Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

[Blue Crabber]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

got 2 of these in the boat one clips to side of the console on the bass boat next to the fire extinguisher other sits on top of the throw cushion behind the passenger seat back.

http://www.karstsports.com/dide70wareth.html

just grab the tag end of the rope and throw the bag

Yeah, I have one of these too! They work good but have thier limitations as well. We use to white water kayak some so that is why I have it.

If you get on of these, make sure you practice throwing it over and over. They work because of the weight of the rope in the bag helps you to toss it farther. However, if you miss the target, you have to pull the line back in and carefully stuff the rope back into the bag to be able to throw it again.

Whatever you decide to use, make sure that you practice with it!

 

[ckone0814]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

good lesson - thanks for sharing. glad everything is ok.

we never leave our boat without someone on board who can capably pilot her. if everyone want to swim, we take turns.

 

[boatguy19]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

thanks for posting this i will be doing the same thing. as carefull as i am i never thought of tying a long rope to a cusion ,having to hunt around your boat to make something work just may be to late to save someone.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

By next weekend, there will be one flotation cushion permanently attached to 100' of polyproplene line and ready for immediate deployment. I had all the pieces aboard, but wasted precious moments jury-rigging the setup I needed for this particular situation.

A throw able device with X feet of rope is a CG requirement. In fact, I?ve been warned for having the device stowed in the cuddy and not out in the open for easy access

 

[BumbleBeeTuna]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

A throw able device with X feet of rope is a CG requirement. In fact, I?ve been warned for having the device stowed in the cuddy and not out in the open for easy access

Although it is a good thing to have, a throwable device is not required by the CG to have any length of rope attached.

 

[lowkee]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

I intend to keep 2 throwables aboard from now on- one secured and one not.

Just put a carabiner (climber's ring) on the cushion. That way you can unclasp it if you want to use it freeform. No need to clog up the storage.

Nothing like a hairy situation to kick your butt back in gear to finish doing all of those 'at some point' boat projects.. like putting the spare key where it belongs

 

[JoLin]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

A throw able device with X feet of rope is a CG requirement. In fact, I?ve been warned for having the device stowed in the cuddy and not out in the open for easy access

Check again- a throwable device (PFD, seat cushion, whatever) is required. An attached line is not.

There are pros and cons to both. From this point on, I'll have both available at a moment's notice.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

I have experimented with trying to get back to a boat. It's a weird feeling to to be swimming all out and still watch the boat go away from you. It's amazing how quickly you get tired and how even trading water becomes hard to do.

My wife spoke to his last night. He told her he'd never really understood before how people panic and drown, until he experienced exactly what you described. By the time he realized that he didn't have enough strength to get to the boat, he didn't have enough left to get back to shore, either. He was starting to panic himself when the PFD landed a few feet in front of him. He had just enough 'oomph' left to get to it and hang on.

Gives me the shivers. I knew he'd been in trouble, but I didn't know it was quite that bad.

 

[Hitech]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Had something similar happen to me. I wasn't in a boat at the time. Jumped in without taking any type of PFD to get my sons friend who had floated out of the swim area in the huge tube we were using the day before on the boat. He had gotten out of it and tried to swim back in with it, but the wind was too much and kept pushing him out. By the time I got to him my arms were gone. I had over done it the day before on the tube and they fatigued easily. Since the tube was upside down the handles were at the waterline and I was having trouble holding myself above water. I tried to get my wifes attention on shore, but she couldn't hear me. I decided to call for help before I it was too late. So, in "that" voice I called out "I need help, NOW"! I swear it seemed like 10 seconds later my son arrived with an air mattress. A little bit later two guys arrived in a canoe (they were also on shore). I was fine with the air mattress, but they towed is all in anyway. Now I know why lifeguards always have that funny looking float with them!

 

[wajajaja02]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

On the swimming it good to know the resting or distant strokes, the back stroke,side strokes,and breast stroke. be able to rotate between them to, avoid cramping. take some red cross swim lessons,

 

[salty87]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

On the swimming it good to know the resting or distant strokes, the back stroke,side strokes,and breast stroke. be able to rotate between them to, avoid cramping. take some red cross swim lessons,

also very important to be able to calm down and catch your breath instead of panicing.

 

[And-Con]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

i have heard of/seen (i think) a one time use throwable, its a stick maybe 9-12 inches long with an inflatable something hooked onto it that activates after its hits the water, i suspect on a line and since its one of those co2 inflateable things it can be chucked a good distance, unlike a traditional throwable, that are so light they can't be thrown well. i know this thread hasn't had any posts in a few months, but if anyone knows what I'm talking about, feel free to chime in, especially if you've ever been pressed into using one.

 

[And-Con]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

http://www.iboats.com/Mustang_Rescu...7092418--**********.559781196--view_id.353468
That's what i was talking about i guess its not on a line, but that's going on the boat regardless of whether it qualifies as a class iv (throwable).

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Check again- a throwable device (PFD, seat cushion, whatever) is required. An attached line is not.

There are pros and cons to both. From this point on, I'll have both available at a moment's notice.

In Canadian waters "One (1) buoyant heaving line no less than 15 m (49?3?) in length" is required to be on board. It doesn't have to be attached to any floating device though.

We keep a 80ft foating line with a floating cusion on board at all times.

 

[df909]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

I know this post is a bit old, but I figure I'd chime in anyway. I'm a retired firefighter and have been through whitewater & water rescue courses. We carried a throw bag that was yellow with relector tape, a handle, a place to attach a line to, and it floated. It can be thrown fairly accurately maybe 75'-100' with a good arm.

It's not too expensive and can be purchased from and fire/resuce store & many places online. You can even go to your local fire department to see what they look like. This was our first thing we used as it is a very quick, get something in the water tool that you can attach to a cleat on the boat or hold in your hands. If you hold it in your hands, just be careful because if there's a current with a swimmer/victim on the other end it's a lot of weight to try to hold.

Last, when you stuff rope in a throw bag, don't wind it neatly like you do with the garden hose in the front lawn. Rope that's coiled neatly in a bag will tangle on the way out and prove to be useless. You just stuff the rope in the bag hand over hand and it looks messy, but that's the best way to have the line payout nicely.

 

[Paul Ryan]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Last, when you stuff rope in a throw bag, don't wind it neatly like you do with the garden hose in the front lawn. Rope that's coiled neatly in a bag will tangle on the way out and prove to be useless. You just stuff the rope in the bag hand over hand and it looks messy, but that's the best way to have the line payout nicely.

Didn't know that. Great info. Thanks!!!

 

[bosn buddy]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

From my Navy days. Not only a PFD but also attached water proof flashlight and a whistle.Whistle can be at least one mile over water.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

The good news is that you were properly equipped, and because of that, you turned potential tragedy into nothing more than a bit of a scare.

Good post andI'm glad it worked out OK.



???

 

[Expidia]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Old thread, but good stuff in this thread.

NY requires a boat to carry a throwable device like an extra PFD or cushions.

I carry two extra red (for visibility) boat cushions which we use to put our feet up on while relaxing.

But if you tied a line on it you couldn't throw it that far. As others have already noted I would think carrying one with a line attached to your rig and one unattached for winging out over the water like a Frisbee that could be thrown for many yards would be the ticket.

I've always kept a spare key hanging off one of the wires under my dash.

First thing I picked up from the course when my Wife and I took it was "You" never jump in. You toss a PFD or other. If you jump in to help a someone in trouble (worse if you yourself are not wearing a PFD). The person in a panicked drowning state will pull your body under the water as they climb up your body forcing you underwater as they try and gasp for air.

After some 40 years of boating, I never knew any of the above until I took the course.

And they only reason we took the course 5 years ago was if we wanted to occasional drive a friends jet skis. In NY we needed licenses by getting certified by a boating course.

I would have been the first one to jump in trying to save someone. No substitute for taking a boating course and listening to the experiences of a trained CG person. They have seen many of the errors we all make. Better to learn them in the classroom rather than the real world.

Here is another scary thing we learned. When an accident happens it does so in a matter of seconds. Wow, that really rang up memories when the instructor said that. 10 years ago my Daughter and I were cruising along in a 5 hp motorized flat back sport canoe on Lake George NY. One second we were sitting in the boat and over the next 2 seconds we were both in the water looking at the sky. He was right. They only thing we can do is learn how to possibly lessen the likelihood of an accident. When one happens, it does so in the blink of an eye!

My Wife got 100% on the final exam and she hates tests and does not know much about boating . . . and I got like a 90% :EEK: . . . How embarrassing was that after boating for 40 years???

 

[df909]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

If someone is strong enough to grab you and try to hold on, they should be strong enough to swim. You ought to stay just a few feet from them and tell them to "swim to me." As they swim towards you, you swim away. This technique keeps you away from them, and gives them comfort in knowing that you are right there with them & you're helping. Before they know it, they're near another boar or dock or the shore.

If you ever find yourself in the situation of being in the water to help someone and they try to use you as a floatation device, there's a couple of things you can do...

When you approach someone, tell them to turn around and face away from you & try to approach them from behind, if they don't listen, splash them in the face with water. When you splash them with a lot of water in the face they normally turn around because they feel that they're drowning.

Also, if they do grab you, dunk them or take a breath and go under water with them. They will usually let go of you when they're underwater and since you took a breath in anticipation of going under, you'll have an advantage over them.

Last, if it's you or them, hit them in the nose or face. It sounds bad, but that's usually enough to loosen their grip on you so you can get away.

When/if you do ever grab someone in the water, approach from behind and grab them in a way that they can't turn around. For example, grab them around the chest or neck (without choking) and hold them tight enough that if they turn it turns you. This way they can't spin you around and dunk you & if you need to get away from them, you simply push them away.