Pond Side Safety

[Hoghappy]

The "Club Insurance" thread yesterday got me going and now I'm looking at safety a lot closer.

In growing the MMBC, we recently added fast turning props to the mix and I am concerned about somone getting hurt by a boat that is supposed to be "off" when on its stand. I personally had my Crackerbox fire up when I forgot to turn it off and went to power up the sailboat with the same DX6 radio. Fortunately no one was handling the boat when this happened...but it really got my attention! :eek:

We all know that folks like to look and touch...especially youngsters. What are the ways to help prevent accidents such as this? I've heard of prop guards...anyone got a pic?

Thanks

Capt. Crash

[CG Bob]

I assume that the C-box is electric. On my electric C-box a 7.2V battery powers the boat and radio. When I finish a run, I disconnect the battery from the ESC and don't have to worry about an accidental start.

The prop guard can be built into the boat stand, and extends around and behind the prop. The prop guuard can be as simple as pieces of PVC pipe, or as elaborate as a wood box.

http://www.clevelandmodelboat.org/powerpics-misc-2003/powerpics-misc-2003-web/images/morejoes.jpg Simple prop guards made from PVC pipe painted orange.

[toesup]

We all know that folks like to look and touch...especially youngsters. What are the ways to help prevent accidents such as this?

Ropes?... signage?...

Have a look at some of the old Stationary Engines sites. They have to be a certain distance back from the ropes so little fingers cant reach the rotating parts..

.. or do we let the Darwin (awards) theory continue?..
http://www.darwinawards.com/

[CG Bob]

Signage doesn't always work, as it assumes that most people can read and understand these few simple words:

Please, DON'T touch the models.

Unfortunately, putting the cost of the model nearby doesn't help much with keeping fingers off.

Sometimes humor in the "don't touch" signs doesn't help either. At one show, the following signs were placed near the warships.

"Please don't touch the models. All guns are fully loaded, and the crews are waiting for the order to commence firing".

Near some USCG boats, the sign was a little different.

"Please don't touch the models. The crews are resting from their latest rescue."

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Always disconnect the batteries when the boat is not in use.
In the Combat Club, Safety is a priority... "Gun Safe" means
Co2 is off and disconnected. For any other boat disconnecting the
batteries would be a positive assurance that boats will not run.

Signage is okay, As long as you aren't screaming at the kids, "DON'T TOUCH THE BOATS!"
Then your group will be fine. We want to encourage young people to play not chase them away.

:cool:

[Shaun Hendricks]

Usually roping things off keeps most people from touch range.

As for combat boats, I'd do anything to keep the boats safe and away from non-participants. They are just dangerous at all times they have propellant attached to loaded weapons.

Comedy works well on most folks but even standard signage does that. If you have super curious people, offer to give them an up close 'look but don't touch' tour. That way if something breaks while you are touching it, no big deal, if they did it, well, they'd feel bad and so would you! :D

I think interacting with people is a chance to show off your work and your pride in it.

[Prins Willem]

Again, it comes down to a trade off. During our club picnic we rope the area off but for Sundays we just keep our eyes open. At shows parents will tell their kids not to touch but as soon as the parent looks away..............

Boaters also have to keep on the ball with their own safety. Check the shoreline for trip points or undercuts. Check public picnic tables for damage. Watch for low hanging tree branches. Down south watch for slithers and crawlies.

[Ghost 2501]

Always disconnect the batteries when the boat is not in use.
In the Combat Club, Safety is a priority... "Gun Safe" means
Co2 is off and disconnected. For any other boat disconnecting the
batteries would be a positive assurance that boats will not run.

Signage is okay, As long as you aren't screaming at the kids, "DON'T TOUCH THE BOATS!"
Then your group will be fine. We want to encourage young people to play not chase them away.

:cool:

kids have abat habit of looking with fingers. the amount of times I have found something broken at shows! however on some shows I tend to allow members to use *with supervision* my models, and on at least one attention I have "press ganged" a member of the public! (aussie tourist in Scotland for one)

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

...

As for combat boats, I'd do anything to keep the boats safe and away from non-participants. They are just dangerous at all times they have propellant attached to loaded weapons.

...


No, we actually require a quick disconnect in all the members boats.
So that the tanks can be disconnected and all the pressure drained
from the lines.. Also the servos need power to fire the valves, so if the tank and battery are disconnected, It really means gun safe...
There is a flag flown at the pond, so that if any one wants to test guns, he
has to call it out loud, and raise the "red flag". The flag stays up till all members can call out, "gun safe"

But they do have to be treated as dangerous at all times and that the boat is
potentially loaded and the lines charged. Also, we are never battling at a public pond. So access is pretty strictly controlled.

[Ghost 2501]

Umi, your proceedures remind me of the airsoft rules at a couple of skirmish sites, after end-ex (game over) or being "killed" (taking a bb to ANY PART OF THE BODY to which you call out "HIT" and then as you walk off "dead man walking" - holding gun in the air), players would take out the magazine, and fire two shots into the ground before entering the safe-zone, this ensures that the breach of the bb gun is clear. all weapons had to be kept on "safe" or "S" as well.

players also had mandatory eye protection, a 6mm bb at 320fps to the eye can do a lot of damage, any such rules regarding eye protection at your shipcombat club Umi??

One of the PMBC club rules is antenna protection, hence the lil ping pong ball on my tx antenna

[nick_75au]

Part of our insurance requires us to fence off the area the boats are put when not actually sailing, we use the bright safety netting used around work sites and metal posts, It has to be non permanent as ruled by our council. Its effective enough, as others have mentioned common sense in making sure the boat is off goes a long way.
Regards
Nick

[steamboatmodel]

Umi, your proceedures remind me of the airsoft rules at a couple of skirmish sites, after end-ex (game over) or being "killed" (taking a bb to ANY PART OF THE BODY to which you call out "HIT" and then as you walk off "dead man walking" - holding gun in the air), players would take out the magazine, and fire two shots into the ground before entering the safe-zone, this ensures that the breach of the bb gun is clear. all weapons had to be kept on "safe" or "S" as well.

players also had mandatory eye protection, a 6mm bb at 320fps to the eye can do a lot of damage, any such rules regarding eye protection at your shipcombat club Umi??

One of the PMBC club rules is antenna protection, hence the lil ping pong ball on my tx antenna
The Ping Pong Ball on the Tx antenna is good, we use the practice golf balls around here on the end of the Tx antenna.
Regards,
Gerald

[Ghost 2501]

here's my antenna.

one antenna sporting ping pong / practice golf ball with 40mhz pennant denoting my frequency.

*the sewing parafinalia is mothers.