Boys missing, boat found...
- Thread starter Bill D.
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Vic,
I think that is awesome! Let this tragedy be a lesson. Even a couple of mustang vests, waterproof floating vhf, and waterproof flashlight. Shoot throw in a ditch bag. A lesson on what to do is smart too. People have drowned in our bay, doesn't have to be an ocean. Sure it may seem like silly wasted money, but look at it this way, you buy life insurance to protect you and your family if something g*d forbid happens to you. Nothing ever does, so is that wasted money?
I have been shopping for a PLB for my boat. Don't have one now. Never felt I needed it. I don't go offshore and when I do I usually have other boats with me. But I do occasionally run at night alone out to watch hill or some other place. So why not!
I think that is awesome! Let this tragedy be a lesson. Even a couple of mustang vests, waterproof floating vhf, and waterproof flashlight. Shoot throw in a ditch bag. A lesson on what to do is smart too. People have drowned in our bay, doesn't have to be an ocean. Sure it may seem like silly wasted money, but look at it this way, you buy life insurance to protect you and your family if something g*d forbid happens to you. Nothing ever does, so is that wasted money?
I have been shopping for a PLB for my boat. Don't have one now. Never felt I needed it. I don't go offshore and when I do I usually have other boats with me. But I do occasionally run at night alone out to watch hill or some other place. So why not!
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Vic, that is a good first step, but, IMHO, not near good enough. If something, God forbid, were to happen, being able to find the boat doesn't necessarily help. You have to be able to find the person.
Personally, I always wear a Mustang Horse Collar. I addition to that, I have a small PLB permanently attached to it so, if I end up in the water, my vest automatically inflates and my PLB, being water activated, starts sending out a signal. Somebody can find me. Anything permanently attached to the boat stays there. There needs to be something attached to the person.
Yes, it's all a bit pricy, about $150 for the Mustang and $200-$250 for the PLB. But, just think, if those boys had been wearing a Mustang that automatically inflates when submerged and had a auto-activating PLB, this thread would probably never have happened.
Good thread Guys!!
Bob
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Bob makes a good point. You fool around, flip the dinghy, hit head on motor or prop and without fast first aid or a vest your gone.
Sorry Vic, not trying to scare you but all this has me thinking too. I know I don't fool around with my dinghy but I have been at marinas where I see kids that do. They race, they hope waves. They are kids! You just need one vest and PLB say for the operator.
Sorry Vic, not trying to scare you but all this has me thinking too. I know I don't fool around with my dinghy but I have been at marinas where I see kids that do. They race, they hope waves. They are kids! You just need one vest and PLB say for the operator.
You don't have to worry about scaring me Dave I do plenty of that myself...
Good points guys. I did just buy them a pair of floating iCom M24s that automatically flash on contact with water, and they always have PFDs. They have taken boating classes but yes, they are kids and absolutely sh-t happens.
Yes I will be doing some shopping on the way home today. I can't imagine a better reason to spend money...
Vic
Good points guys. I did just buy them a pair of floating iCom M24s that automatically flash on contact with water, and they always have PFDs. They have taken boating classes but yes, they are kids and absolutely sh-t happens.
Yes I will be doing some shopping on the way home today. I can't imagine a better reason to spend money...
Vic
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Don't waste the money on a waterproof flashlight. Get a decent strobe instead - and I don't mean the feeble little ones you see on some handheld VHF's or the ones on cruise ship lifejackets - I mean a BRIGHT strobe that will actually be seen. The 'built-in' strobes on a lot of other-purposed safety equipment I've seen might be good for finding it in a dark cabin, or maybe if you drop it in the bilge, but turn that strobe on, lay it on the deck of your boat at the marina some night, and see how far away from your boat you have to walk before you can't see it well if at all. (Don't bother bringing your beer with you, you won't be walking that far)
Even when you're looking for a person in the water wearing a life jacket, you're looking for shoulders up above the water. My guess is the average wave or swell height in any saltwater boating area is higher than that. You know how hard it is to find something the size of a human head between even 1' waves in the dark? Even a little flashlight isn't going to be seen until you're real close. Now, a good strobe - you're not going to see every flash from a mile away, but a high intensity white light flashing at regular intervals of 50-70 times per minute - if it's a quality, bright strobe, you're GOING to see it.
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Personal opinion? ACR Firefly 2. I suspect they are on the expensive end of the spectrum, but they are blindingly bright. There very well may be better and/or cheaper ones out there, but out of the ones I have personal, hands (eyes) on experience with, that's my favorite.
Speaking of ACR - pretty sure they have the smallest and cheapest PLB's out there right now. Just Googled and found some in the $250 range. What a difference from a few years ago!