YM Nov issue, p45 "Always wear a life jacket."

fireball said:
I'm glad you were wearing your LJ then .... but just because you're a weak swimmer does that mean I have to wear mine too? I'm a strong swimmer ... I bet I could've got to shore a darn sight quicker than you if I wasn't wearing a LJ ...
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Hmmmmm ... if you did'nt have a heart attack first .. or your muscles failed to function.

Ever tried swimming for a while in cold water, I have, I used to surf in the winter with a 5/3 wetsuit and even with that muscles stopped working pretty quickly.

Also best chance of survival is do nothing immediately after falling in .. start panicking and swimming immediately then the way is wide oped to an immediate heart attack .. relax, do nothing and let your body adjust .. best chance of survival .. easier to do with a LJ. Most people dont go overboard stark ******* naked .. they've probably got all their clothes and a full set of oilies on.. try swimming with that lot!
 
Ever tried swimming for a while in cold water,
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Er - yes - I race dinghies right the way through the year - coldest time is Feb... Up till then the air is pretty cold, but the water isn't so bad... capsised a few times too (wouldn't be trying very hard if I didnt!) and whilst I don't have far to swim I still have to swim ...
 
Well, If you're racing I would be very surprised indeed if you were'nt wearing a bouyancy aid, in fact, most clubs would disqualify you if you were'nt.
 
Yes I was wearing a buoyancy aid - I always do when dinghy racing because there is a much greater chance of capsise.
 
I'll just jump up and down until the boom can hit me over the head then.

Jeeze - we've covered this earlier in the thread .... wear a LJ when it is appropriate to YOU - so if you're a weak swimmer or it is a tricky dinghy ride then wear a LJ - no problem.
If you're going forward on the boat and there is a chance you're gonna get wacked by the boom then wear a LJ and clip on - no problem ....

Do understand that I'm not telling anyone NOT to wear a LJ - just asking "you lot" to stop prescribing for me....

next you'll be telling me to wear a seatbelt and put down the mobile phone whilst driving .... but I need to be on the phone to consult the hair dresser whilst routing around for the curling tongs that I left on the back seat ... and if I don't get it done quickly my coffee that I'm gripping between my knees will get cold ... ;)
 
Hmm - arguments waning? (prob spelt that wrong too!) ... I'll tell you what I tell my boss - I'm not employed for my ability to spell ....

but I will try to remember ...
capsize capsize capsize capsize capsize capsize capsize .... (getting there!)
 
jimi said:
Glad to hear you're seeing sense, seems a bit hypocritical to me to wear a buoyancy aid and have a safety boat etc etc etc and then pontificate about how needless it is to wear a LJ on a proper boat.........
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Not at all - in dinghy racing I am always pushing things to the limit (well trying to!) so that could result in any number of incidents from loosing the mast to being trapped during an inversion - it also helps to have a PATROL boat there when the wind dies.
I'm just trying to think - but I can only recall 2 capsizes this year (see spelt it right this time) and neither time did I need any outside assistance - but I did have the buoyancy aid on which did assist me in floating (but would not have saved my life had I not been concious).

Also I have not stated that you do not need to wear a LJ on a proper boat - only that I do not wish to be dictated to and that you should wear one when it is appropriate to do so.
I wear one on open water sailing, when I request a young member of the crew to wear one or when I consider the conditions and tasks I'm going to carry out warrant it. And before my throat is jumped down again on 'accidents happen when you're not expecting it' - yes I know, but you can judge the chances of an accident and the knock on effects if you do happen to go over.
 
My position is:

I'm a lazy git and can't be bothered carrying out a full risk assesment every 5 minutes or so to decide whether or not to put on a LJ. I just put one on, forget about it, relax and enjoy the sailing ;-)
 
"Put the bloody thing on unless in flat calm or perhaps docking and clip on when going on deck when you or the skipper judge it to be necessary and at all times in the dark or S/H. If you don't judge it necessary then your essential freedoms have been retained."

Swot I Z
:D
 
In sunnier climes wearing a LJ can be so uncomfortable as to be dangerous.This summer in south Spain and Portugal with the temperatures in the high 30s C it would have been impossible.
 
Guapa said:
I wear them when I think the situation calls for it.
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So do I.

Guapa said:
In fact, I tend to steer well clear of boats with crew wearling LJs in a flat calm.
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It appears that because I can't swim and wear one all the time you believe it makes me a less capable sailor than you.


I honestly couldn't give a flying f*** if you wear one or not, but you seem to worry that I do - why is that?
 
P4Paul said:
It appears that because I can't swim and wear one all the time you believe it makes me a less capable sailor than you.

I honestly couldn't give a flying f*** if you wear one or not, but you seem to worry that I do - why is that?
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1. You seem to care about what I think - why?
2. I can't swim either - well, if pressed I could doggie-paddle for maybe 10 meters.
3. If you don't trust yourself to be able to stay on your boat - what do you expect me to think? :confused:
 
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Come on guys - don't get personal about this. Just remember we still have the right not to wear lifejackets or to do so as we please rather than yet another Nanny State law that tries to fix everything without actually achieving anything.
 
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