead just isn't great for preventers in that situation, as the line is almost parallel to the boom, and accidental gybes are uncommon with asyms anyway.

I have used them with asymmetric spinnakers, especially when trying to soak really deep, or in a short-handed situation.

sometimes in sloppy conditions they get used just to stabilize the boom, although not necessarily in the "correct" geometry.

 

[Wandering Star]

Before anyone corrects me - yes I know, nothing to do with the race under discussion, I just love this clip though which brings home the risks of an inadvertent gybe.

 

[Stemar]

If only all gybes and MOBs were so benign.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

Some races require that a preventer is at least available; you need to demonstrate it to the inspectors.

Preventers are less useful now, as more and more ocean racing boats rig asymmetric spinnakers; the angles are not as deep, and the main is not eased as much.

The lead just isn't great for preventers in that situation, as the line is almost parallel to the boom, and accidental gybes are uncommon with asyms anyway.

I have used them with asymmetric spinnakers, especially when trying to soak really deep, or in a short-handed situation.

sometimes in sloppy conditions they get used just to stabilize the boom, although not necessarily in the "correct" geometry.

Thanks for that. Makes sense.
Sail changing/reefing , particularly in lumpy weather, is also a danger time .