Another sad reminder of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning…

[anmut]

Not sure what kind of boat this poor girl was on, but it ended in the worst possible way.

Merril Water Rescue Underway

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office says carbon monoxide toxicity was a contributing factor in the death of an 11-year-old girl on Lake Alexander near Merrill Sunday afternoon.

www.wsaw.com

 

[wajetter]

Yeah, such a weird phenomenon. When my daughter sleeps in the back seat (not the swim platform seat!) during a long no-wake stretch, it freaks me out a little bit - what if she is passed out from CO?

 

[anmut]

Yeah, such a weird phenomenon. When my daughter sleeps in the back during a long no wake stretch, it freaks me out a little bit - what if she is passed out from CO?

As long as she’s in the tub I think you’re fine. The rear seats are the danger zone. Or on a vdrive, the rear sun pad.

It’d would be really cool if someone could figure out a fresh air exhaust for our boats.

 

[wajetter]

As long as she’s in the tub I think you’re fine. The rear seats are the danger zone. Or on a vdrive, the rear sun pad.

It’d would be really cool if someone could figure out a fresh air exhaust for our boats.

You’d think that a fully open deck on a moving boat would take care of dissipating CO out of the exhaust. But, in my previous stern drive boat, I watched steam get trapped in a vortex and linger around, while the boat was moving in no wake area. That steam is also CO. I can definitely see how a CO poisoning can happen if someone’s head was tilted back over the transom. In my Yamaha, the seats are quite far from exhaust.

 

[anmut]

You’d think that a fully open deck on a moving boat would take care of dissipating CO out of the exhaust. But, in my previous stern drive boat, I watched steam get trapped in a vortex and linger around, while the boat was moving in no wake area. That steam is also CO. I can definitely see how a CO poisoning can happen if someone’s head was tilted back over the transom. In my Yamaha, the seats are quite far from exhaust.

I wonder if running the blower at low speed helps at all? On my boat that exhaust is come out from under the transom backrests.

 

[wajetter]

I wonder if running the blower at low speed helps at all? On my boat that exhaust is come out from under the transom backrests.

blower takes out gasoline fumes out of engine compartment, but CO is a product of combustion. So, I don’t see how blower helps here

 

[anmut]

blower takes out gasoline fumes out of engine compartment, but CO is a product of combustion. So, I don’t see how blower helps here

I was more thinking that the physical aspect of pushing air, even from the engine compartment, out the lower portion of the swim deck area might help further disrupt the rolling of the CO on the back and make it disburse more.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

There several folks in other threads that have installed CO detectors on their boats so there’s that.

Then there’s this, had the 11 year old had on the FEDERALLY required PFD she probably wouldn’t be dead or at least dead from drowning.

Life Jackets | Boating in Wisconsin | Wisconsin DNR

dnr.wisconsin.gov

Keeping in mind that CO is LIGHTER there is this.

Is Carbon Monoxide Heavier Than Air? Myths and Facts

Is carbon monoxide heavier than air? Discover the facts, debunk myths, and learn the best CO detector placement for home safety. Stay protected!

www.hseblog.com

As per usual with “news” stories there is a spectacular lack of detail, what make and model of boat was it? Where were the people sitting? Were they in motion? Etc etc.. I think we can safely assume it was not an outboard powered boat, so this makes me think it was either an I/O or an inboard boat, and there was an exhaust leak and these people were exposed as the CO was rising.

So it’s very clear, so once again, had the child been wearing a Federally required pfd she would not have drowned and would probably still be alive. Thats the tragedy!

Just like we never heard the outcome of the college girl who drowned while on the rented Yamaha boat and the hit piece the news was doing on any Yamaha powered boat. At that time the only item mentioned in the “news” was that CO was a “contributing” factor…and none of the other toxicology was reported, my assertion then and now is that alcohol or drugs were also a “contributing” factor. Their attorney stated at the time that “an owners manual was not the answer” even though there were warning stickers everywhere and the manual warned of not breathing exhaust.

 

[anmut]

I agree with the lack of details in these stories.

I disagree with the lifejacket being the ultimate protection, as poisoning can occur all day while wearing a PFD, but the child can fall in the water anytime and drown. PFD's are only required when the boat is underway. My daughter takes hers off as soon as the boat stops - doesn't mean she can't be sick and drown.

The was a case a couple of years ago where a young boy fell off the dock after being on the rear part of a v-drive all day and drown. Overall, there just needs to be more awareness of the danger.

I know we are constantly telling new guests on our boat that they can't sit on the rear facing transom seats while underway and the reason why. Most of them look at us like we're nuts and can't believe that danger even exists.

Just like another tragedy that took place a few years ago on Lake DuBay, just north of us by 20 miles. A woman fell off the back of a jetski while it was at speed. The driver dragged her to shore and, when the police arrived, detained him on suspicion of rape! Turns out she took the full force of the jets to her internals. She died on the shore... those stickers on our boats are no joke.

And even with that story being in the news, I still see ignorant drivers bombing around on their jetski's with their children on the back, with only luck and God keeping them from a really bad day.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I agree with the lack of details in these stories.

I disagree with the lifejacket being the ultimate protection, as poisoning can occur all day while wearing a PFD, but the child can fall in the water anytime and drown. PFD's are only required when the boat is underway. My daughter takes hers off as soon as the boat stops - doesn't mean she can't be sick and drown.

The was a case a couple of years ago where a young boy fell off the dock after being on the rear part of a v-drive all day and drown. Overall, there just needs to be more awareness of the danger.

I know we are constantly telling new guests on our boat that they can't sit on the rear facing transom seats while underway and the reason why. Most of them look at us like we're nuts and can't believe that danger even exists.

Just like another tragedy that took place a few years ago on Lake DuBay, just north of us by 20 miles. A woman fell off the back of a jetski while it was at speed. The driver dragged her to shore and, when the police arrived, detained him on suspicion of rape! Turns out she took the full force of the jets to her internals. She died on the shore... those stickers on our boats are no joke.

And even with that story being in the news, I still see ignorant drivers bombing around on their jetski's with their children on the back, with only luck and God keeping them from a really bad day.

If the little girl had a pfd on she wouldn’t have sank to the bottom and they could have grabbed her, and probably resuscitated her, and the fact that the parents were breaking a federal boating requirement by not having a pfd on her when they were underway, that requirement is there for a reason, like this one.

Now that I think about it, the lake poygan boat sinking, the people were grabbing on to ice chests to stay afloat because there were no pfd’s in the boat!!!!!!

Do I wear my pfd all day? Nope. But anytime I’m cruising around I do, and I have my kill switch lanyard on. Over 80% of the drownings could be prevented by wearing a pfd, that is a USCG stat.

 

[anmut]

If the little girl had a pfd on she wouldn’t have sank to the bottom and they could have grabbed her, and probably resuscitated her, and the fact that the parents were breaking a federal boating requirement by not having a pfd on her when they were underway, that requirement is there for a reason, like this one.

Now that I think about it, the lake poygan boat sinking, the people were grabbing on to ice chests to stay afloat because there were no pfd’s in the boat!!!!!!

Do I wear my pfd all day? Nope. But anytime I’m cruising around I do, and I have my kill switch lanyard on. Over 80% of the drownings could be prevented by wearing a pfd, that is a USCG stat.

But if the boat's not underway, no PFD's required. That doesn't mean you still can't pass out from CO and drown. That's my point.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

But if the boat's not underway, no PFD's required. That doesn't mean you still can't pass out from CO and drown. That's my point

Well one thing is for sure, she wasn’t wearing one, she fainted from CO poisoning because the engine was running, fell in and sank to the bottom where she couldn’t be found and she’s dead.

The motor was on or there wouldn't have been any CO. And according to what the sheriffs office said sure makes it sound like they were underway.