I Almost Died Thread

[Kestle]

Originally Posted by Normanby

When solo, I only ever pee in a bucket, on my knees on the cockpit floor. I'm terrified at the thought of the boat sailing away from me.

Gatorade bottles are the best. Just try 'em.

Jeff

[Stonefloat]

haha , better known as the thundermug !

Originally Posted by Kestle

Gatorade bottles are the best. Just try 'em.

Jeff

[rakedfront1]

This one is not sailing related but it comes to mind everytime I step foot on a boat. I had the honor of taking part in the virgin voyage of a 30 year old power boat newly redone. I am talking 150 hp on a 16 ft boat. I was on the passager seat and once my buddy passed the no wake zone he floored it . We reached 50 mph in seconds, jumping wakes when the deck came apart from the hull. It almost got us both pinned against the seats. We managed to clear the boat as it started to take on water and sink. In only 15 to maybe 20 seconds only the tip of the bow was visible as the positive flotation did its job. We floated there in the middle of the lake for at least 5 minutes until one of the passing boats saw us and came to pick us up. I ended up with a big gash in my leg and I lost pretty much all of my fishing gear but my buddy ended up totaling his boat. He did confess about messing around with that boat's structural integrity when he tried to beef up the deck and converted it to a fishing platform.

[s/v Beth]

I've always thought of myself as a careful person who just loves adventure. When my wife started telling a new friend of my exploits, I got rather embarrassed. Apparently I should have died when:
1. As a toddler I dived off my crib and onto a frame of a bed, with a crushed skull to show for it.
2. As a four year old when I crawled down culverts to catch crayfish. Pipes so narrow that I could not turn around and partially flooded. I also brought home black widows in a jar.
3. At about 6, I wanted to see if I could touch the top leaf of our willow tree. The branch snapped when I was about two feet from the top. I fell 50 feet with the branches breaking my fall to the ground.
4. At 18 I fell 150 feet down a coulor ice climbing. Broken bones, and waited 6 hours for rescue.
5. At 28 I fell 3 stories and hit granite, breaking the same leg, and this time my back too. Another haulout in a litter.
6. At age 44 I was trampled by a horse, leaving 24 broken ribs (flail chest) bleeding intracostal artery and broken shoulder. Sold the horse, although by now you can see he wasn't the problem.
7. Last year was caught by the mainsheet, and broken humerus, dislocated shoulder and fractured ribs. Only reason that I stayed on the boat was my tie in. Rescue again, since my partners didn't feel up to the task of getting me in port.
These are just the ones that should have taken my life. I have broken every structural type of bone in my body that I know of, including both scapula (usually a fatal, high velocity injury)
But before you think I am a selfish pig and used up resources without caring, I work in ER's and OR's on a daily basis and have helped in saving hundreds of traumas. I don't know why I keep surviving but I do. I am grateful for my life and all that I have experienced. Its just kinda hard on those around me.

[Tantalus]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I've always thought of myself as a careful person who just loves adventure. When my wife started telling a new friend of my exploits, I got rather embarrassed. Apparently I should have died when:
1. As a toddler I dived off my crib and onto a frame of a bed, with a crushed skull to show for it.
2. As a four year old when I crawled down culverts to catch crayfish. Pipes so narrow that I could not turn around and partially flooded. I also brought home black widows in a jar.
3. At about 6, I wanted to see if I could touch the top leaf of our willow tree. The branch snapped when I was about two feet from the top. I fell 50 feet with the branches breaking my fall to the ground.
4. At 18 I fell 150 feet down a coulor ice climbing. Broken bones, and waited 6 hours for rescue.
5. At 28 I fell 3 stories and hit granite, breaking the same leg, and this time my back too. Another haulout in a litter.
6. At age 44 I was trampled by a horse, leaving 24 broken ribs (flail chest) bleeding intracostal artery and broken shoulder. Sold the horse, although by now you can see he wasn't the problem.
7. Last year was caught by the mainsheet, and broken humerus, dislocated shoulder and fractured ribs. Only reason that I stayed on the boat was my tie in. Rescue again, since my partners didn't feel up to the task of getting me in port.
These are just the ones that should have taken my life. I have broken every structural type of bone in my body that I know of, including both scapula (usually a fatal, high velocity injury)
But before you think I am a selfish pig and used up resources without caring, I work in ER's and OR's on a daily basis and have helped in saving hundreds of traumas. I don't know why I keep surviving but I do. I am grateful for my life and all that I have experienced. Its just kinda hard on those around me.

Geeze! Your life sounds like a series of "Don't try this at home" videos.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by Jimbo485

Almost 16 and I was standing in a bosun's chair 40' above the deck, feeding a messenger line down for the main halyard. It was a fractional rig on a cat, so my school mate and I had used the jib halyard to get me most of the way up and then I just stood up in order to get to the mast head and then swung myself around to the back of the mast.

A large ferry passed and kicked up a wake. We started to move in the jerky fashion of a cat rather than the measured roll of a mono. I held on, right arm around the mast, feet in the bosun's chair, waiting for the movements to subside.

Suddenly a shroud parted and the mast toppled.

Unfortunately it toppled towards the shore which consisted of large boulders encased in concrete. Instinct meant I stretched my arm out in preparation for the impact. So I broke my left wrist, elbow, skull, eye socket, shattered my pelvis in 5 pieces and bruised my heart. At the same time the mast broke my collar bone which then entered my right lung. The messenger line was fishing line which had looped around a finger and cut it down to the bone.

In a coma for 2 weeks, 6 weeks in hospital, multiple operations, pins and screws to put everything back together. Had to learn to walk again.

Within 6 months my mate and I were hurling ourselves off bridges into the water 50' below. Teenagers chasing the adrenalin highs.

Now I am in my 40s, still climbing up masts, occasionally at sea, but like always I watch out for where the land is. The land is the danger....it creates deceleration trauma...if the mast had fallen the other way, into the river, the consequences would not have been so bad.

Bloody Hell

That's as bad as it gets.

[Jim Cate]

Newt, it's a good thing that you were not destined to become an electrician, for you would have fried yourself somewhere around puberty.

I bet that there are damn few ER docs with the personal experience that you bring to the theater!

Jim

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I've always thought of myself as a careful person who just loves adventure. When my wife started telling a new friend of my exploits, I got rather embarrassed. Apparently I should have died when:
1. As a toddler I dived off my crib and onto a frame of a bed, with a crushed skull to show for it.
2. As a four year old when I crawled down culverts to catch crayfish. Pipes so narrow that I could not turn around and partially flooded. I also brought home black widows in a jar.
3. At about 6, I wanted to see if I could touch the top leaf of our willow tree. The branch snapped when I was about two feet from the top. I fell 50 feet with the branches breaking my fall to the ground.
4. At 18 I fell 150 feet down a coulor ice climbing. Broken bones, and waited 6 hours for rescue.
5. At 28 I fell 3 stories and hit granite, breaking the same leg, and this time my back too. Another haulout in a litter.
6. At age 44 I was trampled by a horse, leaving 24 broken ribs (flail chest) bleeding intracostal artery and broken shoulder. Sold the horse, although by now you can see he wasn't the problem.
7. Last year was caught by the mainsheet, and broken humerus, dislocated shoulder and fractured ribs. Only reason that I stayed on the boat was my tie in. Rescue again, since my partners didn't feel up to the task of getting me in port.
These are just the ones that should have taken my life. I have broken every structural type of bone in my body that I know of, including both scapula (usually a fatal, high velocity injury)
But before you think I am a selfish pig and used up resources without caring, I work in ER's and OR's on a daily basis and have helped in saving hundreds of traumas. I don't know why I keep surviving but I do. I am grateful for my life and all that I have experienced. Its just kinda hard on those around me.

So which one of the "Jackass" gang are you?

[sailcruiser]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I've always thought of myself as a careful person who just loves adventure. When my wife started telling a new friend of my exploits, I got rather embarrassed. Apparently I should have died when: 1. As a toddler I dived off my crib and onto a frame of a bed, with a crushed skull to show for it. 2. As a four year old when I crawled down culverts to catch crayfish. Pipes so narrow that I could not turn around and partially flooded. I also brought home black widows in a jar. 3. At about 6, I wanted to see if I could touch the top leaf of our willow tree. The branch snapped when I was about two feet from the top. I fell 50 feet with the branches breaking my fall to the ground. 4. At 18 I fell 150 feet down a coulor ice climbing. Broken bones, and waited 6 hours for rescue. 5. At 28 I fell 3 stories and hit granite, breaking the same leg, and this time my back too. Another haulout in a litter. 6. At age 44 I was trampled by a horse, leaving 24 broken ribs (flail chest) bleeding intracostal artery and broken shoulder. Sold the horse, although by now you can see he wasn't the problem. 7. Last year was caught by the mainsheet, and broken humerus, dislocated shoulder and fractured ribs. Only reason that I stayed on the boat was my tie in. Rescue again, since my partners didn't feel up to the task of getting me in port. These are just the ones that should have taken my life. I have broken every structural type of bone in my body that I know of, including both scapula (usually a fatal, high velocity injury) But before you think I am a selfish pig and used up resources without caring, I work in ER's and OR's on a daily basis and have helped in saving hundreds of traumas. I don't know why I keep surviving but I do. I am grateful for my life and all that I have experienced. Its just kinda hard on those around me.

And I sit here wondering if we are related. I look at it this way...everyone else is safe if I'm around. :-)
SC

[Therapy]

Dang Newt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm speechless.

As a doc you did ER and OR?? That's a lot. I could listen for hours.

[s/v Beth]

It's funny listening to your comments, and how many of you are like me. Therapy- I'm boarded in Anesthesia, but back in the old days we moonlighted in ER's to feed our family during residency. I still go down to help with codes and particularly difficult patients, but the OR is were I live now.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

It's funny listening to your comments, and how many of you are like me. Therapy- I'm boarded in Anesthesia, but back in the old days we moonlighted in ER's to feed our family during residency. I still go down to help with codes and particularly difficult patients, but the OR is were I live now.

I shoulda been able to figger that out.

29 yrs RN in the OR here. Had enough of the trauma, neuro and ortho though. Trying to figger a way out before 67..........or 70

[Wolfy]

While single handling my 72ft Steel Ketch in the middle of the Caribbean sea enroute to Trinidad from Mona Pass, I noticed some water coming out of the Fwd Stbd Head, realizing that the seacock I needed to close was in the Fwd cabin just beyond the door I didn't foresee this as a big problem.
The Fwd Cabin was Stuffed, and I mean Stuffed full of Spares, Sails etc etc all the way to the ceiling with just barely enough room to open the door, armed with only the required Phillips screwdriver I pushed my way into the Fwd Cabin.
I had to close the door to get access to the screws and cabin sole that I had to remove to gain access to the seacock, very hot typical Caribbean day, when I closed the door the heat increased rapidly, zero ventilation as everything was blocked and water tight.
Anyway, this wasn't going to take long, so I started to undo the screws and wiggled the snug piece of Cabin Sole out and closed the Seacock...whew!! it was getting very stuffy and hot, so, trying to get out of there quickly I tried to place the Cabin sole back into place, it was tight when I removed it and it appeared tighter going back in.....so, because I was STUPID and in a rush to get out of the heat and breathe some good air I place the Cabin sole in place at an angle and STOMPED down on it with all my might to attempt to get it back into position....I failed dismally.....and then it hit me!!! I can't open the Door to get out............ the Cabin sole was stuck at an upwards angle and wedged in TIGHT which now prevented me from opening the door!!!!!!
This door is 1" thick and part of the water tight bulkhead, no tools with me (except the screwdriver).......to cut a long story short...it took me 20 long minutes to pry the Cabin sole back up again, with the Phillips screwdriver, so that I could exit......
That was as close as I ever want to get...lesson learned....don't rush it, think twice before you do anything....especially, single handling!

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Wolfy

While single handling my 72ft Steel Ketch in the middle of the Caribbean sea enroute to Trinidad from Mona Pass, I noticed some water coming out of the Fwd Stbd Head, realizing that the seacock I needed to close was in the Fwd cabin just beyond the door I didn't foresee this as a big problem.
The Fwd Cabin was Stuffed, and I mean Stuffed full of Spares, Sails etc etc all the way to the ceiling with just barely enough room to open the door, armed with only the required Phillips screwdriver I pushed my way into the Fwd Cabin.
I had to close the door to get access to the screws and cabin sole that I had to remove to gain access to the seacock, very hot typical Caribbean day, when I closed the door the heat increased rapidly, zero ventilation as everything was blocked and water tight.
Anyway, this wasn't going to take long, so I started to undo the screws and wiggled the snug piece of Cabin Sole out and closed the Seacock...whew!! it was getting very stuffy and hot, so, trying to get out of there quickly I tried to place the Cabin sole back into place, it was tight when I removed it and it appeared tighter going back in.....so, because I was STUPID and in a rush to get out of the heat and breathe some good air I place the Cabin sole in place at an angle and STOMPED down on it with all my might to attempt to get it back into position....I failed dismally.....and then it hit me!!! I can't open the Door to get out............ the Cabin sole was stuck at an upwards angle and wedged in TIGHT which now prevented me from opening the door!!!!!!
This door is 1" thick and part of the water tight bulkhead, no tools with me (except the screwdriver).......to cut a long story short...it took me 20 long minutes to pry the Cabin sole back up again, with the Phillips screwdriver, so that I could exit......
That was as close as I ever want to get...lesson learned....don't rush it, think twice before you do anything....especially, single handling!

I thought you said you were singlehanding? Sounds like you had Murphy along as crew...

[Wolfy]

After 38 years of being on the Water, I still made a simple, stupid and what could have very easily turned into a fatal Mistake....just show's you how easy it can be to get into trouble when your out there yourself.
But, the rewards, for me, far out way the risks and are incalculable after days or even weeks at sea reaching your destination, mentally and physically drained, but, intact and safe. There's nothing on this earth that's more satisfying....yup, nothing!!
Mind you, Murphy may have come in handy this time