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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Falling in the water.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/24/2014 : 09:12:50

Got this email from our marina manager today:

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><font size="3">Recently one of our members accidentally fell in the water in his boathouse
and couldn't get out of the water by himself He yelled for help and luckily
one of our other dockmates was in the vicinity and helped him get out of the water.

A few years ago, I accidentally fell in the water in my boathouse, but
fortunately I have a slide-out/pull-down telescoping emergency ladder
mounted under the corner of my swim step, so I was able to pull it out and
down from the water and exit up the ladder by myself using a cleat and a
railing on the transom to grab hold of, to get off the top of the ladder.
This happened in winter and I was the only one at the marina, so I believe
the emergency ladder saved my life.

You are urged to review your own situation and devise your own plan as to
how to get out of the water by yourself in case you fall in. For those in
boathouses, keep in mind that the boathouse deck is about a foot higher than
the concrete floats, so it is very difficult to pull yourself up on the
deck, and also it's more likely nobody will see or hear you. The concrete
floats are easier to pull yourself up on to, but not everyone is physically
capable of doing so. Boats with dinghies hanging off the stern often block
the swing-down ladders mounted on top of the swim step rendering those
ladders useless in an emergency. Emergency ladders under the swim step, but
under a hanging dinghy don't work either. Also, ladders on boats or on the
docks need to extend above the deck; otherwise you can't get off the top of
the ladder.

The marina has a few slide-down wood ladders mounted throughout the open
moorage area where they don't impede the maneuvering and docking of boats
and won't get hit by the boats. We can build and install more wood ladders
at the spring work party. If you would like to have one at your
slip/boathouse, please think about where you would specifically mount it, so
it's not in the way and won't get hit by your boat.

The best solution is to have a method of getting out of the water on to your
own boat by yourself, so it can also be used in emergencies when you're out
cruising or at a guest dock. Also, if you're working around your boat,
particularly if you're alone, please wear your life vest!</font id="size3">
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Our ladder is rigged so you can open it from the water, and I've tested that I can actually do it (with Rita on the boat to help in case something went wrong). I found that at my age & girth it was just doable. I added an extra length rope to act as a bottom rung further under water that made it easier to get a step up onto the main ladder. However, I only kept it there long enough to allow me to easily get in and out of the water while I was scrubbing the hull. I'm going to make a stout wooden rung that I'll suspend more permanently. I suspect that adrenalin would help get my butt up the ladder if it was an emergency, but why depend on that?

Edited by - delliottg on 10/24/2014 09:13:26

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3993 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2014 : 13:24:09

quote:
The marina has a few slide-down wood ladders mounted throughout the open
moorage area where they don't impede the maneuvering and docking of boats

A few years ago my Marina installed the ladders and fire extinguishers every so many feet along the docks. The ladders are spring loaded aluminum and easy to pull down ( I pushed on one). I never asked as to why but always assumed it was an insurance requirement or new building code. This year I noticed that they have gone around to every walkway and floating ramp eliminating any trip hazards.

Edited by - islander on 10/24/2014 13:26:44

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5232 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2014 : 20:15:48

I've fallen into the water twice on the dock (and I wasn't even drinking!) Once I was repositioning the boat with the dock lines and the other time I was distracted. It only takes a second! Both times it was May, so the water was still cold.
1st time, I was out on the Tee end of the finger. I fell in without a lifejacket. There were no lines, no ladders and about a 3 ft rise to the dock. I couldn't maneuver my way to Passage as there was a strong current and I was concerned I might get sucked in under the boat. I hung on to a cleat for what seemed like an eternity until my neighbor happened by. She weighed about 99 pounds and at that time I was 260+ (I'm way down from that weight now). So I asked her to find a dockline and we made a loop to go around the cleat. That worked fine and I was out of the drink, but was quite chilled.
2nd time, I had my lifejacket on and it kept me afloat no problem. I had learned to keep a dockline loop dangling into the water to give me something to grab onto.
A simple loop will do it. Since then, I've rigged my boarding ladder so that I can untie the tie-line from water level and swing the ladder down. In the past I had it tied up accessible only from the cockpit.

It definitely pays to plan ahead. It could save your life.
Leave a few old dock line loops on cleats nearby your slip or hanging off the boat. Make sure there's no way they can foul the prop.
If you have a swing-up boarding ladder, tie it up so that you can reach and untie the line from the water, and that you can swing it down.
I also have lined the edge of my slip with 3 fenders (mounted horizontally) and I can use them to climb back up.

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2014 : 05:58:44

I should respond here. I fell in between the starboard side of Brandy and the dock last July. Fractured 2 ribs. Luckily boat next to me there were people on board and he pulled me out. There are no sailboat[raised] docks at our marina. So my 71 year old body has to step over and down onto a 2x8 on the dock. What the gentleman thinks happened is there was a swell and Brandy went up and the slip went down and my leg couldn't reach the 2x8. I must have bounced off the side of Brandy and the dock before being hung up on a dock rope. Numerous scrapes on my legs. Don't remember it. But I did get my wallet and keys out and I think if worse came to worse I could have gotten to my swim ladder. Adrellan would have got me there I believe.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2014 : 11:08:04

I, personnally, know of no one who has fallen overboard while wearing a PFD out on the water proper, but I know of a slew of people who have fallen in the water around the docks without one.

Edited by - on

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