Swim Platforms: A Matter of Safety


Any way you look at it, a sailboat with a swim platform is a safer
vessel by design. Generally viewed as a contrivance of luxury, these
platforms have serious merit for the safety conscious. Consider the
single handed sailor. Properly tethered to his boat, he may still fall
overboard. Have you ever tried to re-board a moving vessel from the
water? It can be difficult and may even be impossible, even with a
small ladder in reach. With a swim
platform a tired sailor will have the best chance to board the boat
again.
Even a crewed vessel can enjoy the same advantage. If a person falls
overboard a very fast retrieval can be made. Several recent MOB
fatalities might have been avoided with a platform. Still, the swim
platform must be used only when conditions permit. In swells the
falling stern can badly injure or even kill the victim before they can
be pulled onboard.
At anchor the platform also has it's benefits beyond the obvious as an
inured swimmer can also be handled with greater ease. Finally, the use
of dinghies, and transference of any cargo can be done with a greater
degree of safety. The only real liability of the swim platform is that
it offers a rescue option that may appear "too easy" and be employed
when it shouldn't. MOB drills with and without use of the platform are
suggested.
So the next time you look at that sexy swim platform and envision it's
elements of practical entertainment value, be sure to remember it's
added safety benefits as well.


Robert B
Beneteau First 35s5
NY

"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
oups.com...
Swim Platforms: A Matter of Safety


Any way you look at it, a sailboat with a swim platform is a safer
vessel by design. Generally viewed as a contrivance of luxury, these

Generally are...

platforms have serious merit for the safety conscious. Consider the
single handed sailor. Properly tethered to his boat, he may still fall
overboard. Have you ever tried to re-board a moving vessel from the
water? It can be difficult and may even be impossible, even with a
small ladder in reach. With a swim

If you're properly tethered, you would never reach the water.

platform a tired sailor will have the best chance to board the boat
again.
Even a crewed vessel can enjoy the same advantage. If a person falls
overboard a very fast retrieval can be made. Several recent MOB
fatalities might have been avoided with a platform. Still, the swim
platform must be used only when conditions permit. In swells the
falling stern can badly injure or even kill the victim before they can
be pulled onboard.

Which is pretty rare, since most MOBs happen when conditions dictate a beam
recovery.

At anchor the platform also has it's benefits beyond the obvious as an
inured swimmer can also be handled with greater ease. Finally, the use
of dinghies, and transference of any cargo can be done with a greater
degree of safety. The only real liability of the swim platform is that

Perhaps, but for distance travel, you have no place to put davits. You have
to triail the dinghy, which is a bad idea.

it offers a rescue option that may appear "too easy" and be employed
when it shouldn't. MOB drills with and without use of the platform are
suggested.
So the next time you look at that sexy swim platform and envision it's
elements of practical entertainment value, be sure to remember it's
added safety benefits as well.


Robert B
Beneteau First 35s5
NY

Which is pretty rare, since most MOBs happen when conditions dictate a
beam
recovery.

And yet Cruising World just had an article where a beam recovery proved
impossible and a sailor drowned. Again, the swim platform is an option
that MIGHT prove to be a life saver.

Perhaps, but for distance travel, you have no place to put davits. You have
to triail the dinghy, which is a bad idea.

On the LIS, trailing a dinghy works fine and is the prefered method.
The clutter and weight of a davits system is unwanted vs. towing a
dinghy on occasion.

If you're properly tethered, you would never reach the water.

Too many cases of too much slack for this to be a viable answer. Again
the swim platform option is a plus in the real world.
Again, no one is saying the platform is the best way to go, or even the
second best. But it can save lives and has done so in the past.

RB
35s5
NY

"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
oups.com...
Which is pretty rare, since most MOBs happen when conditions dictate a
beam
recovery.

And yet Cruising World just had an article where a beam recovery proved
impossible and a sailor drowned. Again, the swim platform is an option
that MIGHT prove to be a life saver.

Might is the operative word.


Perhaps, but for distance travel, you have no place to put davits. You
have
to triail the dinghy, which is a bad idea.

On the LIS, trailing a dinghy works fine and is the prefered method.
The clutter and weight of a davits system is unwanted vs. towing a
dinghy on occasion.

As I said, for distance travel, you have no place to put it.

If you're properly tethered, you would never reach the water.

Too many cases of too much slack for this to be a viable answer. Again
the swim platform option is a plus in the real world.
Again, no one is saying the platform is the best way to go, or even the
second best. But it can save lives and has done so in the past.

Huh? It's not a matter of slack. It's a matter of length. A proper tether
will save your life. An improper tether will end it prematurely.

Might is the operative word.


Might is a better word than NOT. As I said, the platform is one more
option which is better than one less.

As I said, for distance travel, you have no place to put it.

I can stow it aboard in the locker or place it on the fordeck. It's
rolled in that locker now and there's still room for a tea party in
there. I also know of folks who tow their dinghies on long cruises. No
big deal.

It's a matter of length. A proper tether
will save your life. An improper tether will end it prematurely.

Too much slack was a reference to length. In any case, people make
mistakes. And again, the swim platform is one MORE option. Nothing
changes that, Jonathan. In a perfect world you don't fall off the boat,
you have the tether set correctly, we don't fall off a boat in calm
seas, the water is warm, the crew can get a MOB up on the
beam....except sometimes none of the above is true. I'll take that swm
platform....for it's fun factor, practicality and safety.
Now if my boat interior was smaller than other 35 footers with no swim
platform I might see another side. But that's not the case. The 35s5
and some others, such as the C&C 99 or C&C 34 XL let you have the cake
and eat it too.

RB
35s5...a well baked boat!
NY

"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
ups.com...
Might is the operative word.


Might is a better word than NOT. As I said, the platform is one more
option which is better than one less.

Sure, and should is an even more operative word. Most of the time, a swim
platform will not be better for MOB recover, and when it's not appropriate,
may temp someone to use it. There's nothing wrong with having a swim
platform, but to claim that it should be used for an MOB is just
wrong-headed.

It's easy to say "might" in situations. You might fall off a horse, but the
chances of that happening in the next 10 minutes are pretty low.


As I said, for distance travel, you have no place to put it.

I can stow it aboard in the locker or place it on the fordeck. It's
rolled in that locker now and there's still room for a tea party in
there. I also know of folks who tow their dinghies on long cruises. No
big deal.

Actually, it is a big deal for several reasons. If you have to "stow" it
that means you'll have to unstow it when you want to use it. I know (well,
used to know) folks who shot heroin, but that doesn't make it smart.

It's a matter of length. A proper tether
will save your life. An improper tether will end it prematurely.

Too much slack was a reference to length. In any case, people make
mistakes. And again, the swim platform is one MORE option. Nothing
changes that, Jonathan. In a perfect world you don't fall off the boat,
you have the tether set correctly, we don't fall off a boat in calm
seas, the water is warm, the crew can get a MOB up on the
beam....except sometimes none of the above is true. I'll take that swm
platform....for it's fun factor, practicality and safety.
Now if my boat interior was smaller than other 35 footers with no swim
platform I might see another side. But that's not the case. The 35s5
and some others, such as the C&C 99 or C&C 34 XL let you have the cake
and eat it too.

It's a minor option for safety during MOBs. We're not talking about a
perfect world. We're talking about being prepared and smart enough to know
what to do, so that a MOB is unlikely.

For the fun factor and practicality, I have no argument at all. I will even
stretch and say that there is some limited safety factor, but not for an
MOB. It's not safe for that when an MOB is likely.

There's nothing wrong with having a swim
platform, but to claim that it should be used for an MOB is just
wrong-headed.

Nobody anywhere has said that it should be used as such. I only
correctly pointed out that, as in the case of the Comotion rescue of
divers, it can work safely. No part of a boat is "safe" unless used
properly. Just because some putz might shoot himself in the foot with a
flaregun is no reason not to have one aboard. A swim platform can serve
as a rescue device in certain rare instances, just like a tether or a
flare gun. The difference here is that I know someone who was saved by
a platform and there's a recent case of it posted online where three
people were saved, so it's a fact...however uncomon. The platform CAN
and HAS served as a usable MOB device.

Actually, it is a big deal for several reasons. If you have to "stow" it
that means you'll have to unstow it when you want to use it.

And this is a problem for who? Lots of cruisers stow the dinghy to make
better speed. Lighter faster cruisers do best that way. It takes me 15
minutes to inflate the dinghy, less if I use the electric compressor.
It's an airdeck so it's fantastic for that.

It's a minor option for safety during MOBs. We're not talking about
a
perfect world. We're talking about being prepared and smart enough to
know
what to do, so that a MOB is unlikely.

I'm sorry, Jonathan. That "minor option" can and HAS saved lives. The
crew of Comotion got a medal for it. Last season, some idiot was saved
by a platform not far from my club. I guess it would be best if
everyone did the exact right things aboard, but as we both know...it's
just not reality. Those divers and that guy wouldn't call a platform a
"minor option." There's simply no such thing. When it comes to safety
you start with the best methods and when those fail, you try every
option available. The last could be the one that saves a life. A good
case was a fellow who fell off his IP in the slip at Capri. It was
March and he was elderly, the cold water hit him fast. Guess what saved
him?
A swim platform is a MUCH easier way to board a boat from the water.
There are plenty of situations where that can become a safety feature.
No one's saying it's the best way, but when someone goes overboard I'll
take every option available and take none lightly.
Sorry, Jonathan. You're simply dead wrong about this, factually and
historically. In addition to the case of Comotion, here's yet another
rescue using a swim platform...and medal awarded.

http://www.ussailing.org/pressreleas...ABHVoyager.htm

And the 35s5 swim platform rescue

http://www.ussailing.org/Pressreleas...HCommotion.htm

RB
35s5
NY

Oh..and as a friend recently pointed out....

Many a tired swimmer has been pulled aboard or pulled themselves aboard
a swim platform, grateful for the feature. It's actually likely that
the swim platform has served as a safety feature countless times.

RB
35s5...the safer boat
NY

But, what you're saying is that this option was a prime consideration in
your purchase of your boat because of its safety feature.

Hate to tell you, but I'm dead right... the link below describes a trawler,
not a sailboat. He also used a lifesling.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
oups.com...
There's nothing wrong with having a swim
platform, but to claim that it should be used for an MOB is just
wrong-headed.

Nobody anywhere has said that it should be used as such. I only
correctly pointed out that, as in the case of the Comotion rescue of
divers, it can work safely. No part of a boat is "safe" unless used
properly. Just because some putz might shoot himself in the foot with a
flaregun is no reason not to have one aboard. A swim platform can serve
as a rescue device in certain rare instances, just like a tether or a
flare gun. The difference here is that I know someone who was saved by
a platform and there's a recent case of it posted online where three
people were saved, so it's a fact...however uncomon. The platform CAN
and HAS served as a usable MOB device.

Actually, it is a big deal for several reasons. If you have to "stow" it
that means you'll have to unstow it when you want to use it.

And this is a problem for who? Lots of cruisers stow the dinghy to make
better speed. Lighter faster cruisers do best that way. It takes me 15
minutes to inflate the dinghy, less if I use the electric compressor.
It's an airdeck so it's fantastic for that.

It's a minor option for safety during MOBs. We're not talking about
a
perfect world. We're talking about being prepared and smart enough to
know
what to do, so that a MOB is unlikely.

I'm sorry, Jonathan. That "minor option" can and HAS saved lives. The
crew of Comotion got a medal for it. Last season, some idiot was saved
by a platform not far from my club. I guess it would be best if
everyone did the exact right things aboard, but as we both know...it's
just not reality. Those divers and that guy wouldn't call a platform a
"minor option." There's simply no such thing. When it comes to safety
you start with the best methods and when those fail, you try every
option available. The last could be the one that saves a life. A good
case was a fellow who fell off his IP in the slip at Capri. It was
March and he was elderly, the cold water hit him fast. Guess what saved
him?
A swim platform is a MUCH easier way to board a boat from the water.
There are plenty of situations where that can become a safety feature.
No one's saying it's the best way, but when someone goes overboard I'll
take every option available and take none lightly.
Sorry, Jonathan. You're simply dead wrong about this, factually and
historically. In addition to the case of Comotion, here's yet another
rescue using a swim platform...and medal awarded.

http://www.ussailing.org/pressreleas...ABHVoyager.htm

And the 35s5 swim platform rescue

http://www.ussailing.org/Pressreleas...HCommotion.htm

RB
35s5
NY

But, what you're saying is that this option was a prime consideration
in
your purchase of your boat because of its safety feature.


NEVER EVER did I post such a thing, Jonathan. I like the swim platform
mainly because they are a ton of fun, especially for the kids.
In fact...in every response to you I've stated that in NO WAY is the
platform a prime safety feature. Yet history shows it has been used
again and again to save lives and obviously many times not recorded.
It's silly to argue otherwise. No one is suggesting the platform be
used instead of SOP, only that a swim platform COULD and HAS been a
viable option. That gives a 35s5 one more way to save a life in
experienced hands.

Hate to tell you, but I'm dead right... the link below describes a
trawler,
not a sailboat. He also used a lifesling.

This is getting pretty silly. Trawler, sailboat or Multihull....the
swim platform CAN and HAS saved lives. Using it with a lifesling
doesn't mean they were able to get the victim aboard without the
platform. Clearly they did what worked, which meant using the sling
COMBINED with the platform.
You're just not making any sense. It's as if you're pretending that I'm
saying the platform is the best MOB device, which I never said or
implied anywhere. You can't argue with history. Or you can...but not
with me.

Here's another rescue...keep in mind that the swim platform should
never be used during a passive recovery of course.

http://www.ussailing.org/safety/Resc...01_erie_oh.htm

History, Jonathan. The swim platform HAS saved lives. Is it the best
course of action? No one has said that it is.

Hell...the swim platform can even save your dog!!!!

http://www.pembrokecorgi.org/art_boating.html



RB
35s5...the safer boat
NY