Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
This is a serious post about the injuries one can suffer when wearing a ring on the finger. One of the worst injuries is called a ring avulsion injury. This happens when one slips and as you fall the ring catches on something, and strips the soft tissues off the finger. This is a devastating injury that usually leads to amputation. Personally I do not wear a wedding ring, but my wife does. I think I ought to insist she takes it off when we are sailing. Many hand surgeons would say that one should not wear a ring for many activities where ring avulsion injury is a risk, and would include sailing in this.
Has anyone on the forum ever injured their fingers with their rings? Do people routinely take their rings off? If this risk was publicised more, would people take their ring off in future?
Thanks
TudorSailor
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
If you cannot now get your ring off , just imagine what would happen if you simply squashed your finger with or without a fracture. No big deal if you can get to A&E to have the ring cut off. Big deal if many hours from an A&E. It would swell and the ring might cut off the blood supply to the finger.
I would suggest you either try the rubber band technique for removing the ring and get it made bigger, or go to a jeweller and get it cut off and then made bigger.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I always used to wear a large silver cygnet ring on the index finger of my right hand, which almost led to my demise. I'd thrown an anchor over the stern in a last ditch attempt to not run aground (boat was totally out of control). The water was a lot deeper than I thought, or for some reason the anchor didn't bite, so I fed more rope out and all of a sudden the anchor bedded in (boat moving about 5-6 knots at this point), and the rope crushed my fingers together and tore the top off clean off my ring. I somehow managed to extract my fingers from the rope; three on each hand were broken. Needless to say things went from bad to worse at this stage, as I was single handed and without the use of either of my hands. My index finger was very nearly torn off and had to be operated on to re-join the bone and repair other internal tissue damage.
I learned a lot of lessons that day, one of which is never to wear a ring when sailing!
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
This is damned if you do, and damned if you dont territory.
I wear mine when I remember to put it on... and I take it off when I remember to take it off... If it's been off for a while, SWMBO thinks I dont love her anymore, if I leave it on at the wrong time, my finger will be amputated - as blokes, we're knackered really.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
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try the rubber band technique for removing the ring
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- which is?
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Get a stout rubber band such as the red ones discarded by your post man. Put some liquid soap on the finger. Pass one end of the rubber band under the ring. Then put your finger into the two loops of the rubber band and wind the rubber band around the ring while pulling the ring towards the end of the finger. The rubber band helps to squash the tissues that otherwise bunch up over the joint and prevent ring removal. Sometimes the ring gets very tight over the first joint and you have to decide if you can carry on. If you actually get the ring over the middle of the joint and it is very tight - keep going and suddenly the ring pops off held in the loop of the rubber band
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I never wear a ring and when I remember to include the matter, my safety briefings exhort ring-wearers to take them off and hang them around their necks with a length of cord provided for the purpose.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Having suffered from an avulsion injury myself at work I no longer wear a wedding ring. I still have the ring but nowhere to where it (finger that is). It's a valid point and something I'll suggest that my wife considers after she has finished painting her nails!
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
When the navy first tried to teach me how to sail we were told/ordered to remove our ring. Hands were inspected before we set foot on board.
Now I remove my ring without thinking.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I do remove mine when I remember. I've caught it on too many things along the way to be able to ignore what would happen were it to get caught. Well, that and a family filled with nurses, GPs, physioterrorists and the like who take great delight in exchanging gore stories designed to terrify you at every turn.......
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
OK, Here might be a way of keeping your ring on but weakening it so that if it is caught it will not rip your finger off. The aim is to weaken the ring without a visible mark. This is not my idea, it is a french colleagues. It is not commercial. I am just interested in thoughts
The idea is to drill out a cylinder and then replace it with a press fit piece. With polishing you would not see this. Experiments have shown that the ring comes apart and the tissues are not ripped off the finger. Maybe those in the PBO forum might do this themselves?
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
There is another risk relating to wearing rings on sail boats fitted with battery power. The ring can short circuit the power and burn the finger off, it does happen.
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I did once short out a battery via a gold ring whilst holding a spanner doing up a terminal. It got very hot very quickly and I had a burn blister right round the ring finger.
I agree that they can be dangerous but I still wear it. No helping some people - including me [img]/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I've said I remove my ring, but in fact I do so when I remember - at present I wear two rings; one made from the wedding rings of my late wife and I, the other a signet ring that I wear as an engagement ring (yes, she sails!). Because I normally never take them off, I tend to forget to remove them when sailing! But I agree that ideally you should, for the reasons you have given.
In fact, ANY heavy manual handling with a ring on can be dangerous. I saw a chap narrowly escape stripping the flesh from his finger when his wedding ring caught on the edge of a 45 gallon drum of fuel we were moving - and the drum slipped. He had a nasty, painful wound on the bottom joint of his finger, and I can see that with a bit more force, he might have lost the finger.
If you MUST wear a ring - and I admit that I hate the idea of removing a wedding ring - then wear good gloves over it!
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
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And how many sailing injuries have been attributed to rings in the last 10 years?
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Donno, but I've seen _The Abyss_ and wear a titanium wedding ring.
It's got one of those thin gold spinny-bits around the outside, so could be pressed into service as a valve-stem seal on the appropriate engine [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I watched a work colleague (offshore drilling industry) get his wedding ring caught on a chain as the tension came on. Result - finger immediately ripped off, along with about 2ft of tendon !!! Yeuch
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I don't wear a ring despite having been bought one by my beloved. That's mainly due to behaviour ingrained into me whilst in the Air Force. I just can't feel comfortable wearing one.
If you (or she) are worried about it you can cut the risk significantly by putting some flexible tape around the ring and finger, preferably breathable tape I would think. Gloves will pretty much eliminate the problem.
I don't think it's so much the risk that gets me as the thought of what would happen if I put my full weight onto a ring on my finger. Ouch.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I wear my ring constantly- around my neck on a leather lanyard, with SWMBO's permission.
I work with my hands and am fully aware of the potential dangers.
SWMBO liked it so much she now has hers(wedding ring) mounted in a gold frame around her neck as well.
Good question!
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I used to take mine off for any heavy work, and all RF work that involved any power, and one day I lost lost it. Big row followed, but blew over so I never replaced it. Its only a token of love, not the love itself (end of sloppy bit)
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Caught my finger by the wedding ring once and pulled it quite badly so now as I arrive at the boat ring is threaded onto car key ring and zipped into bag.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I'd like to know the rubber band method too.
V. diff to get that ring off these days- 38years ingrowing [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] also my knuckles a bit swollen-arthritis and damage.
Used to be able take it off for rugby, dinghy sailing etc.
If someone could not get a ring off, used to tape over it along the finger with insulating tape to avoid catching it.
Would fairy liquid help ease it off?
Must admit I have nearly always worn gloves sailing, esp racing. So ring covered.
We were always warned about gloves with wire ropes and winches, Mind- broken strands catch the glove and pull you onto the drum or a block-better bare hands and a ripped finger than crushed arm. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
Must admit I've not come across the injury in my experience/ acquaintances yet- seen more pulled back fingers in rugby, etc.
Food for thought mind.
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I've recently shed two stone in weight and it still wont come off, so I guess I will have to say no for now, perhaps another half a stone and it might move.
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I recently asked a jeweller to remove my signet ring which I could no longer remove over a swollen knuckle. It took about three minutes, was completely painless and when I got the repaired ring back you could not tell it had ever been cut. Fifteen pounds.
But SWMBO may be a bit more reluctant to agree to my removing the wedding ring the same way. It will come off in cold weather - so that should be alright then.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I stopped wearing a wedding ring when I snagged my finger at work and nearly tore it off.
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I do not have the problem as although I have been married twice I would never wear a ring as I have always considered it too dangerous to my hands.
I was never put under pressure to accept or wear one.
SWMBO always takes her rings off when sailing.
Perhaps you need another tick box.
'I never wear a ring'
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I'm one of those who had it ingrained at an early stage never to wear a ring when handling ropes or sailing. When we got married I persuaded my wife that we should get a chain to hang it around the neck. She found this quite acceptable, although I suspect the danger of losing the stone from the engagement ring may be her more real fear than losing a finger, but the end result is still the same.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I wear three rings and given the manual work on board they all tend to get bent out of round. With a weak point like that they would rapidly fail. However I am in broad agreement with your point and I have torn open a finger due to a ring being dragged along it, but not severely. I should but don't take them off. I used to, but when I got married I was more concerned about loosing the wedding ring if I took it off, than loosing a finger if I didn't.
I might modify my practice, but I better be damn sure I don't loose the ring! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Not to wear a ring was one of the first instructions that I was given when I began my apprenticeship back in 1964. I have not worn one since then, except for official ceremonies.
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Wearing Jewellery in the offshore oil industry is banned now, too many accidents, I no longer wear my wedding ring after an altrication with the boiler room door handle on HMS Gurkha, fortunattly for me the medics managed to remove it in time to save my finger, never worn it since,
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I have never worn a ring as a cousin of mine (who was a nurse) told me about the problems in casualty of de-gloved fingers!
A fisherman who I knew a few years ago told men how to remove a ring with fine twine (I have never done it as I have never worn a ring!).
Start winding twine around and around the finger from the tip toward the ring. This pushes the blood out of the finger and compresses it. When the ring is reached, pass the end under the ring, then pull hard towards the finger tip. Supposed to pull the ring off over the twine and unravel as it goes.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Easiest way I know is to stick your hand in a bucket of ice cold water.
When your body's subjected to cold, blood retreats from the extremities (fingers & toes).
Removing a wedding ring's a doddle then - even if it's been 'stuck' for years.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Don't let the result of the second question in the poll discourage you. I filled it in before reading the thread, then changed my mind.
Two of my fingers already bear the deformities of previous injuries, so I don't reckon it's so unlikely that there is another injury lined up for me, and the thought of trying to remove a ring from a crushed finger fills me with horror.
SWMBO reminds me that the cats' bell collars (put on in an attempt to reduce the carnage the wreak on bird life) have safety release catches. My metal watch strap comes undone at a load which is a tiny fraction of that capable of causing an injury.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Thank you for your advice, I wear gloves when line and anchor handling.
I accept that your warning is well meant, however, I'd like to know how many injuries are caused by a ring per annum. Before I read this thread I'd not heard of one in xx years of sailing and fishing.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
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I accept that your warning is well meant, however, I'd like to know how many injuries are caused by a ring per annum. Before I read this thread I'd not heard of one in xx years of sailing and fishing.
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Well, we have heard of plenty on this thread.
For me, even one occurrence is enough. I have never worn a ring since seeing a young woman dangling by her ring finger after slipping whilst trying to open a high window. She lost her finger in the end.
A few years later I saw a guy lose his finger after getting his wedding ring caught in an army camouflage net which he was taking down - again, he slipped.
I am not sure of the logic in seeking statistical evidence before submitting to common sense.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I never wear my ring sailing, neither does my husband. My ring has already been cut off once, following an incident with a horse and several broken and disjointed fingers - ouch! Have also seen numerous guys with missing fingers due to catching ring on things, including somebody who slipped on a doorstep and left their finger behind on the door catch!
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
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Twisterowner...
Up to you ....but... if you take your ring of... then you won't worry about it!
Offshore seismic industry - no rings anywhere outside the accommodation.
Even inside the techs all take em off due to danger of electric shocks.
SmileyG
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????? Worked with Compagnie Generale de Geophysique, Massy and also Western Geophysical .... North Sea, USA West Coast, Mediterranean, Gulf of Mexico, East and West Africa .... as examples on Seismic work. Never ever heard anything about taking rings off. Maybe that's a later thing ?
The only activity that I know there was an instruction to remove rings was working with electrical items and CAR / VAN / TRUCK batterys ... (the latter I watched a guy seriously burn his finger when a ring via a spanner shorted ... not only damage to finger but blew the ring as well !).
Only thing I don't like and have had occasionally is when a sheet or halyard pinches the skin next to the ring !! Ouch. But to be honest in most cases surely where injury due to such is likely or possible - a pair of gloves is worn ? I know anchoring, sweating halyards, sheets etc. - I wear a good tight fit gloves for grip and save the skin !
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I asked simply because there are all sorts of reasons why you can hurt yourself on a boat and having never heard of it before was interested in how often if happens to put the risk in context.
I shall continue to wear my ring as, compared with other potential risks, this one seems a bit too remote, others may think differently.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
When I worked for IBM there was a strict rule of no rings on the factory floor because of the risk of contact with live wires. The voltage was low but a ring can carry a hell of a current.
I once saw someone chinning himself on an overhead pipe aboard ship. His ring caught on a nib of weld on the top surface of the pipe. Fortunately we managed to free him without major injury but none of us wore a ring afterwards.
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
Refueler
You are right about the change in the seismic industry...but then when I started there were dope parties after shift, the party chief brewed his own for his 40th and flip flops were safety wear for the back deck.
Now we have WesternGeco - a happy marriage of Western Geophysical (whence I came) and Geco Prakla under the glorious banner of Schlumberger. Safety boots, overalls hardhats & safety glasses are de rigeur outside the doghouse. Rings should not be worn outside the doghouse too.
Currently offshore Angola traipsing around behind the Western Trident and going 'pop' every so often.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
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Refueler
You are right about the change in the seismic industry...but then when I started there were dope parties after shift, the party chief brewed his own for his 40th and flip flops were safety wear for the back deck.
Now we have WesternGeco - a happy marriage of Western Geophysical (whence I came) and Geco Prakla under the glorious banner of Schlumberger. Safety boots, overalls hardhats & safety glasses are de rigeur outside the doghouse. Rings should not be worn outside the doghouse too.
Currently offshore Angola traipsing around behind the Western Trident and going 'pop' every so often.
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Prakla were the ones who bought out CGG I think ...
CGG had Starjet - fantastic bit of kit .... far cleaner signal than Air guns with likes of Western. It was also very directional. Remember we used to have complaints from Western boats about us "bombing" their shoots on adjacent blocks. We were fine - CGG had created a program to clean out the Air-Gun from our traces ...
Parties ? CGG Chef de Missions were tight-fisted s..... But us "drivers" knew how to !!
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I used to take my heavy duty wedding ring off, but have not done so lately, however I will do so in future captain scarlett's mishap has made me feel really sick.
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I don't wear rings other jewellery like watches etc. Spent enoughh money on rings for swmbo and wrecked mine (and sevrel watches) via various diy adventures.
I love the way the post is phrased as though there is no option but to be married, and likewise no option but to wear a ring thereafter!
Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I remove my ring when doing lots of things including boating. Yes they ate dangerous I nearly ripped all the flesh off one of my fingers getting out of an Austin truck where the half door opened above the front wheel and you stepped onto a hub ring. this was on a construction site with greasy mud everywhere, someone had removed the door lock plastic knob. My foot slipped and down I went with the ring catching on the exposed thread of the door lock leaver. Ouch p lus lots of other words could be heard across the site, luckily the surgeon managed to get all the flesh sew back into place.
The second reason is my latesy wedding ring was made in Vietanam where my finger expand in the heat coming back to the UK in this wonderful spring we're having, my ring fall of my cold pinkies.
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Re: Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
I too started off reading this thread with the attitude that has since been modified. and I can't say that happens too often on YBW.com [img]/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img]
But not sure what I will actually do this year - probably wear it around my neck, but that is also because my finger is getting small / the ring is getting bigger and I wouldn't want it to drop in the 'oggin [img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]
But whilst thinking about this, I can't say that in practice I have ever trapped any finger where afterwards I thought to myself "glad I wasn't wearing a ring".........of course that could be because I wasn't wearing a ring [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
Do you wear a ring when sailing or do you take it off?
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