Sarasota Youth Accident
- Thread starter Roller Skates
- Start date
European Bloke
Super Anarchist
- 3,407
- 829
I'm not sure I want to rely on that either to stop my boat or not to stop me from starting it. We have enough trouble with people fucking up the rescue boats without giving them one of those to loose or destroy.
Being a bit old school I was a bit sloppy with kill cords for a time, I've got over it. Yes they're a pain when setting marks, but I can live with it. That's exactly the kind of time I'm going to cause a problem that the cord will solve.
This was a horrible accident. Let's wait until we find out what actually happened and then see what we might need to think about changing as a result.
WGWarburton
Anarchist
Maybe you should get started? I've been to a LOT of youth sailing events over the last ten years or so, in the UK and abroad, as a parent and as safety crew or rib driver. I've even been safety lead at a couple of smaller regattas. In the UK, at least, buoyancy aids or lifejackets are mandatory for everyone on the water and kill cords are required to be worn. Occasionally at bigger event here, overseas coaches will be seen to be lax with their use and need to be counselled appropriately...
It's not hard to wear a kill-cord and a BA/LJ and there should be no excuses. Everyone present has a vested interest in being safe, the OA has good reason to be seen to be safe.
Decades ago the Principal at the first sailing school I worked at used to say "It's not enough to wear a BA, an instructor should be seen to be wearing a BA": applies to safety crew, coaches and race officials too. "Useless unless worn", as the saying goes.
Cheers,
W.
Last edited by a moderator:
Roller Skates
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #65
Agreed that we shouldn't jump to conclusion, but it doesn't prevent us from moving forward while the events are fresh and emotional. Waiting for reason looses the power of emotion to change behavior. Wear a kill cord - electronic or manual. Think the news is clear enough. Hope the family directs their pain positively towards the promotion of prevention in the future.
The fact that my state requires training classes for snowmobiles - but not powered watercraft - is laughable. Truly do not understand.
Steam Flyer
Sophisticated Yet Humble
It also is important to set an example. I used to dislike wearing a life jacket, but grew accustomed to it over years of dinghy/one-design racing. There are almost always a few students who complain, say they are great swimmers (and probably are), etc etc. But when they see the coach, a figure that they hopefully admire and try to earn the approval of, wearing a life jacket cheerfully, they fall right into line.
Safety is what happens between the ears of the people doing potentially dangerous stuff.
- DSK
Roller Skates
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #67
Our organizing body is quite clear on this, but it still seen in that traditional American fashion. Not sure our PFDs are sized to fit the egos of our coaches? Money seems to loosen the zipper as they say.
h34r:
Last edited by a moderator:
VWAP
Super Anarchist
All coaches here are required to wear USCG approved life jackets while on the water. Same for all juniors
WGWarburton
Anarchist
Are the coach boats part of the safety fleet? If so, they should fall under the remit of the designated safety lead for the event, who should be in a good position to apply pressure to the coaches to meet "minimum safety standards".Our organizing body is quite clear on this, but it still seen in that traditional American fashion. Not sure our PFDs are sized to fit the egos of our best coaches. Money seems to loosen the zipper as they say.
Some careful wording of race documents to allow penalisation of sailors receiving any support from boats that don't comply with requests from the safety lead should establish the ground rules. Friendly warnings to parents of coached sailors regarding the potential impact of non-compliance can work wonders.
Cheers,
W.
sailwriter
Anarchist
When I became the manager of the St. Petersburg Sailing Center in January, 1987, the coach did not wear a life jacket (PFD) nor did many of the kids. I made it a priority to change that.
One of the ways was to point out to the very accomplished coach that the insurance did not cover him if he had an accident while not wearing his PFD.
We knew we had trained the kids when we had to remind them to take off their PFDs when we got to McDonalds for a break. Shows how few kids we had on the race team back then!
Dave Ellis
One of the ways was to point out to the very accomplished coach that the insurance did not cover him if he had an accident while not wearing his PFD.
We knew we had trained the kids when we had to remind them to take off their PFDs when we got to McDonalds for a break. Shows how few kids we had on the race team back then!
Dave Ellis
Our rules have become increasingly easy at our sail school. If your a student or coach, within 50ft of the water , PFD is on. If you dont wish to wear on, your not getting within 50ft of the water let alone in a boat. Coach with no PDF? = fired. Same for kill cords now, engine running with no cord attached? = fired. All instructors have a VHF (mandatory) , if your engine wont restart, call and another boat comes and gets you. Total number out of 10 Ribs in the fleet ever towed in from the lake in a decade, zero.
Like wearing a seatbelt in the car, or helmet on your motorcycle, or a PDF in a dingy, none of this is hard to do.
Like wearing a seatbelt in the car, or helmet on your motorcycle, or a PDF in a dingy, none of this is hard to do.
CaptainAhab
Anarchist
The idea that prop guards keep boats from planing is so overblown that it’s barely worth mentioning.
We have a 2013 4.5m shite Chinese center console rib for our sailing club. It was donated brand new with a brand new 20hp 4 stroke Mercury. We put a prop guard on immediately. The boat has always planed with driver + 2 people.
I pushed the club to repower it as our logical quick response safety boat. 30hp 4 stroke Honda with a prop guard has enough go to be on the edge by yourself. It will plane with 4 people on board instantly.
In AU we have many many sailing clubs and surf lifesaving clubs. The vast majority of ribs I’ve seen or used have prop guards.
We are absolutely strict about PFDs & kill cords.
We have a 2013 4.5m shite Chinese center console rib for our sailing club. It was donated brand new with a brand new 20hp 4 stroke Mercury. We put a prop guard on immediately. The boat has always planed with driver + 2 people.
I pushed the club to repower it as our logical quick response safety boat. 30hp 4 stroke Honda with a prop guard has enough go to be on the edge by yourself. It will plane with 4 people on board instantly.
In AU we have many many sailing clubs and surf lifesaving clubs. The vast majority of ribs I’ve seen or used have prop guards.
We are absolutely strict about PFDs & kill cords.
fastyacht
Super Anarchist
- 12,928
- 2,602
fastyacht
Super Anarchist
- 12,928
- 2,602
CaptainAhab
Anarchist
https://images.app.goo.gl/7jR3SUQY3gDZzrjG7
https://images.app.goo.gl/5Ywmo6C2WVVnWSYh6
https://youtu.be/cESaylp0R3g
In South Australia we typically use 25hp outboards. Those are 25’s and 30’s from what I could see. The races are insane.
Last edited by a moderator:
The Q
Super Anarchist
Our club has for some years insisted on rescue boats having.
two people,
Kill cords worn, round leg because of where the switches are mounted
PFDs worn,
First aid kit on board,
Throwing Lifeline fitted,
Fire extinguisher fitted,
Tow rope,
They are 15ft fibreglass dories with a 15 or 25hp outboard. Without propguards. We used to have 10hp engines but got criticised by our authority rangers for having non planing rescue boats. Although technically it's not a requirement.
Having had none for many years, There have been two deaths by prop this year, both on Norfolk Broads hire boats of about 40ft.
In one case the boats was coming into moor , the boat hit the quay the crew preparing to go ashore with the mooring rope fell overboard, and was washed under the boat by the very strong tide at that point. A 5 knot tide is normal there.
The other at the same place they were fooling around and someone got pushed overboard and also got washed into the prop.
Hire boats only have a top speed of 7 or 8 knots and swing a big prop.
two people,
Kill cords worn, round leg because of where the switches are mounted
PFDs worn,
First aid kit on board,
Throwing Lifeline fitted,
Fire extinguisher fitted,
Tow rope,
They are 15ft fibreglass dories with a 15 or 25hp outboard. Without propguards. We used to have 10hp engines but got criticised by our authority rangers for having non planing rescue boats. Although technically it's not a requirement.
Having had none for many years, There have been two deaths by prop this year, both on Norfolk Broads hire boats of about 40ft.
In one case the boats was coming into moor , the boat hit the quay the crew preparing to go ashore with the mooring rope fell overboard, and was washed under the boat by the very strong tide at that point. A 5 knot tide is normal there.
The other at the same place they were fooling around and someone got pushed overboard and also got washed into the prop.
Hire boats only have a top speed of 7 or 8 knots and swing a big prop.
