boating accident

[dano929]

I posted this link to an article that was in todays Boston Globe. My kindest prayers go out to them, their families and all of their loved ones.
God Bless
Dan
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/06/08/teen_drowns_after_boat_capsizes_off_north_shore/

[capt jake]

How sad and how young! :( :(

Truely a sad day. :(

Peace

[Ian McColgin]

It is very sad and I pray the family can come to terms with it.

Risk activities involve just that, real risk. When my brother was killed - he was in the Army but it was a mountaineering accident - my whole family roped up to scale a rock face on our property from which we could scatter his ashes.

Similarly, the family of a friend who had died sailing came out on Grana as we sailed over to Horseshoe Shoal to scatter his ashes.

The sea is not a benign friend but she is our mother.

[BrianY]

I was following the story of this tragic accident and I picked up yesterday's Boston Globe to read about it. Truly a sad story and a reminder of the dangers inherent to boating.

In a weird case of "it's a small world after all" I recognized the boat in the picture. I'd bet a fair amount of cash that it's a Harry Bryan "Daisy" 12'6" skiff that was the subject of a how-to building series in WoodenBoat magazine numbers 126 and 127. I've been considering building this design and have spent a lot of time looking at the plans. The paint scheme is the same as the one pictured in the WB article (navy blue hull, bright finished interior). I wonder if it's the same boat?

I'm not trying to impugn the design or designer. From what I read, the sea and weather conditions were too much for ANY small open boat regardless of the design/designer. I just thought it was strange to see that the boat I was considering builidng was the boat these unfortunate kids were sailing. Makes you think.......

[adampet]

This is a tough time of year. The air is warm but the water temperature is cold enough to cause hypothermia in just a few minutes. :(

We had a local death yesterday. A boat overloaded with traps on a relatively calm day. They started taking on water, had bilge pump failure and radioed a MAYDAY. The Coast Guard was there in 15-18 minutes but the cold water was too much for an older man.
Rest of the story. (http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/nharwich9.htm)

[DanO]

This is a horrible trajedy. After hearing of this, I couldn't help but remember the first (and last) time I saw Misery Island. Wind was about 30 mph, seas about 6 feet and the engine quits on my 27' Catalina. Mainsail jams in the track and I can't move it for the life of me. My buddy's now seasick and Misery Island (appropriately named) with all its rocky ledges is my dreaded "lee shore." Call it overconfidence, inexperience or whatever, but I let many opportunities go to avoid the escalating problems we were running into. Should have had the anchor ready to go w/ rode flaked out (it was buried way under the cockpit sole and I couldn't get to it). Should have made sure the main track was free, engine carb cleared of winter sludge, VHF working properly,etc, etc. At one point, I slipped on the foredeck trying to retrieve the flapping mainsail and almost went over the life lines. My buddy was lying in the cockpit sick and virtually helpless. Things never had to get that bad. Luckily for us, a nearby commercial fisherman was able to get to us and tow us to nearby Marblehead Harbor, where the Harbormaster (great guy) took us under wing for the night. After a few hours, bandages and beers, we realized how close we were to being the morning news. That was about 10 years ago. Very humbling experience, but my lesson was learned.

Hearing the news of these unfortunate kids is another reminder to us all of the hazards out there. Keep them and their families in your prayers.

Dan

[fair&fair]

This hit me pretty hard. I was out fishing all afternoon on Sunday. It was a miserable day, and aside from the offshore race out of Marblehead, there really weren't anybody out. After finally finding some big enough stripers for dinner, I decided to head back to Manchester. Just as I was passing West Beach and right before I got to Misery Island, I saw this little blue boat sailing along...actually from a distance it looked like a mini-twelve because the rig is so small. Out of curiosity I drove right up to the boat to see the two kids sailing along. As it turns out, they must have just left, which was pretty stupid given the inclement weather. In any case, I think I must have seen them a 1/2 hour or so before they got into some kind of trouble. I know the paper said the seas were 4-8 feet, but that really was not the case, especially in Salem sound between Misery and the nearby Beverly shore. It was windy, but dying down in the afternoon, with some puffs here and there. Anyways, I feel awful that I saw them before anything happened.

[ 06-09-2004, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: fair&fair ]

[WindHawk]

I've been tempted to try Lake Superior in my small yawl, but knew that the 52 degree water (in August) demands that a wet-suit be part of the equation. Thing is, I've never seen anyone use a wet-suit while sailing 12-14 footers on her. Does anyone do it? I've known of expert swimmers who drowned on Lake St. Clair, which is an easy 14 degrees warmer, and a lot shallower. So, a life vest is required as well. I know comfort is an issue, but that water is cold.

Lake Superior, from the beach in August will simply take your breath away with a plunge into it. It HURTS, make no mistake on that. Is there any other possible method?

[Jack Heinlen]

How small a yawl, Windhawk? While a wet suit makes some sense in cold water with a sit-on-top-boat, like a Sunfish or a Laser, I think you'd find it uncomfortable on a sit-in-boat. Some warm wooleys or poly garments and a decent set of foul weather gear makes more sense to me in the later. Granted, if you dump it and can't self-rescue you might curse my advice.

Sad story. We just had a little boy drown on the Sasanoa River down in Georgtown. He was fishing on a dock, his father was distracted for a few moments by a friend, and when he turned back the boy was gone. :(

As mentioned, it's that time of year. People's skills are rusty, the water's colder than the air...All it takes is one or a few mistakes in a row.

One thing about the original story. I've never been in the situation but I was taught to stay with the boat as long as it's afloat, rather than strike out for land that may be farther away than it seems. 'Course, if the water is quickly sapping your heat...

Be careful out there everyone.

[Ian McColgin]

They are very pricey but the goretex dry suits of various brands are the only passingly comfortable way to cope with moderatly warm weather and cold water. My 'yellow peril' costume seems to reflect light and is not too bad even in the exertion of kayaking.

[Wild Dingo]

sad story... poor fellas they tried to do it all the right way and still... sad

fair dont worry you did the right thing when you wandered over to have a gander at their small boat... some wouldnt have bothered you did.

was a young fella and his girlfriend {16 and 15} drowned here last year same sort of thing went sailing in their small boat around the estuary where they were usued to the waters and such... apparently they decided on a whim to go out through the Dawesville Cut into the open Indian Ocean... one of their mums called them on the mobile to ask them to come home for one reason or other and was talking to them when the line went dead... rescuers reckoned they were cought by a King wave and gone... body of the boy washed up a day later the girl never did while the boat was picked up stuck out at 5mile reef a couple of days later... always brings a tear when young ones go

heartfelt sympathies to the families and friends of the family of the lad that went to Odins rest. :(

[WindHawk]

She's a sit down boat, and very dry, but only 13 feet; so staying near shore is a good idea.