Accident on the Lady Washington

[bholderman]

Greetings,

I am pretty much a lurker simply trying to learn this whole mess. My true experience is with tall ships, specifically, the San Diego Maritime Museum.

A memer of the modelling community over at DryDock forums, Lukas, went out on the Lady Washington for their 2 weeks before the Mast program, he was pretty excited about the whole thing.

Close to home, Lukas is a friendly and frequent contributor over at DryDock forums whom I have spoken with several times about his trip.

God Speed...

67-foot fall from tall ship's mast injures crewman

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1148347532292630.xml&coll=7

Brad

[bott]

I don’t know the volunteer that fell, but I sympathize with everyone involved.

I’ve crewed on the lady for a long period of time, and hope to return. While I was bosun, I was working with the current captain, the seaport, and a vacationing outward bound instructor on trying to 'revamp' the safety system for working in the rig. Balancing the maneuverability of the topman, increasing the chances he/she will actually use the system) with keeping him ‘belayed’ is hard to nail.

Unfortunately, the experienced sailors rarely clip in (though everyone is required to wear a harness when stepping off the deck), and the newer volunteers often emulate the higher-ups (I know I did).

It’s a great feeling of freedom and joy to skylark, but can become way to real way too fast...

[bholderman]

bott,

My experience is with the San Diego Maritime Museum, which has a fairly stringent requirement for going aloft. Specifically, to go out on the jib, one must hang for five seconds from one hand, switch, and hang from the other for another five. To go aloft, you must be able to do this and 2 pull ups. Harnesses are a must as well, even down to the type of shoe required (a one-piece sole/heel).

In regards to clipping in, I haven't been aloft (no I can't do the aformentioned requirements), so I have been trying to figure out what he might have clipped into other than the jackstay.

Brad

[bott]

from the sound of the article, he fell while climbing to the t'gallant mast. the most likely sinerio in my mind is a slip while climbing over the fuddocks at the trees. up all the shrouds, there is a 'jackline' known as the 'les-li'ns' for les bolton who instituted them. but its usually more trouble than its worth to clip into those while climbing aloft. plus, all the sheets and gear and such all rove through that area on the way to handle the t'gallants, and to the untrained eye looks like a birdsnest...

once you get to the yard and lay out, then clipping into the jackstay is simple and practical.

personally, in 6 months of living and working on the lady, i never clipped in going up the shrouds. i clipped into the jackstay when reefing, furling, but not usually when loosing gaskets.

while i was on her (i may have changed, and i get the feeling is *will* change now), the feeling of safety was that the ship would provide all the gear and instruction necessary to keep all the sailors safe, but its up to the individual to institute the training to whatever extent they deem fit. if you are going aloft, you are in charge of your personal safety.

"one hand for yourself, one for the ship"

[bott]

'birdsnest of rigging'

exibit one: sending t'gallant yards to deck, preping for a downrig

thats me decending the fuddocks

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/cassnasty/Lady%20Washington%20pics/Untitled-1copy.jpg

[Paul Pless]

To survive a 67' fall onto the deck with no spinal or head injuries is pretty damned amazing. Did he get hung up in the rigging on the way down?

[bholderman]

Paul,

I have no idea in regards to details of the fall. Most folks over at Drydock models are trying to arrange some sort of financial/personel help. Lukas is from Europe which means his family is a heck of a long way away. Some Drydock modelers in Oregon are trying to have allowances to visit since his family isn't present.

Just like here, a great group of folks with a similar interest.

Brad

[bott]

thats really cool that all the Drydock forum people are trying to do so much.

[bholderman]

Here's a bit more information on the fall...

http://www.thedailyworld.com/content/articles/2006/05/23/local_news/04news.jpg

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2006/05/23/local_news/04news.txt

Daily World & AP Reports

ASTORIA, Ore. — A crew member on the tall ship Lady Washington was seriously injured when he fell 67 feet from the main mast to the deck during a visit to Ilwaco.

Lukas Efler, 32, of Zurich, Switzerland, was on the ship Saturday as it headed out for a staged “battle sail,” one of the major events during the Port of Ilwaco’s Nautical Renaissance. Efler was climbing to the top-gallant mast, the highest point on the ship, when he slipped and fell, landing on the deck, according to Bob Kennedy, marine operations manager for the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority in Aberdeen.

Efler was wearing a climbing harness, but he apparently clipped onto the wrong line, Kennedy said. Crew member Nick Williams attempted to grab Efler as he fell, slowing him down, Kennedy said.

Around 45 passengers were on board when the accident occurred. Two happened to be nurses and volunteered to help care for Efler until the boat docked in Ilwaco, 15 minutes later.

The U.S. Coast Guard sent a 23-foot utility boat and a 25-foot response boat from Station Cape Disappointment to escort the brig back to the dock, where emergency services personnel were waiting, said Mark Dobney, civilian search and rescue controller at U.S. Coast Guard Group Astoria.

Efler was taken to an Ilwaco hospital, then airlifted to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland. He was in serious condition in the critical care unit this morning. However, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority officials say he doesn’t appear to have suffered spinal cord or brain damage.

“His jaw is broken in three places, but he seems to be doing fine — all things considered,” Kennedy said. “I was in the emergency room with him. He was asking when he could get back on board.”



Efler is a volunteer who had signed up to travel with The Lady Washington for two weeks, beginning May 14.

He is the first person in the ship’s 17 year history to be seriously injured while on board, Kennedy said. The 17-member crew includes a mix of volunteers and seasoned staff members. All volunteers are outfitted with a safety harness and teamed up with an experienced crew member, according to Kennedy.

The crew is holding up after the accident, but it has been difficult on them, he said. “It is very, very hard. The crew is closer than family. Quite literally, as a crew member on a tall ship, your life is in the hands of the person next to you. So you are closer than family. The crew is holding up very well, basically, because they did everything right. … They didn’t second guess themselves, so the crew is doing very, very well — but they are hurt and they are hurt badly.”

The Lady Washington was scheduled to visit Rainier, Ore., but bypassed the trip to allow the crew to stay with Efler.

The boat is docked in Vancouver, Wash., and will head to Washougal on Friday.

It is due back on the Harbor for the Fourth of July.

[George Roberts]

Seems that many of you don't "clip in" either.

Keel hauling is a great cure for people who don't follow safety rules.

[bott]

“His jaw is broken in three places, but he seems to be doing fine — all things considered,” Kennedy said. “I was in the emergency room with him. He was asking when he could get back on board.”

my god, that amazing...

a view from the trees (beginning of the t'gallant mast) to deck... im just going through old pics....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v12/cassnasty/Lady%20Washington%20pics/IMG_0612.jpg

[bott]

Seems that many of you don't "clip in" either.

Keel hauling is a great cure for people who don't follow safety rules.
how is it not following the rules when the rule is the sailor must wear a harness when leaving the deck but beyond that its their personal responsibility?

[Hughman]

Is Les Bolton the same Capt who was running the Ellissa in the '80's?