One lucky child

[jeff_smith_0423]

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. -- Police say a 4-year-old boy was trapped alone on a speeding boat on Lake Michigan for nearly 45 minutes after his parents fell overboard.

Gary Marine Unit Patrolman Phillip Cook says the wake from a larger boat apparently tossed the adults overboard, where they were rescued by a passing boat. The father evidentally turned the steering wheel as he fell Tuesday and the boat began going in circles at full throttle near the East Chicago marina.
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Police and Coast Guard officers tried throwing tow lines to stop the boat, but it eventually stopped after drifting near rocks that clipped the propeller and killed the motor.

Police say the boy was shaken but wasn't injured.

Police didn't immediately release the names of the boy or his parents.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: One lucky child

so much they know about boats, torque steer turn the steering wheel. lucky kid, and parents. obviously not been to safe boater school.

 

[jeff_smith_0423]

Re: One lucky child

Yeah, i don't know what they were thinking with the "the father turned the steering wheel" line. If you don't know, don't write it. Running full throttle in that area is just absurd. There are huge boats leaving massive wakes in their path. I'm glad it ended well but the situation would have been completely avoidable by a competent captain.

 

[aspeck]

Re: One lucky child

so much they know about boats, torque steer turn the steering wheel. lucky kid, and parents. obviously not been to safe boater school.

The parents or the people that wrote the article??? Are you being a little harsh since there doesn't see to be enough facts in the article to draw your conclusion ... "obviously not been to safe boater school." Maybe some people are just not as perfect as you are ...

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: One lucky child

Using the kill switch lanyard woulda saved a lot of anxiety on this one.
It's a miracle no one was killed or injured.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: One lucky child

That's what I was fixing to say. What happened to safety lanyards?

 

[JB]

Re: One lucky child

Yeah.

That's why the safety lanyard/kill switch is there.

Premeditated negligence strikes again, but this time they got very lucky.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: One lucky child

Using the kill switch lanyard woulda saved a lot of anxiety on this one.
It's a miracle no one was killed or injured.

No sheet...............talk about a helpless feeling for the parents...

 

[Nandy]

Re: One lucky child

my boat does not have a kill switch. Is that something you can install after market?

 

[JB]

Re: One lucky child

It is something you really should install, Nandy.

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: One lucky child

I though a boat making circles would always hit the person thrown out. Why not so?

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: One lucky child

I'm not so sure this kid is so lucky... I mean, yeah he survived this incident, but he's stuck for another 14 years with parents who apparently give little forethought to his safety... or even their own apparantly.

 

[Turin]

Re: One lucky child

They would be getting a huge ticked presented by the police here because it is law to wear a dead man's button, on a boat that can go faster than 10 km per hour.

I was just plain stupid not to use one.

but glad every thing is ok with the kid

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: One lucky child

I though a boat making circles would always hit the person thrown out. Why not so?

I actually got hit by a circling boat as a kid. Long story as to how it happened but, when I surfaced. the boat had made the first 360 and I pumped my arms behind me to get away from it. When I did that, my feet popped up towards the surface (I was probably kicking too - I don't remember at this point), and my right foot was struck by a splash rail running along the port side of the boat. If I had gotten my legs tucked back up quicker, I don't think I would have been hit.

Whether you get hit or not pretty much depends on how tight a turn the boat is making, and how quickly you surface and react to the situation.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: One lucky child

Since my boat is a tiller deal, I clip the lanyard to the belt loop on the back of my pants. It stays out of my way, for the most part, and will stretch enough to let me mess with the anchor winch, which is on the middle seat.

I doubt I'll ever go over the side, but if I do I want the engine off like immediately, so I can get back in the darned boat and dry off. I also put my wallet and cell phone in ziploc bags. I hope I never need to do any of this, but a 12' tinny isn't the most stable platform in the world.

 

[Btuvi]

Re: One lucky child

Reading the forum I come across many confessions of mistakes. Most often a good lesson is learned and no tragedy occurs. But in many instances a tragedy could have occurred - except for luck.

Those who take a harsh line, expecially those without all the facts, are saying, in effect, that this could never happen to them nor could it ever happen to anyone with half a brain. That's foolish. Whether experienced or inexperienced in any particular field people make mistakes.

Let he who is without sin etc.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: One lucky child

I'll take my licks on my incident - i was a kid but still should have known better. I did manage to keep out of trouble for a little while, just because mommas and grandfathers don't get into the, "what the heck were you doing" part for awhile, when there is blood flowing.

But, I was a very lucky young man and didn't lose my foot. nor did I get hit again by a boat that went round and round (no lanyards in those days) for a couple of hours, because I had just filled the tank with gas!

 

[Tyme2fish]

Re: One lucky child

When I test drove my used Stratos, I noticed the Salesman (behind the helm) strapped the kill switch around his leg. Neat idea I thought. So that's what I do everytime behind the wheel. It's unabtrusive and easy to unhook.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: One lucky child

Reading the forum I come across many confessions of mistakes. Most often a good lesson is learned and no tragedy occurs. But in many instances a tragedy could have occurred - except for luck.

Those who take a harsh line, expecially those without all the facts, are saying, in effect, that this could never happen to them nor could it ever happen to anyone with half a brain. That's foolish. Whether experienced or inexperienced in any particular field people make mistakes.

Making a mistake is one thing, not thinking about the safety of your child is another thing entirely.

Let he who is without sin etc.

Jesus was just saying he wanted to throw the first rock... but Jesus was getting old for those days, and maybe a little arthritic, so people got tired of waiting for him and decided to go out to eat at Shoney's instead.

I am so going to hell for that.

 

[Btuvi]

Re: One lucky child

So, Sgtmjr, the question you raise is, "Were the parents knowlingly aware that they were jeopardizing the safety of their child and doing so anyway or were they unaware?"

I don't know for certain anymore than you do but let's give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they were not knowingly or intentionally putting their child in danger. If we accept that then we can agree that they were unaware.

A lack of awareness can lead anyone to make a simple mistake that becomes compounded by circumstances and lead to serious consequences.

We could discuss ad infinitum whether or not they should have been aware and if they were not why weren't they. The bottom line though, it seems to me, is that none of us is always as aware as we should be or could be. Know anyone who ever playfully tossed a child into the air only to throw him into the ceiling fan?

I think that one of the great things about these forums, and I'm sure you will agree, is that it gives us all an opportunity to raise our awareness about those things that can happen. Raising our awareness may not eliminate mental lapses but it is a good reminder that continuing education and a recognition of the importance of maintaining focus contribute to a safer more rewarding experience.