Sailing very dangerous--for the elderly!

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

... and our hobby requires agility and poses risks...

"hobby" ????????? That would indeed cause a problem. I am a serious sailor, know the risks and my limitations, and make allowances and adjustments to compensate. I am 73, and have had by-pass surgery, prostate cancer surgery, and several others, one that involved 12 hours under the knife, but if anyone even suggests that I give up dreams and future destinations because I approaching middle age or beyond they have a lot of 'splaining to do. I look at stairs as I go down (and up) which I did not need to do in my youth, and I remain optimistic that I will live to age 107 and be shot by a jealous lover. Unfortunately, my wife always reminds me that it may not be my lover.

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

"hobby" ????????? That would indeed cause a problem. I am a serious sailor, know the risks and my limitations, and make allowances and adjustments to compensate. I am 73, and have had by-pass surgery, prostate cancer surgery, and several others, one that involved 12 hours under the knife, but if anyone even suggests that I give up dreams and future destinations because I approaching middle age or beyond they have a lot of 'splaining to do. I look at stairs as I go down (and up) which I did not need to do in my youth, and I remain optimistic that I will live to age 107 and be shot by a jealous lover. Unfortunately, my wife always reminds me that it may not be my lover.

that's funny

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Great attitude. We have grown to expect 1st class health care but most of the time when cruising in places I like it's 3rd world at best so you either just accept that there is a higher risk for you or you quit and go home and find other things to do. Now I expect that's going to happen and I may not have to wait too long but my first choice is to keep doing what we are doing until my body gives up, then the choice will be made for me.

I did not read all the posting but 3rd world? come on now - Medical care around the world is generally very good - admiral had hand surgery in Colombia and Tunisia, I had 1/2 my nose replaced in Trinidad from a non malignant cancer, had torn tendon in shoulder repaired with 2 screws in Tunisia, had my gall bladder removed in Turkey - plus a lot of visits to Dermo docs in to many countries to count --

And at age 70 we have not slowed down much. Right now sitting in Trabzon Turkey after a run in the Black Sea across northern Turkey - know how many boats we have seen? answer 1 german and he was a retired physician -

we plan to just keep going until we figure we can't do it any more - so if some one is going to respond please define elderly as without that definition postings are a bit questionable
as for the slip and fall on the dock - stuff happens if you are 10 (fell of my bike and broke my leg) or 68 (when I was pulling anchor and chain up over railing with one hand and ripped tendon) stuff happens -

[Rustic Charm]

Originally Posted by chuckr

I did not read all the posting but 3rd world? come on now - Medical care around the world is generally very good - admiral had hand surgery in Colombia and Tunisia, I had 1/2 my nose replaced in Trinidad from a non malignant cancer, had torn tendon in shoulder repaired with 2 screws in Tunisia, had my gall bladder removed in Turkey - plus a lot of visits to Dermo docs in to many countries to count --

And at age 70 we have not slowed down much. Right now sitting in Trabzon Turkey after a run in the Black Sea across northern Turkey - know how many boats we have seen? answer 1 german and he was a retired physician -

we plan to just keep going until we figure we can't do it any more - so if some one is going to respond please define elderly as without that definition postings are a bit questionable
as for the slip and fall on the dock - stuff happens if you are 10 (fell of my bike and broke my leg) or 68 (when I was pulling anchor and chain up over railing with one hand and ripped tendon) stuff happens -

You should read a few more of the posts then. So far in this thread no one has called on any one of mature age to give up sailing. Many have rightly emphasised the need for mature age people to be particularly vigilant with their health because among other reasons, if you do get hurt the consequence could be much worse than it would be for someone in their 20's.

And stuff doesn't just happen there's always a cause.

[robert sailor]

Originally Posted by chuckr

I did not read all the posting but 3rd world? come on now - Medical care around the world is generally very good - admiral had hand surgery in Colombia and Tunisia, I had 1/2 my nose replaced in Trinidad from a non malignant cancer, had torn tendon in shoulder repaired with 2 screws in Tunisia, had my gall bladder removed in Turkey - plus a lot of visits to Dermo docs in to many countries to count --

And at age 70 we have not slowed down much. Right now sitting in Trabzon Turkey after a run in the Black Sea across northern Turkey - know how many boats we have seen? answer 1 german and he was a retired physician -

we plan to just keep going until we figure we can't do it any more - so if some one is going to respond please define elderly as without that definition postings are a bit questionable
as for the slip and fall on the dock - stuff happens if you are 10 (fell of my bike and broke my leg) or 68 (when I was pulling anchor and chain up over railing with one hand and ripped tendon) stuff happens -

I found the Medicare in Turkey to be first rate just as you have. We are in Guatemala and here maybe not so much. Belize, not so much. I'm not bad mouthing the countries but unless you are in or around a major city the medical care is very basic.

[zedpassway]

Originally Posted by Don C L

See? Sailing is safe, but docks, not so much. And so the lesson is......?
Come to think of it, the last injury I got was from stepping from the dock on to the boat. Docks! Another one of those dangerous conveniences!

I injured my elbow trying to step from the dinghy to the boat on the mooring when the line to the cleat let go and I ended up half on the boat and have in the dinghy, trying desperately not to fall in the 50 degree water. Still hurts almost nine months later.

The more time I spend in boats the more time I am aware that we are land animals trying to pretend otherwise---at least those of us who are in the ocean or near ocean. I often wonder if small lake sailing might be more fun and less stress. At least the water would be warmer if I fell in, and there wouldn't be any tide to carry me out to sea, or 4 foot swells to get lost in if I fell overboard.

[zedpassway]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

3rd Accidental Suffication

How is this done? Its not in my book "How not the die".

[zedpassway]

Literally all the injuries that I have experienced since I was about 63, have happened as a result of boating problems: falling off the boat,having boat part attack me for no reason at all, etc. Sometimes i wonder where the fun part is, and whether I'm simply remembering how fun it was when I was 16, and trying to relive those days.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

the other, racing from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, was serious enough to require surgery, which included drilling through the skull. But we finished the race.

I think I saw that in "Master and Commander!" ARGH now that is a true racing fanatic! Open it up, put a coin in and back to the foredeck with ye!

[Tayana42]

Oh heck! Living is very dangerous for the elderly. It should be avoided at all costs. For that matter getting old is a bad idea. I say,"Don't do it!"

Better planning is to save up all your embryonic stem cells for use later. Of course you'll need good reliable on board refrigeration to keep them fresh and available for 70 years or so. That'll take a lot of amp hours so big solar arrays will are necessary to avoid aging.

Now, where did I leave my keys?


S/V B'Shert

[Saleen411]

Originally Posted by zedpassway

Literally all the injuries that I have experienced since I was about 63, have happened as a result of boating problems: falling off the boat, having boat part attack me for no reason at all, etc. Sometimes i wonder where the fun part is, and whether I'm simply remembering how fun it was when I was 16, and trying to relive those days.

LOL....isn't that the truth.

[buzzstar]

The more I've read on this topic, the more I am convinced that old age sucks for some, and is an opportunity for others such as myself, but either way it beats the unmentioned choice available to either group.

[bobofthenorth]

Simple rule for life: get up in the morning and do what you're doing. When that stops being fun do something else. This rule is age independent.

R.J.(Bob) Evans
www.bobandmarilyn.ca

[zedpassway]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

The more I've read on this topic, the more I am convinced that old age sucks for some, and is an opportunity for others such as myself, but either way it beats the unmentioned choice available to either group.

Really depends on what kind of genetics you were born into. I know people who are in the late 80's still smoking cigarettes, and other people who died in their 40's from lung cancer because of smoking cigarettes.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Rustic Charm

That's not an accurate way of comparing things Polux. This thread is about an 'accidental' injury, not a health related injury, which you have then compared with the three main causes of death for the over 65's. Sailing is a physical activity and therefore I'd suggest you need to compare that physical activity with physical activities which causes injuries.

Therefore, the number one killer of person's over 65 is, wait for it,

1st Falls
2nd Motor Vehicle Accidents
3rd Accidental Suffication and then 4th poisening and then 5th fire.

Our friend John was a victim of the first. Thankfully, he's recouping well in order to battle on.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/844322

I don't agree. This thread is not about accidental injuries but about sailing being dangerous for the elderly.

I would say that not all types of sailing but if you are many hours away (or days) from land and have an heart attack or stroke (1st cause of dead over 65) your chances of surviving it or surviving it without permanent heavy damage are drastically reduced regarding if you are some minutes away from emergency medical help.

So I would say that sailing offshore over 65 diminishes significantly the chances to survive a heart attack or stroke and taking into consideration that heart attacks and strokes are the nº1 cause of death over 65 that is relevant regarding offshore sailing to increases life threatening risks for elderly.