"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 11:23:08 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:



I've been watching the prices, but even $950 is just too high. I'm
certified
in their use, but I just can't justify it, since 90% of the sailing I do
is
within easy response range. I ask about known medical conditions before we
leave the dock, but of course anything can happen.

As you say, some of these medical aids are a judgement call. There
was a great story around here (it was in Deerfield, IL) in 2001 where
a healthy 13 year old Little Leaguer got hit in the chest by a liner
and it stopped his heart. Two physicians watching the game couldn't
get it started and the kid was a goner. In the meantime a distraught
woman walked away from the scene and saw a Deerfield police car
cruising nearby, and she waved him down. The department had just
bought a defib and it happened to be in that car.
The cop quickly got the boy's heart going, and he fully recovered.
One of those miracles, it seems.

--Vic


I remember that story... it really is a judgement call. Assuming you have a
limited amount of money, it seems like it would be better spent on simple
upgrades/fixes like maintaining thru-hulls, replacing rigging. I'm betting a
cost/benefit analysis would show that.


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

On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 14:46:10 -0700, "Capt. JG"
wrote:

I remember that story... it really is a judgement call. Assuming you have a
limited amount of money, it seems like it would be better spent on simple
upgrades/fixes like maintaining thru-hulls, replacing rigging. I'm betting a
cost/benefit analysis would show that.

Depends on your circumstances. If the boat is already in decent shape
but there is someone in your family or crew with a cardiac risk, the
defib might make a lot of sense. I knew a guy who died from a heart
attack on his boat while sailing the Chesapeake. He had already had
bypass surgery once and was a prime candidate for future trouble.
Money was not a big concern for him, having quite a few serious
patents to his credit.

If he'd had a defib aboard, and his girl friend knew how to use it,
things might have turned out differently.