Jumping from Boat to Dock

S

scrat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
106
is not a good idea.
My daughter lives in Savannah and sent me an article about these guys pulling into a rather large marina in the intercoastal in a smallish 20 foot or so bay boat.

One of the guys decides he is going to jump from the boat to the dock to facilitate tying up the boat.

Now the tide here is a rip snorter - you can drop a bouy in and in ten minutes it'll be out of site; not to mention the water's muddy as heck. Add that to the fact that when he jumped the dock was about 10 feet away and he was wearing no life jacket.

Still possibly recoverable except he hit his head on the dock, and went under. (about 30 feet deep or so). They found him 2 days later wrapped around one of the pilings at the bottom. Divers could only search during slack tide and had to go by feel due to the muddiness of the water.
 
R

robert graham

Admiral
Joined
Apr 16, 2009
Messages
6,908
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

That really sucks! Makes you wonder why folks do the stuff they do! Very sad!
 
T

timster

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
37
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

I live near Savannah and yeah the current is no joke around here. A lot of people just don't think about what there doing.
 
Thajeffski

Thajeffski

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 2, 2009
Messages
890
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

I don't get it either.

Sometimes I'll have passengers that look all jumpy as we're pulling into the slip.

I say "NO stay still, I've got it" as I use the MOTOR to slow us down. One dudes dad almost didn't listen till i said it a second time.
 
J

jwp

Cadet
Joined
May 25, 2010
Messages
29
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

Even in calm water you stand the chance of being pinched between the
boat and dock should you miss or slip.
Hopefully your post will be passed on and possibly make the next person
stop and think.
 
LadyFish

LadyFish

Admiral
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
6,894
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

The last time I did something like that I accidently did the splits. I also ended up pulling both groin muscles, a double sprain to one knee and a torn ACL to the other. One year of physical therapy and a whole lot of pain later I can honestly say I learned my lesson.

NO ONE is allowed to get off via the bow of our boat NO MATTER WHAT.

Docks are slippery, and you can tangle your legs up in bow rails or fall between the boat and the dock.

That tie line can wait.
 
Big Pete

Big Pete

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
192
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

LadyFish said:
The last time I did something like that I accidently did the splits. I also ended up pulling both groin muscles, a double sprain to one knee and a torn ACL to the other. One year of physical therapy and a whole lot of pain later I can honestly say I learned my lesson.

NO ONE is allowed to get off via the bow of our boat NO MATTER WHAT.

Docks are slippery, and you can tangle your legs up in bow rails or fall between the boat and the dock.
Click to expand...

Is there a proper way or alternate way though ?

Where i am you can only go in bow first ? so someone has to take the leap ,unless there is a proper way ?
 
LadyFish

LadyFish

Admiral
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
6,894
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

If you are docking you should be able to exit the side or back of the boat. I can see how beaching it might warrant that you exit the bow. I've done that too and its a long way down even for this 5'9"r.
 
Big Pete

Big Pete

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 12, 2009
Messages
192
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

LadyFish said:
If you are docking you should be able to exit the side or back of the boat. I can see how beaching it might warrant that you exit the bow. I've done that too and its a long way down even for this 5'9"r.
Click to expand...

I agree it can be scarey and dangerous , someone should invent a better way :)
 
B

beezee28

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
804
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

Whenever I have to get off the boat I usually get to the dock side way if possible and if not then head in bow first but very, very slowly. When I can touch the dock with my hand and stop the forward movement of the boat then I would get up the dock and go get the trailer. If there is no dock, again i have my daughter ease up the ramp real slow and until my feet touch ground and I have my balance then i would push the boat out and go get the trailer. This is all because it is my method of doing thing. Slow and safe, the extra minute wasted to do things right pays in the end.
 
waterinthefuel

waterinthefuel

Commander
Joined
Nov 15, 2003
Messages
2,726
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

Well, knock on wood, I've been around boats since I was a baby, as a baby I was fishing with my parents (or so I've been told) and I've disembarked hundreds of boats and never fell in. At an early age I learned how to do it. Use the boats inertia to help you. When you're going into the dock time it to where the forward inertia of the boat will help "push" you onto the dock when you jump. If you wait until the boat is stationary it will try to move back when you jump forward, a recipe for you going in the drink.

Just a little tip I learned and considering I've never ended up in the drink, its obviously a pretty good one!
 
LadyFish

LadyFish

Admiral
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
6,894
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

WITF thats all fine and good and I agree except...you can't use that theory when you have a boat full of people at stirring about and shifting their weight around.

I also think it depends on so many other factors, size of boat, rails, etc. Dock height vs tides.
 
kenmyfam

kenmyfam

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Aug 10, 2006
Messages
14,385
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

LadyFish said:
WITF thats all fine and good and I agree except...you can't use that theory when you have a boat full of people at stirring about and shifting their weight around.

I also think it depends on so many other factors, size of boat, rails, etc. Dock height vs tides.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. Nobody moves off or around our boat till whoever is at the controls (me, Mrs Ken or one of the children) says so. Even though where we dock is usually flat as a mill pond.
 
H

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

Having been boating with lots of children and inexperienced adults aboard, I tell them before we get to the dock "keep your hands in your lap." Even the three year olds know this rule. No pinched fingers, crushed arms, splinters from grabbing and to have a lap you have to be seated! One person up front (experienced or adult) may be designated to fend off, handle lines, etc. We often have to come and go from the bow, but on a square-bow skiff it's easier than side-on.
 
J

Jason 641

Seaman
Joined
Oct 9, 2008
Messages
52
Re: Jumping from Boat to Dock

every time I pull into the dock I have to remind everyone to sit down. it seems like everyone wants to jump up and "help" me dock my boat. I can pull up to the dock within an inch or 2 and bring the boat to a complete stop without hitting the dock so I don't need anyone jumping off or reaching their hands out to the dock risking getting hurt. after I shut off the engine I calmly step out onto the dock and tie it up.

A couple weeks ago I watched a guy at the marina pull his boat (~24' wakeboard boat) up to the dock. he was going way too fast and just ran into the corner of the dock. his boat bounced off to the side a bit and he shut off the engine, jumped out of the boat, and walked up the dock into the store. his wife/girlfriend/sister/whatever was left behind trying to grab ahold of the dock and stop the boat. she grabbed onto one of the cleats on the dock and got the boat to stop, right as his wake came into the dock and started slamming the boat into the dock with only her hanging on. I just shook my head and drove off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top