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How Often Do People Fall In?


rivershine

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I know I am going to fall in after saying this but here goes. I practicaly never use the gunwhales or go on the roof I cant say never as it does happen maybe twice a year. This is where most people make mistakes before entering the water. The one time my missus went in was about ten years ago as an already very experienced boater she stepped stupidly straight off the back of a trad we were looking at for someone else in wilton marina. She disappeared completely its bloomin deep there.

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1 hour ago, system 4-50 said:

You don't fall in locks. You just don't. Fall in anywhere else but not in locks. And nowhere when its cold.

The OH fell in Bardney Lock middle of winter fully clothed. Not a pleasant experience by all accounts.

1 hour ago, Robbo said:

Fill in only once, was last year of around nine years of boating.  Happend when tieing the ropes when mooring up and I was stepped on the lack of banking when leaning over at the bow.   

Always follow the rule of 3 points of contact when stepping off/on the boat.   

The 3 points of contact don't work when you are doing 25 knots in  quick RIB and it digs in on a tight turn catapulting you over the bow!

Luckily the water was warm :)

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Not a liveaboard, but I have yet to fall in in the 44 years I have been boating. (Famous last words).

Came perilously close to it at Atherstone Top Lock about 20 years ago, when my dog fell in and I climbed down the gates and stood on the cill of the empty lock to rescue her. The cill and lock gates were unbelievably slippery.

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11 minutes ago, cuthound said:

Not a liveaboard, but I have yet to fall in in the 44 years I have been boating. (Famous last words).

Came perilously close to it at Atherstone Top Lock about 20 years ago, when my dog fell in and I climbed down the gates and stood on the cill of the empty lock to rescue her. The cill and lock gates were unbelievably slippery.

So then, truly a "cuthound"?  :)

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3 hours ago, rivershine said:

 

I can't swim, so can imagine wearing one of those less bulky life vests with the gas canister most of the time. I know, right "can't swim and contemplating a boating life"? I hear you. Trouble is, it's more than just learning the physical act, it's claustrophobia of immersion.

Since it is quite likely that sooner or later you will fall in, I think you need to address this last point. You may not learn to swim, but if you can become more confident of just being in water, then when you do end up in the canal you will be better prepared and less likely to panic. Perhaps a couple of trips to your local swimming pool, or investigate adult swimming classes.

3 hours ago, rivershine said:

 

Canal water is not something I would want to fall into in general, let alone for the drowning aspect.

Canal water is generally pretty clean these days, and unlikely to be a risk beyond that of drowning.  That said, if you do fall in, try and keep your mouth shut, and have a good shower when you get out.

Falling in the canal, away from locks and moving boats (and rotating propellers) is pretty safe. In most cases you can just stand up and keep your head above water while you take stock of the situation, then wade to the edge. Actually getting out can be more difficult. Locks and rivers are deeper and with flowing water, so a greater risk.

 

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Looking at other posters replies and my own experiences, in answer to your original question,"... Would you say it was a case of "when" rather than "if'? ...." I wouldn't say that that it is compulsory so it is more likely to be an 'if' rather than a 'when', particularly if you are careful. Having been boating since about 1972 in a variety of locations, Canals, Norfolk Broads,offshore I have only ended out fully in the water once, as an 18 year old travelling with 5 mates of the same age on the Llangollen, and alcohol played a major role in that. With similar experience to others, I have slipped on the gunnels and got wet feet but have always been holding on so haven't gone for a full dunking. The only other occasion I've ended out in the canal was at Weltonfield marina and that was intentional, I'd bent my rudder at Watford Locks and they were going to repair it for me but couldn't use the slipway so, for a saving of time  (and a couple of hundred quid) I got into the water to remove the damaged rudder from below, it came up to my waist.

Now if you were talking of dinghy sailing, that is definitely a 'when' with no 'ifs' about it:rolleyes:

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12 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Don't fall in if you have open cuts or wounds & don't get any cuts as you go in, as there is a risk of getting Weill's disease. The chance is very small but the disease is so awful you don't want to risk it.

Yes, I heard about that. Hopefully the canals aren't as "ratty" as they once were. However, I'd be a bit more concerned about that with the general bangs and scrapes of boat life...such as digging around in the weed hatch with your hands, presumably an infinitely more common situation than man overboard, and catching your fingers on something sharp or prickly in there that's fouling the prop?

Edited by rivershine
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13 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Don't fall in if you have open cuts or wounds & don't get any cuts as you go in, as there is a risk of getting Weill's disease. The chance is very small but the disease is so awful you don't want to risk it.

That's it then, I promise only to fall in when I am unscarred. 

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I watch quite a few youtube videos from narrowboaters. It's how I get my narrowboating when I'm not narrowboating.


At least 2 of them have admitted to falling in. And a bit of a worry if you're single handed, depending where and how you fall in.

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We are from a lumpy water background, offshore and ocean sailing. There, it is no point wearing a life jacket for if you go over, you are never going to be retrieved. Harness and lifeline are critical. We we racing on the river Forth (.....Scotland) with a crew of six strong guys...well 5 plus me...in a 25 knot wind and saw a boat behind loose its helmsman overboard. We turned to go back and pick him up. It took 5 mins to get to him an 10 mins to pull him on board. Water was cold in October. He was lucky. Had it been a yacht with just two on board, he wouldn't have made it. Moral...don't fall in. We never have. We are very carefull.

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44 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

We are from a lumpy water background, offshore and ocean sailing. There, it is no point wearing a life jacket for if you go over, you are never going to be retrieved. Harness and lifeline are critical. We we racing on the river Forth (.....Scotland) with a crew of six strong guys...well 5 plus me...in a 25 knot wind and saw a boat behind loose its helmsman overboard. We turned to go back and pick him up. It took 5 mins to get to him an 10 mins to pull him on board. Water was cold in October. He was lucky. Had it been a yacht with just two on board, he wouldn't have made it. Moral...don't fall in. We never have. We are very carefull.

Hi Dr. Bob. Edinburgh man myself. I wouldn't fancy taking a full body dunk in the FoF at pretty much any time...

Good job on that rescue, by the way.

Edited by rivershine
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11 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

The OH fell in Bardney Lock middle of winter fully clothed. Not a pleasant experience by all accounts.

The 3 points of contact don't work when you are doing 25 knots in  quick RIB and it digs in on a tight turn catapulting you over the bow!

Luckily the water was warm :)

I presume you weren’t stepping off the boat at 25knots tho.

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Falling in sounds overly dramatic...

it was just a gentle slide down into the canal

at the bottom of the 3 rise but I had on the

righteous boots and getting out was hard..

no worries ... hadn't seen any boats for ages so stood on

front to strip off rather than drip inside and of course

here is a boat coming to observe me in my

state of undress !

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11 hours ago, rivershine said:

What precipitated these falls in locks? Momentary lapse of attention or slippery surfaces or what? They do seem unusually dangerous places.

In Liam's case a momentary lapse of attention in what transpired to be quite a dangerous situation. It was dark, cold and icy and the lock wouldn't fill up. I had not spotted that someone had left the farside paddle up on the bottom gates so water was coming in the top and out the bottom. It was filling just not as quickly as usual. Liam was going to come ashore but managed to trip over the line getting out which landed him in the lock. With the lines let go the boat sat stubbonly in the middle of the lock riding the flow of water with Liam clinging to a fender. With all the paddles shut the boat came alongside, luckily the side Liam wasn't holding on too and we were able to drop the bathing ladder and get him back onboard. 

He wasn't happy about having to strip off on the bathing platform before getting in the boat though!

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12 hours ago, rivershine said:

What precipitated these falls in locks? Momentary lapse of attention or slippery surfaces or what? They do seem unusually dangerous places.

In my case stupidity couple with over-enthusiasm. The boat was just moving over to the side of the lock and I jumped off, windlass in hand, with the intention of closing the gate behind the boat. As I jumped the wind took the boat further from the side and the gap was wider than my little legs could cope with. I kinda turned in mid-air and attempted to grab hold of the boat, but failed. I just swam across to the lock ladder and climbed out. I even kept hold of the windlass. 

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11 hours ago, rivershine said:

Yes, I heard about that. Hopefully the canals aren't as "ratty" as they once were. However, I'd be a bit more concerned about that with the general bangs and scrapes of boat life...such as digging around in the weed hatch with your hands, presumably an infinitely more common situation than man overboard, and catching your fingers on something sharp or prickly in there that's fouling the prop?

I'm curious as to how often one goes ferretting in the weedhatch. I haven't been down there for a number of years - but I don't get the opportunity to travel much as travelling times reduces fixing time. Obviously some areas of the system must be much worse than others. Anybody claiming the title for most visits in 2017? 

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35 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

I'm curious as to how often one goes ferretting in the weedhatch. I haven't been down there for a number of years - but I don't get the opportunity to travel much as travelling times reduces fixing time. Obviously some areas of the system must be much worse than others. Anybody claiming the title for most visits in 2017? 

worst was 5 times in 200 feet (small cruising club marina), that was more a case of move 5 feet under power then drift while I cleared the prop, it's the only time I have moved the boat without the weed hatch secured (it was simpler to just stand on it till I needed to get down there again)

best was not at all in 200+ miles

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45 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

I'm curious as to how often one goes ferretting in the weedhatch. I haven't been down there for a number of years - but I don't get the opportunity to travel much as travelling times reduces fixing time. Obviously some areas of the system must be much worse than others. Anybody claiming the title for most visits in 2017? 

We don't have a weed hatch. But I think this year is the first in a long time that we have not had to lift the drive to unwrap something from the props.

Shouldn't say  that as the year isn't over yet. No doubt we will pick something up tonight on our way into Lincoln!

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1 hour ago, system 4-50 said:

I'm curious as to how often one goes ferretting in the weedhatch. I haven't been down there for a number of years - but I don't get the opportunity to travel much as travelling times reduces fixing time. Obviously some areas of the system must be much worse than others. Anybody claiming the title for most visits in 2017? 

Ours is so high now, due to stupid h&s rules that I probably can't reach the prop anymore and need a pet orangutan for the job. 

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4 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Ours is so high now, due to stupid h&s rules that I probably can't reach the prop anymore and need a pet orangutan for the job. 

Ours is ducted so is deep even though we don't have much freeboard. On the whole I prefer it on safety grounds but I wouldn't mind borrowing your orang-utan now and then (or perhaps a gibbon would be cheaper to feed).

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