We’re going fishing! The gear is stowed, trailer lights checked and working, you’ve topped off the fuel tank, and the ice chest is full of food, drinks and bait. When going through the checklist, did you consider your first-aid supplies? I know you’re just going out to pull crab pots or fish the last few hours of the tide change, what can possibly happen?
In 2022 the USCG statistics show that there were 2,222 reportable boating injuries. Who knows how many unreported injuries there are. This year it is estimated that 55 million Americans will embark on a fishing trip. While the plan is to make it back to the dock without so much as a thought about a boating or fishing injury, they happen, and you should be prepared.
While the most common injuries are largely preventable, there are many “oh crap” moments any time you are on the water. Some preventable mishaps are as follows:
Falls, Pulled Muscles/Sprains – Many injuries can be prevented by wearing proper footwear and keeping the deck organized. I don’t know how many times I have slid down a ramp float at 2:30 in the morning because I was wearing worn out flip-flops or sandals. Make sure the tread on your footwear is serviceable. Boat organization is important in the prevention of injuries. Everything should have a place and be kept there. Loose ice chests, loose gear, or weights have caused many falls related injuries. Fish slime and blood should be cleaned up immediately. A few years back while fishing for winter blackmouth, I slipped on a puddle of chinook slime we hadn’t cleaned up yet. If not for a quick handed atomic wedgie by a fishing buddy I would have gone swimming.
Back injuries
Many times, back injuries are caused by twisting under load- if the seas are rolling don’t pick up a heavily loaded ice chest to clear the deck. Pulling crab or shrimp pots should be done with a plan. Use a puller if you can but if not possible keep your chin over your knees while pulling pots. Be aware of your posture as you swing the pot into the boat. When downrigger fishing, use a retriever setup, don’t lean over the edge of the boat to manage the downrigger clip. Anchoring is another activity where an extra dose of caution should be prescribed. Never just throw the anchor and hope for the best. Always have control of the anchor line and then once it hits the bottom, slowly feed it out to get the appropriate scope. Keep the deck clear when managing the line and if you don’t have an anchor locker use a milk crate, anchor bag, or even a 5-gallon bucket to manage loose line. Finally, consider the potential for cumulative abuse injuries to you or your passengers’ backs.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, many of us are running aluminum boats. While a great option for general recreational use, they typically ride rough. As the skipper you may have some form of suspension seat but it is likely your passenger does not. For that matter it is likely that you have passengers on cushioned seat boxes. I mention this because Repetitive Lumbar Injuries (RLI) are a real possibility when boating in choppy conditions. Basically, the tissue between your lumbar vertebrae can break down and pinch the nerves when running in heavy seas.
Short of installing high end suspension seats there are a few things you can do to help prevent RLI. The key is to slow down and practice what I call “Become one with the sea”. You can also run a bit bow up to push the impact point towards the stern for a smoother ride. Both will slow you down, but eventually you’ll get where you’re going and your backs will thank you for your extra efforts. On a personal note; I have pretty severe arthritis and my lumbar region is a mess. For work, I run a small aluminum boat 6 days a week year-round. For the most part, I make the run independent of the weather conditions. There are days where I have to stand to run the boat. If I sat down while running in the heavy, unsettled seas I would be paying for it later.
Many boating accidents are preventable, keep an organized deck, limit your passenger’s alcohol consumption, secure knives, gaff hooks, and anything else that can swing or roll around. A 12# downrigger ball rolling around could do some serious damage if you got in its way. Even consider what a 3-ounce jig can do swinging from a rod in the rocket launchers can do (I know…) Stay alert, try to get some sleep the night before an outing, again, limit alcohol consumption, and stay hydrated. A key in preventing boating accidents is knowing your limitations as a skipper and what your boat and crew can handle. Don’t be afraid to put the boat back on the trailer if the conditions warrant.
Establish a general safe boating routine for your boat and share it with your passengers. It should include location of the PFDs and a throwable device, location and use of your firefighting equipment. Possibly address the docking procedure: Things like, secure the stern line first when docking, no jumping from the boat to the dock, watch your fingers, and watch for cleats and other dock hazards. Any time the seas are questionable have everybody wear their PFD and stay seated. If it’s really bad, have them sit on the floor to lower the overall CG of the boat. When running in the dark, for or other inclement weather, always post a lookout.
While many boating injuries are preventable, others just happen. Medical emergencies are rare when recreational fishing but as a skipper you should be prepared to offer basic first aid. On our boat we carry a comprehensive first aid kit. Fortunately, we rarely break it out, but at least we are prepared if something serious develops. Here in the PNW your boaters first aid provisions should include the following as a minimum:
- First Aid Guide, the Red Cross offers an Emergency First Aid Reference Guide for 3.95. It is available at https://www.redcross.org/store/emergency-first-aid-guide/758276.html
- A Small Bolt Cutter to assist in removing fish hooks.
- Band Aids
- A Medical Shears
- Tweezers
- Gause Dressing
- Nitrile Gloves
- Antiseptic Wipes
- Pain Killers/Anti-inflammatory Tablets
- Burn Cream
- Cloth Tape
- Triple Antibiotic Ointment
- Q-tips
- Drinking Water
- A Spray Bottle with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and seawater. A quick spray will neutralize jellyfish stings and in a pinch help to clean a slippery deck.
Most of the items noted above will fit in a 32-ounce wide mouth Nalgene water bottle. In fact, that’s what we keep in the truck and it often is with us during other outdoor activities. If you want to step it up a bit, there are many commercially available first aid kits out there. Generally, they offer an elevated level of medical care. Some lessons learned and general comments are as follows:
Establish an inventory management plan. You want to ensure adequate supplies are available when required (think 4-year old girl, redheaded Cabbage Patch Doll, a pack of Band-Aids, and a weekend on the boat). Your plan should also check for out of date products. For storage of the bolt cutter, I use one of those anticorrosion chips of plastic to keep it from corroding. I use Zerust Plastabs but there a number of other corrosion-inhibiting products available. If you do have to manage a medical situation, your demeaner will go a long way towards helping your patient. Even if you are uncomfortable, don’t panic and calmly work through the situation. If you have a serious situation recognize it sooner than later and don’t be afraid to call the Coast Guard or 911.
With adequate prevention measures and the ability to manage a first aid as required, your crew is likely to return to the dock with nothing more than a sunburn, a bag of fish, and a smile. In the unlikely event that you do have to render first aid, part of wearing the skipper’s hat is being prepared. This article should be considered as a general guideline and feel free to set up your own safety/first aid program.
