Search and Rescue

[gspig]

Took my last boat trip for the year last night. The weather was nice. Got my latest prop. Decided I had to take the boat out one last time. Got home from church, dropped the boat on the truck hitch, and off I went. Got to the ramp and put in. A hand full of sail boats were out as there was a steady breeze, not many fishermen, but a couple of sport boats out getting their last rides in also. Finally had the correct prop, 4300 WOT got to 36 mph according to GPS. Cruised around exploring branches of the lake that I hadn't gone this summer. Got into a branch with a lot of submerged trees, so I turned around and decided I would pretend to fish. Dropped anchor, turned on the radio, threw out a plastic worm and enjoyed the sun. After an hour, I thought I would race around some more. Pulled anchor and started the engine. The started wouldn't disengage and I shut down. Tried to restart and the starter just made grinding noises. Dropped anchor and tried to figure out what to do. I am now 1/2 mile up a branch away from the main lake body, nobody around, and the fishermen that were within site are gone. It is now 5:30 on a Sunday afternoon. I search the boat and find a paper with the marina phone number on it, I have a cell phone, HURRAY! No one answers the phone. Called wife, see tries to find help. This is an Army Corps lake inside a National Forestry Service area. There are no numbers listed for help, emergency or otherwise. Wife calls county EMS, the lake is situated in 3 countys. To shorten a now long story, the Search and Rescue show up in a boat and tow me in. It is now 10:00, and I have been floating around for 4 hours. Got loaded up and noticed the EMS boat prop is chewed up. They didn't ask for an address or for payment, felt bad that they chewed up a prop to get me. I had a good spare on board and gave it to them. So other than getting cold after dark, no real harm.<br /><br />Moral of the story: Have some sort of communication on board. Glad that cell phones work at this lake.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Search and Rescue

I'm curious - I live on the coast and boat pretty much exclusively in salt water - offshore and some inshore, so I don't know about the availability of towing services in your area. But here in Southwest Florida I wouldn't think of going out without a VHF radio and a membership in Boat US or Towboat, or some similar program. Your story is a good example of the dangers even of inshore boating. A good thing you had cell phone reception in the area!

 

[tommays]

Re: Search and Rescue

glad you got home safe<br /><br />i allways keep fresh water a bit of food and dry warm stuff in the cuddy just in case<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Don S]

Re: Search and Rescue

Here in my area, most of our boating is done where others are not. VHF and CB are fair, and Cell phones usually don't work.<br />I would say that 99% of the small (30' or less) boats up here have kickers used for get home and trolling. I have a 15hp Merc on a 27' boat. It only goes about 3 or 4 mph, but it will get me there should the engine or drive go out.<br /><br />

 

[deputydawg]

Re: Search and Rescue

Anywhere in nebraska and kansas that I have boated you can get cell phone coverage. Radios do no good at all, I have yet to see a marina that has a radio. A few people have CB radios, but they have so much skip and noise nobody turns them on. If they do, and hear a distress call they all figure it is a prank and ignore it. <br />The local fire departments, EMS and police all have watercraft they use. We get a john boat every year for free from the local dealer, as long as we do a news release advertising their dealership showing them giving us a boat or ATV. The game and parks patrol regular looking for fishing violations and people stranded. I have seen many times people having trouble at the dock starting, or having trouble out on the water. There is always someone willing to run help them, even if it is just a jump start. The only time I have ben stranded was late evening with a storm coming, my old Johnson stalled. At that it was only a few hours before someone saw me and called the marina. <br />I consider myself lucky to be in an area like this where there are people out there willing and waiting to help others.