We were in the water 6 hours

[Martin_Billings]

....before we saw the first shark. Of the 1,000 men who went into the water that day only 200 came out, sharks had the rest and that's why I'll never put a lifejacket on again.

So what other reasons are there for not wearing a lifejacket?

I haven't worn one since I was a kid but have decided that this year I will.

Would be interested in others' views on the subject.

My reasons for wearing a lifejacket are:

1 It might help me bob about a bit longer. If no hope of rescue then I can always take it off and drown.

2 I'm a lawyer so the sharks are a non-issue.

Reasons against:

1 Takes 30 seconds to put on - so what would I be doing with that time that's so great anyway

2 Spoils my rugged good looks - purlease!

3 Gets caught on things - well I suppose I will trade possible hanging for drowning. Maybe someone would cut me down anyway.

 

[mike_k]

It's a gamble really - I imagine you will only appreciate wearing one if you fall in. If you don't then it could be considered unnecessary.
There's a saftey thread on PBO - someone suggested jumping off your boat fully clothed to see what it feels like to be man-over-board.
If everyone tried it then they may think differently about lifevests.
Perhaps someone who has actually gone overboard could give an opinion ? Luckily, it is not something I have experienced.

 

[ponapay]

Not quite overboard but ..

was in the water for 5 mins before getting into the dinghy and the water was very cold. I doubt I would have survived until rescued without a lifejacket and dinghy.

It was in the English Channel in February and a force 8 SW was blowing. Was spotted by rescue helo after 20 mins but it had no winch, eventually rescued after 60 mins in dinghy.

Water temp was about 9 degrees but it felt like 0 degrees.

 

[claymore]

I claim the fiver

<before we saw the first shark. Of the 1,000 men who went into the water that day only 200 came out, sharks had the rest and that's why I'll never put a lifejacket on again.>

Robert Shaw as Quint
Jaws


regards
Claymore

 

[Twister_Ken]

For, and against

For - it might save your life

Against - you get a very dodgy suntan

 

[Roberto]

I tried to swim with two pieces lifevest and boots, calm sea and a rope hanging from the anchored boat. Happily the rope was there! A bit better when I took the boots off, but still with every arm or leg stroke I felt like getting more underwater than out. I don't think one can stay afloat for long, let alone if there is wind, spray, waves + fear seasoning.

 

[clyst]

Since most of my sailing is done single handed and there fore most of the time on auto I don't wear a life jacket . If I am unfortunate to fall overboard the boat will not stop and turn around to rescue me and the chances of anyone seeing me fall is remote I'd rather die quickly than float around for ages then die !! Its a bit selfish really since if I wear a jacket at least the family have some sort of body to bury .I'm told it helps the grieving process !! (and yes there are people would miss me!!!) .

Regards

Terry

 

[Martin_Billings]

Re: I claim the fiver

I only wish I could have conveyed the mad staring eyes whilst delivering the message (Quint's mad staring eyes that is, not mine)

 

[Sybarite]

In our early family sailing times and on a fairly normal day I chucked a fender overboard and told my two youngish teenagers (13 & 14) to consider that that was me in the water and they had to bring it back on board without any intervention on my part. They could handle a boat but were still relatively inexperienced.

It took them 45 minutes.

Makes you think. Try it sometime yourselves without firewarning and see what the results are.

 

[tr7v8]

Re: I claim the fiver

<before we saw the first shark. Of the 1,000 men who went into the water that day only 200 came out, sharks had the rest and that's why I'll never put a lifejacket on again.>

<Robert Shaw as Quint
Jaws>

Actually based from a true incident when the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed in the Pacific.

Jim
----------

 

[Martin_Billings]

Re: I claim the fiver

Nothing to do with this thread but looking at your gif I wonder whether you really can get a Rover V8 up to 9,000 revs without the whole thing parting company?

 

[Johnjo]

Re: I claim the fiver

Wasnt it the USS Indianapolis that delivered the A bomb to Tinian in the
Marianas? Later to be dropped on Hiroshima,
Torpedoed and sank by a Japanese submarine on the voyage home.

mike

 

[tr7v8]

Re: I claim the fiver

Don't need to rev the nuts off it peak power is at 5.2K and in normal use you don't use much over 3-4K.
Tis a nice little GIF though!

Jim
----------

 

[tr7v8]

Re: I claim the fiver

From the web site:-

The world's first operational atomic bomb was delivered by the Indianapolis, (CA-35) to the island of Tinian on 26 July 1945. The Indianapolis then reported to CINCPAC (Commander-In-Chief, Pacific) Headquarters at Guam for further orders. She was directed to join the battleship USS Idaho (BB-42) at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines to prepare for the invasion of Japan. The Indianapolis, unescorted, departed Guam on a course of 262 degrees making about 17 knots.

At 12:14 a.m. on July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea and sank in 12 minutes. Of 1,196 men on board, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remainder, about 900 men, were left floating in shark-infested waters with no lifeboats and most with no food or water. The ship was never missed, and by the time the survivors were spotted by accident four days later only 316 men were still alive.

The ship's captain, the late Charles Butler McVay III, survived and was court-martialed and convicted of "hazarding his ship by failing to zigzag" despite overwhelming evidence that the Navy itself had placed the ship in harm's way, despite testimony from the Japanese submarine commander that zigzagging would have made no difference, and despite that fact that, although over 350 navy ships were lost in combat in WWII, McVay was the only captain to be court-martialed. Materials declassified years later adds to the evidence that McVay was a scapegoat for the mistakes of others.

from http://www.ussindianapolis.org/story.htm

Jim
------

 

[Johnjo]

Re: I claim the fiver

Thanks for that, very interesting,
It makes you think, last days of the war and you have survived all the
horrors it brings,
Then to end up in the water and to watch your shipmates being taken by
sharks knowing it could be your turn next! It just do'es not bear
thinking about.
mike

 

[bedouin]

I wear a lifejacket, and carry an EPIRB. The lifejacket should keep me afloat/alive long enough to be rescued.

Without the EPIRB you could question the point of wearing the LJ.

 

[tcm]

Re: Impressive!

Ooh. I wondered what he was on about.....Oh damnit! - that resolution didn't even last til the end of January...

 

[chippie]

In other than tropical waters most overboarders die of hypothermia not drowning, as said previously,lifejackets help the finding of the body.
The inflatable type seem not to impair movement too much , but a previous thread cast doubts on their ability to inflate when required.

 

[ecudc]

perhaps someone should invent and auto pilot that can tell if the owner moves more than a given distance from the boat (ie falls overboard) and automatically turns head to wind so you at least have some chance of getting back on.

 

[alex_rogers]

They already have!

http://www.nke.fr/new_products.htm

If you fall overboard, it'll heave to and wait for you to climb back on again.

Alex Rogers
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.YachtsAtSea.com> www.YachtsAtSea.com </A>