My emergency ladder helped today

[TritonGlenn]

I never thought I'd have to use that thing - "nice to have, just in case... but I'll never use it" I thought. Well, today I got "high sided" on a underwater stump. Nothing I did would get us off of it. We rocked back and forth, side to side, full thrust trolling motor (couldn't use the outboard - there were tons of stumps, and I was running a borrowed prop ).

So.... I get out the paddle and use it to push off of another stump up front - kind of like using it for a lever. I lean over to push it and next thing I know, I'm head first into the water! I hit my shoulder really good on the stump I was trying to push off of. Gulped a bunch of nasty Perquimans River water on the way back up, trying to gasp for air and get my bearings. Then I realized I was stuck between the stump, an underwater log that my legs kept slipping on, and the boat that was pushing me into the stump. Thankfully, my fishing partner grabbed my wrist as I was trying to hold onto the slippery fiberglass top cap.



OK... so now I have my bearings, and my head above water. Not even thinking of the rescue ladder on my boat, I try to pull myself up into the boat. Ain't hap'nin cap'tn. Then I remember the ladder. To the back of the boat I go, pop the ladder out, and I'm back onboard moments later. Worked like a champ.



I was soaked from head to toe, and it could have been a lot worse. If I didn't have a partner with me, I probably could have been in a lot worse shape, and could have possibly drowned. I'm seriously considering getting some sospenders and wearing them all the time after today. It's the first time I've been in the water like that since I started bass tournament fishing (13 years now). It's the last time I want to test that ladder.... but I am very glad to have it today.



My shoulder is scraped up pretty bad, and I know I'm going to have a huge bruise there tomorrow. But I'm alive and well.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Larry Harp]

Dayum, Glenn, you just lived one of my worst nightmares. If a fairly young and in shape guy like you can't get back in the boat I can only imagine what would happen to an old fat fart like me. I've also thought that falling on to the stumps could inflict a pretty good injury as well. I have Sospenders and try to wear them all the time when I'm alone. However, they will be of little benefit if the water's cold and you can't get back in the boat



I would really like to add a re-board ladder to my 591 but the one that Nitro sells looks like crap. It comes up way too high off the transom. It looks more like a fire escape than a boat ladder. I've seen them on other boats that looked real sharp and I really like the ladder on the Z9. Maybe somebody here knows of a source for an aftermarket ladder that looks sharp as well as functional.



Glad that all worked out well. Maybe you can whimper around the house and get enough sympathy from your wife to get a special meal and a backrub...or something else .



Harpo

 

[davetnitro]

i fell in reaching for a rod that fell overboard, i climbed on the motor, and used

the tilt switch to get back in.....

 

[byron cooley]

re: My emergency ladder helped today by davetnitroMember Profile,7/14/2007 23:38 ET



i fell in reaching for a rod that fell overboard, i climbed on the motor, and used

the tilt switch to get back in.....

Been there - done that ------ like a couple months ago. Power trim works wonders.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Good outcome to a bad situation. It could always be worse...the Water could have been 45 degrees!!



TOXIC

 

[Greg J.]

Glenn,

Glad to hear you came out of that with just some scrapes and bruises, as it could've been worse.

 

[Texas Transplant]

Glad you are doing well. That's a very good feature, and I really wish that Triton would 'allow' it to be used on all boats for a nominal fee. There are some inventions/patents/copyrights, that simply need to be opened up for obvious reasons.



Again, glad you survived and your bumps bruises will be a memory in a week or so.



Tex

 

[TritonGlenn]

Guys that talk about using the engine and trim switch to get back in - yep. That works for many... but I've also heard of people slipping off the engine and cutting and/or bruising themselves on the prop or protruding part of the lower unit. I couldn't use it most of the time, as I fish bare-footed most of the time. Yesterday, I happened to be wearing sandles.... so at least I would have had some grip to keep me on the engine.



The scrape has become a partial bruise overnight. My wife commented this morning that I was lucky I didn't land a few inches over, as I would have landed on my spine. Someone on the BBC also commented that I'm lucky I didn't land on my head. Both comments have me looking into buying Sospenders / Mustang device before my next outting.



I'm happy that Triton came out with a "good looking" ladder setup that works extremely well. However, this is one instance that I think a boating company should come off of their patent for the betterment of the entire fishing community. I know they won't, as "business is business", and "competition" wins most all arguements in the business world. But I really wish they would release that design to all boat companies, as I think the entire fishing community would benifit from that design - no matter what boat you own. Writing this, I've decided to propose just such a thing to Triton in writing... but I doubt if I'll hear a word back from them. Won't hurt to try though, right? What's it going to cost me? The price of a stamp? Oh well, no soda for lunch tomorrow. I'll use the money to mail my comment to them.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Marty Klein]

Glad everything turned out okay. I wear Sospenders whenever on the boat--big mo running or not--specifically in the event something like that happens to me.

 

[Berry Lindley]

THREAD ADD ON- Winter fishing- I fell in about 20 yrs ago, by myself. It was about 40 degrees, water about 45 or so. I was lucky, by accident I had a dry pair of coveralls and a jacket on the boat. I always keep a spare something on the boat when I fish in the dead of winter. Glen, thanks for bringing up a topic that rarely gets any attention, and that is what to do when you go in. It's gonna happen sooner or later.

 

[Texas Transplant]

Glen,



Good for you. If it would help, maybe we can simply put together some type of poll here on NTOWS, that each of us comments on, and it could be sent along. Something along the lines of :



Name

Boat

Years boating



Tex

 

[Jim in VA]

Glenn:



Good to hear it wasn't worse. Makes me wonder what the cost of the Z9 ladder would be as a part to add to other Nitro's? Triton may not be willing to let go of the patent, but maybe Tracker would be willing to sell the ladder with enough instructions on how to install it to other bass boats?

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Dang man, glad the shoulder is ok and that it ended well....I need save the duckies for a ladder for my boat I think...have not fallen in, but I go out when it is pretty cold out....

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Glenn - That's why I had a ladder installed on my Nitro 896. While I haven't had to use it, I know that if I fall over I can "safely" get back in the boat. It has NO impact on performance of the boat.

 

[Larry Harp]

Bill, your ladder looks pretty sharp...a lot better than the one that was on the 591 that they had on the showroom. Where did you get it? Nitro? Your transom look exactly like mine, I wonder if it would work on my boat?



Thread Hijack... This discussion reminded me of a guy I once worked with who claimed that while he was stationed on the USS Enterprise he got caught in a jet wash and was blown off the back of the carrier. Despite the fact that he told a pretty convincing story I always thought in the back of my mind Bull Shirt. What do you all think? Is it possible to survive a fall off the back of an aircraft carrier? Another thing...he claimed that they always have helicopters hovering off the back just in case something like this happens. True or BS?

 

[TritonGlenn]

I just came off of an Aircraft Carrier - USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. Every time we were at flight quarters, there was a helo in the air. Never lost anyone overboard on the ship in the years I was onboard, but it's happened in the past. That's a hell of a fall - but all flight deck personnel wear "float coats" (kind of like the predecesor to modern day Sospenders - in fact, I think they are manufactured by Mustang) in case they go overboard. I've watched a helo crash and sink when I was on USS Stump. She was headed towards us with a bunch of supplies in a cargo net slung underneath. Then she stopped, and kind of hovered in one place, and we are all thinking "what are they doing?". Then it started to descend slowly, and released the cargo net into the water. That's when we realized they were having problems and everyone was now fixed on the helo. She slowly went down towards the water, and the minute the wheels touched the water, it kind of spun the helo to one side, and the blades hit the water. Seconds later, it was completely gone. We saw people pop up in the water, and for a brief second, I thought I counted four. We turned the ship around quickly, got a rescue boat in the water in the fastest time I've ever seen it done (the boat was ready before the ship got turned around), and they were to the crash site in no time. Only two people found - the co pilot and the rigger. The SAR swimmer and pilot weren't found. We searched the remainder of the afternoon. Really sad feeling on the boat that day, and really weird situation. Although the two we picked up survived the crash, we heard they both had ruptured eardrums from the pressure change in the cockpit when the helo crashed and flipped into the water. Kinda got way off subject there ..... but you started it S/F. :lol:

All the best,

Glenn

 

[Larry Harp]

So, it sounds like his story could be true. :unsure:



How far a drop is that? Looks like 60 or 80 feet...just guessing. We don't see very many aircraft carriers in Oklahoma, although some of those Baja's on Lake Texoma look like carriers.

 

[TritonGlenn]

Don't know exactly how far of a drop it is - but it's quite a drop. Almost gauranteed that your going to knock the wind out of yourself, and it's going to take a few seconds to pop back up. I wouldn't doubt it if some people break bones in the fall - gotta feel like hitting concrete from that distance up. Although his story seems like it could be true, so many junior sailors have heard the stories of others being blown off the backs of carriers in years past, and they just substitute their place for the actual accident victim to tell a good story. Don't know if his story is true or false - could be true.... but lately, not many of those incidences occur. People now-adays get knocked over on the flight deck now and then - not often, but it happens - but they are still on the flight deck - just scuffed up on the non-skid... but still onboard. You have to really not be paying attention, and a lot of stuff has to go terribly wrong for someone to get blown overboard by jet blasts in the modern Navy. I'd say, if I had to give it a percentage on the BS scale, I'd lean towards 80% probability of BS.

All the best,

Glenn

 

[Jim in VA]

Bill in VA:



Sharp ladder. Problem is no one seems to carry it!! I've looked around. If you recall where you got it, that would be great! While I have a suitable ladder on my PT175, I'm waiting for the day to upgrade to a higher peformance tin boat and absolutely want that ladder back there!



J.



ps: how are the hotside temps? Haven't been down in a few weeks . . .

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Glenn / Jim C. - Can't help on the manufacturer of the ladder. I had it installed as a option from Mare of Aquia when I bought the boat in 2002. I have gone over the ladder with a fine tooth comb to find the manufacturer but there is no nomenclature anywhere. Sorry!

 

[Edward Lea.]

Spent 4 years on a carrier, it could happen. However you really have to be not paying attention or you are where you are not supposed to be. Yes it a long way down to the water you will live but it will hurt.

 

[Teri C.]

Glad you are ok!

 

[Mark Gross]

I wear my sospenders all the time. I can't honestly tell a difference wearing them or not.



MG

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Wow Glenn... I'm certainly glad and happy you came out of that ok! Man, that's some scary chit! As bad as my equilibrium is now I bought a Mustang Auto-Inflate Vest and if I ever go out again I won't take it off. AND, unless I'm a rear seater with one of you guys I'm not going out alone until I install a ladder. I never thought I would do that and thought a ladder on the stern was sissy like but it's better to be safe than sorry and my macho days are long gone.

I'm glad you're ok Glenn and darn it, just be more carefuly in the future.



Uncle Billy