Freak Accident in Antigua

[GordMay]

“Two people from the yachting fraternity were injured in a freak accident on Saturday that left one man with several fingers missing and a woman with her left hand severed from her wrist ...”

The woman was hoisting her husband up the mast using an electric winch, when she became entangled in the halyard lines and got her left arm trapped in the winch. In an attempt to free her left hand, the woman’s right hand also became trapped.
Trying to help, a Swiss sailor got his fingers entangled in the winch.

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http : // www . antiguaobserver.com/?p=55364

[Southern Star]

Wow, truly tragic. I have to say that is one disadvantage to electric halyard winches that I had never thought of.

Brad

[atoll]

a bit like don't work on a running engine wearing a tie...........

[mbianka]

I know of a woman who lost some fingers in an electric winch too. Electric winches can be very dangerous. But, we also had a fellow in the harbor who lost several fingers while just wrapping a line around a cleat on a dock. Lot's of ways that a little inattention can get one injured on board or on the dock.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Glad I don't have them on my boat, never wanted them anyway..

[SaltyMonkey]

I've gotten my hand stuck in a NON electric winch on a lee shore reefing a main.

Moral: It ain't the winch that makes us winch, it the wincher and the way he winds

[hummingway]

If the wind grabs the jib while your sheeting in an over hand grasp on the sheet can suddenly seem like a very good thing.

[cabo_sailor]

It's why I always carry a knife. An assisted opening knife that opens quickly and easily with one hand.

[SaltyMonkey]

cabo_sailor - great, but halyards aren't always made of dacron/spectra. You need a good size bolt cutter to cut the wire or hybrid spliced ones.

[cabo_sailor]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

cabo_sailor - great, but halyards aren't always made of dacron/spectra. You need a good size bolt cutter to cut the wire or hybrid spliced ones.

True, but I don't have them on my boat. It's all line. If I did have wire halyards, I would seriously consider replacing them. Wire was used in the past because of stretch issues with cordage. Those issues no longer exist. I rather consider wire halyards a safety threat although I suppose there are quite a few people that have no problem with them.

Rich

[ashdec87]

Husband was some way up the mast when this happened. Dont know if cutting the line would have been possible unless he was clipped in somewhere on the mast..

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by ashdec87

Husband was some way up the mast when this happened. Dont know if cutting the line would have been possible unless he was clipped in somewhere on the mast..

If my wife was losing a hand, I could grab a shround and hang on for a few minutes.

I have seen a few up the mast jobs being done, ecept for the one where the guy had installed mast steps, they gave me the creeps. one an older, (ancient), gentleman was being hoisted by the main halyard wrapped one half turn around the halyard cleat, and NOTHING ELSE. He would schooch causing the halyard to jump giving 1/2 inch of slack that the guy at the bottom would pull tight. 1 1/2 pulleys means he was holding half the guys 180lbs weight by hand. Only 1/2 inch on the cleat and the bottom guys hands were between the old man and certain death! There has to be a safer way to get up there.

[Therapy]

That is really bad but I don't see where it says anything about what kind of winch or halyard was used.

[s/v Jedi]

These halyard winches for steel wire halyards are the most dangerous item on boats that still have these... and they are rarely replaced because of the costs involved... and thus people keep loosing fingers...

ciao!
Nick.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by mbianka

I know of a woman who lost some fingers in an electric winch too. Electric winches can be very dangerous. But, we also had a fellow in the harbor who lost several fingers while just wrapping a line around a cleat on a dock. Lot's of ways that a little inattention can get one injured on board or on the dock.

mind you it is a great conversation starter in yottie bars..............