Other Activities > Fishing

Search underway for three missing people after boat sinks near Mukilteo

<< < (2/7) > >>

Docspud:
That is crazy.  Seems like every year with shrimping though.  Clog the launches with a half mile of back-up and everyone in a giant rush.  Crap can be forgotten. 

Stein:
What I can't figure out is how he was more than 100 yards from another boat.  I don't shrimp there but with Brown's Bay closed I would guess there were plenty of people around to lend assistance.  Not only shrimping, but ling is open as well.

WDFW has done a decent job in at least scheduling shrimp days on mild tides.  In the past it was on a set day and the tides could be rowdy depending on the year.

We were talking in my boat about how yesterday may have been the best shrimp conditions we have ever seen.

ghosthunter:

--- Quote from: birdshooter1189 on May 22, 2025, 09:24:57 AM ---Sad story.  I don't spend much time in big (16'+) boats or on salt water, but I take my little 10' aluminum boat and canoes out fishing quite a bit.  For most of my life I would have a life jacket in the boat, but not wear it. It interferred with me casting and felt cumbersome.

Then I had kids and started taking them with me. Myself and every kid WILL have a life jacket on before they get in the boat.  Now I have a fairly comfortable life jacket and it's become second nature to wear it. I'm a very cautious boater, but if my boat ever sinks....I and my kids won't have to worry about keeping our heads above water. We can focus on saving some of the fishing gear.

I know many people go boating without life jackets and come home fine.....but nearly every drowning story has the same factor in common--person wasn't wearing PFD.

--- End quote ---


My wife and I started out in a 16 ft aluminum boat. We had Pfds but seldom wore them. Then we we went to fishing kayaks and she wears a self inflator and I have a regular vest pfd. Then we went to pontoon single person and wear the pfds without fail. We don’t do salt but spend 60-90 days a year fishing small lakes. At 69 and 74 just not worth the risk.

metlhead:
I put my 21' Sea Fury down off WP about a decade ago. Broken water line overwhelmed the bilge pumps which eventually died when the elec system failed. Foundered for 15 minutes. Plenty of time to gear up. Once water came over the transom, it went under in seconds.

birdshooter1189:

--- Quote from: metlhead on May 22, 2025, 11:58:27 AM ---I put my 21' Sea Fury down off WP about a decade ago. Broken water line overwhelmed the bilge pumps which eventually died when the elec system failed. Foundered for 15 minutes. Plenty of time to gear up. Once water came over the transom, it went under in seconds.

--- End quote ---

I'm glad you lived to tell about it. 

I know that in many situations, people will have time to recognize the situation and gear up.  But there was a guy recently who drowned off a kayak in puget sound. He called and self reported. Coast guard sent a helicopter....they found his kayak and PFD, but no sign of him.  He was a guy who had it with him, but wasn't wearing it. And also on a kayak that is probably self-buoyant and can't sink. (Effectively making it like a floating life preserver also.)

I suspect the motion of tipping over pushed the kayak away from him. The wind was probably blowing and blew it out of his reach before he had time to grab it and then continued to blow it away faster than he could swim.  In probably less that 1 second, a guy who probably felt confident in his swimming ability, was on a buoyant craft, and had a life jacket on board....became a helpless victim.

I don't feel like I need to tell others what to do.  I used to feel comfortable having my PFD onboard and within reach.  I am now strict about wearing mine at all times when in a small water craft.  If another adult in my boat doesn't want to wear theirs....that's fine, it's their choice. But me and my kids will be wearing ours.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page