The guy without the pfd probably used up too much body heat trying to
stay afloat.
Even with a full fledged response within 4 minutes of the report, our
cold PACNW waters claimed another life. Always a sad and tragic event.
Wonder if he said, "I'm willing to bet my life I won't need a pfd
today!"?


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


Press Release Date: Jan 28, 2006
Contact: PA3 Jeff Pollinger
(206) 819-9157

MAN DIES AFTER SAILBOAT IS KNOCKED DOWN BY WIND GUST NEAR VASHON ISLAND

SEATTLE - A man died Saturday after he was ejected from a recreational
sailing vessel near Vashon Island after a wind gust pushed the boat on
its side about 12:20 p.m.

At 12:24 p.m., the Coast Guard was notified by the King County
Emergency Dispatch Center that three men and a woman were in the water
after being thrown from their sailboat. Two of the men and the woman
were able to climb back on board the vessel.

Coast Guard Station Seattle immediately diverted a 25-foot response
boat to search for the missing man at 12:25 p.m.

An HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles
was also launched to assist with the search and rescue operation.

Additionally, the Tacoma Fire Department's rescue vessel provided
assistance.

At 12:52 p.m., a Vashon Fire Department boat transported one of the men
in the sailboat to an awaiting ambulance on shore. The man survived.

The third man was located in the water by the Coast Guard helicopter,
and a Des Moines Fire Department rescue boat was directed to the same
location. The man was recovered from the water and then transferred to
the Coast Guard helicopter waiting on the beach, which transported him
to the Harborview Hospital in Seattle.

The third man, who was not wearing a life jacket, was pronounced dead
at 3:02 p.m.



###

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.

my understanding is that a PFD will hold your head above
water....that's where most heat is lost....it may buy you
an extra few hours....or so....

~^ beancounter ~^ wrote:
my understanding is that a PFD will hold your head above
water....that's where most heat is lost....it may buy you
an extra few hours....or so....


Not guaranteed to. For that you need a real 'live vest'.

~^ beancounter ~^ wrote:
my understanding is that a PFD will hold your head above
water....that's where most heat is lost....it may buy you
an extra few hours....or so....

A lot of body heat is lost when one flails arms and legs around trying
to tread water.
A PFD allows a MOB to stay afloat while curled up, knees against the
chest, to minimize the body's exposure to the cold water.

Up here, there is no such thing for most people as a few hours. Some
are unconcious in a matter of minutes, others take 30- minutes to an
hour before the body core cools to the point where vital organs such as
the brain, heart, and lungs shut down.

oh yea....in very cold water...it is a matter of mns and seconds...
you have to expierence the cold water to understand/believe it...

throw some fatigue and booze in to make death real quick...

wrote in message
ups.com...
The guy without the pfd probably used up too much body heat trying to
stay afloat.
Even with a full fledged response within 4 minutes of the report, our
cold PACNW waters claimed another life. Always a sad and tragic event.
Wonder if he said, "I'm willing to bet my life I won't need a pfd
today!"?

When sailing cold or rough waters and I'm the only one who can make a quick
COB recovery, I wear a tether. I always wear a pfd when there's any doubt
about someone recovering me. I will leave the pfd in the cockpit when
sailing warm weather, warm calm water and I've got good crew on board.

The USCG tells us over and over how many lives can be saved if pfd's were
worn and alcohol were saved for the end of the day. My fear of drowning
motivates me to wear safety gear; what motivates people to not wear safety
gear?

Cold water and bravado or machismo or fashion concerns don't mix.

A lowly pwc'er and kayaker, I always wear a full dry suit (and other
thick neoprene gear for head, feet, hands) and neoprene pfd when the
water is cold - and the only few times in my long jetskiing career when
I have fallen (been thrown) into the water, seem to have all been in
the off-season (in months like November-Dec. or Mar.-April) when the
water was good and cold, and in a dry suit and several layers of warm
clothes, was always able to easily swim back to my 'ski with no
problem. For all that we jetskiiers are supposed to be I guess the
dumbest of boaters, we're the only ones who ALWAYS have our pfd's on,
and are pretty much always geared up to maximize our chances against
hypothermia in conditions where it is likely to be an issue.

richforman