Kiwi skipper dies in winch accident

[Captain Larry-DH]

Hey folks - the article linked below is a sad story, not for the faint-hearted, and very strong reminder of why we need to be cautious around electric winches. Sometimes momentary-contact switches can stick, or relays can stick. Here are some things I suggest:
1) Be careful about hand placement. While operating- Don't lean on the top of the drum's self-tailer surface that does not turn, it's too easy to snag a stray finger.
2) Don't loop lines around your hand, hold them so the line can drop or run through your hand if you let go.
3) If raising someone in a bosun's chair, close the rope clutch while ascending and do NOT lock the line into the self-tailer. That way, if the switch or relay sticks "on" you can slip the line on the winch drum and the person will be held by the clutch. If crew is available, have someone standing by to kill the breaker if needed. If not, make sure the person operating the winch knows where the breaker is.

Article link here Kiwi skipper dies in winch accident

 

[colemj]

In the case in the article, the winch was known to not shut off, or randomly start operating, and it sounds like they were operating it for a while in this condition. That should never happen.

The winch was not self-tailing.

One thing I can't wrap my head around is the article states a couple of times that the person's whole body was wrapped tightly around the winch. Apparently he got his hand caught, then the winch pulled him full body in and around. There is a picture of the winch and for the life of me I cannot understand how a human body could get wrapped around it. It is a relatively small winch with a lot of interfering stuff around it.

Mark

 

[jssailem]

There is no information as to the cause of death. It may have been shock, heart attack, loss of blood from a crushed or severed limb, almost anything. The information is incomplete.

 

[Davidasailor26]

One thing I can't wrap my head around is the article states a couple of times that the person's whole body was wrapped tightly around the winch. Apparently he got his hand caught, then the winch pulled him full body in and around. There is a picture of the winch and for the life of me I cannot understand how a human body could get wrapped around it. It is a relatively small winch with a lot of interfering stuff around it.

Pretty remarkable. I can’t really imagine how it happens either, and the exact circumstances are probably quite one-off.

Still, the general precautions are good things to keep in mind, and this incident can serve as a reminder if those. To Captain Larry’s list I might just add to keep a serrated knife handy. It won’t help when climbing the mast, but it seems like it could’ve helped release the tension from the halyard here. It’s also good to have when using a tether.

 

[capta]

My condolences to his family.
At first glance, it appears that the placement of the winches has not been well thought out. I don't see how anyone could easily see aloft from that position. If this is so, then whoever is operating it to raise a sail would have their concentration split. Since neither winch is self tailing, as I see it he would have one hand (finger?) on the switch and the other tailing that line.
Now you've got a person, more than likely contorted to watch what is happening, with both hands occupied some distance apart, operating a winch with known switching faults, on a moving boat? As I see it, this wasn't a situation of when, but if, for a critical failure.
If y'all want your day or ocean sailing trips to be fun, there are a couple of attitudes that will keep it safe and fun. Situational awareness isn't just a suggestion, it is the most important thing one can do for self preservation, on a boat, in a car, or just walking down a sidewalk.
The other very real safety feature is the black box theory. This isn't voodoo, it revolves around going just a few tiny steps beyond normal maintenance. Pulling up those plastic turnbuckle covers and inspecting the swages, turnbuckles, and cotter keys, as you pass by every now and then. No big deal, right, but it's a couple of points in the black box. A few points here and a few there, and when something that may/should/could go bad, it just doesn't. A big bunch of points out of the box, but you've got them and more.
Of course, in this case the glaring example is the winch switch maintenance. But doing any others at the same time is where you add points.

 

[thinwater]

I wrote an article on electric winch safety once. There is no or very little guidance from the manufacturers about safe placement of switches, winches, etc. They have a lot of power, are often operated by poorly trained people, and with the complete lack of safety guarding, would not be permitted in an industrial setting. I was also shocked by the number of OEM installations with switches way too close to the winch and that in someway, require the operator to reach somewhere they should not.

Manual open winches have their hazards, but they are self limiting much of the time. You hands are on the winch handle, and you stop if there is an override. Yes, they can be dangerous during release. But adding power changes everything IMO. I see the appeal, but there are SERIOUS hazards with this sort of machinery. It's not like driving a car or working in an office, the background of most sailors. This is old school, pre-OSHA, industrial risk.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Thanks for the link @Captain Larry-DH . Before reading this article, I had never considered how hazardous a powered winch could be with just a minuscule lapse in attention. Alternately, I had only considered the windlass to be somewhat of a hazard but only when you were higher than a kite on whatever you were smoking at the time. Or, as an alternate, you had a remotely controlled windlass and one of the kids was playing with the remote while you were working at the windlass. Still, pretty hard to get into trouble while the windlass is weighing the anchor and you're certainly not going to be in there diddling the rode while dropping the anchor at a high rate of speed.

Without rehashing all of the NZ news release details, I think this presents a damn good lesson to NOT have a powered winch(s) just because you've got the money and feel you have to show it off with another toy. If you're a physically capable individual, you definitely don't need a suicide machine like this. I see all sorts of competent women handling winches on sailboats. If a physical impediment prevents you from using a manual winch, carry someone along who can supply the muscle.

As others here have said before me, my sincerest condolances to the friends and relatives of this adventurous gentleman. If some small caution can be gained by other mariners after reading about this ghastly accident, Lyall Babington will have made a valuable contribution to his fellow man. RIP Lyall.

 

[thinwater]

Not unheard of. The working are unguarded and the switch can stick on. The switch can be poorly positioned. The winch can be poorly positioned. Using the self tailor makes it more dangerous, but the Kiwi did not have self-tailing winches. Here is another.
Antigua winch accident

 

[JamesG161]

Mine has a safety cover and a long way from the Winch.

Jim...

 

[colemj]

Another note regarding electric winch danger is that many winch controls have load sensors and will trip off if exceeded. These trip points are below what it would take to wrap a body around a winch. Probably not enough to stop the loss of a finger, but definitely enough to stop a lot of damage.

I was reminded of this today when a halyard snag stopped our Harken 48 electric winch.

Mark

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Thanks for the link @Captain Larry-DH . I think this presents a damn good lesson to NOT have a powered winch(s) just because you've got the money and feel you have to show it off with another toy. .

sigh!

it’s not a chain saw

 

[Leeward Rail]

If you're a physically capable individual, you definitely don't need a suicide machine like this

Not sure if I would call them suicide machines, but I have always felt that if you can't handle cranking a winch on a reasonably sized sailboat, you probably shouldn't sail them.
Could you handle getting crew aboard if you can't crank a two speed winch ?

 

[Leeward Rail]

Here are more details of this event on PBO

Skipper dies after being wound round his boat's faulty electric winch - Practical Boat Owner

The skipper of the Mollie died after becoming entangled around the electric winch drum, an MAIB investigation has concluded

www.pbo.co.uk

 

[shemandr]

The original article is not particularly well written. Usually newspapers don't get the sailing details right and the sailing readers are left to fill in the gaps. The update doesn't really clarify what happened to cause a loss of life. Yeah the winch drew his hand/arm into the drum. But did he suffocate, break his neck, die of cardiac arrest or other cause?
Did the investigative body (MIAB?) really not know which arm was caught? That seems like a pretty casual investigation. And what does the size of the boatyard have to do with the winch installation?

 

[jssailem]

it’s not a chain saw

True.
Can you imagine how effective any winch might be when 1/8" Dyneema is used as a jib sheet? It would function like a garrotte, cutting through flesh like butter and pinching fingers or hands right off.

Winches, be they electric or manual, should be used with care.

 

[thinwater]

Another note regarding electric winch danger is that many winch controls have load sensors and will trip off if exceeded. These trip points are below what it would take to wrap a body around a winch. Probably not enough to stop the loss of a finger, but definitely enough to stop a lot of damage.

I was reminded of this today when a halyard snag stopped our Harken 48 electric winch.

Mark

Interesting thought, but I'm not sure that is true. The genoa working load on a larger boat could easily excede 2000 pounds. The working load on my PDQ 32 (measured) was 900 pounds in hard going. The load sensor would need to be set about 30% above that to allow for gusts and calibration error. Thus, on many boats that load sensor trip would be at least 2000-4000 pounds. Ask the big boat guys if they know their working loads.

And how much pressure would take on the chest or abdomen to be fatal (although it escapes me, and perhaps all of us, without illustration how that happened)? Perhaps only 100-500 in a concentrated area, depending on the location and duration. The load sensor might reduce equipment damamge, but I don't think it would make any difference at all in an entrapment situation. I'm pretty sure that 1000 pounds plus in a narrow 1/2" band would break lots of bones, crush soft tissue, prevent breathing, and well, kill you.

edit. The article did not say that his body was enveloped, only that he had head trauma. My guess is that the the winch spun him into the railing and such while his arm was being mangled. Ouch. But I am guessing.

Clearly, the most important factor is a safe body position, remembering that once you get snagged it is pulling you in and there is no time to react. There are many pieces of rotating equipment, such as a wood lathe, where gloves and long sleeves are a known danger. (Comes to mind because I was turning some Christmas gifts on a lathe this morning). Once they have you, you're going in.

 

[thinwater]

This is a production boat. (boat show)

The switch is pretty damn close. What if someone is sitting next to the winch and leans/falls? And what do you think of the drink holder location?

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

To those who don't think electric winches are a good idea, that's like saying you shouldn't watch TV if you need to use a remote control (putting aside that you can't buy one without a remote anymore).
While electric winches can be dangerous, they can also add safety or facilitate better control to compensate if a skipper or crew has an injury or weakness. Should you not sail if you need to wear glasses to see? I don't think strength counts as much for crew safety as having agility, and just knowing how to use things properly while having situational awareness and foresight. Electric winches are like any other power tool. A great advantage if used safely.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

And what do you think of the drink holder location?

I think it's Great ! Now you can really get liquored up before using the winch.

Why the hell anyone would want to encourage drinking so close to a piece of dangerous equipment (open pinch points galore) staggers the imagination.

 

[Leeward Rail]

Did the investigative body (MIAB?) really not know which arm was caught? That seems like a pretty casual investigation.

Listed as the Completed Preliminary Accessment.

An easy search of the MAIB website results in this and other accidents with various winches or whatever else you use as a search term.

Fatal accident on board the recreational sailing vessel Mollie

Location: The Solent, England.

www.gov.uk

"As the skipper started to clear the hoist rope from the inboard winch it started to turn, and the skipper’s right hand became caught in the rope around it. As the winch continued to turn the skipper was progressively pulled tighter onto the winch drum, causing severe injuries to his arm and hand, trauma to his head and chest, and pinning him around the winch. "

"A postmortem examination of the skipper was carried out, the results of which are pending."

FWIW, MAIB has always seemed to treat recreation accidents like they do commercial ones. Much better than some investigative bodies.

For fun... Here's the search page..

Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports

Find reports of MAIB investigations into marine accidents and incidents

www.gov.uk

Heres's the search filtered to recreational sailboats.

Marine Accident Investigation Branch reports

Find reports of MAIB investigations into marine accidents and incidents

www.gov.uk