7 replies to this topic

[unionman]

Just got done watching my evening news here in Davenport Iowa and there has been yet another fatal boating accident... This one was sadly fatal for four boaters in their early twenties. The mighty Mississippi has taken six young "river rats" from us already this boating season. Why is it that people think "it" wont happen to them? Pushing your luck in a lake is bad enough, but in the Mississippi, its just moronic. We all have friends and family that want us to return the way we left (maybe in a better mood after catching some nice bass) and who would be angry at us if we lost our lives because of a stupid mistake. Wear life jackets, use lights or horns, and stay alert. There are idiots on the water just as there are on our roads... Boat defensively. Be safe. Have fun.

[kylek]

Just today my father in law and a friend of his were fishing a local lake, when they heard a scream for help. They quickly fired up the motor and rounded the bend to find a man struggling to stay above water. They managed to get him into their boat and back to shore. He was fishing in a small aluminum boat when it began taking on water. He had a life jacket in the boat but was not wearing it. I guess he couldn't get to it when the boat was sinking.

Besides the obvious safety ideas, I think everyone should take some type of swimming class.. even if all you do is learn to doggie paddle. This guy did not know how to swim at all.

[unionman]

Just today my father in law and a friend of his were fishing a local lake, when they heard a scream for help. They quickly fired up the motor and rounded the bend to find a man struggling to stay above water. They managed to get him into their boat and back to shore. He was fishing in a small aluminum boat when it began taking on water. He had a life jacket in the boat but was not wearing it. I guess he couldn't get to it when the boat was sinking.

Besides the obvious safety ideas, I think everyone should take some type of swimming class.. even if all you do is learn to doggie paddle. This guy did not know how to swim at all.

[unionman]

Sry about that quote. Im not great with this phone. What is the "checkmark" that i can click next to peoples posts? Is it like a "like" on facebook?

That person was very lucky. Im sure this incident reminded both partys about how quick "it" can happen.
Even if you are a "good" swimmer, things happen. Have you guys seen the life jackets that inflate upon submersion?

[NoBassPro]

As a side note thats not really relevant this time of year, be extra careful in cold water. It takes alot out of you and its hard not to panic for some reason, even if you do know how to swim. Not to mention, dragging yourself back in the boat with 50 lbs of waterlogged clothes on adds difficulty. Not that I would know from experience or anything

[kylek]

Sry about that quote. Im not great with this phone. What is the "checkmark" that i can click next to peoples posts? Is it like a "like" on facebook?

That person was very lucky. Im sure this incident reminded both partys about how quick "it" can happen.
Even if you are a "good" swimmer, things happen. Have you guys seen the life jackets that inflate upon submersion?

It is a like button like the one on facebook. This guys life jacket was the inflatable kind, but apparenty didn't inflate.. I wasn't there but that is what I was told. Also a few years back one of my father in laws friends did a stupid boating mistake and was thrown out of his boat with that type of jacket and it only deployed halfway.. Now this guy is a big guy and he thought he was going to drown. Luckily another boat watched it happen and got to them quickly. I will only wear the old style life jackets.. I don't want ot have to worry about it not inflating.

[unionman]

Good info. I wont be getting one of those.

[mrmacwvu1]

when the weather is nice i always recommend to take a friend with you onto the lake and practice getting back into your boat in case you would ever fall in. when someone is there to help you, you will not panic and you can practice. on bigger boats people need to practice standing on the motor and using the trim to raise themselves out of the water.