Boating injuries

Stu Jackson · Oct 27, 2009

Glad to hear you're OK

Nasty fall. That's why I love our rigid boom vang and lazy jacks. I tie up the danged mainsail when it's comfortable to do so.

Coming in one day doing just what you described on our old C25 with a topping lift and a swinging boom, some jerk in a BIG 36 trawler started coming up my stern, closer, closer, closer... I started yelling, he swerved just in time, but his wake nearly threw me off the boat. He was so close all I had to do was whisper "You so-and-so!" He actually thought he apologized by saying, "I used to be a sailor, but this is my first time out with this boat!" I figured by buying the big motor boat at least he would know how to steer!

tommays · Oct 28, 2009

Re: Boating accidents

Same thing busy flaking sails and boat getting rocked by wakes my fault

sailormanbigd · Oct 28, 2009

Acident

Ouch, sounds like that hurt. Was anyone watching? That would have hurt worse! You are lucky the fall did,nt break your leg, sounded at first like it might have. Was the slider for the companionway hatch slid open? I always close mine since I am so clumsy.
I was sailing my old southcoast seacraft 22 on wing and wing. My dad and brother and sister were on board. The wind was steady at 15k or so. I handed the tiller to my brother who had just finished a sailing course up in Boston, and I went below to get my dad a fishing pole. I came up the companionway and stood there fiddling with the fishing rod. I wasn't watching the wind indicater and niether was my brother. The boom came clear across the cockpit and hit me on my ear, nocked me to the lifeline-almost over. The end boom mainsheet caught my brother in the face and ripped off his new $400 glasses and over the side they went. My ear started bleeding, my dad got scared and went below and threw up. Live and learn. Patrick

Roger Long · Oct 28, 2009

Re: Boating accidents

I went through all this because seat of the pants accident analysis told me that this exact scenario was the most probably cruise ending injury on my boat.

http://www.rogerlongboats.com/09Companionway.htm

I also always tie the end of my boom to the backstay before furling. If reefing when I can't do that, I tuck a short bight of the mainsheet into the standing parts so it can't get easily knocked out of the cam cleat.

I'm glad you're more or less OK.

BobM · Oct 28, 2009

Worst thing

I hopped off a powerboat onto a wet dock with questionable footwear. Feet went right out from under me and I slammed onto the dock. On the lucky side, I pulled my arm out from between the dock and boat just in the nick of time before the boat hit the dock. Little damaged but my pride luckily.

I don't know which is worse, the risk of having to do things when solo sailing or what happens when I sail with others.

On my boat I have been pulling sails down solo in rough conditions and been buzzed by a lobster man. If I hadn't kept a sharp lookout I doubtlessly would have been thrown overboard by his wake on my starboard stern.

However, I was out with a friend on his 37 footer and he panicked when we got hit by 25 knots sustained while trying to drop our sails in an area with restricted depth. For the record, I had voted to drop them much earlier! He yelled for me to drop the main. I did so and then walked aft a little to pull the sail down more. He hadn't hardened to main sheet to keep the boom on center and he went to steer away from the eye of the wind under power the boom would have swept me off the deck if I hadn't had a grip on the shrouds.

I was calm throughout the whole thing, but in hindsight we had anticipated that the gust was coming (had experienced it on the way out) and had allowed him to defer planning for the gust for too long. I was trying to help him get his confidence back by providing him an experienced crew. He and his Wife bought the 37 about the same time their son was born and a Wife watching a toddler really meant he was solo sailing the last two years. They had a couple of incidents where the engine died, due to poor maintenance and bad fuel so his nerves were raw. Guess that trip didn't help. The gust had only been about 20 knots on the way out and we had raised the main on the mooring. He didn't want to drop the main before entering the mooring field because he was worried about the engine, but he waited too long to roll up the jib. When he went to do it, the gust it and we literally couldn't roll it up against the wind do to pressure and the press of sail prevented us from turning into the wind. We couldn't turn off the wind due to shallow ground. He also hadn't even started the engine yet. He ran aft to start it and sent me forward to douse the main while he did so, allowing us to motor into the wind. In hindsight, I was trying to play crew to his Captain in order to help him gain confidence, but I should have put up a fight when he was making risky decisions. He is a MUCH more experienced sailor than I am, but I hadn't sailed with him before and my style is far more conservative.

The biggest lessons I have learned sailing is to think everything out in advance and to clearly communicate the plan, and any contingencies, to crew members. Not every plan survives the first five seconds of a bad plan (hey I am FAR from perfect) or change requiring an alteration in the plan, but it has done a lot for me. It helps me to avoid making every maneuver a crisis. It has vastly increased my Wife's confidence in my sailing ability (a real sore point our first year). It is also a valuable mental exercise that is best performed with sufficient time to allow for calm, rationale thought.

Regarding Brian's experience. I have heard of many sailors getting badly injured falling down an open companionway. I make a habit of always closing it before go up on deck, no matter what.

Lessons learned

- keep a sharp lookout at all times. Get in the habit of looking around every few minutes.
- communications regarding safety definitely override politeness, even if you aren't the Captain. It's your safety too!
- think out your next moves in advance and make timely and safe decisions to avoid creating a crisis
- always close the companionway slider when you go on deck

Tim R. · Oct 28, 2009

Falling backwards into my companionway from the bridgedeck. The worst part was that the boat was on the hard. Luckily I caught myself under my arms on the sides of the companionway hatch before I went all the way down landing on my head. I had some bruised ribs that took about 6 weeks to heal.

kloudie1 · Oct 28, 2009

Broke two “outside” fingers of left hand when hatch keeper let go and hatch slammed on fingers that were in the opening, holding on. Duct tape and tongue depressor made a fine splint. That along with lots of ibuprofen had it in fine shape.. A friend of mine did, while furling, fall through the companionway of his Tartan 37; compressed a disk and chipped a vertebra on a corner of the steps .. Luckily (?) it was at the end of a cruise and we were close to medical care. I pretty much always close the companionway hatch when I am messing with the main, as a result of that.

Tim R. · Oct 28, 2009

I wish closing the hatch could have helped me but the way I fell back would have just slid the hatch open again. Unless, of course, the hatch boards were in. But I was on the hard working on the boat. No danger of getting pooped there!

Scott T-Bird · Oct 28, 2009

Be careful on unfamiliar boats!

My experience on a J30 that we rented for an afternoon in Chicago (out of Belmont Harbor) taught me that lesson. First, the companionway cover was sticky so I gripped the front edge with both hands and put my weight behind a good shove. The cover then slid across and I pinched all 8 fingertips against the leading edge of the turtle cover. That hurt like an SOB and my wife and son were treated to my cursing which was worse than any salty dog on his worst day! Luckily, no real damage was done. This was a surpise to me as my companion way cover doesn't slide up against anything to pinch my fingers against.

Then, for some reason, I waited until we were out of the harbor entrance before raising the main, so the boat was pitching in the chop more than I am used to and the halyard was hoisted at the mast. I am used to hoisting my sails from the cockpit. The halyard seemed to be jammed a little at first, so I used both hands for a strong pull. The boat pitched, the halyard gave, and only a last second stab at grabbing the mast kept me from pitching backwards into the life lines or overboard. I think that coming back to the dock with wet clothes would have been extremely humiliating, even if less painful than a broken leg or arm!

Fortunately, the rest of the day after that was wonderful!

oldiesrocker2001 · Oct 28, 2009

The worst injury on my boat was on the trailer. Shortly after I began sailing the Venture, I was planning on taking it out solo and it was already parked in the lot at our lake as I drove in. By now we have the kicker locked on and all gear in the cabin that stays there. I pulled alongside and started putting the 'goodies' in the cockpit(cooler, electronics bag spares) and, since I was there, I decided to climb in and unlock the cabin where the stuff usually goes. Big problem, though. The old boat had the wheels set back pretty far but the venture's old trailer had them close to center balance. As soon as my foot cleared the ladder the boat went nose-up and I dragged my leg over the winch, leaving a knot the size of a softball on the back of my leg. The knot eventually subsided, but I can still feel a remaining knot there years later - still can't believe I didn't break anything falling backwards onto the ground...:naughty:

Witzend · Oct 28, 2009

We were doing the Gov. Cup back in 96', blowing 25-30 from the SSW 2am, 2nd reefs in the main on a Hunter Legend 37.5. After a long starboard tack and appearing to get nowhere because we were getting sucked up the Chop Tank on and incoming, we tacked. The boom came over and my tall pit crew got clipped, out like a light. We were just about to call the CC when he came to, and convinced us he was ok.
What had happened?
Well the reef line in the main at the boom end had stretched since that last tack allowing the boom the angle to be lower than expected, thus the contact.
Moral of the story, inspect your rigging regularly to see if anything has changed, especially when you have been on the same tack for a long period.

Stu Jackson · Oct 28, 2009

Witzend said:
Well the reef line in the main at the boom end had stretched since that last tack allowing the boom the angle to be lower than expected, thus the contact.

An old sailor's trick: tie an additional short line through the clew reef cringle around the boom when you're planning on being reefed for more than a few tacks.

zeehag · Oct 28, 2009

broke my back in main saloon of my formosa when i slid on the wet ---is better now--and watch out when up the mast---too many folks i know have fallen from those despite safety measures......

Benny · Oct 28, 2009

Tore my biceps by grabing the admiral and preventing her from falling between dock and boat. To this day she claims she was perfectly under control and I need not have intervened. Next time, I may not be that quick. Still have about 90% of my strength on that arm but it still hurts when I apply a twisting motion like turning a screw driver under pressure. I also broke a toe by jamming my foot against a cleat; learned not to sail with flip-flops on. It was pointing the wrong way so I taped it down to the toe next to it. It took about three months to heal but is doing ok . I'm not going to count the times I have seen blood on deck and had to look to see where I had cut myself. What was that someone said about going through the pearly gates at full speed, skiding sideways, all worn and broken down?

Rick D · Oct 28, 2009

What Is It About Lancers?

Half of the injuries (other than boat bites) were on a Lancer my Dad owned.
The first one was me getting ready to raise the main, stepping into the cockpit on to a jib sheet and falling into the floor breaking my ankle. We continued the delivery cruise. I ordered the beer out of the ice chest. I drank the beer and stuck my foot into the ice chest.

The second one was on a run in 20 knots of wind. My AADD dad was on the helm and not concentrating on the heading. We did a crash jibe which almost knocked my wife over the life lines, broke the traveler end stop and smashed the heavy lenses an my friend's glasses with the block.

The third one was 100 miles off the coast of Baja California going from SoCal to Puerto Vallarta. I was crew on my dockmate's boat. I was on deck at night preparing to move the preventer in anticipation of a jibe. I was crouched, moving from the cockpit to the deck as we got hit by a big swell causing a premature jibe. The boom took a glancing blow off my temple but I was out for a while. I had a life vest on but I wasn't tethered.

In addition to those, I was pulling away from the dock in 25 knots of cross wind and my daughter worried about the bow clearing the finger. She was pushing off and decided at the last minute to "hold the anchor horns and swing aboard". She couldn't. I could not see her nor hear her screams. I thought she had stayed on the dock so I motored to the turning basin to return not knowing she was playing hood ornament at the bow. Fortunately, a guy in a dink saw her and rushed to me to let me know and rescued her.

Other things: Two people I know fell from the mast. Both lived and neither had paralysis, but both were extremely lucky. Several people I know have had bad back strains picking up moorings and trying to 'pull' the boat to the eye in windy conditions.

Well, that's it for today...

Mike77901 · Oct 28, 2009

Brian

I would recommend you seeing a doctor as soon as you can.

I had a friend with a similar injury and he decided it was ok. He know has a nerve problem and increasing weakness in his leg. I don't remember the name of the injury but it is well known.

Brian D said:
Well, the worst that has happen to me was walking off the end of a dock. At least it was until Monday the 26th.

It started as any sail would start, getting the boat ready and heading out. The wind wasn’t all that great and the pacific ocean was calm with light swells. But it was a day of sailing and that beats a day of anything. Even practiced with my sextant.

About a mile off the coast and heading towards the harbor, I started my routine of taking my sails down. First the head sail bundled on the deck. Next the main. With the motor running a slow forward motion and the auto pilot on I started to fold the main on the boom. The boat started to roll from a swell and it almost knocked me off balance. Then another swell hit and this time it did knock me off balance.

I grabbed the boom and one more swell knocked me on the boom. The combined weight of the boom and me snapped the link on the boom end of the topping lift. The boom went crashing into the cockpit and with me completely off balance, I went crashing into the cabin below. That would be about a six foot fall straight down into the companion way ladder. Luckily it was feet first, but it still hurt like the dickens. My chin came within inches of smashing into the companion way.

I took a mental inventory and found I had a sharp pain in my left leg below my knee and my right leg just below my cheek. Also my right arm was hurting, but it was my left leg that was my main concern.

I exited the cabin back into the cockpit and checked my position. Half a mile to the harbor entrance. I pulled my pant leg up and just below and to the inside of my left knee was a knot about 2” high, 4” wide and about 6” long. And it was getting bigger. My first thought was blood clot and I should call the Harbor Patrol and ask for assistance, but I started instead to massage the knot. I thought it was a busted blood vessel or something really bad, but after massaging a minute or so the knot went down. No numbness to my toes or coldness in my leg. So whatever it was it went back to normal. Today the swelling is way down and my leg has signs of bruising.

I think I was extremely lucky on Monday. I did have my PFD on but I was not harnessed to the boat. Lesson learned - wait until I enter the outer harbor before taking the sails down.

What has been the most serious accident aboard your boat to you or one of your crew?

Ron20324 · Oct 30, 2009

Mike77901 said:
I don't remember the name of the injury but it is well known.

It's called a "boo-boo".

zeehag · Oct 30, 2009

Ron20324 said:
It's called a "boo-boo".

or an owie .....