Weekend fun....not!

[Guest]

I do a fair bit of singlehanding trips, mostly weekend stuff around Moreton bay here but never got into trouble like I did last Saturday. Boat is a Seawind 24 which is normally a cinch to handle alone, however on the way out of Sandgate a jib sheet wrapped around the outboard propellor stopping it in the narrow channel. Fortunately I already had the main up so decided to sail out but had to fend off a beacon first.

While running back to the tiller I slipped between the front tramp and center crossbeam and fell sideways with my knee trapped. Unfortunately knees do bend sideways but not without an enormous amount of pain. Now I have torn medial ligaments and suspected cartilage tear !! On crutches and possible operation and off work this week.

I managed to sail back to the marina where some Marine Rescue guys helped me get the boat back onto the hardstand and packed up, most appreciated.

Had I broken the leg completely I don't know what would have happened!!

I will have to look at the gap there and get some fine mesh net or something across it so this doesn't happen again. Glad it was me and not the kids or someone else.

Very sobering and I won't be sailing for a month or so!! Lucky the cricket and tennis is on, Tim Henman is doing better than our aussies!!

Take care.

 

[rogerroger]

take up a safer sport - handgliding ? kick boxing ? base jumping ? street luge?

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Guest]

'handgliding'???? Was that a freudian slip?

 

[AndrewB]

"I don\'t know what would have happened!"

Tough luck, derwood, hope the knee recovers quickly.

Sorry if it sounds po-faced, but I kinda think its worth working through these 'disaster scenarios' ahead of time if you go out sailing shorthanded. Breaking a leg, petrol fire, capsize, going overboard etc etc. The last time you need to put in some hard thought is in the middle of a crisis. Presumably flares, VHF, mobile phone were options to get help? Carry painkillers - could you make an emergency splint? Is the boat set up to handle if your movement is restricted?

 

[LadyInBed]

And remember your Mum’s advice . . .

Don’t RUN, you will slip and hurt yourself!

 

[Guest]

Re: \"I don\'t know what would have happened!\"

I couldn't agree more, I had 27Mhz, VHF, flares, mobile etc and used the VHF to inform the local VMR that I was injured althoug not needing assistance and was able to get back but at least they were alerted to the fact. I had non-prescription level pain killers and anti-inflamatories but they paled into insignificance against what they gave me in the hospital (more please???).

I guess my question is if you are going a long way out like overseas can you get the stronger drugs in case of injury? Can you get into trouble bringing these into some countries?

I assume world cruisers have thought this out before hand or at least hope like hell they don't get injured. I had a swag of bandages etc in the first aid kit that I used to immobilise the knee but if there was a second person that also got injuired the supplies would have been dwindled.

 

[AndrewB]

Medical kit for long-distance cruising.

This is a subject where people hold strong and different opinions, and well worth a thread in its own right.

When we were cruising we used to carry a fair armory of kit, enough for minor surgery. Not that we knew how to use it all, but in the hope that we could at least find someone medically trained, or get advice. And in some countries, I'd be happier if they used my IV needles and drip, rather than the local supply.

Strong painkillers - the question is how far up the narcotic scale you go, without risking falling foul of customs somewhere (specially if also carrying needles). Morphine is rare now I think. Pethidine which was once recommended, is now also questionable. We carried Pentazocine and later Dihydrocodeine. The latter was very effective when I badly crushed a couple of fingers, still strong enough to cause mild hallucinations.

Other drugs generally don't present problems, though in many 3rd-world countries almost all drugs are sellable on the black-market, even antibiotics. Its advisable to carry copies of prescriptions, keep drugs sealed, log any use.