Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

[basstracker219]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

oh man, nice save.

 

[chickendog2010]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Good to hear all the experiences. I am geting a boat and i am reading around for infor. I am not a strong swimmer but i can float on my back when i am tired and wait for help.

 

[Thajeffski]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

last summer I was anchored off of the northern island in this picture. We were on the south most sand bar.....

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...273,-73.389305&spn=0.006827,0.010246&t=h&z=17

When the tide is going out current RIPS threw here. At least 5-10knts.

I see a kid jump off the back of his boat to my front (west) with a life vest........he's instantly floating backwards.......and REALLY TRYING to get back to his dads boat.

At this point I'm pulling the anchor and dropping the motor. he is easily 300-500 feet behind his dads boat and still swimming strong........ Dad wasn't paying attention, he's on the bow with a fishing line (it was a big boat)..

I get up next to the kid and say "need help?"

kid says "no I'm ok"

I say "cmon really?"

Kid thinks about it and say "ok yeah"

I toss him my "swim line" (blue floating line about 100 feet) that I always put out behind the boat when I have swimmers in the water (even with life jackets) and he gets on board and is exhausted.

Dad sees me with his kid on the boat and is very thankful for my watching out.

Kid is out of breath and hardly says a word but is just fine.

Girl on the boat w/ me is very impressed and told me "one good deeds deserve another"

 

[JimMH]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Late read but great story and will use the lesson learned for this summer's boating in NE GA. Glad everyone is alright.

 

[tswiczko]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Well done man!
And to the rest of you great information, I keep a type 1 PFD on a 50' and two cushions, one free and one on a 25 foot. I belive I'll switch the 50' to a throw cushion and add 100' to the PFD.
We like to float in tubes around the boat when we are anchored or mored but I keep plenty of rope to tie them all off in case any one happens to get too relaxed and forget their not in a pool and drift off.
And thanks again for everyone who posted on this. I do a decent job at keeping my family on their toes, but I think I'll step the drills up a notch this year.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

And the moral is, send your wife after the keys next time.

It was right in front of me all the time! D'OH!

ROFLMAO!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

you r floating rope is a good idea and you can also just tie off a cushion to one end and cleat off 50-100' and let it drift away from the boat; if a swimmer gets swept away they have a last chance grab. Solo sailors often trail a line.

Provided boat traffic makes this feasible.

 

[Fisherball]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Reading these stories makes me glad I'm boating on inland lakes in Ohio!

 

[Blue Crabber]

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.

These things are great. But don't be afraid to practice with them. You need to get use to throwing them. Take them out in the yard and practice throwing and repacking. Remember, if you throw it and miss it takes a while to pack it back up and throw again. But they are great and I will keep them on board this year.

Another tip, if the water is moving, throw the bag upstream from them and let it float down to them.

Here are some examples:

http://www.iboats.com/Life-Line-tra...1923716--**********.437503328--view_id.166449

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=1825

This is always a good thread, whether it is old or not. Plenty to learn here.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Good thread.
Zombie thread, but still good!

 

[df909]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

When you throw & miss (not if, but when), you don't have to repack the bag. Just coil the rope into your throwing hand, keep the end in your other hand, and throw it again. You do want to throw the bag when the person is still up river so you have time to throw again before they're long gone.

 

[rellsun]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

You have to be careful over there the current picks up real quick. Glad to hear everyone was ok and no one had to get hurt. looks like you had some quick thinking and remained calm which i think is a must when on a boat bad things happen when you panic.

 

[1216bandit]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

reading this prompted me to get my throw line and the wife and practice a few tosses. She kinda laughed at the idea....until her first throw to me landed the floatation bag on the garage roof!! Was actually pretty funny! A few throws later and she got the feel for it.

 

[captainbr]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

df909 is correct. There is no need to repack the line into the throw bag. The bags I use have foam and a stainless steel washer in the bottom for weight. When you retrieve the bag, it fills with water. Just let the line drop at your feet or into your hand and throw the water filled bag on the second throw.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

df909 is correct. There is no need to repack the line into the throw bag. The bags I use have foam and a stainless steel washer in the bottom for weight. When you retrieve the bag, it fills with water. Just let the line drop at your feet or into your hand and throw the water filled bag on the second throw.

Old post

 

[mcgyver210]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Old post

May be old but it is a good informative post what is the deal on this board with not liking a old informative post to continue on? I have never seen a board that scolds people for posting on an old post although I have seen many scold people for starting a new post on a previous discussed subject without searching for a previous post they could continue on.

Any board I have been a owner or leader we encouraged searching & bringing back old post since there is lots of good info in a boards past post.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

I agree that there are lots of timeless topics--some should be made into stickies. Ones like this about safety or equipment for general use are good to have all in one place.

But not the "what is your favorite snack?" polls or "should I buy this boat" or "some guy was rude today at the lake" discussions--they need to die off.

 

[scipper77]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

May be old but it is a good informative post what is the deal on this board with not liking a old informative post to continue on? I have never seen a board that scolds people for posting on an old post although I have seen many scold people for starting a new post on a previous discussed subject without searching for a previous post they could continue on.

Any board I have been a owner or leader we encouraged searching & bringing back old post since there is lots of good info in a boards past post.

What I see is members who try to be moderators here (I've done it too). If someone is replying to a 5 year old thread asking for help with something the mods will close it. If someone does a search and posts there question at the end of a 5yo thread they found the mods will close it.

If however someone offers an opinion on a 5yo thread, other members that are used to seeing the 5yo threads closed in the other situations I mentioned want to be the first to point out that it is an old thread.

Well at least that's the way I see it.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

Don't worry. I've been here long enough to know that our mod squad would never fuss someone for posting something in a safety related thread...old or not.

 

[mcgyver210]

Re: Nearly Lost a Passenger- Lessons Learned

What I see is members who try to be moderators here (I've done it too). If someone is replying to a 5 year old thread asking for help with something the mods will close it. If someone does a search and posts there question at the end of a 5yo thread they found the mods will close it.

If however someone offers an opinion on a 5yo thread, other members that are used to seeing the 5yo threads closed in the other situations I mentioned want to be the first to point out that it is an old thread.

Well at least that's the way I see it.

Don't worry. I've been here long enough to know that our mod squad would never fuss someone for posting something in a safety related thread...old or not.

Thanks for the answers but I still don't understand a board that discourages posting on an aged & answered threads. Oh well it isn't my board & I am not part of the leadership so I will deal with it or talk else where I guess LOL.

Also if the post are not relevant to the old post I can see scolding.

I apologize to any admin,Mod or member if my questioning this is out of line but being a business owner I have a hard time just following.