Observational Study of Self-Reported Offshore Sailing-Related Injuries in a Wide Range of Amateur and Professional Sailors

Abstract

Introduction Offshore sailing yields injury risk. Unfortunately, many studies are restricted to a specific geographic location, regatta, or class of sailboat or to only professional sailors. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to gather a large database of sailing-related injuries with demographic, injury, and voyage characteristics. Methods An observational study of self-reported offshore sailing-related injuries was performed using an internet-based, multiple-choice survey distributed on social media. Data were analyzed statistically with the use of the Shapiro-Wilk test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 test. Results Five hundred sixty-eight people completed the survey, 217 women and 351 men, with a mean age of 36.26 y (SD=13.69 y). Among reported 793 cruises, 141 resulted in injury (18%). The most frequent injury types were contusion (40%) and skin lesions and lacerations (20%); the most frequent locations were hand (28%) and foot and ankle (18%), and the most frequent mechanisms were tripping/falling (33%), being hit by an object (19%), and using ropes (19%). Sex, age, and sailing experience were not injury risk factors, while higher number of offshore days was ( P=0.0004). None of the analyzed voyage characteristics (purpose, ship’s class, position on the ship, ship’s length overall, type of rigging, and harness wearing) were injury risk factors. Sailors perceived the following as risk factors: inattention/distraction (34%), difficult weather conditions (22%), and fatigue/lack of sleep (14%). Conclusions Approximately 1 in 5 cruises resulted in an injury, occurring regardless of demographic, injury, and voyage characteristics. The multifactorial nature of injuries poses a challenge in implementing safety measures. The authors hope that this study may aid in that cause.