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Bruce in Bangkok[_16_] Bruce in Bangkok[_16_] is offline
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Default man dies on sailboat: death by chair

On Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:33:36 -0700 (PDT), Bob
wrote:

On Oct 14, 4:18*am, Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:
On Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:36:01 -0700 (PDT), Bob
wrote:







Did you read the article that you quote?


I read that article and a few others and also watched the KGW video.


The boat was a 65 ft. sail boat. Have you ever been on a 65 ft. sail
boat?


Do you mean, have I ever been on a sailing yacht 20M?
The ansewer is yes. Actually several. I fact I plan on bing on an 80
foot sailboat as a tourist in a few days. What can I say, I enjoy
traditional sailing craft.


Where do you think that the Helmsman positions himself while steering
the boat?


Close to the helm.


Do you really think that he stands to the wheel clad in oilskins and
sou-wester?


One of the things that I found repulsive while working as an AB on
those OSV/DSV was the slothenly way those fat coonasses put there
obease ass on the captain chair and sat there while underway.


I did what every one should do I STOOD WATCH. The captain finally
ordered me to sit in the chair because all my walking around made him
nervous when he was on the bridge and I was driving the boat.
Personally I like to walk around. It keeps me awake and alert! I see
more that way and am not prone to doze off. Not a good Idea to run
into a rig or another boat as an AB with the captain in the mess.


Once again, you don't know what you are talking about.
Cheers,


Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)


Once again your luberly and lacadasical aproach to seamanship has
dimmed your ability to see a travisty when it happend. The operator
made several errors on serveral levels and now his kids will live with
that tragity for decades to come.


Look, if you want an easyboy on your boat go for it. Hell put a sofa
in the cockpit for all I care. When I Stand Watch, I stand AND watch!
But yes I also sit in the cockpit. Why???? cause there aint no
bulkheads to keep me from falling overboard if I get knocked out of my
lazyboy.


Bob


Well bravo, you stand a watch" and you stand up all the time. I assume
that is a standard naval watch - 4 hours. Now try it for a day and a
night as some cruising people do.

But the whole argument is ridicules - a competent person ensures that
he can see what needs to be seen and if one can do that sitting down
then it is certainly sufficient, whether sitting, lying or standing.

*The argument that because you need to walk about to see the waters
surrounding your vessel is necessary and therefore every helmsman must
walk around is ridicules. The helmsman of a VLCC can walk around the
bridge all he wants and still can't see the water ahead of the vessel
and a bloke in a small yacht may be able to see it all lying on his
back.

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)




Hello Bruce:

After reading your posts for a few years I believe you are a
reasonable, measured, and bright person. I believe that overboard
death could have easily been avoided simply by eliminating any one of
the several deficiencies that contributed to his death.

Do you agree his death was preventable?
If so, other than wearing a PFD what else would be necessary to avoid
death?

BOb
(on vacation)


Of course it could have been prevented. Simply wear a harness and stay
clipped on all the time.

But like many other endeavors, sailing is really a dangerous thing to
do, compared to sitting on a rock, on dry land. The question is how
dangerous do you want it to be.

Sailing in the Hobart Race is, for example, far more dangerous then in
the Thailand King's Cup but they may well have more entries in the
Hobart Race; sailing round the horn is far more dangerous then going
through the canal but people still do it. "My Old Man and the Sea" is
a book about a father and son who planned and prepared for several
years to "round the horn", even built a special boat for it.

My own beliefs are that you simply cannot be 100% safe all the time,
(some people have dropped dead walking to the Supermarket) so do what
you want, be as prudent as you think reasonable, and have a good time.

Cheers,

Bruce
(bruceinbangkokatgmaildotcom)