highflier
Contributor
All,
Sad news indeed.
I try to learn from sad events like this one. I had one learning exprience of my own about 12 years ago.
I was on a boat that a person fell off and drowed, verfy sad event. It was a head boat and the crew was worthless, A guy flipping burgers at McDonolds could have responded better. It was a night trip and there was a noreaster so it was rough but nowhere near to rough for the boat, 75'. When the guy fell off the back while at anchor ppl threw bread bags, coolers and what ever would float at the guy. No life vest ever hit the water during the entire event. Since the seas were 8+ foot and night time I was going to go up top so that I could keep my eyes on him as he was floating away in the current. A crew member stoped me. Then I stood back and watched as they were trying to untie the anchor, They did not want to loose it, After a minute or so the captain yelled just cut the line. The crew did not have and could not find a knife, I passanger then offered a small pocket knife to cut the line. 2 more minutes of time to cut the line. By this time he was already out of sight. I was amazed when we spoted him about 100 yards off the boat, This is like another 5 minutes. As we dirfted closer and closer i was able to see that he was still keeping his head above water. (not swimming but more like treading water). As fate had it I had been fishing on the side of the boat where he would eventually end up. As he floated to within 20-30 feet I started to get out of the way for the crew to do there thing. WTF the crew was not around. I quickly took my rod, (reel side into the water via leaning over the rail as far as I could. He reached for the rod and missed it, Under the boat he went, ( will never forget the look in his eyes) I screemed he is under the bow, 10-15 seconds later the motors roared to life and capt hit reverse. 10 min later they saw him floating face down in the water (by this time another head boat a joined the search.) Well the crew could not figure out how to get him on the boat, They ended up Gaffing him, yes I said gaffing him. In the leg and had his head underwater for another 2 min while a group of ppl tryed to haul him up, Once on the boat a few passangers were EMT's The preformed CPR on the deck while the rest of us where in the lower cabin, The captain pegged the throttle toward shore (cross current and all) that was the first time I almost got sea sick on a boat, about 80% of the boat was puking, there was a river running down the center of the boat. The captain orderd the crew up into the Helm. We never saw one of them on the whole ride back. I am sure they were getting their story fixed up. My wife was handing out trashbags for pukers, I was turning off the Grill so ppl would not be burned etc. Others where searching for First add kit, The emt's wanted a flash light, and what ever medical supplys they could get there hands on. Eventually somebody found a First aid kit that was almost empty all except a few small bandages. After 30 min of motoring back, we heard a heli, They lowered a basket/rescue person on the boat, 5 min later they lifed off the victim, and away they went. The captain took a reasonble speed back to dock, 3 more hours as we where heading north to land not south to our port until te heli came. The crew did not appear until we hit the dock Boat was tied up and all left, No names, no reports, no police nothing. As a result my wife will not go out on a head boat anymore, I will always inform ppl on my boat where vest are kept, And ask on others where they are kept. I think if I ever got a response that they were not needed, or They would get them and I should not worry about it, I would walk off the boat, freind or not.
Treat the boat experience as you do diving, Assume that you are responsible for your own safety. They crew might be Minimum wage kids that have no training at all. Without a doubt the boat passed a CG inspection, but that does not mean **** if the Crew prevents or even does not know how to use or where saftey equipment is, FWIW I think there was ~ 50-75 ppl on the boat that night + a crew of 5-6.
Highflier
PS. FWIW I doubt any boat op is going to let you look around in the engine box to verify that bildges are working, hoses below the water line are double clamped etc.... lets be honest a boats sea worthiness in mostly down and out of site, Above the water line is just flush and stuff to use if there is already a problem.
Sad news indeed.
I try to learn from sad events like this one. I had one learning exprience of my own about 12 years ago.
I was on a boat that a person fell off and drowed, verfy sad event. It was a head boat and the crew was worthless, A guy flipping burgers at McDonolds could have responded better. It was a night trip and there was a noreaster so it was rough but nowhere near to rough for the boat, 75'. When the guy fell off the back while at anchor ppl threw bread bags, coolers and what ever would float at the guy. No life vest ever hit the water during the entire event. Since the seas were 8+ foot and night time I was going to go up top so that I could keep my eyes on him as he was floating away in the current. A crew member stoped me. Then I stood back and watched as they were trying to untie the anchor, They did not want to loose it, After a minute or so the captain yelled just cut the line. The crew did not have and could not find a knife, I passanger then offered a small pocket knife to cut the line. 2 more minutes of time to cut the line. By this time he was already out of sight. I was amazed when we spoted him about 100 yards off the boat, This is like another 5 minutes. As we dirfted closer and closer i was able to see that he was still keeping his head above water. (not swimming but more like treading water). As fate had it I had been fishing on the side of the boat where he would eventually end up. As he floated to within 20-30 feet I started to get out of the way for the crew to do there thing. WTF the crew was not around. I quickly took my rod, (reel side into the water via leaning over the rail as far as I could. He reached for the rod and missed it, Under the boat he went, ( will never forget the look in his eyes) I screemed he is under the bow, 10-15 seconds later the motors roared to life and capt hit reverse. 10 min later they saw him floating face down in the water (by this time another head boat a joined the search.) Well the crew could not figure out how to get him on the boat, They ended up Gaffing him, yes I said gaffing him. In the leg and had his head underwater for another 2 min while a group of ppl tryed to haul him up, Once on the boat a few passangers were EMT's The preformed CPR on the deck while the rest of us where in the lower cabin, The captain pegged the throttle toward shore (cross current and all) that was the first time I almost got sea sick on a boat, about 80% of the boat was puking, there was a river running down the center of the boat. The captain orderd the crew up into the Helm. We never saw one of them on the whole ride back. I am sure they were getting their story fixed up. My wife was handing out trashbags for pukers, I was turning off the Grill so ppl would not be burned etc. Others where searching for First add kit, The emt's wanted a flash light, and what ever medical supplys they could get there hands on. Eventually somebody found a First aid kit that was almost empty all except a few small bandages. After 30 min of motoring back, we heard a heli, They lowered a basket/rescue person on the boat, 5 min later they lifed off the victim, and away they went. The captain took a reasonble speed back to dock, 3 more hours as we where heading north to land not south to our port until te heli came. The crew did not appear until we hit the dock Boat was tied up and all left, No names, no reports, no police nothing. As a result my wife will not go out on a head boat anymore, I will always inform ppl on my boat where vest are kept, And ask on others where they are kept. I think if I ever got a response that they were not needed, or They would get them and I should not worry about it, I would walk off the boat, freind or not.
Treat the boat experience as you do diving, Assume that you are responsible for your own safety. They crew might be Minimum wage kids that have no training at all. Without a doubt the boat passed a CG inspection, but that does not mean **** if the Crew prevents or even does not know how to use or where saftey equipment is, FWIW I think there was ~ 50-75 ppl on the boat that night + a crew of 5-6.
Highflier
PS. FWIW I doubt any boat op is going to let you look around in the engine box to verify that bildges are working, hoses below the water line are double clamped etc.... lets be honest a boats sea worthiness in mostly down and out of site, Above the water line is just flush and stuff to use if there is already a problem.
