The reason why you should wear a helmet

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General Gps & Speed Waves Foiling Gear Reviews Lost & Found WA NSW QLD SA VIC TAS

flipper4444

VIC

1214 posts

flipper4444

VIC, 1214 posts

17 Apr 2011 1:59pm

www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Windsurfing/Man-Down-We-wish-Boujmaa-Guilloul-a-swift-recovery-after-the-Moroccan-aerialis_4780363.aspx

pierrec45

NSW

2005 posts

pierrec45

NSW, 2005 posts

17 Apr 2011 2:06pm

Not sayin' one shouldn't, but that cannot possibly be the reason I'll wear one: I jump neither that high, nor can I do triples.

shi thouse

1159 posts

shi thouse

WA, 1159 posts

17 Apr 2011 1:13pm

Going to go the negative in this instance, but what's with the last sentence asking for donations to his facebook page to help with medical bills. Should maybe take travel insurance or some form of cover or even consider chances of injury when doing big moves like this. Good on him for doing big moves and pushing the envelop, but at what stage does a person take their own actions and hence consequences and foot their own bills in due course.

I don't see every sports person whether professional or not asking for handouts every time they end up in hospital.

barn

2960 posts

barn

WA, 2960 posts

17 Apr 2011 3:17pm

shi thouse said...

Going to go the negative in this instance,

Please read his statement.

~~http://www.continentseven.com/2011/04/14/statement-from-boujmaa-guilloul/~~

Boujmaa said...

"Hi everyone, this is just an update of my situation, after my accident, I ve been looked after very well, from my friend in the water, trough the hospital and now back home, I was very lucky to be surrounded by such good people, I thank them all so much.
I don?t think I will be here trying my crazy stunts if my sponsors were not around, I owe them lot. Our agreement always said that I had to have my own insurance coming to such places, in fact, Mr Svein the boss of starboard was ready to cover my bill in the MM Hospital, and I knew I could relay on him about such matters, but I also knew I had to have a travel insurance when coming to the States. Right now am out of the hospital and everything feels good so happy I am alive thanks to Klass and Ferdinando, I owe them my life.
I think my bill been taken care of by the insurance company, have not heard much about it so far, but thanks for the windsurf scene so worried about me and concerned about how it was gonna be paid, I just think there is no need to blame my sponsors and the industry, they?re here to support us traveling and windsurfing, doing what we love the most, and each one of us has to have an insurance program, the easiest way to be able to go crazy in places where we travel the most such as Maui. It was my worried friends idea to create a support account to prevent me to fall in any problems where I can?t pay hospital expenses, but I was so shocked by then to decide and let them do for me, and realized later I had 2 different insurance subscriptions, either one had to work.
Now I am back on my feet waiting for my hand to heal and be back in the water. I won?t stop my chase to the triple loup here, knowing we?re many trying to get there, but next time I will wear at least a wetsuit and helmet for it
Regards,
Boujmaa"

WINDY MILLER

3183 posts

WINDY MILLER

WA, 3183 posts

17 Apr 2011 7:10pm

any video action?

shi thouse

1159 posts

shi thouse

WA, 1159 posts

17 Apr 2011 8:37pm

barn said...

shi thouse said...

Going to go the negative in this instance,

Please read his statement.

~~http://www.continentseven.com/2011/04/14/statement-from-boujmaa-guilloul/~~

News article was far enough as far as the reading situation goes. Yet good to see he did go about covering himself by having travel/health insurance.

flipper4444

VIC

1214 posts

flipper4444

VIC, 1214 posts

18 Apr 2011 12:13am

pierrec45 said...

Not sayin' one shouldn't, but that cannot possibly be the reason I'll wear one: I jump neither that high, nor can I do triples.

ya just have to run into a sand bar at full speed and hit ya the front of ya boom or mast thats all it takes...

and with jumping even small jumps can nock ya out dude..

barn

2960 posts

barn

WA, 2960 posts

17 Apr 2011 10:33pm

shi thouse said...

News article was far enough as far as the reading situation goes.

News article is generous, it was more a collection of murky 4th hand facebook updates.

shi thouse said...

I don't see every sports person whether professional or not asking for handouts every time they end up in hospital.

And you didn't see that this time. He didn't ask for any donations, that was a facebook page set up by somebody who got a little bit excited.. I just think its a little bit rough, the public criticism of Bouj on a few sites by people ticked off about the facebook donations page he had no hand in..

pierrec45

NSW

2005 posts

pierrec45

NSW, 2005 posts

18 Apr 2011 1:31am

flipper4444 said...

pierrec45 said...

Not sayin' one shouldn't, but that cannot possibly be the reason I'll wear one: I jump neither that high, nor can I do triples.

ya just have to run into a sand bar at full speed and hit ya the front of ya boom or mast thats all it takes...

and with jumping even small jumps can nock ya out dude..

Thanks for the lesson, but that's another discussion.
I guess I've just been lucky all these years.

I was just sayin' the video is not something that within my skills, so it's not a reason in itself, as suggested.

Crash Landing

NSW

1173 posts

Crash Landing

NSW, 1173 posts

18 Apr 2011 9:32am

A lad at newport reef on Saturday smacked himself up pretty badly - looked like a really bad cut to his face and was taken to hospital. It made me decide that the Gath was going to be used.

Hopefully it's superficial and heals quickly.

joe windsurf

1482 posts

joe windsurf

1482 posts

18 Apr 2011 8:24am

Original post: "The reason WE should wear a helmet"

Hockey Players used to not wear helmets - now goalies have throat guards.
Seat belts are mandatory in many places in North America.

If you are not falling in, you are not trying new stuff.
I used to not wear life jacket. Do now in deeper waters - hate to be under the sail.
The pros fall in - this case is an example - have seen Micah Buzanis, Jem Hall et al fall

Last summer i fell in the water after hitting the sand and hit my head on the bottom. I came out of the water all dizzy. The same day my w/s buddy hit his head with his mast and was walking about with an egg on his forehead for one week. Next week i purchased a helmet. I have a big head and HATE hats n helmets. Now wear a helmet in the bigger winds 7-oh and down. If accidents are avoided perhaps it will not become mandatory !!! I prefer to have the option - light air cruising - no helmet nor jacket :-)

safe sailing y'all
joewindsurfer.blogspot.com

Obelix

1171 posts

Obelix

WA, 1171 posts

18 Apr 2011 9:36am

Apart from the protection...

I thought it would be a nuisance, but have found that the sea water doesn't go into my eyes when I wear a helmet. With the retractable visor it works better than the sunglasses, and the visor also protects me from the spray in the chop.

On the downsize, it gets noisy inside when sailing up-wind.

Funny though, when I wear it I seem to hit the boom and mast a bit more with my head. Or is it just louder?

Haggar

QLD

1670 posts

Haggar

QLD, 1670 posts

18 Apr 2011 10:41pm

Wear a helmet, has saved my life, I dont understand why other sailors dont wear them, they cost bugger all and once you get used to them they are no trouble to wear. So if you cant decide, just go an buy one.

Sailhack

VIC

5000 posts

Sailhack

VIC, 5000 posts

19 Apr 2011 9:29am

Stops sunburn on my bald dome. I always wear my gath for safety reasons except when lightwind cruising.

flanagaj

177 posts

flanagaj

WA, 177 posts

19 Apr 2011 3:59pm

Where do you draw the line with the protective equipment. Those guys are doing crazy moves every day of the year and you never hear of anyone drowning or being really badly hurt. That usually means that the odds of being hurt badly are quite slim, so as a result the protective gear can be omitted.

I did however used to wear a helmet when I windsurfed in the late eighties. It was bright pink!

What was I thinking

pierrec45

NSW

2005 posts

pierrec45

NSW, 2005 posts

19 Apr 2011 10:05pm

flanagaj said...

Where do you draw the line with the protective equipment. Those guys are doing crazy moves every day of the year and you never hear of anyone drowning or being really badly hurt. That usually means that the odds of being hurt badly are quite slim, so as a result the protective gear can be omitted.

I sorta agree, and I know I'll get flack for this. Where does it stop? I most respect those who do, but I know guys who carry the full gear (jockstrap, drinking water, emergency food, tool set, flares) just because they've heard of someone who got injured at some point.

Some people seem to get into accidents (heads and others) often, some just about never. I guess I've been lucky head-wise. Or I had too many concussions to know

I have worn helmet on very specific occasions though - trying new stuff in waves.
Flatwater freestyle? None. No jock either.

KenHo

NSW

1353 posts

KenHo

NSW, 1353 posts

19 Apr 2011 10:56pm

I started wearing a helmet to reduce swimmers ear when I was learning. That worked.
As I progressed to waves, it seemed a good idea.
I've had a few nasty cracks on the noggin, usually while trying to tack in light air, and was always glad I was wearing a lid when I heard the bang.
15 years later, I am exceedingly grateful for the sun protection it gave me. My face, head and ears are unscathed despite many hot days on the water. I know for a fact I would have had sun cancer cut off my face without it. My scabby arms are the evidence.
A recent forward loop attempt ended with a solid smack on the side of my face, easily hard enough to burst an eardrum, but again, old Gathy was there to rescue me.
I champion anyone's right to not wear a helmet windsurfing (or to choose when to wear one on a pushy too), but for me, the advantages far outweigh any issues.

Wet Willy

TAS

2317 posts

Wet Willy

TAS, 2317 posts

20 Apr 2011 12:12am

pierrec45 said...

I have worn helmet on very specific occasions though - trying new stuff in waves.
Flatwater freestyle? None. No jock either.

Jockstrap! Now why didn't I think of that??

I have a friend who actually managed to cut his private parts while windsurfing -- he was climbing onto the board (not able to waterstart, perhaps), clambering over it more like, when it got jammed in the mastfoot somehow. Loose connection, board moving around in waves, you can picture the rest....the result - a partial circumcision, apparently - not that I've taken the time to check it out personally. And you know how people exaggerate about these things.

Still, if he had used protection.....!

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