Sailors Falling off Boats
Tuesday June 30, 2009
This summer seems to be starting off badly in terms of boating accidents and fatalities. Just in the last week there have been multiple reports of sailors being rescued, or dying, after falling off their boat.
In Florida, a man fell overboard not wearing a life jacket and is fortunate that someone spotted him and alerted the Coast Guard, which was able to reach him within 20 minutes to effect a rescue.
Two people fell off a sailboat in Lake Michigan, in a harbor just off Chicago, where the winds were gusting 20-30. Another boater rescued one, and the other was pulled out by the Chicago Police Marine Unit and taken to a hospital, where he died shortly after, most likely as a direct or indirect result of the cold water.
We always think it won’t happen to us. And it so often happens in situations not involving an emergency or weather extreme—often at the most routine of times. Last summer in a small New England town a few miles from my own, a man was climbing from his dinghy onto his moored sailboat in the harbor when he slipped and went into the water. Not wearing a PFD. His wife watched from the porch of their yacht club a quarter mile away as he rowed out, but didn’t see him fall in—just noticed the dinghy drifting free a few minutes later on the tidal current that had swept him away from the sailboat. In cold water you don’t have much time. He drowned. It feels especially tragic to think of his wife watching, so nearby, on a calm summer day.
We all know we should wear our PFDs whenever there’s any chance at all of mishap. And in many circumstances we should also wear a safety harness and tether to keep us on the boat. It’s for each of to think about when we do, and when we don’t, and what can happen.
In Florida, a man fell overboard not wearing a life jacket and is fortunate that someone spotted him and alerted the Coast Guard, which was able to reach him within 20 minutes to effect a rescue.
Two people fell off a sailboat in Lake Michigan, in a harbor just off Chicago, where the winds were gusting 20-30. Another boater rescued one, and the other was pulled out by the Chicago Police Marine Unit and taken to a hospital, where he died shortly after, most likely as a direct or indirect result of the cold water.
We always think it won’t happen to us. And it so often happens in situations not involving an emergency or weather extreme—often at the most routine of times. Last summer in a small New England town a few miles from my own, a man was climbing from his dinghy onto his moored sailboat in the harbor when he slipped and went into the water. Not wearing a PFD. His wife watched from the porch of their yacht club a quarter mile away as he rowed out, but didn’t see him fall in—just noticed the dinghy drifting free a few minutes later on the tidal current that had swept him away from the sailboat. In cold water you don’t have much time. He drowned. It feels especially tragic to think of his wife watching, so nearby, on a calm summer day.
We all know we should wear our PFDs whenever there’s any chance at all of mishap. And in many circumstances we should also wear a safety harness and tether to keep us on the boat. It’s for each of to think about when we do, and when we don’t, and what can happen.
Comments
I fell off my sailboat on an inland lake in Mid-October. The engine was running in forward gear. The boat started moving away in a great big circle away from me. I swam ashore. fortunately the water was not cold and I wasn’t far from shore. Another boat picked me up and took me back out to mine.
Every since when sailing alone I wear an inflatable preserver.