It's happened again.

[Rickent]

Well as per title, it's happened again.

Washing the boat earlier with brush and bucket all was fine until i started the side away from the bank.

I now know that I can't walk down the gunwhale non handed wielding a brush.

How do I know this?

[zenataomm]

You had a premonition?

[Rickent]

A very wet one, yes.

[Bod]

Whilst you were there, I trust you cleaned the weed from the waterline.

 

Bod

[Sir Nibble]

I blame gravity

[WotEver]

6 minutes ago, Sir Nibble said:

I blame gravity

It's all Newton's fault. 

[Rickent]

On a serious note, falling in was surprisingly easy but getting out was not.

If it had been properly cold I think I might have been in a bit of trouble.

[The Bearwood Boster]

5 minutes ago, WotEver said:

It's all Newton's fault. 

Oy! nothing to do with me-Trina (Newton).

[Horace42]

14 hours ago, Rickent said:

On a serious note, falling in was surprisingly easy but getting out was not.

If it had been properly cold I think I might have been in a bit of trouble.

I have just made a ladder to carry on my boat - just in case I fall in (again).

[Naughty Cal]

1 hour ago, Horace42 said:

I have just made a ladder to carry on my boat - just in case I fall in (again).

Ladder has to be deployed to be of any use though.

[Dharl]

Saw a wide beam the other day that had a ladder built into the stern so that you had somewhere to pull your self out if you went in.    This was after Mrs Dharl had been indoctrinated to being a proper boater at Avoncliffe Aquaduct.......

[frangar]

Myself & the OH always make sure we wear auto inflate life jackets on rivers sometimes to the amusement of other boaters when travelling......I was mulling on this as I polished the brass on the river side of the boat when moored up and the life jackets safely stowed below........

[Dave_P]

Those who've never fallen in just don't appreciate how much strength is needed to pull yourself out when fully clothed and cold. 

[frangar]

3 minutes ago, Dave_P said:

Those who've never fallen in just don't appreciate how much strength is needed to pull yourself out when fully clothed and cold. 

Very true.....on the one occasion it happened to me it needed two people to pull me back on board

[Rickent]

Fortunately for me there is a day boat moored next to me with a very flat and low stern which I managed to pull myself onto with considerable effort. As I said in a previous post if this had been mid winter I could have been in real trouble.

[Horace42]

5 hours ago, Dharl said:

Saw a wide beam the other day that had a ladder built into the stern so that you had somewhere to pull your self out if you went in.    This was after Mrs Dharl had been indoctrinated to being a proper boater at Avoncliffe Aquaduct.......

Useful if you fall in near the ladder.

[Horace42]

5 hours ago, frangar said:

Very true.....on the one occasion it happened to me it needed two people to pull me back on board

...and those two people needed almost superhuman strength to lift a fully clothed wet adult, at an awkward angle, over the side of a boat. My wife fell in and two of us had trouble lifting her out  (she is not obese or anything like that) but next day found bad bruises  on her wrist and arms where she was held and pulled during the rescue.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Horace42 said:

...and those two people needed almost superhuman strength to lift a fully clothed wet adult, at an awkward angle, over the side of a boat. My wife fell in and two of us had trouble lifting her out  (she is not obese or anything like that) but next day found bad bruises  on her wrist and arms where she was held and pulled during the rescue.

 

Back onto the boat is the last place I'll try to get when I eventually fall in. I keep a weather eye open for climbing out places on the bank all the time now when boating, as I'm convinced the bank is going to be easier than climbing back on the boat. 

[alan_fincher]

3 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Back onto the boat is the last place I'll try to get when I eventually fall in. I keep a weather eye open for climbing out places on the bank all the time now when boating, as I'm convinced the bank is going to be easier than climbing back on the boat. 

Not on our mooring it isn't!

But please don't ask how I found this out in early January.

Sadly the resulting shoulder injury from what I hit going in is never going to repair, and I'm stuck with it, (and the pain), for life.

[MtB]

Very sorry to hear that Alan.

Where did you eventually get out then?

Back onto the boat?

[alan_fincher]

10 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Very sorry to hear that Alan.

Where did you eventually get out then?

Back onto the boat?

Used somebody else's boat, being less far to climb than on to my own.  Would not, I think, have managed it without considerable assistance.  With the water at little above freezing point, you tend to fairly quickly become incapable of sensible thought, (although some suggest that I am anyway, of course!).

You don't tend to put on a life jacket when tied up on your mooring, and just going for a bag of coal - perhaps I should?

[Neil2]

I fell in for the first time last year and there is no way I could have got out without assistance.  I also broke the golden rule I'm always telling others - never alight from the boat whilst it's still in gear.  I still can't believe this happened as I've always considered myself to be ultra careful but as they say, it's not a case of if, it's when you are going to fall in.   

As for life jackets - anyone who makes fun of another boater wearing one is beneath contempt in my book.

[Horace42]

I fell in on two occasions, both at my EOG home mooring. No big deal, just embarrassing - and wet and cold.  But considering my boat is almost aground it is surprising how deep it is on the canal side when you fall in.

But no problem, I waded along the boat holding the gunnel and climbed out unaided on to the bank.

Then got into trouble for falling in and dripping water all over the kitchen floor. A quick shower,dry clothes, and a topic of conversation for weeks to come. Such is life!

[Rickent]

The water level on my mooring is a good 2ft below the top of the bank, and the bank is a straight up concrete side. There is no way any body could lift themselves out unless they had superhuman strength.

My boats stern was too high also and there was nobody about to assist,so if it wasn't for the day boat moored up next door I could have been in the water for quite a while. If as in Alans case this was in January, I fear I would have  been in real trouble.

Edited April 1, 2017 by Rickent

[Sea Dog]

Since reading on here how useful they are, I now always carry a ladder over my shoulder when walking down the gunnels. I'm pleased to report that everything everyone says about how brilliant they are for getting yourself out is entirely correct, and it's helped me get out of the cut so often now that I wouldn't be without it. Now all I have to do is stop tripping over the damned thing, because I'm spending a fortune on launderette tumble dryers!