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Hot debate on the subject of dinghy safety following the tragic loss of life in Palma

Another reader thinks buoyancy aids are the issue I agree with the comments that knives should be carried by sailors (dinghy and keelboat) and all rescue boats, however I cannot see the logic in suggesting that buoyancy aids should be made optional in any class. The issue is one of redesigning the equipment so that it cannot get caught, a buoyancy aid with sleeves, for example, would have avoided the incident referred to with the tiller extension getting caught. A buoyancy aid with sufficient buoyancy to support an unconscious person does not necessarily prevent a sailor swimming down and away from an upturned boat. However a buoyancy aid with more buoyancy than the individual sailor needs would. Could it be appropriate that dinghy sailors in particular wear life jackets with buoyancy ratios closer to their body mass?

Jim Champ also has some pertinent points to make on buoyancy
I've been involved in two similar incidents in my 25 years or so dinghy sailing. One was during a training session where a trainee got their lifejacket caught on something and was being dragged under an inverting boat. I've also had a near miss with a trapeze hook - in my incident it caught on a reaching hook on the windward side as the boat capsized to windward.

Certainly in my first instance someone hacking round with a knife could very easily have caused serious injury and wasn't very likely to actually get the person free. In a moving and turning boat its difficult to work out exactly what's catching... I can see if the specific problem was being trapped under a trampoline then cutting the thing would get air quickly, but its not a common problem... in the trapeze harness situation I wonder how practical it is.

I'd have had to cut through two heavy webbing straps and two rope lashings, difficult to do at the best of times, let alone while drowning. Given a sharp enough knife to have some chance of achieving this I wonder how many fingers I'd have had left! Has anyone actually done this in practice?

Julian's better trapeze harness idea sounds very promising. Another thing is boat design. Although the 49er sailor and cap shrouds incident is an exception, it's usually possible to wriggle your head either under the boat or outside.

Therefore the boat design ought to be such that there's some air space under the boat when inverted, enough to get your head in while you disentangle yourself. As for the argument against buoyancy aids I'm not convinced. It's a case of balancing risks. How many fatalities occur as a result of being tangled in buoyancy aids as opposed to because of exhaustion/hypothermia brought on by attempting to stay afloat?

It's not totally impossible that it could be like the argument about not wearing seatbelts in case you get trapped in a burning car - wearing seatbelts increases the risk in a rare situation but greatly reduces risk in a very common one. Safety measures are very rarely without disbenefits, you just have to balance where the greatest risk occurs...

Flying Fifteen World Champion Charles Apthorp offers this...
A very similar incident occured during the 505 Nationals in 1984, although fortunately the crew was not drowned. The trapeze wire was caught round the crew's foot during a capsize and his face was left level with the water. Unfortunately the helm was not big enough to right the boat and free him. The rescue boat was on the scene quickly but did not have wire cutters on board.

The boat was able to keep the crew's head above water until a set of cutters was bought from the shore. Both helm and crew were very experienced Olympic sailors and realised any attempt to dive down and free the wire could cause the wire to be tightened lower down, drowning the crew. It is not unreasonable for a rescue boat to carry a knife, wire cutters, flares and a radio.

I do recall the FD class had a rule that the trapeze had to have two methods of release, a normal hook and a rapid safety release of the whole gear from the continuous trapeze, which had to be capable of being operated by one hand under pressure. I know hobbles in Solings etc also have a similar requirement. I carry a Leatherman type tool which has a basic wire cutter, pliers and a knife, although the wire cutter might have some difficulty in cutting through 3mm wire, when desperate you never know. This was a very unfortunate accident and you can never be sure that even with the right equipment the crew could be saved, but there is always the lingering doubt prompt action could have saved a life.

Skiff boat builder Richard Woof is also in favour of knife carrying
Class rules should make high performance trapeze boats carry a sharp knife on the transom.

Edgar von Ubisch has this unique perspective
As an experienced sailor and former SBS [Special Boat Service], my experience is that accidents ending in tragedy are often related to training and safety equipment. I think that a worst case scenario is something all sailors should prepare for. Trying to free someone who is submerged while wearing buoyancy aids is close to impossible. Try turning your catamaran upside down and retrieve something from the spinnaker bag or release something from your boom. By experiencing the difficulties that you will have trying to submerge and stay there until the job is done will increase your chances in an emergency.

Furthermore when sailing you should always have the proper safety equipment. Normally you wear your life vest and possibly a flare, this should also include a ragged edge knife which easily can cut through nylon and Kevlar ropes. The knife must be in a place where you can reach it at all times. My suggestion would be somewhere around your chest, attached to your life west or in a pocket on your life vest where you can free it with one hand. Preparation is everything.

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