Now Hear This: What Not To Do

by Prentice Cushing

1995

Thanks to Mother Nature, another sailing season is upon us. Particularly in the spring when the water still has the chills, it's worth thinking safety. Last year's sad death of Larry Klein when the hiking rack on Twin Flyer broke in full view of spectators at the St. Francis Yacht Club set many to rethinking their habits. Larry was a big, well-conditioned Olympic-class sailor who went overboard in 60 degrees water wearing warm clothes and, especially, boots. Some nearby boats fiddled around dropping sails and starting engines; he was only in the water a few minutes, but he drowned, a victim of hypothermia. Other 1994 deaths from hypothermia include a Long Island Sound sailor who went overboard during an accidental broach and two sailors on separate boats returning from the Newport-Bermuda Race. A lady sailor had a close call during a Wednesday evening Annapolis Yacht Club race when she was rescued just in time by two crew members who went overboard after her and brought her aboard in the last stages of hypothermia. Steven Voorhees died while demonstrating lifesaving techniques for the Puget Sound Sailing Club. It can happen to anyone. Look at the chart below and remember that our water will probably not yet be at 50 degrees when you launch this spring-

Accidental jibes also took their toll last summer: an Annapolis spinnaker trimmer died during one, and another trimmer was hit in the shoulder and knocked overboard during the Chicago-Makinac Race while not wearing a harness or PFD.

In heavy weather, especially at night, anyone out of the cockpit should have a safety harness clipped on to a jack line, not the often-weak rail lifelines. During the aforementioned Chicago-Makinac Race two sailors from Nightmare were sent over the side and by a slim chance were rescued by Experience: neither was wearing a PFD or harness although a jack-line had been rigged to satisfy the Race Committee, and Nightmare had never practiced any kind of a man-overboard drill.

As Chris Caswell pointed out in a "Sailing" article. "There, but for the grace of God, go all of us, because we're just so God-damned unprepared and stupid. Can you get in a heated swimming pool wearing a swimsuit and do 25 laps without touching bottom? Probably not, but you've only covered 750 feet. Imagine cold water, a heavy sweater, long pants and shoes or boots! How long could you tread water?

Have you ever conducted a man-overboard drill on your boat? (We did, fortunately for me.) Have you ever tried to get back aboard with clothes on, the boat adrift, and swimming ladder ready? (I have, and can tell you it's impossible!) The recently developed "Quick Stop" method, described in almost every sailing magazine, should be learned and practiced by everyone.

Talking safety is a pain and doing something about it is inconvenient. I've sailed for over 60 years, been negligent and lucky most of the time, but have learned a couple of minimal things, aside from reefing in time:

1. Make sure your regular crew (wife?) knows what to do when some one goes over the side.

2. Have a readily available means of getting back aboard-not a swimming ladder buried under the forepeak bunk.

3. Fall may be windier but the water's warmer. Kids and non-swimmers must wear life jackets, preferably always, but at least until mid-July.

4. Don't wear cold-weather stuff, particularly boots, without a flotation jacket. Strongly suggested: purchase the new Stormy Seas inflatable jacket, which is handsome, comfortable, and a life-saver. If you belong to United States Sailing Association (and you should), you can buy one at cost. Call them at 1-800-US SAIL for details. Have a good and safe season.