Crew Check

[timboli]

Excuse my ignorance,we have the facility for three in line on the centre consoles,normally my seven year old son Tim sits behind me on the double jockey(holding onto me) and my wife,Sue sits on the rear console.
Sue has expressed worry that in rough conditions or going fast in calmer conditions,I would not know if she fell over the side,I usually check fairly regularly,but cant hear much when going fast and in rough conditions tend to concentrate on the waves.
She could clip on with a harness line but that could just mean she would get dragged along(although I,m sure that would be pretty noticeable on the wheel).
I thought that maybe we could rig a line to the emergency stop cord or use a really short harness line but wondered if anyone else had had this fear expressed to them or had any easy workarounds or indeed thinks that I am worrying to much and it could never happen without me noticing.

[Pete7]

If you can get electrics to the other consoles mercury do a separate kill switch that can be mounted on the consoles. Whilst this isn't going to stop someone going over the side it will stop the engine pretty quickly if someone does.

You could get a life jacket with a harness an clip that to a secure point to keep people inboard, however if you tip the boat .....

Some thoughts anyway.

Pete

[Andre]

You could also fit a backrest for your wife to support herself on. Footstraps perhaps as well. Like Pete said a kill cord attachment is also a good idea, if a passenger was ejected the rib would come to a standstill .

Andre

[Richard B]

Here's a couple of thoughts for you...

1. It's usually (always?) less bumpy the further back you're seated. I can recall an occasion when I was at the helm of The Jackeens' 5.05m (yes, the 5cm is very important!) RIB. We had a sharp head sea, enough to make Paul relinquish his normal seat, acting as ballast at the bow. But Louise and Kathleen were quite happy on the rear bench seat.
2. Some friends of ours were once thrown out of their RIB. Last man to be thrown out was the one sat at the back. He had the dubious privilege of seeing both of his mates "eject" and then in a split second realised "uh-oh, me next "

Good to hear that you keep a lookout for your crew. I like to glance around regularly, if only to give them assurance that I've remembered them!

[simmons0]

I would not know if she fell over the side

She wouldn't go quietly!!!

In all seriousnessv i think if someone goes over board the last thing you want to do is stop the engine. A person is most likely to go overboard when its incredibly rough. If your in big cresting swells or even moderate surf off a beach and your engine stops your helpless. The next wave to hit you is going to spin you sideways and flip you. Now lets say you lost your wife overboard on a perfectly flat day. What is going to be moving faster, the boat with the tide rushing in or your wife swimming in an inflated life jacket?

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Here's a couple of thoughts for you...

But Louise and Kathleen were quite happy on the rear bench seat.
!

How do you know???

We was cryin our eyes out at your drivin!!!!!

missus

[Nasher]

I can see Simmons0's point. If 'the wife' goes overboard with the kill switch lanyard still attached the engine will stop the boat will carry on whilst it slows down and could end up a good 100 yards away with no way to re-start the engine! unless you carry a spare lanyard of course.

Nasher

[Matt]

Recently discussed on Offshore Only after some very serious accidents.
You could have a kill cord attached, but instead of cutting the engine, it can set off a warning light & horn.
And if you're good with electronics, it could also activate the man overboard on the GPS.
Harnesses are a bad idea in case the boat flips and the person is trapped.

[Nasher]

I have had the dubious pleasure of being in a RIB a few years back when I managed to flip it over backwards, (Wave-jumping into a strong headwind - I was younger then) and believe me the last thing you want is to be attached to the boat by a harness in any way that could stop you getting out from under it.

Nasher.

[jwalker]

Safest way is to have your passengers in view. At your side or infront of you.

[daithi]

What about a short tether from the child to the adult. Would that be considered any safer ?

[ribraff]

........how about a mirror?

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Nasher

I can see Simmons0's point. If 'the wife' goes overboard with the kill switch lanyard still attached the engine will stop the boat will carry on whilst it slows down and could end up a good 100 yards away with no way to re-start the engine! unless you carry a spare lanyard of course.

Nasher

You should ALWAYS carry a spare lanyard! Otherwise you are going to feel pretty darn silly floating around in the 'oggin with the boat some feet away, engine stopped, kill cord attached to you so the engine cant be restarted and being blown away from you quicker than you can swim arent you!!

I used to have the spare kill cord wrapped around the passenger grab rail ready for immediate use.

Whilst your about contingency planning. If you do get thrown out of the boat does your crew - your wife, know how to drive the boat to get back to you?

I would look at a second kill cord for your wife if you are worried. I would also fit her own backrest just cos I think its the safest and most comfortable thing to do.

And without stating the bleedin obvious you should always always be driving within not just your limits but your passengers. Its all to easy to get carried away with the adrenalin of wavejumping etc as coxn and forget that your crew a) dont have a steering wheel and throttle to hold onto and b) cant see the waves coming so easily as they are sitting behind you!! Accidents happen of course but the way you drive your RIB has a big role to play in preventing them!

Sermon over

Alan

[EdwardH]

My girlfriend likes to talk incessantly when we are out in the boat, so in the rough stuff the first indication of something being amiss is when an unusual and welcoming peacefulness descends...

I find myself contemplating the tranquility of silence for a few seconds and then I snap out of it and realise what this actually means and I then turn the boat and go and get her. slowly though.

Alternatively, I must say, I am in agreement - a mirror mounted on one side of the console works wonders...

I would hate to be on the wrong side of a cresting wave with the engine stopped, it wouldn't do anyone any good...

[timboli]

Thanks everyone,I am not sure about the mirror,the rib can crash around a bit and broken glass wont mix with inflated tubes.I can see the point about not clipping on,I,ll clip my son to me in future.A spare engine kill lanyard is I think a must have.Sue can drive the boat but I am giving her lessons through waves and close quarter maneuvering,we will probably be looking at sending her on a course.We have a rear bench seat but I havent been there as a passenger yet,however reports are that passengers think they could very easily fall out even though the motion should be less there.I thought footstraps were a good idea,they were on an Avon Searider 5.4 ex forces rib I once had and made a great difference,the downside being that you always seem to be triping over them.I am not saying my wife doesnt talk,just that the general noise is louder,not really the engine,just the wind past the ears and the crashing of the waves.I am taking it quite easy generally I think,I have left the water on occasions but not enough to vent the prop but the knees and back tend to be self limiting!

[Rene]

If you know a little about electronics, how about fitting the pasenger killcord to a 3 way switch.
position 1 kills engine
position 2 set off horn and light
position 3 do nothing

This way if you are out and the wife is trown overboard you can just flip the switch to postion 3, restart the engine and continue (to pick up wife)

Off course uoy will have to remember to set the switch to either 1 or 2, when you have passengers on board, but this can be fixed by a warning light, so if someone have atached a kill cord line and the switch is in position 3 the warning light is flashing.

I know this is a bit of wirering, but some wiz out there might know how to do this.

Regards
Rene

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Nasher

I can see Simmons0's point. If 'the wife' goes overboard with the kill switch lanyard still attached the engine will stop the boat will carry on whilst it slows down and could end up a good 100 yards away with no way to re-start the engine! unless you carry a spare lanyard of course.

Nasher

In the tandem race boats we have to have dual kill cords with a spare. I seem to remember in OCR you used to have a blue light flashing light wired to a kill cord.

In the World Championships in South Africa the local contestant who obviously wasn't a wiring genious managed to hook his 2 litre bat boat, eject his passenger and complete at least one more lap before realising he was alone in the boat! The crew member did require hospital attention, but was present at the races the next day (I don't think he got back in the boat though!)

Certainly with Mercury engines it is easy to add as many as you need although you would need a spare for each extra kill cord!

[Neal]

There was a post about motor bike two way intercom about a month ago they did not cost too much and could be worth a look at.

Neal

[Mark Halliday]

I want to put 2" webbing straps over the seat squab at the front of the double in-line seats, as with a motor bike pillion seat. The rear crew has the back rest to cling to. I my off-roading days, I found it a much more secure feeling to be holding onto something either above or below you, than something in front. That way you can either pull or push yourself onto the seat.
1) It gives the front crew a hand hold & 2) It stops the lids flopping open.
To open the locker you would have to push the strap over the front by squashing the squab.
Any comments?