I continue to feel that boats in most areas except remote inland lakes
should carry a VHF.

Here's a story of a collision that could have been *easily* prevented
if the boaters had a VHF. Or flares. The fact that the battery was dead
on the boat makes a good case for a hand-held VHF on the smallest boats
and a hand-held backup for larger craft.

The tug and barge may have been technically wrong, but the other
boaters could have been "dead right" without a couple of lucky breaks.


Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District




Press Release Date: Sept. 7, 2005
Contact: LCDR Rick Rodriguez

(206) 217-6065


COAST GUARD TO INVESTIGATE COLLISION NEAR POINT DEFIANCE, WASH.

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard is investigating a suspected collision
between a tugboat and a recreational vessel that occurred near Point
Defiance, Wash., Tuesday night around 8:45 p.m.

A 22-foot recreational vessel contacted Coast Guard Sector Seattle via
cell phone reporting they were adrift with a dead battery. While a man
onboard the vessel was on the phone with a commercial tug company
arranging to be towed, he noticed a tug pushing a barge bearing down on
them.
One of the three people onboard the vessel tried to get the attention
of the tug with a small flashlight but those attempts failed.

The tug Island Storm then allegedly collided with the recreational
boat, forcing the three people onboard to jump off into the water.
The Coast Guard diverted an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard
Group/Air Station Astoria, Ore., to assist in recovering the three
people. Tacoma Police and Fire Department also responded.

The Island Storm picked up all three people safely and transferred them
to the commercial tugboat the recreational boaters had contacted
earlier.
The father, son and daughter-in-law were then transferred from the
commercial tugboat to a Tacoma Police and Fire boat for examination.

The winds at the time of the collision were 5-10 knots and visibility
was reported as 10 miles.

The Coast Guard recommends vessel operators they should have a global
positioning system and a VHF marine band radio. A VHF marine band
radio is essential for contacting the Coast Guard during an emergency.

Also when a boater broadcasts a call for help on channel 16, they are
heard by everyone around them that is also monitoring the radio.
Compare this to a cell phone which only enables you to contact one
person and cannot currently be tracked.

Additional boating information can be found at
http://www.uscgboating.org/index.

For information regarding this case please contact Lt. Cmdr. Rick
Rodriguez, Sector Seattle's Public Affairs Officer, at (206) 217-6065.




###

The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service
within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and
security of America.