Search underway for three missing people after boat sinks near Mukilteo

[BD1]

That area doesn't always look like that. I have spent a lot of time in the area. On the water so many things can go wrong and compound very quickly. I would bet that they didn't have lifejackets on. In my opinion that is what went wrong. I have lost two people due to drowning...if they wore a lifejacket I could call them tonight. We all make choices. Nobody gets on my boat without a pfd period. I don't want to live with watching someone I care about die. Water is unforgiving. Prayers to those left behind.

[Alchase]

Just speculation, could his shrimping gear got hung up, and the winch pulled them down enough to take on water?
With a surviver they should have some idea of what happened?

[addicted1]

Sad news, don’t under estimate how quickly things can change on water. Even on small lakes and ponds, it doesn’t take much to for the water to swallow.

[jackelope]

I really feel like people get too macho and feel like they don’t need a PFD. Those folks probably never been in actually cold water, nevermind having all the clothing on, boots etc. It’s a different ball game.
I wore a PFD 100% of the time on my canoe trip last year. A week, paddling 35+ miles, probably threw 1000 casts in that time. Zero issues. Get a good quality PFD and it’s a non issue to fish in it. The inflatables are probably better than nothing but aren’t approved PFD’s.

[Stein]

Just speculation, could his shrimping gear got hung up, and the winch pulled them down enough to take on water?
With a surviver they should have some idea of what happened?

Possible but not likely.  I have a monster puller and an 18' boat and when I've hung up I have not came close to pulling the corner under.  A boat without issues has an enormous amount of flotation.  Maybe in a 12' dingy, but certainly not in a boat anywhere near that size.

[Tbar]

I really feel like people get too macho and feel like they don’t need a PFD. Those folks probably never been in actually cold water, nevermind having all the clothing on, boots etc. It’s a different ball game.
I wore a PFD 100% of the time on my canoe trip last year. A week, paddling 35+ miles, probably threw 1000 casts in that time. Zero issues. Get a good quality PFD and it’s a non issue to fish in it. The inflatables are probably better than nothing but aren’t approved PFD’s.

I get a USCG  inspection every 2 years and inflatables are absolutely approved.  They have do be worn to qualify is the only caveat.

[jackelope]

I really feel like people get too macho and feel like they don’t need a PFD. Those folks probably never been in actually cold water, nevermind having all the clothing on, boots etc. It’s a different ball game.
I wore a PFD 100% of the time on my canoe trip last year. A week, paddling 35+ miles, probably threw 1000 casts in that time. Zero issues. Get a good quality PFD and it’s a non issue to fish in it. The inflatables are probably better than nothing but aren’t approved PFD’s.

I get a USCG  inspection every 2 years and inflatables are absolutely approved.  They have do be worn to qualify is the only caveat.

It’s a tie.

Inflatable PFDs, while comfortable and lightweight, are not generally US Coast Guard approved for all activities and age groups. Specifically, they are not approved for children under 16 years of age, or for high-impact activities like water skiing or operating a personal watercraft (PWC). Additionally, inflatable PFDs require the user to pay careful attention to their condition, as they must be fully inflated and in good working order to meet the Coast Guard's carriage requirements.

[EnglishSetter]

I really feel like people get too macho and feel like they don’t need a PFD. Those folks probably never been in actually cold water, nevermind having all the clothing on, boots etc. It’s a different ball game.
I wore a PFD 100% of the time on my canoe trip last year. A week, paddling 35+ miles, probably threw 1000 casts in that time. Zero issues. Get a good quality PFD and it’s a non issue to fish in it. The inflatables are probably better than nothing but aren’t approved PFD’s.

Inflatables are approved, providing you're wearing it while on deck.

There are some age, weight, activity requirements.  One would be rather silly to wear while say water skiing, tubing, etc.  They are one-and-done until a new inflator is installed.

[Stein]

The inflatables I wear are certainly Coast Guard approved.

I was on the bar today since it was the Bubble opener and I wanted to avoid the crowds.  There was light pressure but I wasn't more than 50 yards from another boat all day.  It's a busy place anytime anything is open there.

[hookr88]

Just speculation, could his shrimping gear got hung up, and the winch pulled them down enough to take on water?
With a surviver they should have some idea of what happened?

Possible but not likely.  I have a monster puller and an 18' boat and when I've hung up I have not came close to pulling the corner under.  A boat without issues has an enormous amount of flotation.  Maybe in a 12' dingy, but certainly not in a boat anywhere near that size.

I don’t know about that. I was driving a 29’ Seasport yesterday and we were trying to recover a drifting pot when a breaker popped. It didn’t even dawn on me at first the pot was hung up, hard. I was trying to maintain on station in a fast current, when the boat got perpendicular to it and within seconds the boat began to list hard.  I was getting ready to run into the cabin to get on the mains because I didn’t think the kicker was going to have enough power to turn us and run upstream to get slack in the rope. As it was it put an about a 6” bend in the puller. Of course our PFD’s were in the cabin next to the door. It was a tense couple of minutes

[Stein]

Yeah, I can see that.  I was thinking more of the puller having the power to winch a boat underwater.  If there is current and you are hung up it would be the same if you had a puller or not, you're anchored to a point in the boat you don't want to attach an anchor to.

[Feathernfurr]

Around 85% of boating deaths that occurred in Washington last year could’ve been avoided if the users had been wearing life jackets. It’s not the cool or fun option but wearing it from the time you leave the dock until you return greatly improved your odds of surviving any sort of boating accident.

In recent years I’ve gone as far as reminding others hunters and fisherman to wear their PFD. The amount of guys I see leaving at 4am in January to duck hunt on hazardous water without a PFD on is shocking. Same for late season fisheries on fast moving rivers.

[Buckhunter24]

I never used to wear one. When I had kids I started, got the Cabelas zip up vests and they don't get in the way at all. It's not only safer for you, but if you're a strong swimmer and wearing a vest, you're going to be able to help others in the water a lot easier as well.

[fishngamereaper]

Something still doesn't pass the sniff test with this incident...