My goodness! I'm glad you are both okay.

WOW! Get the Big O and have it rigged exactly like you want it. Add some extra closed foam!

Its now down to a Phoenix, Stratos Champion 210 Elite or a Big O Thanks for all the concern and kind words guys. I have to admit Iv spent a lot of time on that lake and it shook me up thinking about all the times Iv been out in the middle and stopped to tie something don while taking waves over the back, if that happened in the middle I would have been toast. You're on your own in that Lake trust me.

I think most of us who have fished Okeechobee have been in that situation countless times, clearing weeds off the prop on the outside weed edge, preparing to run onplane.

Your post has caused me to think more about this. A bad situation can happen so fast out there. I have a flats boat and will make a point of it to always have the scuppers removed when fishing the Big O, from now on.

Do you think if you would have been in a boat with extra closed foam floatation (Ranger, Champion, Boston Whaler) it would have saved you from going under completely?

I am seriously debating whether to add a GPS Distress beacon to my life jacket since I have crossed from entire lake several times and once got caught in bad storm with 3-4 foot swells. If I would have had engine issues I would be stuck without recourse other than a water proof radio if I could get to it in time.

If I fished the Gulf of Okechobee all the time I would definately have an EPIRB on the boat. You can get them for under 500 bucks http://www.thegpsstore.com/ACR-2875-Satellite3-406-Category-II-EPIRB-P2421.aspx?gclid=CJWN6v_do64CFU5e7AodFw347w

It looked just like mine.

That's because it was.

Just had it fixed up the way I wanted, took two rollers over the back trying to reach down and clear dead cat tails off my prop, Iv done the same thing a million times. my partner jumped up front and tried to get the trolling motor down couldn't do it.

I keep a 4-5' gaff hook in my boat to make it easier to remove the weeds / cat tails off the prop. It works pretty good.