Accident Prone Sailors

A bump on the head.

A smash to the forhead.

A wollop to the crown.

A knockout from the boom.

We have all been there. Anyone who says they haven’t is lying. Anyone who doesn’t admit to ducking on time is guarenteed to be spinning a tale. Every decent sailor has been affected by the infamous slaughter of the dreaded boom. And most of us have the scares that tell the emabarrasing story of the moment our attention lasped and the unfortunate incident occured.

However… There are some of us who just never learn…

“Sponge Bob” from Brisbane’s Anglican Church Grammar School team (which lies in equal fourth place), was rushed to hospital by ambulance after he was hit on the head from a boom whilst racing.

RYCV’s Rear Commodore Tony Spencer says, “He was seeing stars after the incident so we transferred him to an umpire’s boat and took him to shore, where the club’s emergency plan was implemented and an ambulance was called.

Comforted by his parents he was taken to Williamstown Hospital for observation and was allowed to leave in time to resume his berth in the afternoon racing,” Tony added.

“Sponge Bob” (naturally his name has been changed), is an accident prone sailor. At the tender age of 15, he has had several trips to the local and inner city region hospitals, all due to accidents in, on and around the water. Now he adds an interstate hospital to his list of most popular emergency rooms to visit.

But he is not the only one… I too have been at the brunt of an unforgiving boom incident on the water whilst training with the State Teams Racing Squad. An embarrassing moment… And one noone will ever let me forget…

However I know that Sponge Bob and I are just some of many. I’m absolutely certain that each and every one of you have experienced some kind bump, bruise, scrape, gash, or broken bone whilst out on the water.

If I get enough people admitting to their moments of uncoodinated disgrace, perhaps I will reveal my deep, dark injury stories.

Perhaps the Crash Test Dummy Olympics Organising Committee should include boom ducking in the next intergalatic event!

(Just in case you were wonding, “Sponge Bob” recovered from the incident and was back racing with his team. However an ambulance is on standby…)