Ejected From SR4!!!!

[gibbo500]

Well, carrying on from KY's nightmare day a few weeks ago, today it was my turn. We launched from Oreston slip at Plymouth with the intention of going up the Yealm and having lunch at the Ship Inn.
First problem of the day, the bloody battery was dead and therefore couldn't start the engine, no problem i thought i will get the jump leads out start her from my friends RC4.8. It then dawned on me that due to my car breaking down this week they were in the boot that was in the garage some 30 miles away. No problem i will go and buy some, so off im went and came back with yet another set of jump leads. Next problem the leads were not long enough so out came the battery whilst trying to hold the battery and leads on at the same time, some relief when she eventually fired up.
So, we were away, beautiful day, sun shining sea relatively calm this is what winter ribbing is about.....WRONG!!!
Just as we were on the run in to the Yealm at about 30 knots the boat chine walked and next thing i knew, i was flying through the air straight in the water. BUGGER, as i surfaced i noticed my girlfriend about 10 m away with the boat what seemed like some 30m plus away (thank god for kill cords). Both our life jackets automatically inflated which i dont know was a good or bad thing, all i know is i could hardly make progress trying to get to her. Luckily my friend who was playing about and although he didn't see the incident eventually noticed something wasn't quite right and was on scene instantly.
We clambered aboard the RC and was eventually repatriated with the SR4. Cold and shaken we headed back into Plymouth flat out as my concern was to get out of the wet clothing as we started to chill rapidly.
Heading back to shore i started the mental reconstruction of what went wrong, it happened all so quick i still dont know what actually caused the boat to catapult us both out, especially as it was bloody calm but it happened. I was so glad that on this occassion i was out with a friend as although not potentially life threatening the water was pretty cold and wouldn't want to be in it for too long.
Anyway, i am not after sympathy or anything but reiterating the use of kill cords, lifejackets and never to be complacent with the sea or your own ability. I look back on it now and p**s myself laughing but today has taught me that anything can and will happen when you least expect it to.

[chewy]

They do chine walk well!

Glad your ok mate.

[stafs]

Once again glad to hear you are both ok ( this is becoming a habit ). Oh lets hear it for kill cords. Would be interested on peoples view on automatic life jackets though. Can see the benifits if knocked unconcious but other than that not to sure.

[NeilH]

Glad you and your girlfriend are both okay. The water must have been freezing!
As you say lifejackets and an attached kill cord are a must.
Cheers
Neil
How difficult is it to swim in an inflated lifejacket? Is there an 'approved' technique?

[gibbo500]

Cheers mate,
Yep im fine, to be honest i was only concerned with the gf, but she did have an immersion suit on but even so she started to feel the effects pretty quickly. I hope she will come out with me again Definitely looking at buying some dry suits now.
Have you been out on yours much?

[gibbo500]

Originally Posted by NeilH

Glad you and your girlfriend are both okay. The water must have been freezing!
As you say lifejackets and an attached kill cord are a must.
Cheers
Neil
How difficult is it to swim in an inflated lifejacket? Is there an 'approved' technique?

Neil, that is what i find of greatest concern, i am very fit and strong but i really question whether i would have made it back to the boat. To get to my gf was a bloody effort.

[Rogue Wave]

does your engine not have a pull start?

It's ab bot scary the 1st time you come out of a rib but at keat you know your Killchord works. Glad you are OK andwhere you wearing proper clobber, did you hae TPA's etc

where you the guy who was so fearless on an outing in the Solent

re Chine walking a small searider with a decent lump does tend to do it and my experience (SR4.7) was that it did it more in smooth water. it took me quite a few trips to get past the chine walk. I found that by gently, sorry very gently turning into the direction of the chine walk I could then keep it too one side and come about OK. when I tried to correct instantly it would wobble a lot more and it fwightened me.

I had to get past the chine walk as there was 500 revs left in the engine, that I had paid for and damn well wanted to use. stay lucky

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by gibbo500

Cheers mate,
Yep im fine, to be honest i was only concerned with the gf, but she did have an immersion suit on but even so she started to feel the effects pretty quickly. I hope she will come out with me again Definitely looking at buying some dry suits now.
Have you been out on yours much?

would it be cheaper to get a GF with a bit more blubber?,,theres plenty up in Peterhead that don't seem to feel the cold.

[gibbo500]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

does your engine not have a pull start?

It's ab bot scary the 1st time you come out of a rib but at keat you know your Killchord works. Glad you are OK andwhere you wearing proper clobber, did you hae TPA's etc

where you the guy who was so fearless on an outing in the Solent

re Chine walking a small searider with a decent lump does tend to do it and my experience (SR4.7) was that it did it more in smooth water. it took me quite a few trips to get past the chine walk. I found that by gently, sorry very gently turning into the direction of the chine walk I could then keep it too one side and come about OK. when I tried to correct instantly it would wobble a lot more and it fwightened me.

I had to get past the chine walk as there was 500 revs left in the engine, that I had paid for and damn well wanted to use. stay lucky

Stu,
Wouldn't say fearless, and definitely not in Mad Matt H's league but 21 years in the Army kind of makes you thrive on a bit of excitement.

Good question about the pull start, can a Yam 50 2 stroke be started with an emergency pull cord?

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

It's ab bot scary the 1st time you come out of a rib but at keat you know your Killchord works.

Those chubby fingers letting you down again mate? ;-))