What happnes when you don't use the kill cord! - Page 2

temp01 · 22 June 2005, 23:48

I have set up an account so I can reply and be annonymous. But please read so you can at least learn from my mistakes.

I have fallen out of my rib at high speed. I was the ONLY person on board and it was getting towards dusk and I was on a very busy waterway.

It was a nice night and I was returning from a commercial charter on my own. The tide hd just begun to turn and I was dying to get back after a good evening on the water (1500 - 1900). I was flying back, absolutly WOT and loving it (well somebody else was paying 4 the fuel:-))

Waves/rollers were begining to build and I was skimming from wave top to wave top loving it. Then I hit a bad wave and remember thinking"this is gonna hurt!". As I landed the boat immediately and violently took off the next wave, I didn't even have time to power off. The boat landed, very hard and slewed to the right very very violently. As Mr Einstien says every action has an equal and opposite re-action and I was ripped off the jockey console and thrown over the side!

I recal thinking "sh*t, this is really it, you've proper ****ed up this time. Is the kill cord attached?????"

I fell out and down the stb tube, grazing the A frame as I went. My contact lenses were washed out at 40knotts and as my head went under the water I heard the very good sound of the engine chugging to a halt!

I sorted my life out in the water, inflated my lifejacket (up until then I had sworn by manuals) and decided what to do.
The tide was taking me towards the boat, other boats would catch up in ten mins or so, had anybody seen me, how can I call for help, all these things were swiming (pun intended!) around in my head and I was trying work out what to do. The boat although it had stopped was miles away but I knew my est chance was with the boat. I swam. I swam as hard and as fast as I could and I'm a strong swimmer but it still felt like miles to the back of the boat.

I was wearing jeans, musto jacket, and wellies. I didn't have a VHF, flares, anything that would call for help. (My mobile in my back pocket was toast)

I eventually made it back and held on to the cav plate for a couple of mins before summoning the strength to climb up the engine and into the boat. Just I as I got to the top the other boats arrived and ask "what the bl**dy hell are ya doin in tha water lad!" Naturally they took the piss but everybody knew I'd been so lucky.

SO ARE YOU GOING TO WEAR YOUR KILL CORD NOW?

I always carry a vhf or phone in an aquapac on me and I've just bought the pouch for a pinpoint flare on my lifejacket.

I can honestly say that in retrospect I have never been so scared in my life.

Please have a think about this.

J

codprawn · 23 June 2005, 04:04

Would it be fair to say kill cords are essential when alone but not perhaps when you have an experienced co pilot???

Solent Ranger · 23 June 2005, 06:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

Would it be fair to say kill cords are essential when alone but not perhaps when you have an experienced co pilot???

I don't think it would be fair to say that at all.

Wearing of the kill cord should be part of the "pre flight" checks". It should be part of the discipline as in fact should having one hand on the wheel and one hand on the throttle at all times be.

I heard via the "Hamble" grapvine that the incident occured while the helmsman was trying to recover the painter. He was sitting on the tubes trying to recover the painter from down the side of the boat - and then overbalanced and fell off!So there's a second error, not securing the lines correctly

Jono · 23 June 2005, 08:03

I wear my kill cord.....

When I let someone with little experience take the helm, I still wear the cord and show him or her where the spare is kept... that way, if I get "ejected"... and it has been close... I know my boat is gonna stop close by and give us time to sort ourselves out without leaving an inexperienced helmsman to come to terms with the fact that they are alone on a high speed ( well, high speed-ish...Ok Nob Polishers?

) disappearing into the distance....
I chose to do this, not because of some petty minded, officious so-an-so says, “It’s for your own good”… but because I have a certain sense of self preservation and can analyse risks all by my grown up self….

keytouch · 23 June 2005, 08:58

for a teaching boat, could you not have 2 kill switches? one for the student and one for the instructor? that way if either fell out the boat would stop and the student gets usd to wearing one with the instructors added peace of mind?

Jono · 23 June 2005, 09:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by keytouch

for a teaching boat, could you not have 2 kill switches? one for the student and one for the instructor? that way if either fell out the boat would stop and the student gets usd to wearing one with the instructors added peace of mind?

Good thinking. I believe "Top Banana" has this arrangement for the poor sod who had to sit behind Daniel during his Aerobatic displays...

Jimbob · 23 June 2005, 09:13

A very good tread this one, however the subject is clear, do you wear your kill cord at all times

Well they put them on the boat for you safety .
Anybody reading the incidents would have to be rather thick not to wear one
We are not the RNLI on the forum

So i think the answer is yes, just yes, not yes but

Also an interesting point, whilst while wearing them in the correct place, there are other things to consider

1) I have spare kill cords tied (velcro) next to the ignition - so that if i was to fall in someone can quickly get a kill cord - so not panic stations

2) Also with my Evinrude, it interlocks in a certain way, so make sure people with you can actually put it in and start- so not panic stations

Jono · 23 June 2005, 09:26

Why do people insist on calling folks who don't agree with them "stupid" or "thick”? I don't agree with the current Archbishop of Canterbury, The current Prime Minister, and the Architect who has just designed a new factory up the road from me. Does that make these people “stupid” or “thick”? I don’t think so. Take a long, introspective look at yourselves before you start slinging these insults around.

Matt · 23 June 2005, 09:44

Foot throttles!

Matt · 23 June 2005, 09:45

Jono, that's funny mate, I was just half way through a nice rant to add to your suffering post on the same lines - except I'm not half as eloquent at putting as wot you are.

Solent Ranger · 23 June 2005, 09:46

Have I missed something? Who's call who thick?

Jono · 23 June 2005, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbob

...rather thick not to wear one

On this thread....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott2

How stupid are people these days. .....

...on another....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy

anybody that does not wear a life jacket is either stupid or so up themselves that they think they don't need one,

..and again...

simonnud · 23 June 2005, 10:31

I am on a atlantic 75 crew and i agree with what you say about not wearing a kill cord on the boat I belive the new 85 has a feature that lets the helm know if one of his crew has fallen out but still no kill cord ( i maybe wrong ) but the most astonishing thing is that at the ribex show with boats going out all the time the lack of kill cords being worn. The skippers are taking new people on the water in new boats and the potenal buyers are not seeing the proper protacal of kill cords being used. Is the problem not with the people who have done the RYA leval 2 but with the people who just buy a boat and not taken the proper training ?? is there a stat somewhere which tells us what the percentage of people that own a boat has any qualifications ??

Should you have to have a licence to go on the water ??

Solent Ranger · 23 June 2005, 10:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jono

On this thread....

...on another....

..and again...

That's OK then - I thought it was something I'd said and not been aware of

Ribald · 23 June 2005, 11:56

You're getting paranoid now, David.

codprawn · 23 June 2005, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jono

Why do people insist on calling folks who don't agree with them "stupid" or "thick”? I don't agree with the current Archbishop of Canterbury, The current Prime Minister, and the Architect who has just designed a new factory up the road from me. Does that make these people “stupid” or “thick”? I don’t think so. Take a long, introspective look at yourselves before you start slinging these insults around.

But if you had said "EVIL"!!!!

Jono · 23 June 2005, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

But if you had said "EVIL"!!!!

Que?

Jimbob · 23 June 2005, 15:28

Solent Ranger it was just a general comment and as ever my opinion which is what this forum is about

Jono - same as above its just a general comment and possibly my way with email, but I'm sending over a women to whip you with it (kill cord),,,,bet your never forget then with those marks on you arse

and before it starts this is not an admission of anything

Jono · 23 June 2005, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbob

....bet your never forget then .....

Forget what? I don't remember saying that I forgot.......

Jimbob · 23 June 2005, 16:09

i'm clearly not very good at this today, it was part of the joke but missed the point.

I'm off home to drink lots of beer