Make Sure You Have a Good Grip !

[maytrix]

I just got back from 10 days in the BVI on a Moorings 4600. Trip was awesome and lucky for me, the only injury was mine and happened our last full day after a dive with Dive BVI.

We were returning to our boat and hooked up along side and I went to climb up grabbing the metal on each side of the port side entry point. The Dive boat was much lower so I had to reach up to grab on and step up really high to get on. My foot didn't quite latch onto the rail on the boat and slipped on the fiberglass. This would have been no big deal had my hands not slipped as well, but they were wet and slipped right off. I fell but seemed fine. I then gave it a second go making sure my foot was secure before relying on it and got on the boat. Dive BVI pulled away and as I walked aft to go inside I looked at my hand and it was covered in blood.

Apparently when I fell, my hand hit something on the rigging and I put a nice inch long gash in it. My first thought was that I might need stitches, but after wrapping it up good and waiting a awhile the bleeding stopped and all was well.

I was just very happy it was after our last activity of the day since it would have been a huge disappointment had it happened earlier in the week.

Lesson learned - really make sure you have a good grip, foothold..etc or better yet, find a better way to move between vessels. I easily could have climbed up a little higher on the dive boat to make it an easier step.

[osirissail]

Good example of what the "Sail Naked" thread folks don't realize about the dangers of unprotected body parts while on a sail/power boat. Even when diving, I wear "reef walkers" or boots (for boot type fins) and avoid going barefoot. A wet foot is about as good as a slick leather shoe sole. Which is not very good at all.
- - Also the first rule of movement on a sailboat/powerboat is to think about exactly where and how you are going to maneuver your body safely from one place to another. There is a never ending supply of opportunities to cut, gash and remove body parts on the rigging and other fittings on the boats.
- - I have those little shroud cleats on the mainmast shrouds to wrap various flag halyards, dinghy painters, etc. around. Very functional little devices, but when climbing up the side of the boat from the dinghy my hand slide down the shroud wire and the little cleat did a great job of capturing one of my fingers. If my foot had slipped that finger would have been ripped out of my hand.
- - Rather than "haste makes waste" on a boat it is "haste makes injuries." Life on board a cruising/sailing/power boat is inherently dangerous and a different "mindset" is needed to keep all your important body parts intact.

[troppo]

Nothing like a cut and wet skin to make the blood go further and appear like ya bleeding to death. Oh, my legs feel weak thinking about it. . . .