"nameless" wrote in message
...
Frogwatch wrote:
On Mar 3, 12:00 pm, HK wrote:
Frogwatch wrote:

This accident with the NFL players off Clearwater where the boat
overturned is tragic. What went wrong? The weather forecast was poor
when they left shore, so what were they thinking? Was it simply a
matter of being too macho to exercise common sense?
Next, once a boat turns upside down, is there any way to right them?
Once righted, would a motor start (assume a 2 cycle).
I'd like to know how the boat was anchored, was it from the stern,
classical mistake resulting in this.
Going offshore with no EPIRB used to be acceptable but today?

- - -

What went wrong?

From the reports I heard yesterday, the guys went 50 miles offshore in
a 21' boat and were flipped by 14' to 16' waves.

What were they thinking? That they were invulernable.

They either were too macho or unaware of how quickly weather can change
on the Gulf or both *or* they were so ignorant of the dangers of small
boating, they thought their craft could handle anything they
encountered.

I doubt there is a way for guys in the water to flip right-side-up a
boat like that. Might be able to turn back over an open boat, though.

Would the motor start? Doubtful.

I'm not sure the way the boat was anchored was relevant, since it
apparently was rolled over. Had it been anchored from the bow, it
probably would have been swamped and then it would have flipped.

Back in my Jax days, I would go out 20 miles to some manmade reefs, but
only after checking the weather and listening to the weather channel and
only with a pack of other boats. 18-footer. No ePIRB back then.

Waves that size in the Gulf are unusual although with the 33 kt wind
from the NW there is a lot of room for them to build.
My question about anchoring is because I have read several accounts of
boats anchored by the stern, a wave comes over the cut-away transom
and thats the end.

I have been out in 35+ winds in the Gulf, around 8 miles off shore, while
the waves looked 12', I think they were probably closer to 6'.

I can't imagine 14'-16' in the gulf. Who projected the wave height?

I have been out in the Gulf of Mexico. Google West Cameron 587 location,
and that is as far as I was out there. Or Eugene Island 312. We were
trying to get to a platform in a large crewboat during a hurricane when the
captain had the brainstorm that once we got there, there would be no way to
unload us. So, we went back to Freeport, TX, and spent three days in a
flooded motel.

I spent six years in the Gulf of Mexico. You can believe whatever you like.
I believe what I saw. Those men were simply inexperienced seamen who set
out on a small craft and ran into bad weather. It's quite simple. There
were several mistakes that any seasoned seaman would not have made. First
is going out. Second, not taking an EPIRB. They probably add on after
that, compounding one another.

I've spent time on large boats where there were straps to tie one's self
into your bunk so you didn't roll out. Dangerous stuff in a big boat.
Sometimes even deadly on one of those. Smaller craft are worse.

My sympathies to the families. It is sad to lose someone to poor judgement.

Steve