Safety Warning for new season

[SkiDeep2001]

Just a reminder for the seasoned boater ,and a heads up to those new to boating.Things can go wrong very quickly out on the water. Be Smart/Be Prepared. Sorry to bring this sort of thing up but I think it's important. Have a fun and safe sailing season

6/5/2009 BELLINGHAM — The search has been suspended for two boaters who went missing when a small sailboat overturned in Chuckanut Bay south of Bellingham, throwing six people into the water.

Four women made it to shore, although the Coast Guard had to rescue one who got stuck on a cliff. They were not seriously hurt.

Coast Guard Lt. Jennifer Runion in Seattle identifies the missing men as Sean Mansfield of Maple Falls and Gunther Frank of Bellingham.

The 18-foot boat overturned about 2 a.m. Friday when it got caught in strong winds as it was returning to Bellingham from Chuckanut Island. The Coast Guard says none of the boaters was wearing a life jacket.

The Coast Guard suspended its search Friday afternoon.

[Kelly Hanson East]

sailing at 2am at NIGHT without PFDs...

Russian roulette with 4 rounds of ammo in the cylinder

[bubba]

I read about this accident yesterday. We have sailed in the same waters and the wind can get the waves really big with the tide going the oppsoit direction. But 2:00 AM in the morning in a crowed boat, that is really stupid even with PFD's on.

[tangentair]

The safety issue - PDFs in any condition except anchored or tied to a dock - I am in complete agreement - but did the boat didn't sink and how did the dog die in the boat? This just sounds a litlle odd......

The six people left Bellingham on Frank's sailboat Thursday night and sailed south to Chuckanut Island, said Whatcom County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Jilk. Jilk said the group left the island shortly after midnight and began sailing north when strong winds flipped the boat. They clung to the boat as it started to drift north along the west side of Clark's Point, and the three women and one man then decided to swim for shore, Jilk said. Mansfield and Frank remained with the boat, which was found Friday morning washed up south of Post Point. A dog was found dead in the boat. One of the women who swam to shore walked up to a house on the 400 block of Arbutus Place and asked the residents for assistance, said Mark Young, public information officer for the Bellingham Police Department.

Bellingham police officers responded at about 1:40 a.m. While officers were getting the information, another woman and the man walked up the street, Young said. The third woman made it to shore but became stranded on a cliff, said Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Tara Molle. The stranded woman was rescued just after 4 a.m. by a small boat launched by the Coast Guard Cutter Terrapin. She was then taken to St. Joseph Hospital but was not critically injured, DeSanno said.

No one on board was wearing a life jacket, Molle said.

[Russ]

Very strange and sad story. 18 foot boat, 6 people and a dog no PFDs at 2am in open waters. What is wrong with this picture? I wonder if alcohol was involved in some way? At least in some decision making.

A good reminder that along with pleasure, boating can be dangerous and education and prudence is required.

[Kelly Hanson East]

Despite the outcome here, it is worth noting that almost always, the best rule is to stay with the boat, rather than trying to swim for shore. It is so easy to underestimate distances and fatigue levels, not to mention currents tides, winds, etc.

But WEARING PFDs at all times would have turned this one into a great boating tale instead of a tragedy...

[madguy]

Its not all about checking your equipment...............

A few years ago in Greece i think, there was a large land fire and they had to use helicopters and airplanes that scoop up water from the sea to douse the flames.
While the firemen were walking throught the damage dousing down they came across a guy (corpse) wearing full scuba kit, Tank fins etc, Confused as to how he came to be there they decided that he must have been scooped up in the airplane when it was getting water to drop on the fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you imagine what was going through his head in those last few mins??????????????????????????????????????open to suggestions........

[Rick Westlake]

Pardon me for debunking this one ...

The scoop on the biggest firefighting amphibians isn't big enough to pick up a scuba TANK, much less a scuba diver. Maybe 6" deep by 12" - 18" wide. And they skim the surface to fill up the water tanks.

Yes, it would kill you if it hit you. But scoop up a scuba diver? Urban legendry!

You would be surprised how many times and places "(this) has happened".

Its not all about checking your equipment...............

A few years ago in Greece i think, there was a large land fire and they had to use helicopters and airplanes that scoop up water from the sea to douse the flames.
While the firemen were walking throught the damage dousing down they came across a guy (corpse) wearing full scuba kit, Tank fins etc, Confused as to how he came to be there they decided that he must have been scooped up in the airplane when it was getting water to drop on the fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you imagine what was going through his head in those last few mins??????????????????????????????????????open to suggestions........

[madguy]

Re: Safety Warning for new season
by Rick Westlake » Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:52 pm

Pardon me for debunking this one ...

The scoop on the biggest firefighting amphibians isn't big enough to pick up a scuba TANK, much less a scuba diver. Maybe 6" deep by 12" - 18" wide. And they skim the surface to fill up the water tanks.

Yes, it would kill you if it hit you. But scoop up a scuba diver? Urban legendry!

You would be surprised how many times and places "(this) has happened".



Still funny though

[SkiDeep2001]

Mythbusters did an episode on the scuba diver suck up? legend.

A SCUBA diver can be sucked up by a firefighting helicopter and dumped on a forest fire.

busted

The type of pumps used in firefighting helicopters cannot continue running once in the air. As soon as the pump is shut off, any caught diver would simply drop back into the water. The pumps also do not have enough suction to suck in a person in the first place. The day before the Bellingham incident, 2 guys were out at night in Lk Washington near Kirkland and the wind came up, the motor died and one of those guys didn't make it back. Again, at night,weather and probably alcohol and no PFD. The boat driver had to grab a cushion, he survived. Sad incidents but totally avoidable. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... oater.html

[Hamin' X]

The original story was based upon this type of water bucket that scoops water, not sucks it up using pumps.

Myth Busters did not address this scenario.

~Rich

[madguy]

Mythbusters did an episode on the scuba diver suck up? legend.

A SCUBA diver can be sucked up by a firefighting helicopter and dumped on a forest fire.

busted

The type of pumps used in firefighting helicopters cannot continue running once in the air. As soon as the pump is shut off, any caught diver would simply drop back into the water. The pumps also do not have enough suction to suck in a person in the first place. The day before the Bellingham incident, 2 guys were out at night in Lk Washington near Kirkland and the wind came up, the motor died and one of those guys didn't make it back. Again, at night,weather and probably alcohol and no PFD. The boat driver had to grab a cushion, he survived. Sad incidents but totally avoidable. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... oater.html

But wouldnt that mean the water would just drop back into the ocean as well????

[tangentair]

... The day before the Bellingham incident, 2 guys were out at night in Lk Washington near Kirkland and the wind came up, the motor died and one of those guys didn't make it back.

Thinning the herd? Social Darwinism? What is going on out there? How come some bleeding heart liberal like me hasn't passed a law to prevent these people from killing themselves. There needs to be a warning buzzer on all Washington State registered boats that won't go out until the seat belt - I mean PFD - is buckled. And maybe for those just learning to boat, a little flag on the back like this one .