Posted on 03/03/2009 7:02:57 PM PST by metmom
The Coast Guard called off its search for three missing football players at sunset Tuesday.
The news came after crews combed choppy waters off the Florida Gulf Coast for a third full day since NFL players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith and a third friend William Bleakley disappeared. Their fishing boat capsized in stormy seas Saturday evening.
One of the four on the excursion, Nick Schuyler, survived.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I don't like the idea of giving the FWC another way to right you a ticket, but people who don't have the foggiest idea about boating go out and kill themselves or others far too often.
The concept of right of way and the proper procedure for retrieving an anchor are things that people have no business out on the water without knowing.
“Couple choppers a Falcon and a cutter. Not much in a 50 mile square sector.”
You musta been searched one too many times by the coasties.
Your right on.
We get a real treat now and then as the Coast Guard will do practice pick ups in the bay/our back yard.
Something about a young Coast Guard man in his uniform.
A rescue Military guy with no attitude you sometimes see in say a LE guy.
This is very sad but the Coast Guard’s job is not to bail out irresponsible people.
Three pro football players plus their friend going 30 miles out in a small one engine 21’ boat without a pinger or good $1,200 covered life raft that is small to stow and fast to deploy. A SPOT pinger costs $150 or you can get a very good one for $519.
If you go out in the ocean especially 30 miles out you better have this stuff or stay at home. My life is worth $519
If you are Merch Marine you know the ocean has no mercy and will kill you very quickly.
“The real cause is the lack of a license requirement for Florida boaters. “
Not sure a license would have helped in these conditions. I’ve taken the Coast Guard class and I didn’t need it to tell me to stay off the water this last weekend.
They found the survivor, used drift patterns, etc. Covered thousands of miles searching, I’m not sure just what you would want them to do.
We use to have access to a private floating dock and as soon as the tide would start coming in we high wheeled it off the docks.
Can get unstable real quick in that mode too.
I use to leave all the gear and get KV up to land at the first sign/time of tide change then go back down for the gear.
You are right about the 2 engines but it is really dumb to go out 30 miles with a single engine 21’ boat. You are just asking for trouble. Sea Tow is not going out 30 miles. They obviously did not have a pinger or offshore life raft.
My life is worth something and you can get a pinger as cheap as $149 and a good one for $529. A good life raft is $1300 and a so so one is $300.
The ocean has no mercy and will kill in seconds.
Sad
Yep ERIB thingys is what our guys use up here if they are taking all safety precautions.
It is usually the crossing bar that sinks em up here.
I have actually sunk in that same area. (Outdrive say good bye to packing ring 120 miles OS Boca Grande)
RIP
when a norther blows across the Gulf like that one it’s very dangerous in that small boat they were in..
damned shame
Just searched for pingers or EPIRB’s and they are as cheap as $145. A very good one for under $500.
If you have a boat and go in the ocean - get one. Ditto for a loved one with a boat.
The only way one guy survived was because he got out of the water. You simply can’t survive those water temperatures for three or four days wearing only a life jacket, no matter how big your body mass.
The Coast Guard gave up because they couldn’t find anyone above water, and even if somehow the others were still afloat, they weren’t out of the water. And the tables don’t lie. At best, or perhaps at worst, the rest perished on Monday at the latest.
It’s a sad story. These guys weren’t doing anything criminal or even horribly reckless. Obviously foolish in hindsight, but there’s no reason to suggest they deserved this.
They made a mistake.
They call out the whole Navy when a Kennedy splashes down.....
Tonight. Just before dark they found a cooler from the boat. Then quit looking.
And I know you can survive.
That is sad to hear. If they had the proper gear, ie, flares, they would have been rescued. This equipment is meant to save lives not make your boating a pain in the ass.
If i was going out 30 miles in a 21 footer, which I would not do, I would have a life jacket and a $150 pinger at a minimum. I would also have a decent life raft.
The ocean can kill you in seconds.
Eternal Father, long to save ...
Give those brave men and women in the USCG a little more respect. They do a very extensive and detail pattern search. They are some of the best professionals in the world. Think before you type.
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