What are the Common Injuries Cruisers Encounter?

[roverhi]

As others have stated, infected cuts especially on the lower legs. Washing with a weak bleach solution cured the problems we had. Did bang my head requiring a little seamstress work by my wife when I slipped on a wet deck. Always wear shoes with toe protection so no issues with jammed toes.

[Cheechako]

Banged head, coral/barnacle infections, jelly fish stings, fish spine penetrations, broken toes, swimming ear, rope burns, finger injuries, foot cuts, fish hook cut, water infections (sewage), liver infections (local water), Tailbone bruises, sunburn, tendonitis from trying to pull off/push on hoses!

[cabo_sailor]

While I agree with just about everything that's been stated I'm a little bit surprised that a few other problems haven't been mentioned. Burns are one, galley burns, sun burn, and rope burn. Although, we've never had a problem, we keep an epipen (sp) in the frig in case of severe allergic reaction to jelly fish or coral. Finally, whether it is for ourselves or guests we try to make sure they board with whatever meds they require.

Less serious, unless it's yourself, the usual medicine cabinet stuff such as Imodium, Pepto-Bismol, Ibruprophen, etc.

Hoping you never need any of this,

Rich

Edit: Apologies, upon looking back I see that some have already mentioned burns and allergic reactions. I second their opinions since we have equipped our own first aid kit to match.

[Hydra]

To me:
Banged an ingrown toenail in a chainplate 40 years ago (taught be to wear shoes aboard), cut a knee, probably on the propeller (needed 3 stitches), had the inside of fingers burnt with the main sheet while gybing, banged the ribcage on the galley when falling in a seaway, had the lid of a cockpit locker close on my head while looking inside, some minor cuts...

To various crew:
Broke a rib when falling in the galley and banging on a companionway step, a black eye from falling in a deep and empty cockpit locker, banged the head in the boom, some more minor cuts (e.g. while cooking and using sharp knives), some sunburns...

In fact, I try to brief the crew about safety at the beginning of each cruise: I tell them about these incidents to remind them it can happen again.

Alain

[BandB]

With friends the biggest single problem we have is sunburn. We really have to watch them, warn them, watch them, warn them, watch them.

Especially anyone who exposes areas to sun that don't normally see it.

[Astrid]

Indeed, sunburn is probably the most common of all possible troubles.

[ShipShape]

Excellent topic Emerald Sea! Especially interesting to me as a single-hander. I hope there are more replies though for things I haven't thought of as most of my injuries from working on the boat at the dock have been *much* worse than those posted being underway. Although, looking on the "bright side", that makes injuries from when I am underway insignificant - certainly there have been some, but I don't remember any of them ... except for impacts to my head. Go figure.

As a single-hander my two fears are hurting my head and my hands. I have 20 or 30 pairs of gloves for any and every occasion, so if a pair gets damaged or wet I have another or three pairs available to keep my hands protected. No problem there, but somehow I can't seem to make a passage unless it is storming like he11 and getting my bell rung isn't exactly music the universe needs to hear.

Laugh all you want, but if I can remember, I'm going to start wearing my bicycle helmet during storms. What THAT doesn't protect though, which for some reason is more of a concern to me than my cranium, or what is left of it, like anybody could tell anyway, is my teeth. I'm a great cook and I love to eat, I would be soooo bummed if I fell down the companionway or something and lost any teeth.

[ShipShape]

Originally Posted by BandB

With friends the biggest single problem we have is sunburn. We really have to watch them, warn them, watch them, warn them, watch them. Especially anyone who exposes areas to sun that don't normally see it.

Granted I might be a man trapped in a woman's body, but "WARN THEM"?? I'm confused! With all that watching you are subjecting yourself to, and assuming you are a male voyeur sincerely concerned for the welfare of the superior sex ... why would you warn them?? Are you aware that Noxema gently massaged into a sunburn is quite luxurious?

[Nicholson58]

So far, the worst was on the hard, hopping over the tool box at the engine room companionway. I ht my head, requiring 14 stitches. You bleed a lot from your scalp you know. Scared the heck out of the admiral.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by ShipShape

Granted I might be a man trapped in a woman's body, but "WARN THEM"?? I'm confused! With all that watching you are subjecting yourself to, and assuming you are a male voyeur sincerely concerned for the welfare of the superior sex ... why would you warn them?? Are you aware that Noxema gently massaged into a sunburn is quite luxurious?

Wifey B: hehe......yes, warn them. We don't like seeing our friends in pain plus it's bad for you......so....the solution isn't lotion after. It's lotion before, and again, and again and again....my hubby a male voyeur? well, no comment there regarding him or me.

So you rub lotion, soon you tell them they need more, repeat many times.

[mpatter894]

Having spent over 20 years at sea as am Merchant marine officer I have seen many different types of injuries most common injury on a vessel and I don't care if its 1000ft containership or a 20ft sailboat is slip and fall accidents some of which incur breaks and cuts along the way my best advice is this "One Hand for the Ship and One Hand for yourself" if you can avoid the slips and falls then you only have to worry about illness from sea sickness or infections(tropics are breeding grounds or infections)If you plan one doing some cruising there is an stcw 48hr medical care provider course that I would recommend you learn how to use an iv and other handy things other than basic first aid. The scariest thing other then someone actually having a heart attack and losing them was a case of appendicitis, very difficult to handle at sea but believe it or not its not uncommon I finally got the guy of the ship in the azores after 4 days of touch and go,being able to administer an IV and getting a diagnosis by radio saved his life. There are several free services available to mariners at sea that gives you access to a doctor by radio and email. All vessels on the sea are inherently dangerous some more than others situational awareness is the key to having a safe and enjoyable voyage.

Michael

USCG Master Unlimited tonnage any ocean

[thinwater]

Falling on stanchion top can be bad, like falling on rebar ends.

[sneuman]

Good thread, btw. I am just putting together an improved "offshore medical kit" and it occurs to me that this subject of medical concerns/emergencies while on passage gets short shrift vis-a-vis heavy weather, guns aboard, etc.

Chances are you will get hurt at some point. Hopefully it won't be serious - but it will happen.

[Nicholson58]

Wear shoes
Wear gloves when handling lines.
Wear a hat with a sun skirt & long brim
Wear sunglasses & sunscreen
Wear cotton clothes & long sleeves. (Florida Guide hat & shirt)
Stay under the bimini
don't do dumb stuff.
Don't pay undue attention to hot babes if your wife is watching. (causes head dents)

[sneuman]

One tip my first aid instructor gave me for offshore. Hire a "call a nurse" service -- apparently, it's a very inexpensive monthly fee (though I haven't actually checked yet) and program it into your sat phone. Some of these are better than others, but the best, I'm told, are quite good. Do some research.

His other tip was to program the Maryland poison hotline into the sat phone. He says they are better than other states and will answer questions from incoming calls from any geographic location. Am told this is a lot more than "I drank a bottle of bleach" sort of thing, that jelly fish stings, food poisioning, etc. are covered by the hotline folks.