Death of a sportster

[ScarabMike]

Happened today at the Boynton Beach inlet.

http://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-palm-beach-county/boynton-beach/3-people-rescued-after-boat-capsizes-near-boynton-beach-inlet

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Stay safe out there! Know when to stay in the ICW when it's rough.... my guess is the boat took a wave over the bow and got tossed around like a top. Thank God people were around to immediately rescue them.

 

[ToddW850]

Wow! Hate seeing a boat like that, but good no one drowned.

 

[Helipilot11]

I tried going out in the Destin Bay yesterday but after five minutes we turned around. I rather my wife spend money shopping at the outlets then have to buy a new boat.

 

[ToddW850]

I tried going out in the Destin Bay yesterday but after five minutes we turned around. I rather my wife spend money shopping at the outlets then have to buy a new boat.

Yeah, this weather front moving through has the water awfully choppy. Next weekend looks much better. But it's Memorial Weekend and there will be a TON of boats out.

 

[aarons1k]

Wow ! Lucky there was a fellow boater near !

 

[Aces_Over_Kings]

Wow, I take my 15' Speedster out on Boston Harbor, and even when marine forecasts are waves 1', they are not 1'. I've taken waves over the bow before and had ankle-deep or higher water in the cockpit before. It's been dicey a couple times. I've learned that it's best to stay underway. If you stop after you take on water, it's bad news. The boat will get rocking and more waves will come over the front.

If you stay underway and manage the vessel against the waves, the scupper gets to work and drains the cockpit/passenger compartment. The first time I was in ankle deep water I had a moment of controlled panic because the bilge wasn't kicking on and pumping it out. It took this brainiac about 60 seconds to realize that the bilge pump was working fine, there just wasn't any water in the bilge, it was all topside. LOL. The scupper in the passenger area drains straight out by the jet pump.

I think in a similar situation, I would not open the locker and drain all that water into the bilge / engine compartment. That just seems BAD. Bilge floods, your engine fails, and then you're on the evening news.

That said, just from the screenshot and news footage, that water looked rough. Seems like self-bailing cockpit territory for stuff like that.

 

[GTBRMC]

That said, just from the screenshot and news footage, that water looked rough. Seems like self-bailing cockpit territory for stuff like that.

I would suggest... "You're gonna need a bigger boat!" to safely handle water conditions like that.

 

[Aces_Over_Kings]

I would suggest... "You're gonna need a bigger boat!" to safely handle water conditions like that.

Yeah, I know. I'd really like to upgrade, but I'm not sure a jetboat is the right upgrade for the water that's convenient to me. May end up in a dual con$ole outboard, self-bailing decks, unsinkable, blah blah, boring. I'd be happier if they made one that looked like the Scarab impulses. haha.

Until then, I'll be in the Speedster, that's almost as long as the sharks that get spotted around here... doh!