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Incident at Fenny Marina


Tunnelman51

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On ‎09‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 22:37, Ssscrudddy said:

After I got my boat my Mum decided she wanted 1. She's in her 70s.
1st boat she looked at, I told her to get hold of the hand rail before she tries to get on. My Mum doesn't listen to anyone, especially me. I even pointed out that the surveyor who was there doing other boats gets hold of the hand rail every time he gets on & off, & he's doing it all day. Anyway she dismissed me out of hand, didn't hold on, missed completely, smacked her jaw hard on the roof of the boat, & scraped all the skin off her shin where it got stuck between the boat & the pontoon.

Mums are great arnt they. We bought our first liveaboard when my mum was a kid of 69 and she has always loved coming out with us and staying onboard. She did the locks until her 80s but cant manage them so much these days but still leans on the balance beam a little. We are off boating next week and she is coming with us the week after for  couple of days but I have told her she isn't allowed to do much anymore in case she hurts herself!! We hope to live aboard for ever but are concerned re not being able to live aboard when we are older so we are keeping a watchful eye on mums boating and she is still capable of living aboard. I suppose she may have to stop boating sometime but as she isn't 97 till the end of next month there may be a few years left in her yet. Oh and in case you are thinking how she does it................She eats WHITE bread FULL FAT milk and has BUTTER with her bacon sarnies, non of the erm ( healthy eating ) crap for her :)

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Couple of points raised, I enjoy wearing the crotch strap, I got a cat fur lined one ;o)

As for going in to rescue while wearing, I wouldn't have time or availability for a buoyancy aid, in any case rescue is performed while swimming on your back, towing the "victim", or it was when I did my badge, in pyjamas!

I do see the embarrassment factor, but better be alive and red cheeked, than to wear a deathly pallor. It's nowt to do with anyone else anyway!

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13 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

 r Couple of points raised, I enjoy wearing the crotch strap, I got a cat fur lined one ;o)

As for going in to rescue while wearing, I wouldn't have time or availability for a buoyancy aid, in any case rescue is performed while swimming on your back, towing the "victim", or it was when I did my badge, in pyjamas!

I do see the embarrassment factor, but better be alive and red cheeked, than to wear a deathly pallor. It's nowt to do with anyone else anyway!

Oh don't talk to me about the embarrassment factor, when we moored on The Broads we had no road access so every journey entailed using a dinghy.

Chris does not swim and would travel onn a tidal river mixing it with all the hire boats in a small dinghy with an electric O/B, so I bought her a nice round the neck self inflating life jacket proper job and she refused to wear it!!!!

Phil

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12 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

But Tim, the important question is..............

With tomato ketchup or brown sauce?

:)

mmmmmm I must ask :) when I started sending her flowers for her birthdays and mothers day I didn't realise it would end up costing me a bloomin Kings ransom :lol:

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7 hours ago, magictime said:

 

Incidentally, genuine question: is an automatic life jacket the best thing to wear for the main purpose of going in after someone else? I thought they were designed to tip you on to your back and keep you there, thus keeping your head above water, which seems like it might make it harder to swim in than (say) a buoyancy vest.

I suspect that those of us here who've done regular sea survival courses where one of the tasks is to swim to, and get yourself into, a liferaft would agree with you. Propelling yourself backwards with flappy hands whilst floating on your back, unable to see where you're going because of your fully inflated lifejacket is a proper struggle as it is - the challenge of swimming to, and rescuing, someone else whilst you're wearing one I can hardly imagine. 

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7 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I suspect that those of us here who've done regular sea survival courses where one of the tasks is to swim to, and get yourself into, a liferaft would agree with you. Propelling yourself backwards with flappy hands whilst floating on your back, unable to see where you're going because of your fully inflated lifejacket is a proper struggle as it is - the challenge of swimming to, and rescuing, someone else whilst you're wearing one I can hardly imagine. 

Yep.

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26 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

I suspect that those of us here who've done regular sea survival courses where one of the tasks is to swim to, and get yourself into, a liferaft would agree with you. Propelling yourself backwards with flappy hands whilst floating on your back, unable to see where you're going because of your fully inflated lifejacket is a proper struggle as it is - the challenge of swimming to, and rescuing, someone else whilst you're wearing one I can hardly imagine. 

If you listen to your survival training you would never go into the water to rescue someone

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6 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

If you listen to your survival training you would never go into the water to rescue someone

I did listen, I assure you!  Survival training isn't about rescuing anyone, it's about staying alive as long as possible so that someone else might rescue you! 

It's the other bloke who intends to jump in to rescue his missus. I was merely agreeing with Magictime that it's a bad idea and explaining why. To be absolutely clear for all our Lady readers, I think it's very nice that he would try to rescue his missus, it's just the trying to do it in an automatic lifejacket I think is a bad idea! 

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On 11/10/2017 at 22:05, Sea Dog said:

I did listen, I assure you!  Survival training isn't about rescuing anyone, it's about staying alive as long as possible so that someone else might rescue you! 

It's the other bloke who intends to jump in to rescue his missus. I was merely agreeing with Magictime that it's a bad idea and explaining why. To be absolutely clear for all our Lady readers, I think it's very nice that he would try to rescue his missus, it's just the trying to do it in an automatic lifejacket I think is a bad idea! 

So what do the experts recommend, what would you do if it was your mrs? ( presuming you have one, otherwise choose someone dear to you) Assuming a scenario where they are potentially unconscious / paralysed, which may well be the case for me. 

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3 hours ago, Jim Riley said:

So what do the experts recommend, what would you do if it was your mrs? ( presuming you have one, otherwise choose someone dear to you) Assuming a scenario where they are potentially unconscious / paralysed, which may well be the case for me. 

Grab their clothing with the boathook.

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On ‎11‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 11:51, ditchcrawler said:

I don't wear one, I did when I was dingy sailing. CRT wear one if they are sitting inside a boat having a cup of tea, that could in certain circumstances be more dangerous than not wearing one. I suppose it depends on what you judge the risk. Most drownings, which seem to happen on the Broads not the canal is when people are returning to their boats at night when they wouldn't be wearing them.

Totally agree with Brian and it goes without saying that alcohol is usually involved.

Phil

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7 hours ago, Jim Riley said:

So what do the experts recommend, what would you do if it was your mrs? ( presuming you have one, otherwise choose someone dear to you) Assuming a scenario where they are potentially unconscious / paralysed, which may well be the case for me. 

I wouldn't claim to be an expert in survival, in which I have been trained both well and often, but I certainly wouldn't claim to be anything like proficient in the water. However, I was qualified as a first aid instructor and have done enough disaster relief stuff to recognise the sound advice that you can't assuredly help anyone else unless you first ensure that you won't also become a victim.

In your situation, with which I completely sympathise, I'd think seriously about getting some proper lifesaving training. My Mrs did "Poolside Bronze" a while back, which is a really good standard, but if that's either beyond your swimming ability (which I suspect would be the case for me) or perhaps just a bit more advanced than you need,  I'm sure the folks who teach that could point you in the right direction.

In the meantime, I have a rescue throwline aboard and you may wish to consider one of those in case she falls in and remains conscious.  I do think wearing an automatic lifejacket at all times is a good place to start for your Mrs. As pointed out, they are designed to keep an unconscious casualty face up, thus this makes real sense if she is liable to lose consciousness. It was just the difficulty of trying to effect a rescue whilst wearing one yourself I was advising of. 

Best wishes.

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1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

I wouldn't claim to be an expert in survival, in which I have been trained both well and often, but I certainly wouldn't claim to be anything like proficient in the water. However, I was qualified as a first aid instructor and have done enough disaster relief stuff to recognise the sound advice that you can't assuredly help anyone else unless you first ensure that you won't also become a victim.

In your situation, with which I completely sympathise, I'd think seriously about getting some proper lifesaving training. My Mrs did "Poolside Bronze" a while back, which is a really good standard, but if that's either beyond your swimming ability (which I suspect would be the case for me) or perhaps just a bit more advanced than you need,  I'm sure the folks who teach that could point you in the right direction.

In the meantime, I have a rescue throwline aboard and you may wish to consider one of those in case she falls in and remains conscious.  I do think wearing an automatic lifejacket at all times is a good place to start for your Mrs. As pointed out, they are designed to keep an unconscious casualty face up, thus this makes real sense if she is liable to lose consciousness. It was just the difficulty of trying to effect a rescue whilst wearing one yourself I was advising of. 

Best wishes.

 

I too find it hard to imagine how one can help a victim by jumping into the same environment as them. 

All too often we hear of people jumping into the sea to 'rescue' their dog or child swept away by the waves and both of them perishing. Hopelessly pointless loss of life.

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1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I too find it hard to imagine how one can help a victim by jumping into the same environment as them. 

All too often we hear of people jumping into the sea to 'rescue' their dog or child swept away by the waves and both of them perishing. Hopelessly pointless loss of life.

In general terms I'd agree with what you are saying, particularly regarding people 'rescuing' their dogs since there have been numerous documented incidents of people doing exactly that and drowning and the dog itself swimming to safety, as you say a pointless waste of life.

Where I may differ however is regarding a child in the water. You are standing at a lockside and a young child (say aged 5 to 10) falls in and doesn't come up, what are you going to do? stand there looking at the water and muttering 'Darwin strikes again'. Poke around with a boat pole to see if you can find where they are?  I wouldn't be keen to enter the water but I don't think I could live with myself afterwards if I didn't make some sort of attempt. An adult would be a different matter since even if you manage to locate them, in their panic there is every possibility of them taking you down with them, but I don't think I could walk away from a child in those circumstances. With the right conditions (not too rough a sea, firmly attached to a line to shore held by reliable helpers and carrying some form of buoyancy) I'd go into the sea after a child. Much though I like dogs I wouldn't do it for a dog, they can usually swim!

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8 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

 

With the right conditions (not too rough a sea, firmly attached to a line to shore held by reliable helpers and carrying some form of buoyancy) I'd go into the sea after a child. 

Yes - because you have assessed the situation and taken precautions to ensure your own safety before entering the danger area yourself, in this case the water. The point is not that you don't help someone else, it's that you're no use to them if you also become a victim.

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Thanks for the constructive comments. Boat hook first then. I have done lifesaving training and am strong swimmer. However the water is likely to be cold. 

Just to clarify, cos not many understand Narcolepsy with Cataplexy, Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder, sleep switch blown, trouble sleeping at night, excessive day time sleepiness. Cataplexy is a state where the body enters a sleep state instantly , brain is aware and functioning. A bit similar to sleep paralysis. It ranges from a standing wobble, eyes closed, to a full drop , usually backwards. Triggered by surprises, jokes, seeing a kingfisher etc. The meds are working at the moment, thankfully.

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1 hour ago, Jim Riley said:

Thanks for the constructive comments. Boat hook first then. I have done lifesaving training and am strong swimmer. However the water is likely to be cold. 

Just to clarify, cos not many understand Narcolepsy with Cataplexy, Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder, sleep switch blown, trouble sleeping at night, excessive day time sleepiness. Cataplexy is a state where the body enters a sleep state instantly , brain is aware and functioning. A bit similar to sleep paralysis. It ranges from a standing wobble, eyes closed, to a full drop , usually backwards. Triggered by surprises, jokes, seeing a kingfisher etc. The meds are working at the moment, thankfully.

For goodness' sake don't take anything I say as a substitute for expert advice Jim, but if you can foresee a situation in which it might be wise to go in after your wife, I think you need to look for some sort of buoyancy aid/vest that's designed to let you swim rather than just to keep your head above water. As Sea Dog suggests, maybe talk to a lifesaving trainer.

I've had episodes of sleep paralysis in the past and the thought of having that sort of frozen body/active brain experience come on suddenly in the middle of the day is certainly a frightening one. I can see why you want to be prepared.

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