It had to happen

[neilda]

Originally Posted by AndrewH

I'll be sharing this story with the family to illustrate the point - thanks

Hope the swelling is going down and the discomfort easing. Just out of interest did your crew issue a Mayday (or know how to)?

Try to paint me in a sympathetic light in your story!

The discomfort is not easing, but nowhere near the pain before it was wrestled back in. There's a nice X Ray showing the ball of my arm joint lying on the top of my chest somewhere - eeek!

No Mayday call issued, they knew how to, however I thought that if I could get back in the boat then we'd not trouble the airwaves.

All aboard ALWAYS wear jackets, always have done. I'm now wondering if I should switch from manual to auto jackets....

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by neilda

Feeling very sore, stupid and contrite.

Hey, it could have been worse... Imagine if you hadn't been looking cool as you went out!

I'm glad you're OK... experience is a great teacher isn't it?

I assume that you didn't have your kill chord on. I know I always use mine when I am alone, but generally don't when I have the Misses with me unless it's superbly lumpy out. Perhaps I'll start to wear it all the time now!

[neilda]

I didn't have the kill cord on.

I'm in two minds about whether that actually worked out for me as there were two novices in the boat.

On your own, I think it's a must wear item.

[codprawn]

99% of the time i agree - killcord pretty essential but there are times when a stopped engine are far worse.

Comming back to lifejackets I always wear mine on a RIB but for people who say you must always wear them on any boat where do you draw the line?

Can't say I have seen many people on bigger motoryachts or ferries wearing them - would probably ruin the suntan...................

I would say it's pretty obvious the right places to wear a lifejacket!!!

[SeaSkills]

Originally Posted by neilda

I'm now wondering if I should switch from manual to auto jackets....

If you can guarantee that you'll be able to inflate the jacket yourself - ie you can guarantee that if you go in the water you will be conscious and not incapacitated by cold-shock or injury - automatic inflation is unecessary. Otherwise, I guess it's a good idea. Of course there are arguments against - being caught underneath an upturned boat for example. I'll go with the greatest likelihood, which is being in the water with the boat still the right way up, or even upturned but with the crew thrown clear.

I didn't have the kill cord on.

I'm in two minds about whether that actually worked out for me as there were two novices in the boat.

Not really sure where you're going with this thought, Neil. I would have thought that having novices with you in the boat would be a good reason to be wearing the killcord. I'll go with the greatest likelihood again, and codprawn's 99% is a pretty convincing number for me.

I'm glad you're going to be OK, and I hope the pain doesn't last too long. Thanks for sharing your story

[Ian M]

I think that it has all been said. Tough luck, I hope you recover quickly, and get back out as soon as you can

[Zippy]

fair play for owning up. dont beat yourself up over it. you know you did something stupid and sure as hell you wont do it again!!

mend the shoulder and get back out on the water a bit sharpish!!

[PeterM]

Neild - sympathies on your accident & injury , but glad you walked away to be able learn from it & well done for sharing it so we can all learn from it.

I know how you feell now (ish) as I came out of my ringo at 25knts 2 weeks ago & are still having trouble lying on my left side & using my left arm fully ! - I was wearing an PDF full of nice soft foam to cushion me as I bounced twice off the water ( or so I have been told !).

My watch also came undone but I managed to save it before it fell off my wrist - luckily its insured anyway.

I would go out today or get on the internet & order auto-jackets ASAP. I imagine your pilot mate would have been able to get a mayday out to a very good standard given his pilot training, handling the boat however can take a bit more experiance & can understand your want to be sure that the prop wont finish you off after the 1st round.

I keep a spare kill cord round the wheel so its obvious if needed - but only point it out to what I feel are epxerianced helms - if they aren't they can paddle towards me !

Sounds like you have been a lucky guy - still lesson learned, change / improve a few things and off you go again. I keep a spare kill cord round the wheel so its obvious if needed - but only point it out to what I feel are epxerianced helms - if they aren't they can paddle towards me !

Seems like this a classic ' nice weather ' accident - ie its nice and sunny , calm , What can go wrong ? Maybe why you dont see lifejackets etc being worn as much in hot countrys as you relax in the sun.

As for lifejackets on yachts - still a definate requirement in my view- lots of big hard heavy things swinging around & stuff to hit on your way down - we worry about hitting heads on consoles - think about what you can hit on a boat without big soft tubes all the way round !

Still - to cheer you up - I hade a great night out yeasterday !- Yarmouth a few drinks with mates & then back at 10.30 ish in the dark - wont be long & you'll be back out doing the same . Pete

[JSP]

Oh mate, sounds painful. Hope you have a speedy recovery and the best way to learn is to dust yourself off and get back on your bike

Take it easy

[IBWET]

Originally Posted by neilda

I got thrown out of my RIB today at full tilt - dislocated my shoulder and lost a beautiful watch too...... along with mobile phone.

I'm just out of Portsmouth Hospital (who were superb).

Fortunately I had two smart mates with me who picked me out of the water.

I'm not entirely sure how it happened, we had a superb lunch at the George in Yarmouth, went towards Lymingon and swam off the boat - then headed home at full speed. Found a bit of wake and I made a sharp left hand turn to find more chop - the boat grabbed and out I went.

Entirely my fault. Edited to add, I was standing with one hand on the wheel - looked cool, was foolish in hindsight.

Very tricky to get on a RIB with a dislocated shoulder from the water fully clothed too. Thank God for the lifejacket as I couldn't swim.

I am SUCH a knob.

I think we were in about 2m of water, maybe 3m. If there are divers here, I could give the area and a reward for the watch if anyone fancied having a go...

Feeling very sore, stupid and contrite.

I'm not going to pat you on the back for posting this, you’re not a knob or stupid or any of the other things mentioned. I think this could happen to even the most seasoned ribber due to the unpredictability of waves, it only takes a second to lose your place in the sequence of events (from my experience
No 1) it’s bending down to retrieve something on the deck.
No 2) turning and leaning round to talk behind you.

Posting this is the action of sharing an experience with everyone; I doubt anyone here will read these events and think stupid, just how on the ball you need to be all the times, if at speed.

On life Jackets

To me it's a no brainer, irrespective of the boat your on, put a lifejacket on, in my view auto inflate is (as long as they are checked) the way to go because of the lack of bulk, less of an irritation to inexperienced passengers.

On CP's point:

On larger motorboats it’s more important to be life jacketed up as the Captain can't be everywhere so can't always see everyone, if someone takes a pee of the back while the engines are running you would be lucky to see him go and you certainly wouldn't hear him. At least on a rib it's obvious when someone leaves.



On the point Stoo made, you were lucky you were looking cool, as your experience grows you'll get to the point were instinctively you'll be sorting your hair as you head for the water, this convinces the mates you decided to do it and they'll come out with you again...

Anyway hope the injury doesn’t hold you back with the rib.

[m chappelow]

i went over the side of a high speed boat in the 1980s owing to sombody using silicone spray polish on a grab rail ,even though i was in a dry suit and thankfully i have always worn a lifejacket it was something i wouldent want to happen again ,i was totally stunned ,shocked and incapacitated ,i was face down in the water thankfully the life jacket turned me over ,my left arm had been forced around backwards thankfully not discolated but i pulled every ligament in my left shoulder. i was hanging in the straps of the lifejacket and i couldent move or help myself one bit ,even when the boat returned i could not move to help them i could only just about to speak after about an hour ,certainly knocked the stuffin out of me for a long time after .

[chewy]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

i went over the side of a high speed boat many years ago owing to sombody using silicone spray polish on a grab rail ,even though i was in a dry suit and thankfully i have always worn a lifejacket it was something i wouldent want to happen again ,i was totally stunned ,shocked and incapacitated ,my left arm had been forced around backwards thankfully not discolated but i pulled every ligament in my left shoulder. i was hanging in the straps of the lifejacket and i couldent move or help myself one bit ,even when the boat returned i could not move to help them one bit ,certainly knocked the stuffin out of me .

I've only ever fallen out of one boat, it was doing 30kts and then turned, luckily the only injury was a sore ankle where the helm grabbed my ankle to stop 15 stone of me leaving the boat at 30kts, it never happened.
I did a few rolls then hit the water, I don't know how I never hurt myself!

[JSP]

I nearly got thrown out a couple of weeks ago. I had trimmed in to do a fast turn, was just starting the turn and a large wake came out of no where and hit me beam on. The hull bit into the water, slowed violently and then the whole boat was thrown onto the port side tube and I was thrown with it. Lucky for me the next wake hit and it throwed me the other way. Wasn't nice at all. Funny smell in the dry suit.

[neilda]

Thank you all so much for the supportive messages. I'm feeling a very battered and bruised RIBster this morning. It is of some comfort to know you're out there in interweb land feeling the bruises with me!

Now that the dust has settled, I've had time to review in my mind what actually happened, it was this........

3 boys on the boat, wanting fun, wanting it rough. Calm beautiful conditions. I found a small bit of wake and hammered towards it - while we were airborne (not high at all, more of a skip out of the water), I turned the wheel hard to port to go back and do it again. Boat heading one way, engine the other - it grabbed, kicked hard and, because I was standing, I was tossed out.

The events that followed - being in the sea, winded, in pain and watching my boat disappear at high speed, worrying another boat might hit me, trying to get back in the boat, worrying I wouldn't be able to get in the boat, the long journey back, the ambulance, hospital, my kids crying when I got home... all of that stuff....

It's made me feel quite hollow and incredibly lucky. There was a moment in Yarmouth when I considered not wearing the jacket, only a split second, but I did consider it.

Jeez, what an adventure. Most of you are much more experienced than me, but maybe my experience and the others posted here, will be a wake up call to anyone feeling complacent about RIBs - as I was.

[boomer]

Originally Posted by neilda

All aboard ALWAYS wear jackets, always have done. I'm now wondering if I should switch from manual to auto jackets....

I would also agree with other posters that an auto-inflate is a no brainer, there was an incident I became aware of where an individual fell into the water but got hooked onto the boat so could not get himself out of the water. He WAS wearing a lifejacket but it was the manual type.

Luckily for him there were scouts about on the water and three of them canoed over to him and helped him while we tried to launch the RIB to get out to him in order to release him. Unfortunately some fools parked their cars directly opposite the top of the slipway and I had very limited room to swing about in order to launch the RIB. Luckily enough in the meantime another small rowing boat was found and got out to him by the time I managed to manoveur the RIB into place.

Thankfully for him he was ok if a little shocked, he was quite tired because he was having to hold himself upright as the lifejacket didnt inflate being a manual. For the sake of a few quid an automatic would have had him less tired and possibly less panicked as well.

[JSP]

I think it's all to easy for it to happen, especially in busy waters where there can be wakes from all directions. Have you thought about fitting foot straps to your deck?

[neilda]

Footstraps might be an idea - certainly the tip about a spare cord around the wheel.

Auto jackets will be ordered.

[C2 RIBS]

Originally Posted by neilda

Footstraps might be an idea - certainly the tip about a spare cord around the wheel.

Not sure footstraps would be easy to fit or place correctly for you on Ribeye especially if several helms use boat and I dont see you using RIB is such extremes they would be of use Neil

[alystra]

Originally Posted by neilda

Footstraps might be an idea - certainly the tip about a spare cord around the wheel.

Auto jackets will be ordered.

I find my footstraps increase my sense of security immensely, though I can remember only one instance where they obviously held me down on the deck. I think they're worth it.

[Chris]

With the E-tec if you pull the killcord off the engine stops however you can restart it without killcord on, just turn the key.

Its a nice safety feature perhaps the Yamaha can be modified to do the same.

Chris