Don't try to catch a drifting boat.

[Wayloncle]

I don't know how often this happens but I've lived here for a year and I've heard about 3 people in this area trying to swim after their boats and were unsuccessful.

One guy lived to tell his story, he and his wife anchored near the beach and started walking, when he looked back the boat was getting farther and farther away. The anchor line wasn't secured to the boat. So he started swimming after it, when he finally realized he wasn't catching it he barely made it back to shore. They were on Shell Island so they were able to walk about 5 miles and find someone. (It wasn't during the busier season)

This last weekend a guy died trying to swim after his pontoon boat after it drifted away from shore, he was on Lake Powell near PCB.


Make sure your anchors are tied to the boat and always take a phone/PFD or something with you if you leave the boat!

 

[GTBRMC]

That's great advice. In any kind of wind, the boat's higher profile will almost always cause it to drift faster than a person in the same water. Often, it will drift faster than that person can swim.

Thanks for the reminder!

 

[latitudeadjuster]

damn....never thought of that but makes sense. I guess if the wind or current is strong enough to pull/push a boat with an anchor down there would be no way to catch it......thanks for info

 

[Wayloncle]

It reminds me of another group of people early this year "anchored" off shore a little ways to snorkel/dive. Everyone got in the water and in no time the boat drifted off. I'm not sure if they just didn't set the anchor or if, like the other one, the end of the line wasn't connected to the boat. Those people treaded water for 14 hours (if I remember correctly) before being found a few miles off shore. Luckily they were all in great shape and they all made it, 2 of those guys were stationed here at the AF base.

 

[Big Shasta]

I don't know how often this happens but I've lived here for a year and I've heard about 3 people in this area trying to swim after their boats and were unsuccessful.

One guy lived to tell his story, he and his wife anchored near the beach and started walking, when he looked back the boat was getting farther and farther away. The anchor line wasn't secured to the boat. So he started swimming after it, when he finally realized he wasn't catching it he barely made it back to shore. They were on Shell Island so they were able to walk about 5 miles and find someone. (It wasn't during the busier season)

This last weekend a guy died trying to swim after his pontoon boat after it drifted away from shore, he was on Lake Powell near PCB.


Make sure your anchors are tied to the boat and always take a phone/PFD or something with you if you leave the boat!

I agree...I can't wrap my head around the guy at lake powell dying....Things happen fast, be careful folks.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Something similar to be aware of.
If you ride p w c's alone on a rough or windy day.
In the event that you fall off or get thrown off the wind can easily carry the ski away faster than you can swim.
Happened to me once, not a good feeling even with a life jacket on!

 

[Nucem140]

excellent advise, often times emotion overtakes common sense and thats when bad things happen.

 

[Wayloncle]

Something similar to be aware of.
If you ride p w c's alone on a rough or windy day.
In the event that you fall off or get thrown off the wind can easily carry the ski away faster than you can swim.
Happened to me once, not a good feeling even with a life jacket on!

Weekend before last my 7 year old and I went out into the gulf which was pretty rough, I saw a ski floating alone with no one on it, that is an eerie site especially around here when they are usually in packs of about 10 or more. I started over to it keeping an eye out for someone in the water, as I got close an older lady was trying to climb back up on it.
As I got close enough to ask if she was ok another ski came over and talked to her. At least a majority of jetski people have PFDs on.

 

[Glassman]

Something similar to be aware of.
If you ride p w c's alone on a rough or windy day.
In the event that you fall off or get thrown off the wind can easily carry the ski away faster than you can swim.
Happened to me once, not a good feeling even with a life jacket on!

That's what Duct Tape is for!!

 

[sysinu]

That's what Duct Tape is for!!

I thought that was for keeping your wife quiet when she starts complaining.