T&T: Drinking and boating - personal story

[Jeff Bacon]

Hi All:

At one time my wife was timid around the water, not an experienced 
boater, and had not developed instinctive reactions.

One night she completed the classic one foot on the dinghy, one foot on 
the boat, do a split, fall in the water maneuver.
As I sat in the dinghy and watched, hopeing she would learn something, 
and ready to grab if needed, She exhausted herself trying to climb up on 
the swim platform. (she tried to climb over the folded up ladder that 
was ready for instant deployment . All she had to do was pull it down). 
As she was starting to panic, I suggested she lower herself into the 
water and simply hold on to the platform. She did so, regained her 
breath, heart rate slowed, and she realized she could hang there for 
hours, if needed. ( water temp was probably 74 degrees )

I mention this because there was NO Alcohol involved at all, and it 
still could have been a catastrophe if she was alone. Alcohol may dull 
the panic, but it also dulls the thought process. If a sober person has 
a problem, an inebriated individual is in deep Doo Doo

Jeff

Pascal Gademer wrote:

>i see ladders almost everyhwere at my marina and others, sometimes 
>retractable and deployable from the water, although i wonder if someone 
>who's drunk will be able to find one if they cant' even get on a boat swim 
>platform! :-)
>
>pascal
>miami, fl
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "C. Marin Faure" <cmfaure@earthlink.net>
>
>
>  
>
>>>What I find interesting is that most people that fall in never can
>>>      
>>>
>>figure how to get out of the water when there are about 600 boats
>>with boarding/swim platforms all at the swimmer's disposal.
>>
>>We have property on one of the smaller private islands in the San
>>Juans (PNW).  There are two sets of docks and slips for use by
>>association members (as opposed to the private docks on the island).
>>The association docks-- and some of the private ones too-- have
>>several sets of simple, cleverly designed retractable wooden ladders
>>that can be released and pulled down into the water by a person in
>>the water.  I don't understand why ladders of this basic design are
>>not incorporated into commercial marinas where there are far more
>>opportunities for people to fall into the water.
>>    
>>
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-- 
Jeff
39.42.411 N
82.59.444 W