suddenly single handed jill clement april 2013. this might be you…
TRANSCRIPT
Suddenly Single Handed
Jill ClementApril 2013
This might be you…
Then Now
Or maybe this?
Medical EmergencyMOB
Sailing Skills
What WOULD you do? Really.
Think About, Learn How, Practice
What is the very first thing to do?
Panic
CONTROL THE BOAT OR ATTEND THE VICTIM?
MOB - Control the boat so that you can get to the victim
Injury – Take a deep breath and assess: Can the boat drift for a few minutes without imminent
danger? NO? Turn on the engine and get to a safer spot, then put the engine in
Neutral.
YES Let all your sheets fly and everything boat will stop. This is noisy
and chaotic so try it.
Heave To – takes a bit of practice, but much calmer on board
Turn on the engine and keep it in neutral.
Assess the Situation
2013 survey conducted by Dr. Andrew Nathanson of RI Hospital and published in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine separately reported injuries in dinghy’s vs. keelboats.
In the study 71% of reported injuries occurred on keel boats. On keel boats, the upper and lower extremities accounted for 78 percent of all injuries, with
another 11 percent occurring on the trunk. The most common causes of the injuries were trips and falls, being hit by an object, or being
caught in the lines. Of the 70 most serious injuries reported, 25 percent were fractures, 16 percent were torn
tendons or cartilage, 14 percent were concussions and 8 percent were dislocations. The majority of severe injuries were to the head, knee, leg and arm. Heavy weather was considered a contributing factor in 36 percent of the severe injuries. Also of note, seven percent of the injured sailors reported that they consumed alcohol within
two hours of sustaining an injury. Nathanson says, "While the effects of alcohol are dose-dependent, even low levels of alcohol use while boating is a potential problem."
Nathanson reports that the survey also indicates falls while on board boats can likely be reduced by improved footwear and better anti-skid deck surfaces, less cluttered and more ergonomic deck layouts and adherence to the sailing maxim "one hand for the boat, and one hand for yourself." The researchers also recommend protective head gear, padded spars and higher boom clearance as potential changes that can reduce sailing injuries.
Sailing Injury Study
(Probably) Minor Injuries: slow the boat and AssessFalls are the most common cause of injury aboard
Blow to the head? Check pupils, nausea, dizziness indicate that you need help or at least to get to land asap.Possible back or neck injury? Do you know how to stabilize the neck and spine? Cuts Swelling – ice (assess for a potential break)Serious insect bites Sunburn Is your first aid kit ready? How about your pantry? Do you keep pure Aloe, Cayenne or black pepper, meat tenderizer and vinegar on board?
Medical EmergencyBasic First Aid Knowledge is Critical
Nothing says romance like taking a first aid course together
Learn How To: Slow down blood loss – direct pressure/pepper? Tie a tourniquet Immobilize an arm or leg Using an epi pen
Keep a Well stocked first aid kit in a prominent spot
Know how to use the VHF Pre-program your phone with Coast Guard
number
Minimal First Aid Skills
Instead of that romantic getaway weekend, why not take a first aid course together?
Assess and call for help FIRSTHeart Attack or Stroke (FACE) CPR by yourself – Red Cross advises breathing only Dehydration - Increased thirst, dry mouth and swollen
tongue, weakness, dizziness, palpitations (feeling that the heart is jumping or pounding), confusion, sluggishness, fainting. Caffeine is a diuretic.
Heatstroke (symptoms/treatment) Hypothermia – (signs of) get and keep victim
horizontal – do not offer the victim alcohol, do not rub skin.
Medical EmergencyBasic First Aid Knowledge is Critical
Nothing says romance like taking a first aid course together
Minimally, define when you’ll don pfd’s in worsening conditions
Install a jack line and use safety harnesses outside the cabin
Consider towing the dinghy Do not pee over the side or rear of the boat. Even if no
one’s looking… Man Overboard (MOB) is the root cause for 80% of all
deaths at sea. The VAST majority of MOB victims are men (see previous bullet)
Man OverboardAn Ounce of Prevention
• In the study sited earlier only 30 percent of the sailors who responded reported wearing a life jacket.
• The US Coast Guard reports that two thirds of recreational boating deaths are caused by drowning.
• Surviving a fall overboard is doubled when the victim is wearing a PFD.
Most non-racers don’t practice MOB response; much less with the first mate at the helm.
Most MOB recovery methods assume at least 3 people are on board.
To be confident of a positive outcome both captain and mate should be competent at being both the victim and the rescuer
In real life emergency the victim is likely to be: In heavy water-sodden clothing, Coughing and spluttering from salt-water in the lungs Potentially on their way to hypothermia (recent
studies show longer in-water time than previously believed)
Possibly unconscious
Man Overboard (MOB)
Man Overboard (MOB)It’s You
• Make yourself visible (hood on)• Mirror/whistle in your pocket• HELP position to preserve body heat• Grab a flotation object• Look for LifeSling in the water, swim
toward the rope ahead of the float, if you
are able.
If you are on the boat: Hit the MOB button on GPS (or ID
opposite heading on the compass) Toss Floatables
Quiz
Man Overboard (MOB)You are suddenly Single Handed
Does it float? Can you see it in the
water? Debris Trail theory
Toss What Floatables?
Where is the Victim?
Self Inflating devices
Approx.$399$120-$300
Approx.$1000
Visibility Aids
Approx.$199
Take a deep breath. Take another deep breath. You have more time than you might think if the
water is reasonably warm. Stop or at least slow down the boat – be
prepared for noise if you luff all of the sails Turn on the engine, in neutral. Stay in the cockpit if you can. Drop the sails OR let them flap around?
CAN you drop the sails (do you know how and can you physically do it)
What can you do alone? Roller furler? Flailing genoa sheets are very dangerous if you are on
deck.
Get to the Victim – with Engine
Take a deep breath. Throw floatation of any sort Turn the boat up into the wind and throw floatation
overboard, including the LifeSling (if you have one) Turn back toward the victim (let the jib/genoa backwind) Circle the victim until he can grab a rope (or the LifeSling) Cleat the rescue rope. Head up into the wind and drop the main. Let the headsail
fly or roll it in if you have time. Recover the victim with a halyard (through a block & to a
winch) Best case scenario:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=akvdg_OQEhQ
More realistic scenario:https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=stqveg0TYvA
Sail to the Victim Using a LifeSling
Getting the Victim Back On The BoatVertical Recovery
No Lifesling?• Tie a large bowloin into
the end of the halyard.• Toss the end to victim,
who slips the loop under their arms
• Using genoa winch, raise victim out of the water.
A 5:1 tackle block will hoist a 200 lb person with only 40 lbs of lifting effort
Horizontal Recovery
MOB Mat Sea Scoopa
DIY• Recovery of injured
victim• Best position for
hypothermia
Start the engine and put it in neutral First Aid as needed Look for hypothermia Attend to the boat – consider anchoring
Expect to feel jumpy, angry, weepy from adrenaline
Victim is Back on Board
Prevent – What can you do to prevent accidents and injuries? Look at your boat with a critical eye Handrails, non skid rugs/stair treads, potential
missiles in the cabin, cockpit clutter, jack lines, ladders, proper clothing near the companionway
Prepare - Talk through scenarios first aid class, first aid kit, blankets, MOB equipment
and drills, time at the helm, radio awareness, labels Practice skills – heave to, stopping the boat, lower
sails, deploy the anchor, etc
Prevent & Prepare
Despite your level of preparedness accidents and injuries will happen. Be Prepared.
What should you do first? Call for help Bring the boat under enough control so that
you are free to deal with the victim Assess the victim and render first aid
There’s been an accident – now what?
The right answer of course is…
Things to take into account: weather, traffic, hazards, the victim…
it depends …groan
Let sails fly and drift for a bit Heave-to Continue (or begin) to motor to where you can get
help Beach the boat in a populated area – beach
(probably not the optimal choice)
Bring the Boat Under ControlStop the boat in such a way that you are not in greater danger
Come about without touching any of the sheets
Keep the rudder in come-about position (tighten it down)
Adjust the main until the boat is making very little forward progress (1-1.5 kts)
If seas are very rough consider reefing
You will very gradually slip sideways to windward
(main is trying to turn you upwind, headsail is trying to turn you downwind. Rudder is helping the headsail. Forward progress is mostly the keel in action.
Heave to
Calling for Help
Who Can Help?
US Coast GuardHarbor Master Private
Towing Service
Signals to get help
Wave Arms
Use radioUse flairs/ hoist a
distress flag.
Radio BasicsMayday comes from the French
“venez m’aider” meaning
“come help me”
Every Boat should have a documented Radio Procedure readily available
Call Towing service or the Coast Guard on your cell, or by radio (cell may be faster)
While calling a local police station may connect you with the harbor master, 911 operators do not have direct transfer to the Coast Guard
May or may not bring your boat back to your home port, depending on your contract. READ it Carefully
May not provide service if you are in your home port. The issue of salvage rights (if you can, drop an anchor
regardless of the depth of the water) As a general rule, the USCG aids people, not boats. A towing service membership more than pays you back
for numerous years of membership with one call.
If you need to get off your boat…A Word About Towing
Know the basics of anchoring Where is the anchor and how is it attached
to the boat? How does the windlass work? How do you
turn it on?
Deploying the Anchor
Do a quick physical (or even virtual) walk through of your boat
Do both of you know where safety equipment is? Where is the first-aid kit? Is it up-to-date and ready
for a head injury, serious cut, immobilizing a limb? Is there a simple first aid book in there?
Where are the flares? Do you both know how to use one?
Look for areas to improve cabin and cockpit safety A large number of cabin related injuries are due to projectiles. More safety rails in the cabin
Make up a radio procedure sheet and post it AT the radio
Significantly increase helm time for first mate
Before the sailing season starts…
Adrenaline is not a substitute for knowledge and practice.
DO – figure out how to stop the boat. Discuss MOB
Talk through what equipment you have and how to deploy it.
Walk through – can you both actually use your current equipment successfully – alone. If not, you might as well throw THAT
overboard. Actually do a drill.
Large and easy ‘victim’ (dinghy, old pick up buoy)
Slow Motion or do an Add-A-Step approach
Baby Steps
Don’t – announce MOB drill and immediately jump overboard to simulate the ‘real thing.’
Questions/Discussion
Use the MOB feature of the GPS Head into the wind Heave to Drop the mainsail and the headsail Start and Operate the Engine Deploy MOB recovery equipment Tie a bowline knot Deploy the anchor Practice basic first aid
Do you Know How To: