If club "leaders" and Union managers aren't careful, they'll find themselves in court, being sued for negligence. Requiring people to wear lifejackets when it's that hot out--especially when it's not windy, as was the case for much of last Friday's "all fleets race"--is negligent. We aren't five year olds. Yeah, somebody drowned in 2015 while not wearing a lifejacket, but it wasn't his fault; it was the skipper's, for letting him jump off the boat in very cold water without a lifejacket, and then sailing away.
It's triply bad because club "leaders" are discouraging anyone from swimming off the boats, maybe because of what happened in 2015. Oddly enough, the reason given isn't usually the toxic algae, which might be a reason. It's more like, "I wouldn't swim off a boat"--so you'd better not either, the implication being that it's dangerous (it's not) or you might lose your ratings if you do. Funny how even a hollow little threat like that can provide a small rush to someone in authority.
The algae hasn't been as bad this year as in some past years, but obviously you don't want to jump into a mass of iridescent blue-green slime near shore. However, swimming off a boat out on the lake is usually fine. Still, people shouldn't have to go swimming just because they're on the verge of heat stroke from being forced to wear a lifejacket. Why do we like to wear lifejackets in October..? Because they help keep you warm.
This is ridiculous. Life jackets can be soaked in cold water on shore and they help to cool down. Life jackets should always be worn! If it does get too hot, they can just go back to shore and cool off.
ReplyDeleteNow, if the folks pictured had a cold case of brewskis with them, they'd look happier and would have a much nicer time. That blue green whatever is mucho nasty and there's no way splashing around in that much can lead to a good outcome.
'Nuff Said! Man up (or whatever your gender Up!) The world is not your Nanny. Too hot, go in the shade. Too cold, put on a coat. Going on the water at Hoofer's? Soak that life jack in cold water, put on a big hat and loose fitting light-coloured T-shirt.
We're all old enough to have figured this out by now.
"The world is not your nanny"
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head, buddy. Self-serving admins should not be ordering us to wear life jackets when we don't want to or need to. Nor is "going back to shore" to cool off possible anyway on south wind days, that's ridiculous. Nor do i personally care to soak myself before going out sailing in order to keep cool, just because I'm being required to wear a jacket. Where can we formally protest the stupid life jacket rule?
The thing you are forgetting is that when you fall in and, God forbid, drown, your relatives will sue the shit out of Hoofers because they did not make you wear a life jacket.
ReplyDeleteIf people do not want to wear life jackets then they can also choose to not sail at Hoofer's. It's a club requirement. And, if you think just because you are sailing on a big keel with all that wine and cheese that you are safe, you're delusional. People trip and fall off those boats all the time. Think the party people will notice or react quickly? How'd that work out for Michaela's passenger?
ReplyDeletePeople who don't wear life jackets are like anti-vaccination folks. Eventually, they'll just die off. Finally, if you are not going to wear a life jacket, please use a grease pen and write out the name of your next of kin on your arm of shoulder.
Anonymous - Why do you protest so over a life jacket? And, the Nanny State is already here so as they say, that ship has sailed. Wink-wink-wink. Yes, you'd like to have it your way but you'll have to go to Burger King for that.
ReplyDeleteYou would look apprehensive too
ReplyDeleteIf sailing through the blue-green goo.
Without a smile on our faces
We compete in the C-Cup races.
Our life vests are tight and snug,
And we are free from the alcohol drug.
Sailing forward through the blue-green waves,
We keep close-lipped to avoid a toxic haze.
But the blue-green floats into the air,
Resulting in that 10,000 yard stare.
We sail on despite the blue-green crud,
Wishing for days when this was blue-green bud.