How to Avoid Head Injuries While Sailing: A Comprehensive Guide

Sailing is a fun and rewarding activity that can bring you many benefits, such as physical fitness, mental relaxation, and a sense of adventure. However, sailing also comes with some risks, especially when it comes to head injuries.

Head injuries are one of the most common types of sailing injuries, and they can have serious consequences, such as concussions, skull fractures, brain damage, or even death. 

According to a study by Nathanson (2019), the most common injuries among sailors are contusions and lacerations, predominantly to the upper and lower extremities. Falls and impacts from various parts of the sailboat are the most common mechanisms of traumatic injury. 

Another study by Scuttlebutt Sailing News (2016) reported that 38 head injuries occurred among 912 sailors during a college sailing season, which represents 4% of the sailors or 1 injury for every 9600 hours sailed.

Therefore, it is important to know how to prevent head injuries while sailing, and what to do if you or someone else suffers one. 

Key takeaways

Before we dive into the details, here are some key takeaways that you should keep in mind:

• Head injuries are one of the most common and serious types of sailing injuries, and they can result from falls, impacts, or collisions with various parts of the sailboat or other objects.
• Head injuries can range from mild to severe, and they can cause symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, memory loss, or loss of consciousness. In some cases, head injuries can lead to permanent brain damage or death.
• To prevent head injuries while sailing, you should always wear a helmet that fits properly and meets safety standards. You should also wear appropriate clothing and footwear, follow the safety rules and instructions, be aware of your surroundings, and avoid alcohol or drugs.
• If you or someone else suffers a head injury while sailing, you should stop sailing immediately and seek medical attention as soon as possible. You should also monitor the person’s condition and look for signs of worsening symptoms or complications.

Causes and types of head injuries

Head injuries can occur in various ways while sailing. Some of the common causes are:

• Falling overboard: This can happen when you lose your balance or get knocked off by a wave or a gust of wind. Falling overboard can cause you to hit your head on the water’s surface, the boat hull, or any submerged objects.
• Getting hit by the boom: The boom is the horizontal pole that supports the mainsail. It can swing across the boat when you change direction or tack. Getting hit by the boom can cause a severe impact on your head, especially if you are not wearing a helmet.
• Getting hit by other parts of the sailboat: There are many other parts of the sailboat that can pose a risk of head injuries, such as the mast, the rigging, the winches, the cleats, or the tiller. These parts can hit you if they break or malfunction, or if you are not paying attention to where they are.
• Colliding with another boat or object: This can happen when you are racing or sailing in crowded areas. Colliding with another boat or object can cause you to hit your head on either your own boat or the other boat or object.

Depending on the severity and location of the impact, head injuries can be classified into different types:

Concussion

This is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when your brain is shaken inside your skull. It can cause symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, memory loss, or loss of consciousness. 

Most concussions heal within a few days or weeks, but some people may experience persistent or recurrent symptoms for months or years.

Skull fracture

This is a crack or breaks in your skull bone that occurs when your head is hit with a lot of force. 

It can cause symptoms such as bleeding from your scalp, ear, nose, or mouth; bruising around your eyes or behind your ears; swelling on your head; or leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from your nose or ears. 

Skull fractures can also damage the brain tissue or blood vessels inside your skull.

Intracranial hemorrhage

This is bleeding inside your skull that occurs when your blood vessels are torn or ruptured by an impact. 

It can cause symptoms such as severe headache; vomiting; weakness; numbness; difficulty speaking; vision problems; seizures; coma; or death. 

Intracranial hemorrhages can be classified into different types based on their location: 

• epidural hematoma (between your skull and dura mater), 
• subdural hematoma (between your dura mater and arachnoid mater), 
• subarachnoid hemorrhage (between your arachnoid mater and pia mater), 
• intracerebral hemorrhage (within your brain tissue), or 
• intraventricular hemorrhage (within your ventricles).

Diffuse axonal injury

This is damage to your nerve fibers (axons) that connect different parts of your brain. It occurs when your brain is rapidly rotated or twisted inside your skull by an impact. 

It can cause symptoms such as loss of consciousness; coma; vegetative state; or death. Diffuse axonal injury is often associated with severe car accidents or shaken baby syndrome.

Prevention tips

The best way to avoid head injuries while sailing is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Here are some prevention tips that you should follow:

Wear a helmet

This is the most important and effective way to protect your head from injury while sailing. A helmet can absorb some of the impact force and reduce the risk of skull fracture or intracranial hemorrhage. 

You should always wear a helmet that fits properly and meets the safety standards for sailing. You should also replace your helmet if it is damaged or worn out.

Wear appropriate clothing and footwear

You should wear clothing that is comfortable and suitable for the weather conditions. You should also wear footwear that has good grip and traction on wet surfaces. 

This can help you maintain your balance and prevent falls overboard or on deck.

Follow the safety rules and instructions

You should follow the safety rules and instructions given by your skipper, instructor, coach, or race committee. You should also familiarize yourself with the basic sailing terms for beginners and know how to operate your sailboat safely and efficiently. 

You should avoid taking unnecessary risks or performing maneuvers that are beyond your skill level.

Be aware of your surroundings

You should always be aware of your surroundings while sailing. You should keep an eye on the wind direction and speed; the position of the boom; the location of other boats; any obstacles in your way; any signs of bad weather; etc. 

You should also communicate with your crew members and other sailors using clear signals and commands.

Avoid alcohol or drugs

You should never sail under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

Alcohol or drugs can impair your judgment; coordination; reaction time; balance; vision; etc., which can increase your risk of falling overboard; getting hit by something; colliding with something; etc.

First aid and treatment

If you or someone else suffers a head injury while sailing, you should take immediate action to prevent further harm and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Here are some steps you should take:

Stop sailing immediately

If you suffer a head injury while sailing, you should stop sailing immediately and return to shore if possible. You should not continue sailing or resume sailing until you have been evaluated and cleared by a medical professional. 

Continuing to sail after a head injury can worsen your condition and increase your risk of complications.

Assess the severity of the injury

If someone else suffers a head injury while sailing, you should assess their condition and look for signs of severity, such as:

• Loss of consciousness
• Severe headache
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Numbness
• Difficulty speaking
• Vision problems
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

If any of these signs are present, the person may have a severe head injury that requires urgent medical attention.

Call for help

If someone suffers a severe head injury while sailing, you should call for help immediately.

You should use any available means of communication, such as radio; cell phone; flares; whistle; etc., to alert other boats; the coast guard; or emergency services.

You should provide them with information such as:

• Your location
• The number of people involved
• The type and severity of the injury
• The condition of the person
• Any other relevant details

You should also ask them for advice on how to handle the situation.

Provide first aid

If someone suffers a head injury while sailing, you should provide first aid according to the following guidelines:

• If the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, you should start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if available. You should continue CPR and AED until help arrives or the person shows signs of life.
• If the person is responsive but has a severe head injury, you should help them lie down and keep their head and shoulders slightly raised. You should also cover any open wounds with a sterile dressing and apply pressure to stop the bleeding. You should not remove any objects that are embedded in the wound or move the person’s head or neck unless necessary.
• If the person is responsive but has a mild head injury, you should help them sit down and keep them calm. You should also check their eyes for any signs of injury, such as unequal pupils, blurred vision, or blood in the whites of the eyes. You should not give them anything to eat or drink or let them sleep until they have been seen by a medical professional.

Monitor the person’s condition

If someone suffers a head injury while sailing, you should monitor their condition and look for signs of worsening symptoms or complications, such as:

• Increased drowsiness or difficulty waking up
• Severe or worsening headache
• Repeated vomiting
• Slurred speech or confusion
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Seizures
• Fluid or blood leaking from the nose or ears
• Bruising or swelling around the eyes or behind the ears

If any of these signs are present, you should call for help again and follow their instructions.

FAQ

Here are some frequently asked questions about head injuries and sailing: