Please Wear the Life Vest

[two_bit_score]

I wear a life vest in any small boat all the time. Get some comments but to me it's a good idea.

This story is a good reminder of why it's a good idea. Sad thing is that the boat driver who caused the capsize may not have even know it occured.

The Lufkin Daily News

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

A Houston man boating with his family drowned on Lake Sam Rayburn when the boat capsized Wednesday morning.

A.G. Booker, Jr., 60, had been fishing with his son and another family member near the Blackwood Forest boat ramp in Zavalla, Texas Parks and Wildlife officials said.


Jessica Cooley/The Lufkin Daily News
(ENLARGE)
Texas Parks and Wildlife and investigating officials talk with a man whose father drowned Wednesday on Lake Sam Rayburn after their boat capsized in the wake of another boat.

"They were fishing when another boat came by and the wake caused them to capsize," said Judge Morris Morehead. "I'm guessing that person didn't even realize what happened when they passed them."

A good Samaritan out checking his trot lines came upon two men clinging to a capsized aluminum boat around 9 a.m. and came to their rescue.

"I heard them hollering and saw their boat turned over," said Billy Ellis of Jasper. "They had been like that for about 10 to 15 minutes. Another man was down under the water. His son and I found him but he had been under the water too long."

The man's son attempted to resuscitate his father during the 10 minute ride back to the boat ramp but his attempts were unsuccessful, Ellis said.

Texas Parks and Wildlife officials said an autopsy has been ordered

 

[Bird]

I'll have to admit that I usually did not wear a life jacket or vest even though I always had one handy. And like lots of other folks, I usually just figured I'd grab it if I needed it. Of course, I realize that's foolish thinking. Problems on the water happen too fast for you to grab a life vest after you know there's a problem.

So you wear a life vest in a small boat all time? And you get comments? Well, I'll give you a comment, and that is, "You're smarter than most."

 

[laen64]

Bird you're correct. Last year I didn't have mine on but handy and with the excitement of catching 2 fish on seperate poles I was pulled over board. Wow! By the Grace of God I made it back onto the boat minus the 2 poles of course. I even took my Brand new un-insured Cell phone for a swim.

A couple of boats were circling the Pylons underneath the bridge where I was fishing and none of them missed me and none could even believe I had taken a swim once I they passed and saw I was all wet.
My how Fast your life can pass in front of you!!
Lesson Learned Be prepared.

 

[two_bit_score]

Thanks Bird. I really think the guy who drowned also thought he could probably grab a life jacket if he needed to.

I hope they can track down the guy who caused the wake in this case. I don't know if he is legally responsible in any way but I think he just should know what happened.

 

[rus_geek]

As to the liability issue for the wake-causing boat, I'm not sure about the laws where this happened, but in WI there are distance limitations for no wake zones around anchored/fishing boats. I think it's 100' but I didn't look it up. My usual rule of thumb is if I can hook you with a musky bait, you're too close...

-rus-

 

[Wayne County Hose]

A good Samaritan out checking his trot lines came upon two men clinging to a capsized aluminum boat around 9 a.m. and came to their rescue.

More details would help. My bet is that they were in a very small vessel, maybe a common 14' rowboat type? Waaaayyyyyy too small for a lake like that.

 

[Bird]

Waaaayyyyyy too small for a lake like that.

You may be right, but you should have seen some of the things I've seen on the water.

A couple of months ago, I visited with a guy at a launching ramp on Lake Lewisville. He said he fished all over the lake and had just come from near the dam (open water) in a 10' Bass Buster boat.

On one fishing trip in Resurrection Bay, out of Seward, AK, we saw 2 guys in a jon boat that couldn't have been more than 14' long and they were a long ways from the harbor. I wouldn't have gotten in that boat inside the small boat harbor, much less a couple of miles out.

As we were coming in on another trip in Resurrection Bay, there was a guy standing up in a small boat, waving at us. My brother waved back, but I told him, "I think that guy is waving to get us to come help him." So we turned and went to him. His 25-30 hp outboard had died and wouldn't restart, so we towed him in. He said that outboard hadn't been started in 10 years, but that it fired right up when he put it in the water so he hadn't checked anything.

 

[LMTC]

About 20 years ago I went to an auction a few miles from here. Bought a great chain saw and a few other items, wondered why the sale when I realized the family seemed very young (usually auctions are estate sales after someone dies). I just assumed finances. Later in the sale there was some professional whitewater rafting "stuff" including a couple of "body vests"....at least I think that is how they were described. It was then I realized..... a few months earlier there had been a local tragedy. Young man (perhaps 28-30) had gone out on Todd's Fork (a normally slow moving tributary from inches to a few feet deep, that feeds the Little Miami River) right after a storm. It was 8-10' deep and when it runs, it rages. He went out in a canoe WITH his two children, somewhere around 6 & 8. A passing motorist called 911 after seeing the canoe capsized. Rescuers found both children, wearing vests, clinging to branches. The father, NOT wearing any safety device, drowned. Some neighbors who said they knew him told me he went whitewater rafting routinely. A clear case of familiarity breeding contempt, with a sad, sad result.

 

[Sigarms]

I wear a life vest in any small boat all the time. Get some comments but to me it's a good idea.

It's always a good idea. Being lazy or "not looking cool" usually comes into play.

The father, NOT wearing any safety device, drowned. Some neighbors who said they knew him told me he went whitewater rafting routinely. A clear case of familiarity breeding contempt, with a sad, sad result.

When a river is rising, you should know what you're doing when you're on it. Taking two children along for the ride says enough.

I might add that the one made made feature on a river that is a true killer and most people are not even aware of it until it's to late, is a low head dam. Take a low head dam and have extra flow (water) over it and it becomes an instant death trap. Yet people will still take inner tubes wanting to ride over one.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

I always wear my jacket when I'm out on my 18' boat. It only comes off when the boat is at anchor and I'm swimming.

Keeps me safe and sets a good example for anyone who travels with me.

 

[MikeD74T]

One of my daughters classmates' body is still missing from a boating accident a month ago at the mouth of the Merrimack River in Newburyport Ma. I think it was a 34' boat that lost navigation electronics coming in at night & struck bottom/jetty. Two survivers were thrown onto a jetty & rescued. Operator, not boat owner, was a Coast Guard veteran of small boat operations & licensed captain. Left behind wife & 2 small children. No PFD's worn by any inspite of being in an emergent abnormal situation.

PFDs, helmets, seatbelts, ROPS, etc -it's too late to start to use them during the accident. MikeD74T

 

[two_bit_score]

PFDs, helmets, seatbelts, ROPS, etc -it's too late to start to use them during the accident. MikeD74T

Everyone needs to get that message.