How Easily Accidents Can Happen

[andyg]

Whilst away last week, I was shown some cctv footage of a incident at a boatyard where a lady fell of the back of her boat whilst mooring. I'm not going to mention the yards name neither the boats name but will say it wasn't a boat from either Ferry Marina or NBD. The footage shows a lady standing on the stern of the boat as they attempt a stern on mooring, the boat nudges the quay heading not with any great force but the boat bounces back off the bank. At this point the lady falls between the boats stern ( engine still running ) and the quay. Alarmingly a man appears and without hesitation jumps into the same gap ( engine still running) staff at the yard rush to get the crew to shut the engine off. Both crew members were recovered safely but no doubt shaken by there experience.so it just goes to show how easily and how quickly things can and do go wrong. Was it the boat design at fault ? was it a drunken crew ? No none of the above, just a innocent accident caused by a lack of experience. I went on to have a conversation with the yard owners on there veiw of this event and the recent report re the tragic accident in GY. They said they could build a fence around all there boats but ppl would still fall in. I guess we all have to except boating on the broads or any waterway comes with an element of risk. Thankfully this incident ended well due in no small part by the swift action of the yards staff. 

[rightsaidfred]

Thanks, while thankfully all ended well it does put into context boating and all that goes with it, while there may be some justified criticism of certain designs people have fallen off of every type and style of boat over the years with many broken limbs and sadly some fatalities and while additional training might help it also illustrates that in an emergency instinct often overrides logical thought.

Fred 

[marshman]

Of course people will still fall in - the biggest issue will be you will always get your ropes tangled up in any kind of barrier and I am afraid that just won't help - Freds right in saying panic overrides any kind of logic that may have been instilled by any kind of instruction whatsover! Even qualified people will panic, especially the older generation - like me!!!

[floydraser]

2 hours ago, rightsaidfred said:

..... it also illustrates that in an emergency instinct often overrides logical thought.

Fred 

Absolutely. And the when someone goes overboard the instinct is that you are leaving them behind, so reverse.

This was illustrated to me a few years ago when viewing my first choice boat, a Freeman 33 Sedan. There were two circular repairs in the transom and when I asked what caused the damage I was told that a previous owner had a swim platform fitted. One day his Mrs fell overboard while mooring so he put it in reverse. The platform hit the mooring and poked two holes in the transom. We don't know what happened to the lady but as it never made the news she probably survived. The Freeman has two props...

[MargeandParge]

Hi All

Wear those life jackets please. I was cleaning our boat quay side and slipped on the wet timber luckily I never went in but as easily I could have. I was wearing my life jacket and said to myself "thank goodness for that." O.K it may not have been the first thing I said to myself  but it was the most memorable.

Anyway as a side thought they make me look quite macho cause I never had the torso muscles that they enhance..

Kindest Regards

Marge and Parge