Marine Safety in Victoria Report 2007-2008 (PDF, 1.3 MB, 72 pp.)

The VAED does not include descriptive data so no details of the circumstances of the injury are available
from that database. Only 9 of the admissions were recorded on the VEMD: two persons were injured when
involved in collisions with another jet ski, two was struck by the jetski, one was knocked off a jetski by a
wave, one got his lower leg caught between two jetskis, one was injured when riding a tyre behind a jetski
and two case narratives gave no further details on the circumstances of the injury.
5.5.3.2 Hospital ED presentations (non admissions) (n = 51)
Eight percent of recorded ED presentations for boating-related recreational injuries were PWC riding cases.
In this current reporting year there are 51 cases, four fewer than in the previous year. Just over threequarters
of ED presentations were male (77%) and case numbers were highest age groups 20-24 years
(22%), 25-29 years (18%) and 35-39 years (16%).
The lower extremity was the most frequently injured body site (28%), followed by the head/face and upper
extremity (each 26%) and trunk (14%). Open wounds accounted for 28% of presentations, followed by
sprains and strains (26%) then fractures and superficial injuries (both 6%).
The major causes of injury were falls from the PWC (37%) and being struck by/colliding with an object
(31%, usually part of their own PWC).
5.5.4 Sailing (n=53)
There were 16 hospital admissions and 37 ED presentations for sailing injury.
5.5.4.1 Hospital admissions (n = 16)
More than two-thirds of sailing hospitalisations were male (69%). Admissions were spread across the
5-year age groups from ages 20-24 years to ages 75-79 years with 56% of cases aged 50 years and older.
Half of the injuries were fractures. The most frequently injured body sites were the head (25% of sailing
injury admissions) and wrist/hand (19%). Sixty-nine percent of cases stayed in hospital for less than 2 days;
and the remainder (31%) stayed 2-7 days.
The major causes of injury were: being struck by/crushed between an object; and ‘on-board incident’ (both
38%). Only four of the admissions were recorded on the VEMD – two were hit on the head by the boom,
one fell while on board and one hurt his ribs when the boat capsized.
5.5.4.2 Hospital ED presentations (n = 37)
Males accounted for 57% of ED presentations and females 43%. Cases occurred in all 5-year age groups
from age group 5-9 years to age group 75-79 years with small peaks in age group 50-54 years (19%, n=7),
followed by age groups 25-29 years and 35-39 years (both 11%, n=4).
Sprain/strains (27%) and fractures (22%) were the most frequently occurring types of injury. The upper
extremity was the most commonly injured body region (32%), followed by the head/face/neck (24%).
The most common causes of injury, derived from the analysis of coded data and case narratives, were:
struck by the boom (30%, n=11); struck by/collided with other equipment such as the spinnaker pole, sail
or winch (19%, n=7); and on-board falls (22%, n=8).
Marine Safety in Victoria: July 2007 to June 2008 57