Unnecessary risk taking?

[NautiDuck]

Just read this on cnn.com:"Rescue crews using helicopters and boats searched 100 square miles of the Chesapeake Bay for a prominent publisher and former diplomat whose sailboat was found empty and drifting in shallow water.The search for 72-year-old Philip Merrill, an experienced sailor and chairman of the board of Capital-Gazette Communications Inc., was suspended late Sunday, but was to resume early Monday."As time goes by, chances of survival are less and less," said Col. Mark S. Chaney, superintendent of the Maryland Natural Resources Police.Merrill had taken his 41-foot sailboat out alone Saturday, and he typically followed an 18-mile round trip without wearing a lifejacket, Chaney said."Just read on espn.com that Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburg Steelers QB, has been hospitalized with a head injury after his motorcycle collided with a car. Police report he was not wearing a helmet.What causes people to take such unnecessary risks? Is the sail that much better without a PFD? Is the ride that much better without a helmet?

 

[Ross]

I would never go out alone without

a pfd. The weather Saturday was blustery at best and out of the north at 20 gusting to 30+. His boat was big enough to handle the weather (obviously) But if he had been knocked over board by a gybe without a pfd he could have drowned before he recovered enough to save himself. In very warm, light air conditions a pfd can be quite hot but the coasties where them all of the time.

 

[Warren Milberg]

This is a good question

I think that as the boat gets bigger, people get more and more complacent about safety. A bigger boat just seems more secure. And most of the time, it is. But as we all know, stuff happens on the water, usually when you least expect it. It happens to big boats and small boats. I sail alone a lot right in the area were Phil Merrill's boat was found. The Chesapeake can produce some challenging conditions now and then, often coming up quickly and sometimes without warning. I always wear a waist pack inflatable PFD, even when the conditions are fairly tame, as you just never know when "stuff" is headed your way. I hope I never have to use the PFD....

 

[Benny]

Yes, motorcycle helmet. No, pfd

The thought of your head hitting the pavement on any accident is encouragement enough. I wear a helmet when riding bycicle. As far as a pfd when sailing a medium size boat, no thanks. An adequate life jacket is a flotation aid; if you are unconsious you can still drown, also it does nothing for hypothermia. A life jacket hinders movement and may snag throwing you off balance and incresing the possibility of falling overboard. The best protection is to recognize the danger, be careful at all times and be prepared. 1) Make sure your stanchions, lifelines and handrails are up to the job.2) One hand for the boat and one hand for yourself, always no exceptions.3) When going up front do it on the windward side as if you loose your balance gravity will keep you inside the boat.4) Lead all your control lines aft to minize the need to leave the safety of the cockpit.5) know at all times location of the boom, direction of the boat and the effect a wind change may have over it.6) Do have a contingency plan for the possibility of falling overboard, trail a knoted floating line behind the boat and have a way of getting back aboard. Trailing a dingui is best.7) Keep a tidy cockpit; organize your halyards and sheets so you don't step on or get tripped by them. 8) Keep physically fit and practice threading water.There is no 100% protection, but I would rather rely on my abilities than to be under a false sense of security a pfd can provide. These new waist packs and suspender are not inflated and may or may not work when you need them. I believe in having Type 1 life jackets aboard enough for every adult and a few small vests to be worn by all children. This jackets are bulky but provide 24 lbs of flotation. To go sailing solo is a personal decision and so are the safety measures to be taken.

 

[Tom s/v GAIA]

Yeah, the ride IS better.

The PFD? depends on conditions, but I wear one more often then not.Toms/v GAIA

 

[Bill Roosa]

I only ware mine when I need them.

nm

 

[Ross]

Bill, when you discover that you need a pfd

it is too late to reach for it, you're already wet.

 

[Anchor Down]

Force of Will is what is not 100% Effective

Benny,Merrill may have done everything on your list, except No. 6.He apparently was not an advocate of wearing a life jacket, as you are not. He also apparently fell overboard in cold water during a split second of carelessness, and has died: his reluctance to wear some kind of flotation no doubt is a contributing factor in his death.I agree with every precaution on your list, but see no reason why a modern harness/PFD and tethering onself to the boat should not be part of a "belt and suspenders" (no pun intended) approach to single-handing.An automatically-inflating PFD with a collar that surrounds the neck is designed to keep an unconscious person afloat in a face-up position that allows breathing. And if the chances are 80:20 that it will, what possible reason can there be for not using it?My manually inflatable (but I'm thinking about going to automatic) PFD is also a harness. Uninflated, it causes no restriction to my movement, and allows me to attach myself physically to the boat (the tether must be short enough to avoid being tossed and dragged). Yes, clipping in is a small inconvenience. Falling off my boat, causing untold thousands of dollars in damages/personal injury when my unmanned boat puts people and property in its path in danger, or even dying, is a larger inconvenience.Arguing that "nothing is 100% effective," and that inflatable PFDs "may or may not work" are arguments FOR an overlapping strategy, not against one. One of the "abilities" you someday may have to rely on could be your ability to stay on the surface as long as you can: I'd rather have flotation than tire myself treading water. If it is a short distance to safety, and the PFD is hindering my swimming, I can always partially deflate the thing. And they have manual inflation tubes incase the cartridge is bad or I tire and want to rest. This assumes, of course, that I fall off because I'm not tethered, the boat gets away from me, and I can't re-board.Whatever happened to Merrill, it may have been unnecessary, had he made one change in his approach to single handing: been more humble.

 

[Benny]

I just read the news in CNN and find ...

that there is no evidence to conclude that Mr. Merrill fell overboard. Until they recover the body and confirm the cause of death it is mere speculation on the probability of what may have happened. The comments and reported news at this point should concentrate in the Search and Recovery efforts and forego speculation as to the cause of the ocurrence.

 

[NYSail]

To each

his own.......next thing we know, big brother will be giving us tickets if we do not wear them all of the time.Life is full of risks and unexpected happenings. A man in his mid 40's in relatively good shape recently slipped while crossing the street, hit his head on the curb, which killed him.Yes indeed take precautions to all actions, however Enjoy life as you see fit without endangering or bothering others.....IMHO

 

[filthy liberal scum]

a lot of speculation here

yes its known he went overboard. why is pure speculation. 72, maybe he had a heart attack. its been known to happen.the chesie is quite choppy with 20 knots plus. locally known as the cheseapeake chop.can be quite bumpy and jerky. as to the pfd. if i'm single handing i always wear an inflatable sos type with intregal harness. also at night and if sailing with my wife as the only other crew. sometimes will remove it if i'm only in cockpit.we have a rule, if its rough or night and your going forward then sos is a must and the harness must be hooked to the jack line. i don't know about yall but i sure don't want to ever have to do a quick turnaround in the dark to try to find my wife in the water or vice versa.Que Pasa?as the old saying goes it only takes once.

 

[Ross]

Benny, CNN not withstanding

Mr. Merrill was not on his boat when they found the boat. Therefore he either fell, jumped, or was pushed. For many years the Coasties said, "Please wear your life vest. It makes it easier for us to find your body."

 

[filthy liberal scum]

another point

the chesie is an estuary that has hefty tidal currents. even if your a great swimmer it could be almost impossible to swim to shore fighting the current. the current will try to carry you up or down the bay and not toward shore. not to mention the extra energy required.Que Pasa?

 

[Badger N.H.]

What's unnecessary about it?

Wearing a PFD would absolutely ruin sailing for me. I am not taking any risks by not wearing one. I haven't worn a PFD since I was seven or eight and that was only a few times to please my mother when my father wasn't around to stop her.Both people were alone, enjoying what they like to do and not endangering anyone. They were doing nothing wrong or immoral.Why do people get so concerned when these things happen? It's none of their business. It's these over emotional busybodies that make the stupid safety laws that make our lives miserable. Most of the lawmakers don't even sail or ride motorcycles yet they feel it is their responcability to force us to obey their emotional whims as if they were God. And no doubt they are probably all athiests believing they can do no wrong and are so intelligent that they must protect all the obviously stupider people who bow before them.Anyone who worries about me drowning or crashing a bike should learn to control their emotions and not let it bother them. I'll decide for myself what risks are necessary and no one should have the right to care. We must do whatever we can to fight saftey laws and rebuke anyone who promotes them.

 

[tom]

Risk is part of the spice in life

Without a little risk life can be hopelessly boring. Considering that sailing is probably the safest sport not wearing a life jacket is not exactly living on the edge. Driving to the boat is many times more dangerous. Riding without a helemt feels much better than with a helmet. My wife doesn't ever ride without a helmet but I have. Actually I totaled my goldwing while riding without a helmet. Hit something slippery on the road and the bike went down going about 45-50 mph. All I lost was a little skin and a good pair of boots. Absolutely no head damage but my foot was briefly between the road and the bike. Man I was glad that I had on boots and not tennis shoes!!!! Many of us have galloped on our horse or even worse got the horse to flat out run!!! Why take the risk??? If you have ever galloped or ran a horse across a large pasture or down a dirt road you know the reward is worth the risk. Sure we could all walk the horse around the paddock all day but that would be incredibly boring. Life is dangerous and 100% of our lives will end in death. The question is " What will you do while you are alive?" I do always wear a seatbelt and they have saved my life at least twice. Both times other cars failed to yield right of way resulting in accidents.

 

[Drew]

Live Free or Die

I think New Hampshire is still a hold out on helmut laws for motorcycles. Sometimes I wear an inflatable, sometimes I don't. I think I will make a point of it from now on, at least when single-handing.Badger, I understand the sentiment but I gotta play devil's advocate. Who pays the bill when you bang your head on the highway? We all do, even if you have insurance. Preventable cost to society is what drives safety laws, not anybody's emotions (in theory at least).

 

[Badger N.H.]

Drew, I understand that.

If and when we ever have to start paying too much for other peoples mistakes then it involves us and we have a right to speak.New Hampshire is holding out on helmet laws. We just had a big multi motorcycle accident here involving an SUV at Bike Week recently but they won't need insurance. They are dead.Still, if a helmet law has to be made it should not be to save lives. And it should only be as a very last resort. We should hold out as long as possible. Freedom, when not abused, is more important than lives or money.

 

[tweitz]

PFD or not

Has anyone actually established he wasn't wearing a PFD? I don't usually wear one, but in the conditions on Sunday I did. If he had a PFD but did not have a tether on, finding the boat does not mean he won't eventually be found wearing a PFD. If you are solo and there aren't many boats around and its chilly, like last weekend, and the water hasn't fully warmed up from the winter, then a PFD gives you some time, but probably not enough, especially if no one is looking for you.

 

[Drew]

Uh, oh

We are going to get banished to that "other angst" category with this thread - "Freedom is more important than lives or money." Absolutely agree, in the abstract. I guess it boils down to what freedom means. We are all free to go to church, or not, but that does not mean freedom to go to church with no clothes on - that is where our free society draws the line. We enjoy other choices, too - I have to wear a motorcycle helmut but I am not forced to ride a bike - I can drive a convertible if I choose.

 

[Drew]

And BTW,

It is true that we are all speculating - no one knows what happened to this fellow. He may yet turn up in Las Vegas with a 25 year-old on his knee.