Aug 08 2008

U.S. Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, Capt. Dan

Published by at 08:07 under Sailing

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Captain Dan in his Mustang Lifejackt What do Capt. Dan, the Coast Guard and our Local Harbor Patrol have in common?

Well, yeah … that, but I was thinking that the most important commonality is that we all wear LIFE JACKETS when we’re underway.

The CG, Harbor Patrol, CG Auxiliary, Sea Scouts, Ventura Sailing School, the kids at PCYC summer sailing program – we all wear life jackets underway. Someone – probably the Commandant – orders the Coasties to wear them and policy probably directs the others. But for those of us who get to make our own decisions, well very few of us wear LIFE JACKETS routinely. And that is stupid, particularly on sailboats.

Hardly anyone goes in the cold Ventura coastal waters from the deck of a sailboat intentionally. The victims become victims because they slip, trip or are washed over the side, or – worse – are clocked by the boom or are wrenched free from their handhold as they dislocate a shoulder.

But enough – for the moment – of my preaching. Read this story about some very accomplished yachtswomen who recently damned near bought the farm near Anacapa: Nauti Chicas swimming lessons Aug 4 posting.

Note: I don’t call them pfd’s any more. That sounds like optional equipment. I’m back to the traditional LIFE JACKET. That, particularly capitalized, looks like something you need.

LIFE JACKETS

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8 responses so far

8 Responses to “U.S. Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, Capt. Dan”

  1. # DICK BUEHREon 08 Aug 2008 at 08:36

    AMEN, AMEN, AMEN…..

  2. # Rob Waltonon 08 Aug 2008 at 08:50

    As we always hear, it’s not just one mistake or oversight but a series of screw up’s that lead to disaster.

    Those ladies are very, very lucky!

  3. # Chrison 08 Aug 2008 at 09:05

    You should have titled this “respect for oneself 101″

  4. # Rich S/V THIRD DAYon 08 Aug 2008 at 10:21

    Cruising with our two kids (ages 9 and 10) makes rule #1 read as follows:

    S/V THIRD DAY Rule #1:

    a) While the vessel is underway, all crew members, when out of the cabin, must be wearing their own life jacket.
    b) During time of rough seas or from the time of sunset to sunrise, said life jacket shall at all times be equipped with a jack-line and be connected to one of the several attachment points in the cockpit.
    c) From sunrise to sunset, all crew members will have their personal light strobe attached to their life jacket.

  5. # CUZIN H.on 08 Aug 2008 at 10:43

    You tell ‘em Captain Dan, I have never been sailing without wearing a LIFE JACKET. I’m proud to be included with the C G,Harbor Patrol and the Saailing School Kids and of course with CAPTAIN DAN. SEE YOU OVER THE RAINBOW.

  6. # LOVELY LINDAon 08 Aug 2008 at 10:47

    LOOKING FORWARD TO WEARING A LIFE JACKET ON BOARD THE SANCERRE.
    LOOKING FORWARD TO A SAIL WITH CAPTAIN DAN AND CREW.

  7. # Jerion 10 Aug 2008 at 11:07

    HI .CAPT.DAN THEY WERE VERY LUCKY, AS YOU KNOW YOU TAUGHT US WELL WE WEAR OUR LIFE JACKETS ( LAZY BOYS ) AS DESIREE REFERS TO THEM AS IN BULKY RECLINERS.HAHA NOT A FASHION STATEMENT OR EVEN KINDA COMFORTABLE BUT OH SO PRECIOUS IN AN EMERGENCY…THEN AGAIN I ALWAYS SAY IF CAPT.DAN ISN’T SAILING I’M NOT GOING..WE MISS YOU. JERI,DAVE AND OF COURSE DESIREE.

  8. # Dave Lewison 24 Aug 2008 at 13:32

    I totally agree with Dan. As his former Dockmaster in Ventura and immediate dockside neighbor, I really appreciate how Dan “trains” his crew and customers about the benefits of wearing life vests.

    We have been cruising Mexico since 10/08, and I went overboard while on a westward passage across the Sea of Cortez from Mazatlan to Muertos/La Paz back in March/May of 2007. I went overboard due to a failed cotter pin on the clevis of my upper life line. THANK God that I followed one of our rules and was “clipped in”. Getting dragged along side the boat with the autopilot on, SSB on with the weather from “Don” and engine at full throttle my calls for assistance went unnoticed, and the admiral down below off watch was – how can I say this delicately – snoring.

    She woke up and threw and boat into neutral (yes we do use our motor Dan) and I climbed aboard bleeding like a stuck pig from the gash in my knee.

    My advice: Buy an automatically inflating vest/harness with tether and USE it. And don’t cheap out, it’s your life, and you only get one shot. Life is too short, have fun, smile and for gods; sakes (and Dan’s bank) go sailing!

    Capt. Dave Lewis (Former Wiley DMS (Dock Master Supervisor))

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