Deadmeat
Well-known member
Yesterday I came to realize that there was one thing I need to have on board but didn't have--a first aid kit. Why, I don't know. I had one on my old boat but for some reason it had slipped my mind to have one on board my new boat. I remembered it yesterday. I was cutting my line when my right foot slipped on the bottom of the boat and I went to catch myself with my left hand on the deck. Problem was, that's where my knife was. I managed to lay the left side of my hand open big time and only then realized I didn't have a first aid kit on board. I had a big roll of paper towels, however, and used some of them to try to control the bleeding but as soon as I applied a paper towel it was pretty much soaked with blood. No arteries were cut, thank goodness. Worse, I was fishing by myself. I cranked the engine and headed back to the ramp about six miles away where I found a buddy of mine just getting ready to launch. He helped me get the boat back on the trailer and he had gauze and tape to bandage my hand. We managed to get the bleeding stopped but by then the back of the boat looked like some folks I've seen on an autopsy table. I've got a tiller handle and the handle, motor, and transom had blood all over it. Anyway, I got home and spent a few minutes getting the blood off the carpet of the deck and rear seat before setting off to the emergency room. To make a long story short, I've got a few staples in my hand but all in all was very lucky. I found out the hard way the problem of not having a first aid kit when one is needed. Lesson learned.