your responsibilities as a sailor

Originally posted by Sheetpuller And why should the club, and the sport in general, gain the negative publicity that derives from an inquest where club officers and safety boat crew have to suit up, shine their shoes and give evidence to show that they weren't at fault for not getting everybody's husband, wife or child out of the oggin before they drowned simply because they didn't take the basic precaution of wearing a PFD?   It's that 'one-way/two-way' thing I was banging on about earlier, isn't it?

Edited by pondmonkey - 20 May 13 at 1:38pm

I'm not sure the KO risk is that relevant. I believe (but could be wrong) that BAs are more about keeping your head out of the water and avoiding secondary drowning than dealing with someone who's unconscious. Of course they also reduce the amount of effort needed to swim, which is also helpful.

Originally posted by JimC Of course they also reduce the amount of effort needed to swim,

Edited by pondmonkey - 20 May 13 at 2:09pm

Originally posted by pondmonkey Originally posted by Sheetpuller And why should the club, and the sport in general, gain the negative publicity that derives from an inquest where club officers and safety boat crew have to suit up, shine their shoes and give evidence to show that they weren't at fault for not getting everybody's husband, wife or child out of the oggin before they drowned simply because they didn't take the basic precaution of wearing a PFD?   It's that 'one-way/two-way' thing I was banging on about earlier, isn't it?   so on this basis, a trapeze harness, an item of sailing apparel we nearly universally accept carries associated, but acceptable levels of risk of entrapment, should be 'banned', just in case there's bad publicity? In the event of a KO, a BA will not save you.  On a watercraft where speed is great enough to carry sustained risk of a KO, a helmet would be a far better use of safety resources.  That said, I have both a helmet and an impact vest in the back of my truck for windsurfing, I rarely use either.

I wonder whether anyone has any stats to show whether the massive rise in the wearing of BAs over the last 20 years has made any difference to the number of drownings in the sport?

I've sailed on rivers in light winds in summer where everyone in a sailing dinghy has had to wear a BA. But the kids swinging off a rope into the river aren't, the half cut people in the hired put put boat aren't, the fisherman in waders isn't, the cows standing in the water aren't - yet the chances of me drowning were probably less than all but the cow. Why shouldn't have been my choice?

On the other hand, the wind is up, the boat is heeling, chances of a capsize is likely, rescue cover is going to be stretched - hoist the Y flag at the beginning of the day, BA wearing is now compulsory, so sailors will wear them and be responsible members of the club.

Sailing on a larger expanse of water (even a fairly small lake) where you may well be out of easy wading/swimming distance of the bank and out of sight of other water users, then I can see the sense of having BA at all times rule.