fallen overboard

[wilcara]

Yeah the "safety grab bag" always intrigues me.... yeah OK for flares etc I suppose but its a bit like having the life jackets up in the bow isn't it?

No with the epirbs we are all playing with, are you supposed to go up front and get it too just before the big blue one hits or you tip over? If it is mounted on the boat, and it tips, how will it activate under water? What good is it then? How can you attach one in the boat so that it can release and activate if you suddenly flip or something, or say you hit a whale or a submerged log at 60k's and rip your bottom out? How can you rig it so an ordinary ol' bit of lumpy water doesn't activate it too?

I bought a little one and have it in the pocket of my vest figuring that if I go overboard at least I still have it with me, but it is heavy and a nuisance. I'd love to see if anybody has addressed the above issues.

[pursuit001]

hi guys i havent myself but i took a mate out on one of my boats i was scooting along at a great pace and old mate was on the rear seat i looked back and said ill show you how she performs he said ok no worries so i opened her up and put her in to a hook and on its side she went my mate bein a big bloke slid to the side of the boat and bang over he went funny thing was it was in the middle of winter phone and all in his pocket and steam coming of his shirt from the cool meeting the warm i couldn say sorry enuff then i get hit with its ok mate its not the first time ive falling out of a boat couldn believe it i still laugh to this day

[upstart]

I've got a mate called Stuart who fell out of a canoe, pissed as, in the middle of the Paluma Dam one cold winters night. He and his mate couldn't right it so they had to swim it back to shore. Stu was a bit panicky, thought he was going to drown but they made it back ok. We now call him Stuey Canoey!

[cooky]

upstart has been drinking again!

[lunchcutter]

well getting a tow back in from the coast guard 1 of the blokes standing up on the front just as we were pulling into the ramp he went a-se up it was so funny but not for him i suppose

[Go Gecko]

One of the funniest sights I have seen happened years ago when I was a young teenager just starting to take notice of girls. A runabout of about 16ft was coming into the beach with this beautiful goddess sitting on the bow, as the boat approached the shore she slid forward right up to the bow and when she thought it was shallow enough she pushed herself over the front. Unfortunately for her, but not all the lookers on, her bikini bottom got caught on the anchor bollard and gave her the biggest wedgie - both front and back! Aahh boating such great memories....

[upstart]

upstart has been drinking again!

Hey Cooky, how come you don't have a picture of your boat up there with your name?

[mik01]

One of the funniest sights I have seen happened years ago when I was a young teenager just starting to take notice of girls. A runabout of about 16ft was coming into the beach with this beautiful goddess sitting on the bow, as the boat approached the shore she slid forward right up to the bow and when she thought it was shallow enough she pushed herself over the front. Unfortunately for her, but not all the lookers on, her bikini bottom got caught on the anchor bollard and gave her the biggest wedgie - both front and back! Aahh boating such great memories....

hahahaha - now thats gold!

ahem.... was she, erm, you know..... ummm (tidy down there?)

[Apollo]

I have gone over the side about 5m off Norah Head at 2am in a 30knot blow. It was from a racing yacht and I got bounced over the windward side by not paying enough care to what I was doing. Had a safety harness on and was tethered to a strongpoint. Problem was - there was no way I could pull myself back aboard from the side in that seaway, so the boys had to hook on another tether to mine, unhook mine from the deck and ease me to the stern so I could drag my sorry carcass back aboard. They had to keep some way on the boat as to stop it would have been dangerous for the boat and crew. I was probably in the water for less than a couple of minutes (felt like 15) and with the getting dragged along and bashed against the side of the hull, I was completely stuffed and barely able to get back over the stern which has a large swim type step. Scare the shit out of me and when the boys released my lifeline to the boat to ease me back, it certainly rams home why I only race with people I can trust.

[nigelr]

Learn't a good lesson on my last bar crossing. Got too cocky, crossed this bar dozens of times without incident.
WRONG, should have paid more attention to the swell conditions before I left.
First light, a very cool morning, solo, 4.2m open tinny, tiller steer. Obviously needs to be flat, swell was dying by not sufficiently. Confronted with a 4ft wave with no where/time to run.
Old surfie trick, if confronted with a close-out, paddle towards wave as fast as possible and try and go under the corner of the lip of the oncoming wave. Fine on a board.............
Actually worked ok with the boat, but I'm certainly not advocating it.
Accelerated flat out at the 'pocket', trying to clip the corner of the lip.
Worked a treat, boat flew over the wave and landed perfectly.
Problem was, I wasn't in it!
As the corner of the lip hit the boat, she flipped sideways and threw me and my 240lt esky overboard at a rate of knots. Esky connected with my forehead, instant 20 stitch gash.
Now the thing that has always annoyed me about my motor is that it won't idle in gear for more than 3-4 minutes......................man thats my favourite thing about it these days, believe me!
Swam around after her for a few minutes, and with the help of adrenaline, was able to climb up the motor and back aboard. I've never previously been able to do this, I'm 52 yo so I'll use that as an excuse.........
Wet as a shag, pissing blood, bu$$ered me shoulder, hope the motor starts........she does, first go!
Lay on the floor as a wave breaks in front, no problems, slips underneath without much drama, flatten the bugger out past the break, take stock for a minute, then back to the ramp ASAP.
My tiller arm extension has gone overboard, so I'm driving from the transom seat, hardly able to see........pass my big, beaut esky in the break unable to salvage her, then had to load the poor old girl with a bu$$ered shoulder.
Marvelous stuff, that adrenaline.
AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE!
The boat goes in for mods on Saturday, wavebreaker on the front, step on the transom, and I will be purchasing a Stormy jacket before I cross the bar again.
Not to mention checking the swell more thoroughly next time.......................
After some thought, I will be sticking with the tiller steer............
Ah, you live and if your lucky, very very lucky, you learn............
Cheers.

[wilcara]

What can I say, but nice to have you with us.

Sometimes we are lucky to have the opportunity to learn. Hope that doesn't sound cocky, it is not meant to be. I learned from many mistakes that thankfully left me alive and well, and wiser. Sadly a couple of my friends have not had that second chance.

It is amazing isn't it how "familiarity breeds contempt" in so many ways.

Anyway thanks for your story mate.

[thelump]

Never fallen overboard yet...touch wood. I'm actually worry about it though as I fish from a 4m open tinny, and I often fish alone. I don't always attach the cut off device around my wrist so if it happens i'd be screwed. Maybe I should start wearing it more often!

Same in my old tinny. About 10k's out to sea and nearly rolled off the back doing about 40 kph. Needless to say I had the killswitch on when solo every trip after that.