Who has fallen off their boat?

[dadster3]

Originally Posted by ArmyDaveNY

On two different occasions I had to pull someone out of the water at a marina. Both individuals were in a bad way and unable to assist in any way. Since these two events, I have looked at marinas and noticed that few have ladders. Even the few that do have ladders are often not conveniently located or are far away.

It pays to be aware of the surroundings and have a way to get out in case you do go in.

I fell off a pier a few months ago while trying to help maneuver a sailboat into the haul-out pool. I fell in right next to the ladder, but because it extended only just passed the surface, there was no foothold. Fortunately one of the on-lookers gained the presence of mind to offer me a hand up. The rest just stood there like deer caught in headlights. Even with people close enough to help, they may not react. That's what's really scary.

[Scorpius]

I've accidentally fallen into the water three times in my 55 years of professional and recreational boating. The first time was in the mid 1960's when paying my way through college working as a Department of Fisheries patrolman during the summer. (Can you imagine an 18yr. old kid telling commercial fishermen in their 60's what to do? Laughable! - but it paid quite well for the time).

I had an 18' cuddy cabin runabout with a canvas dodger over the steering station, etc. as my patrol boat. One day I fueled up at a high (about 3'), floating, fuel dock. It was late at night and dark. I untied the boat then turned to say goodbye to the attendant as I stepped onto the very narrow (about 5") side deck. Of course my weight landing on the side of the fairly small boat pushed it both down and away from the dock. So far no problem. But as I turned to step down into the boat I found I was beside the dodger. My fingernail scratches down that piece of canvas persisted as long as I ran that boat.

After he managed to get his laughter under control the attendant managed to snag the boat with a pike pole and drag it back to the dock and I was able to climb the outdrive back into it. Lesson learned: Always know where your SECOND and THIRD steps are going to be before stepping onto a boat. Scorpius is much more forgiving: with low freeboard, weighing 18 tonnes and with lots of handholds, she doesn't move much at all as you step aboard.

The second and third times were both from the dinghy. First, we were in Cuba and had gone shopping at the local farmer's market. In preparation we had brought our cooler when we had rowed ashore from the anchored-out Scorpius - and left it in the dinghy while we shopped. When we returned, as was our custom, we washed all the fruit and vegetables in a dilute chlorine solution, placed them in the cooler, and left the box we had brought them from the market in ashore - all to prevent nasty little critters from coming aboard.

We rowed back out to Scorpius and my partner climbed aboard while I held the dinghy. Then I stood up and lifted the cooler intending to pass it to her on deck. The dinghy started rocking and, in my efforts to stabilize it, I just made it worse - eventually setting up such wild oscillations that the dinghy flipped tossing me, the cooler, and all the fruits and vegetables into the water. However, it was warm and refreshing on a hot day and again, we all had a good laugh as I recovered everything and got it and me aboard.

The third time was when I took a friend out and for the first time she tried to get into the dinghy from again, a fairly high (about 2' this time) floating dock. She sat on the edge of the dock with her feet hanging into the dinghy and I tried to coach her to step, and transfer her weight, in one fluid motion, into the centre of the dinghy. She made it half way - with half her weight on her feet in the dinghy, her bum hanging out in space, and the rest of her weight on her hands and arms behind her still on the dock. Of course, this pushed the dinghy away from the dock and I lost my grip. Did I mention she was a big girl? Anyway, eventually (very quickly actually) the gap between the dock and dinghy widened to the point she could no longer maintain her "bridge" and she dropped - her bum landing squarely on the gunwale. The dinghy promptly flipped and swamped, depositing both of us and the oars in the water. Fortunately we are both good swimmers. I managed to swim to Scorpius's stern and pull the boarding ladder down (it's set up to do that), climb aboard, and get the boat hook to help her around the end of the dock and to the ladder. Again we both had a good laugh. Nothing hurt but our pride.

I was quite a bit younger for all these incidents. I'm sincerely hoping, and trying, to avoid any repetition as I move into my elder years!

[Sailshabby]

About 30 years ago, Thanksgiving Day, Cape (Freezing) Cod.

Decided one last sail on my old Pearson Coaster before hauling for the winter the next day. Brought along a friend from work who’d handled a Hobie Cat once. As mentioned, it was… brisk, so we fortified ourselves with a little schnapps on the way out. Fast forward a couple hours, we’ve had the whole New England coast to ourselves with 10’-15’kts on the beam all day, and I get the brilliant idea to pull the towed inflatable up alongside, hop in, and grab a few photos of the boat under sail. I grab my old 35mm camera, sling it around my neck, and sit on the deck where the gate is. Slowly pull the dink up alongside, begin to step down into it, and just as I’m past my own personal righting moment, realize I somehow opted to hold onto the painter rather than tie it off. Inflatable immediately slows down, leaving me a bit in the lurch. I grab for something/anything, but alas, it’s in the drink I go. I walked on water getting into the inflatable while my buddy tried to figure out how to drop the sails, start the engine, etc. he finally manages and I’m back onboard, only to realize the boat’s been stripped for winter. No so much as a napkin below. Longest return to port I’ll ever do. Coda: 4 hours later, after feeling has been restored to my extremities, I noticed a finger swollen to twice it’s normal size. Apparently, I’d grabbed onto a lifeline stanchion base and caught the finger in it as I went over. Off to the ER.

There’s a couple of lessons here somewhere… 😂

[Rotten Ricky]

Originally Posted by rwidman

My boat has a swim ladder on the swim platform that can be deployed from the water and that's how I got back onto the boat. Even if you don't plan to swim off your swim platform, having some sort of ladder that can be deployed from the water is pretty important as a safety device.

If you don't have one, consider installing one.

If you see those pretty ladders that only reach to the water level, be very aware that, unless you are a husky young fella who can lift yourself up by arms alone, they are nearly useless!! They must reach down about 4 feet into the water - deep enough that you can get your foot on the bottom rung! Most will not do that. In our waters where hypothermia sets in in about 10 minutes you will not have the strength to get yourself up a ladder any other way so it is essential that you be able to stand on the ladder.

This was driven home to me when I was much younger and swam to retrieve something - and simply could not get my feet on the ladder that was into the water about 2 ft deep. Imagine trying to do that when most of your body is below that level - very few of us could, even when in prime condition and not suffering from the cold etc. Fortunately, I managed to get into the dinghy or I would not be here today.

I bought a second ladder and hinged it onto the bottom of the first one - and not only did it give enough depth - about 4 ft - but it angled outwards slightly making the climb easier. And folded up neatly afterwards on the transom.

This is a serious matter that is frequently overlooked by so-called professionals. PLEASE check yours!

Cheers, RR.

[Cllewellyn]

Hundreds of times off my Hobie 16.



But heard about an incident a couple of months ago here which I relate as people may learn something. A gentleman was solo sport fishing about 10 miles out on a hot, calm day. He usually wore a PFD, but had removed it because of the heat. He had to relieve himself so slowed the vessel down to idle and stepped onto the swim platform, slipped and fell int the water. At idle speed he couldn't catch up to his boat so it just kept going, with no other boats in the area. He figured that this was the end.



However, an hour or so later a pair of fisherman noticed his boat going by unmanned. They investigated, boarded and found it abandoned. But there was a chart plotter leaving a track, so, they followed it back and found the guy treading water. Amazing luck! If you are single handling, wear a PDF!

[thinwater]

Once, at a distant marina, when a dock board snapped. I was loading batteries, and decided in a fraction of a second that given the momentum, either the battery or me was going for a swim. It was mid-summer, so chose me. The stern ladder was mere inches away and was easy to deploy from the water. No fuss. I was sweaty anyway.


There are two clear categories. Dock side and under way. Within those, serious and non-serious.


Dinghies, whitewater, and messing around near the beach don't count. Falling in is part of the experience. Supervised inshore racing is pretty non-serious (or certainly you take different risks). Off-shore racing is different, as is falling between the dock and a larger boat. For example, the snapped dock board could have been bad in different circumstances.

[sanibel sailor]

I took the US Sailing Safety at Sea course. Highly recommended. One exercise was to jump in Mission Bay, fully clothed, foulies, boots, etc. The inflatable PFD was trying to devour me. Swimming 8 feet to the liferaft was difficult and I am pretty physically fit. Getting in was even more educational. Even getting up onto the low floating dock was not easy. I do my own bottom cleaning here in FL and routinely climb in and out onto a slightly higher dock or onto a seawall (or use my Monitor) without problems- in just swim trunks and water shoes. Wet clothes and cold water make a world of difference.

[boatman1]

Two guys sailing a Searunner tri back to the keys from the Bahamas. One fellow on watch- the other snoozing about 4:00AM. Inflatable up forward lashed to the netting/trampoline- a squall gets everything moving, including the dinghy. Man on watch goes forward to secure it and he and the dink go overboard. The guy below wakes up sometime later and he’s all by himself. He calls the coasties, looks around as it’s getting light, and at some point realized that there wasn’t much he could do, so came on in to (I believe) the Ocean Reef club (Key Largo). The next morning (24 hours+)we had several private aircraft ready to start looking, hoping that he and the inflatable were together. First day nothing (except a monster shark trying to eat a big sea turtle. Second (third day in the water for the overboard guy) day nothing-next day nothing either until late afternoon we spied a coastie C130 , got him on the radio and he told us that the guy we were looking for had come ashore in Bimini. The weather for those days was overcast with a light north wind, enough to “sail” the inflatable due east across the Stream from where he’d fallen in. We had a hell of a welcome home party, let me tell you.

[chasfgr]

The most common reason for going overboard is a miss step from Dinghy to side-deck.


I know, personally, of at least one fatality.


My stern steps, are never strapped up, and the lowest rung, when extended is 450mm below the waterline. Even fully dressed and saturated it's possible to climb back aboard.


Because I sail single-handed, I have continuous tapes, from cockpit to foredeck.
This is no guarantee, I know of being able to get back on board, having heard of the husbsnd who fell in and drowned, towed alongside, with his wife in the cockpit. So mine go along the coachroof.
Two tethers, long and short on the harness.


About 350K nm, 31 years and only fallen in transiting from dinghy to side deck.
Most hairy moment, losing an oar in Braye harbour in a W gale, and catching the last boat on the way out

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

It is probably one of my biggest fear and I try not to leave the cockpit. If do I keep my center of gravity close to bottom, walk of the windward side, lean low toward the center and grab everything I can while cautiously moving forward.

Abe

I don't have every control in the cockpit. I crawl, don't walk forward of the cockpit ever in rough conditions. If you crawl, your tether can be very short, and your center of gravity below the lifelines. I only stand on my feet at the mast, and not before I have clipped my second tether around the mast. I say to myself every few seconds, "If I go over, I WILL die."

[Rotten Ricky]

[QUOTE=chasfgr;3480488]

My stern steps, are never strapped up, and the lowest rung, when extended is 450mm below the waterline. Even fully dressed and saturated it's possible to climb back aboard.( End of quote).

Please explain how you managed to get your feet onto a step that is only 450mm (18") below the level of the water.

While buoyant in the water, the water level will typically be brushing the top of your shoulders, and 18" puts the step at mid-abdomen level. Unless you are a really strong person who can physically haul yourself half way up the ladder by your arms, I don't see how you can get your feet on that step.

I found that in order to get my foot there, I had to rotate my body in the water so that the rest of my body was further away from the transom. I was doubled up with my knees above the water. I tried using a knee in there - painfully. I tried it as a fit and strong young man and there was no way I could get myself up the ladder.

And that was without being weak from exposure or having the boat pitching in waves. A life-saving device should not be designed to be only used by Olympians. This is not rocket science - the bottom step must be low enough in the water so that you can use your legs to lift yourself - and that means at least 900mm or 3 ft. The addition I made worked like a charm many times.

I invite others to try it, now, before a life is at stake. You will be shocked.

[captbig]

I have fallen in between the dock and boat. That hurt, but wasn't too bad. In general it's not recommended. If there are strong currents it's the end of your life. Safety has to be #1

[BillKny]

I am always amazed at how FEW people fall off boats. We have inherited an unusually good sense of balance from our long ago tree-climbing ancestors.

I taught sailing for 8 years, full time. I was out on the water with three or four inexperienced people 5 days a week on boats from 24 to 40 feet, sailing in central San Francisco Bay in conditions that would be considered “boisterous” by most sailors.

With all those hours, and all those people, I had two who ended up in the water, and both were at the dock.

[waterman46]

[QUOTE=Rotten Ricky;3480572]

Originally Posted by chasfgr

My stern steps, are never strapped up, and the lowest rung, when extended is 450mm below the waterline. Even fully dressed and saturated it's possible to climb back aboard.( End of quote).

Please explain how you managed to get your feet onto a step that is only 450mm (18") below the level of the water.

While buoyant in the water, the water level will typically be brushing the top of your shoulders, and 18" puts the step at mid-abdomen level. Unless you are a really strong person who can physically haul yourself half way up the ladder by your arms, I don't see how you can get your feet on that step.

I found that in order to get my foot there, I had to rotate my body in the water so that the rest of my body was further away from the transom. I was doubled up with my knees above the water. I tried using a knee in there - painfully. I tried it as a fit and strong young man and there was no way I could get myself up the ladder.

And that was without being weak from exposure or having the boat pitching in waves. A life-saving device should not be designed to be only used by Olympians. This is not rocket science - the bottom step must be low enough in the water so that you can use your legs to lift yourself - and that means at least 900mm or 3 ft. The addition I made worked like a charm many times.

I invite others to try it, now, before a life is at stake. You will be shocked.

With any stern ladder, you can easily pull your body up at least 18" out of the water with arms alone. The part of your body in the water is weightless, so any normal person can do this. Then the step 18" below the water is now the equivalent of your 36" and very easy to get to with your feet.

Our stern ladder when lowered has lower step about 18" below the waterline, second step about 3" below waterline, and so on. We have a plumb transom and I don't know the details of a boarding ladder for sugar scoop stern, but of course they have already figured this out by adding grab rails in their boarding ladder arrangements.

Bottom line is that every permanent boarding ladder should have a release mechanism operable from the water. Thanks to this thread, I have been convinced to make this minor change to our ladder.

[c.K.]

hi
self-inflatable life vest with a personal gps emergency beacon attached to its harness, traceable anywhere, gives a good comfortable feeling !