SILENT DEATH LURKS FOR PLEASURE BOATERS

SF Chronicle ^ | 7/18/03 | Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer

[randita]

Folsom, Sacramento County -- Mike Farr dived off a friend's ski boat into Lake Folsom moments after his 11-year-old son sank below the churning waters while bodysurfing in the vessel's wake.

"I swam as deep as I could and as far as I could," said Farr, his voice cracking. "I expected to catch an arm, but there was nothing."

[spunkets]

DUh! I was wrong in #47. MW=28, not 22. I need some coffee.

[cinFLA]

Sounds like just another excuse for a liberal newspaper to put the kibosh on anything that's fun.

More fun activities for the Libertarian family:

Close all the windows and stuff a rag in the vent to the gas hot water heater. Last one to fall asleep is the winner.

[tdadams]

Boating safety is supporting facism?

Boating safety is a matter of personal responsibility and adherence to common sense (not that you would know anything about that).

What's fascist is the state injecting itself into the most minute matters, and at every opportunity, to write laws punishing people for not having common sense.

[y2k_free_radical]

Thanks 4 info-i'm a pathologists and didn't know these facts.

[y2k_free_radical]

Also, the hemoglobin molecule has 210 X more affinity for C=O than for O=O

[clamper1797]

I don't know why you include me in this ... The idiot boater broke at least two laws in this tragedy ... In my view ... he has absolutely NO CASE against the manufacturer of the boat.

I have personally yelled at boaters who do stupid stuff like this (even recently). I live on the delta and see/hear of bonehead people getting killed on the river ALL THE TIME. It's a shame that the kids of boneheads suffer for their parents stupidity sometimes.

BUT the rest of us should NOT suffer for it.

[cinFLA]

What's fascist is the state injecting itself into the most minute matters, and at every opportunity, to write laws punishing people for not having common sense.

You see fascism everywhere. Perhaps if you read the article and educated yourself to the dangers of CO ... Never mind. Better to yell fascism!

[cinFLA]

I don't know why you include me in this ... The idiot boater broke at least two laws in this tragedy ... In my view ... he has absolutely NO CASE against the manufacturer of the boat.

It was your post #6. Several people were discounting the dangers of CO and I took your short comment as referring to the whole article including the dangers of CO. If I had known you meant to refer ONLY to the 'lawsuit' issue I would not have included you.

"What an absolute pantload ..."

[cinFLA]

What's fascist is the state injecting itself into the most minute matters, and at every opportunity, to write laws punishing people for not having common sense.

Huh?

[jlogajan]

Dying is fun? I guess maybe for Libertarians ....

It took over 30 posts before someone blamed the Libetarians. You people are slipping!

[clamper1797]

I was only referring to the lawsuit. In my book ... the boater in question is an idiot. Unfortunately ... I see them ALL THE TIME out here on the river. I especially HATE jet skiiers. They are notorious for not looking where they are going and will suddenly make a sharp turn across your bow at ANY given moment. The brakes on my offshore are the best you can put on a boat but are still not good enough in all cases

[xrp]

According to the World Health Organization, a level exceeding 87 ppm during a 15-minute interval is considered dangerous.

You posted a reference to the WHO, an arm of the UN, which is anti-USA, anti-freedom, anti-gun. Therefore, you are also anti-USA, anti-freedom, anti-gun which means that you support a national police force, world government and TOTAL gun control!

[alisasny]

I ran into my lawyer other day. 2 adults out kayaking, river got calm, they took off vests and the water picked up. No time to get vests back on. Wife a bad swimmer lived by holding onto kayak for sometime and then a rock. Husband died. Wife saw him float by her. He hit his head. Another tragedy that could have been avoided.

[tdadams]

Perhaps if you read the article and educated yourself to the dangers of CO

It wasn't the carbon monoxide that killed him, it was the dihydrogen monoxide.

[chris1]

I just can't imagine how a parent would let a kid so close to a prop that would eat him up like jaws. The lawyer in this case is even more despicable because he knows this has nothing to do with CO and everything to do with stupid parenting.

[stainlessbanner]

"Honestly, I thought it was the safest thing I've done in my boat," said Sean McKun

Bodysurfing behind the boat whether inboard or not is stupid. I've seen too many accidents while boaters were practicing safety measures - no need to increase the risk. Skiing with no life jacket is irresponsible - just as hanging off the swim platform while the boat is operating. The rigs are not designed to do this.

Would've been a non issue if he scurfed/ski'd/wakeboarded behind the boat at a safe distance. On my boat I'm the captain - that's the first rule....and I am familiar with safety measures, laws, and local regulations. I take responsibility for the crew on my boat, just as this man should.

 

[united1000]

Carbon Monoxide "poisoning" is actually kind of a misnomer. You really aren't poisoned in a classic sense. You actually die from suffocation. The reason it happens is that CO has a much higher affinity to bid with the hemoglobin in you red blood cells that oxygen. As you breath in CO it easily displaces most of the oxygen in your blood. The sneaky part about it is you don't even know it is happening. CO by itself is oderless and tastless.

In addition you do not have a shortness of breath or feeling you need to breath more. This is because the internal trigger mechanism for breathing is not the loss of oxygen in your blood but the build up of CO2 (carbon dioxide) in you blood. The CO2 does not build up because you blow it off normally as you are breathing in the CO.

 

With your knowledge of CO I am guessing you may be a Doc.  If so, the handle you are using is great.  And thank you for the info--

[clamper1797]

I ran into my lawyer other day

I had a similar experience the other day too ... I wanted to run OVER my ex-wife's lawyer

[xrp]

LOOK OU chris1!!!

[cinFLA]

It wasn't the carbon monoxide that killed him, it was the dihydrogen monoxide.

Correct. Carbon Monoxide is NOT dangerous. The whole article is just about how the state wants to control your life for the sake 'of the children'.