"Frogwatch" wrote in message
...
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.

Next, finding yourself in such a situation, what to do? Should you
simply let anchor #1 go knowing you have #2? Obviously start the
motor before trying to haul in the anchor. I assume strong wind here
was also a major factor in how the boat behaved (data buoy here said
sustained 36 kt with gusts to 42).
Is the boat better off under power in those conditions or with a
drogue deployed from bow? I assume under power.

Probably too many went to the same corner of the boat to pull anchor.
Acquaintance in a 13 BW was pulling a crab pot when the 3rd person, large
guy walked to the back to help. Boat flipped. They were lucky as all
climbed on the bottom, but the portable VHF went to the bottom of the sea.
Lucky in the fact that a commercial crabber saw them just at dusk and saved
their butts. They should have started back as soon as the wind picked up.
Some of us survive ignorance, others don't. Years ago, I was off Pillar
Point in a 14' boat. Salmon fishing. Looked up and realized that there was
only 2 of us out there. At about 10:30 am in the summer, the wind always
comes up and white caps appear. I had about 5 miles to go to shelter, and
my asshole was puckered the whole trip. Too small a boat for the conditions
I was in. Ignorance of the local conditions. Great Guardian Angel!