How Do Couples Cruisers Fall Off Boats?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by taxwizz

I have heard that an extremely large percentage of men go overboard with their fly open.
And that is how the bodies are found.
Seriously.

Any link? I have never heard of a case. This is often posted, but without documentation I consider it urban legend. When true, alcohol is probably primary.


edit: All kidding aside, either bottle or tether or lace your legs and arms thoroughly around a shroud. If solo or in serious conditions, don't.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Any link? I have never heard of a case. This is often posted, but without documentation I consider it urban legend.

Me too, but it's not difficult to imagine that you are more likely to fall off the boat.
1. You are very likely to near the edge of the boat.
2. You have one hand occupied.
3. You have your thingee out. Always a distraction.
4. You have to think about not peeing on yourself, others or your stuff.
5. Stance matters, and you can't shuffle you feet as freely or as fast as you can if you had your pants up when the boat moves.

[JPA Cate]

Cpt. Pat mentioned the centerline jackline. They are so inconvenient to set up on most boats that people don't really consider them, but way, way better in use. You can't get to the lifeline to go over it (assuming you have them). When our boat before this one was dismasted, and the motion so twitchy because of it, I surely wished we had a center line jack line. We used to add lacing to our foredeck lifelines, to help keep sails on board, but such lacing can also keep a body from going under the life lines. With furlers, we no longer do it.

I can definitely see the value for singlehanders, in particular, to have netting or lacing for all the life lines. It requires renewing every two years or so, but can easily retain you even if the deck is at a huge angle.

The boat that was dismasted had a bale at the base of the mast where the deck penetration was, with a s/s ring on it for attaching halyards. It was a perfect thing to clip on to while working at the mast. On this boat, the tether goes around a cleat. But the deal is that you need to figure out what will work in use.

Ann

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Cpt Pat

...My own search of man overboard procedures couldn't find even one that recommended inflating the liferaft for the victim - so the crew could take his/her time in recovering the victim before hypothermia sets in. Have you ever had to actually try to hoist a cold semi-conscious person aboard? It ain't easy - especially for those of you with high sided high freeboard floating buses....

That is an interesting discussion point. If you could quickly release a tender on davits, assuming the MOB can get in it, now you have a lot of time and a big target. On the other hand, could it be useful during recovery? Certainly, if the waves were not terrible. I don't know the answer. If a person went over in cold but moderate conditions, it could be a huge help in making contact and getting them on board. But creapy in a couples situation, since that leaves no one on board. Interesting.

[Mike Banks]

The most common I think is someone struck by the boom and knocked overboard. Unconscious and in the drink, no one will hear them or see them until later--when the chances of even finding a body are remote.

The worst case was the loss of the entire crew off the Queensland coast of Two Dogs--a catamaran, which was found floating with no one aboard and the engine running at idle. It was thought that such a man overboard event precipitated a series of really disastrous decisions by a newbie crew.

[CassidyNZ]

Honestly, I must be the most irresponsible person on this board.

I have stainless rails around my boat elevated to 900mm around the rear deck where we mostly spend deck time. I have jackstays for night time, I have the usual safety gear that is required by NZ Cat 1 (which is extensive), I do all the safety briefings etc.

But if I have to spend my day on the boat on a voyage, no, heck, at any time, trussed up in a lifejacket with a safety harness on and a helmet equipped to carry an array of gear on my head, tracking devices on my shoulder, lights up the wazoo, I’d rather give it up and choose a sport like croquet.

Geez, it’s not that hard to stay on the boat. I use simple devices for that. We all have them, they’re called hands. On most of us they work pretty well, mine have done an excellent job in four decades of sailing. And if yours don’t, you probably should consider croquet. If one wants to prance about the boat like a ballerina one probably needs to festoon oneself with all that stuff. Just hold on for goodness sake, get down on your knees and crawl if it’s really lumpy.

I have a simple night-time rule. Nobody leaves the cockpit unless it’s critically urgent and never without a clipped-on harness. Beyond that, safety gear is for serious conditions, not for all-day apparel. Enjoy the sailing, this is supposed to be fun

Oh and if you want to have a pee, go down below, we have two fully functional heads, no need to use the side of the boat.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

The most common I think is someone struck by the boom and knocked overboard. Unconscious and in the drink, no one will hear them or see them until later--when the chances of even finding a body are remote....

Would a helmet help (assuming not swept off)? Variable, I bet, and few would wear them, although I have when singlehanding in brisk winter conditions. It makes the companionway safer and I'm wearing a hat anyway. They don't blow off.

[captmikem]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I think the most common scenario is the idiot was not attached (with a leash and harness) to the boat. You only go overboard if not attached to the boat.

b.

Well now...
You are welcome to your opinion, but I don't think I much of it. But then when people fear leaving the cockpit they tend to rationalize their fears and actions.

Intimate knowledge of your vessel, one hand for the ship and one for yourself in my opinion is the best way to stay aboard.
I have not found the need to limit my mobility with harnesses or life vests, but then I have only sailed a few hundred thousand miles (and I dont swim).

If you are new to this, and or insecure, or just want to wear such gear then by all means wear it. But calling folks who dissagree with your limited views "idiots" just just makes people ignore what you write, even if you do have good information to pass along.

Every night at sea I take a couple turns around the deck, checking for chafe, making sure all is well, tidying up things, enjoying the night. But I am always aware one misstep, one casual glance aloft without a firm hand on something secure, and I am over the side and dead. A sobering thought that is always with me.
M

[bobnlesley]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Brings to mind my favourite cruising crooner: Eileen Quinn. “If I killed the captain”

Apparently Lesley's favourite EQ Track.

For my own contribution - perhaps worthy of a Darwin if I'd succeeded? - then launching and getting into an albeit well secured rib mid-Pacific to remove a broken water-blade from the wind vane steering once the wind/seas had 'eased' to only F4/3-4m almost did it.
Tough buggers those Monitor windvanes, even with just an eight tonne boat backing them up they can deliver one hell of a Glasgow Kiss; at least the scar will always remind me not to try that game again.

[Fore and Aft]

This is Australia’s version of the Mary Celeste on a cat.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/aug/09/australia
Peter Hill also lost his partner of his cat in South Africa, it would be interesting to hear what he has to say about it?
Both happened on cats which makes me chuckle inside.........
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...th-Africa.html
Cheers

[JPA Cate]

To me, not a chuckling matter. It has to be terrifying to be trapped below and unable to free yourself and escape to the surface.

Plenty of sailors have died over the years from monohulls sinking. Boats sinking, or otherwise drowning sailors in general, while of interest, is a sad event, at least to me.

Ann

[CarlF]

There was a case a few years ago on the ARC race with two brothers double handing a boat. Weather was good. As I remember the story, one fell overboard and was being dragged by his harness pinned to the side of the boat. His brother was actually able to talk to him but not able to get him up.

The brother finally cut the tether. By the time he got the sails down and got back to his brother -- he was dead from drowning likely from being dragged.

[a64pilot]

It’s actually not all that different from disconnecting air bags from a car your going to race.
Imagine going 100 MPH bump something then bang a loud noise and your blind from the thing smashing into your face and blowing dust in your eyes, but your still going 95 miles an hour

Safety devices can sometimes be just the opposite.

A tether that has you dragging behind the boat and drowning you for example.

During aircraft dunker egress training here in Jacksonville decades ago, we were told to be certain not to inflate our water wings until well clear of the aircraft, or we would be pinned to the ceiling and drowned.
We also wore a HEEDS bottle though, civilian “spare air”

You have to decide for yourself what is best, if there is a possibility of being trapped, maybe autoinflate isn’t a good thing.

[CarlF]

And another man overboard story with two commercial fishermen heading out overnight from Montauk for fishing

One was asleep below when the other fell overboard when the handle on a Coleman ice cooler he was dragging off a deck hatch suddenly gave way.

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/m...n-the-sea.html

My rule is that no one can leave the cockpit offshore without a 2nd person in the cockpit and awake.

[Fore and Aft]

Sorry Ann, I should have made myself clearer. I was referencing another thread where there is a catamaran love festival going on. You can drown and have accidents on any sort of boat one or two hulls despite what some of the other posters think.

Nothing funny about drowning I am sure
Cheers