Another sad tale ...

[aspeck]

HUNTINGDON CO. MAN DIES IN FREAK BOATING ACCIDENT
According to police, 69-year-old Russel Ross of Alexandria was riding in a boat, when the operator was almost hit by an airborne fishing net.

The operator lost control, and the boat turned sharply and threw both men overboard. We're told they were not wearing life jackets.

Crews pulled the men from the 43-degree water. But, Ross was pronounced dead at J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital.

The boat operator was treated for moderate injuries at Altoona Hospital.

Investigators do not suspect foul play, and say the boat operator was not acting in a reckless manner.

Police have ruled Ross' death accidental.
_____________________________________________________

Ross did not drown, but with the excitement of the accident and the cold water, his heart just could not take it. It was also his son that was driving the boat ... very sad story around here. Please make sure all gear is safely stowed before getting underway - a startled driver at speed in a bass boat isn't good for the occupants - and clip your kill switch to your belt loop! The boat was going in circles around the men making rescue very difficult.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Another sad tale ...

HUNTINGDON CO. MAN DIES IN FREAK BOATING ACCIDENT
According to police, 69-year-old Russel Ross of Alexandria was riding in a boat, when the operator was almost hit by an airborne fishing net.

The operator lost control, and the boat turned sharply and threw both men overboard. We're told they were not wearing life jackets.

Crews pulled the men from the 43-degree water. But, Ross was pronounced dead at J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital.

The boat operator was treated for moderate injuries at Altoona Hospital.

Investigators do not suspect foul play, and say the boat operator was not acting in a reckless manner.

Police have ruled Ross' death accidental.
_____________________________________________________

Ross did not drown, but with the excitement of the accident and the cold water, his heart just could not take it. It was also his son that was driving the boat ... very sad story around here. Please make sure all gear is safely stowed before getting underway - a startled driver at speed in a bass boat isn't good for the occupants - and clip your kill switch to your belt loop! The boat was going in circles around the men making rescue very difficult.

OMG, how do you go on living with something like that on your concuss(sp)??

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Another sad tale ...

Yea LT, it would be tough for sure.
A very sad story for sure.

 

[QC]

Re: Another sad tale ...

Not to second guess anybody here and not even close to my intention, but what I take from this is something that I continue to remind myself of when I am on the water. Don't react intuitively!! Take your time, assess the problem, then do something. Yes, lanyard would help, but the initial issue sounds like an excessively hard helm correction . . .

The closest I have come to a major disaster on the water was when I made a hard helm correction before I had all of the info I needed, I got lucky that day, very lucky. Something flyin' at your head is a tough one to ignore, but we all do this on the road too. Think of an animal running across the road, usually the best thing is to hit it. No huge corrections before we know the potential outcome.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: Another sad tale ...

I bet they weren't in bass boat but probably in a boat with tiller steering. In a bass boat all the driver had to do was duck down and the windshield would have block the flying object, no need to turn the boat. It had to be an extremely sharp turn at high speed to throw a person out of a bass boat that is properly seated. Now if he was steering a tiller, I can definetely see that happening.

 

[Pony]

Re: Another sad tale ...

I bet they weren't in bass boat but probably in a boat with tiller steering. In a bass boat all the driver had to do was duck down and the windshield would have block the flying object, no need to turn the boat. It had to be an extremely sharp turn at high speed to throw a person out of a bass boat that is properly seated. Now if he was steering a tiller, I can definetely see that happening.

I respectfully disagree.........I can see this happening on any type of boat. Non-tiller steering still allows you to make a sharp turn and being seated properly isnt a gaurantee that you wont be thrown out; especially when traveling at a good clip.

 

[jimlad]

Re: Another sad tale ...

very sad to read safety some times gets lost in all the fun

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Another sad tale ...

I'm with Pony on this one. BASS used to have a stupid bassboat race, WBC or something... I remember one of the drivers being thrown out of the boat during a hard turn, and he was anticipating it. He got lucky and only brusied his ego. Those boats are the Ferraris of the waterways and as the saying goes, Being a Ferrari owner does not make you a Ferrari driver.


spots

 

[aspeck]

Re: Another sad tale ...

I bet they weren't in bass boat but probably in a boat with tiller steering. In a bass boat all the driver had to do was duck down and the windshield would have block the flying object, no need to turn the boat. It had to be an extremely sharp turn at high speed to throw a person out of a bass boat that is properly seated. Now if he was steering a tiller, I can definetely see that happening.

I disagree also, for a few reasons:
1) If an object is coming at your head, your rflexes tell you to duck, whether there is a windshield between you or not.

2) Not all bass boats have a wind shield - mine didn't until I installed it several years after purchase (and yes, I purchased it new, so no one took it off before I got it).

3) I was not on that rescue call - but my station was. It was a bass boat.

The incident happened just before 6 pm on Saturday, about 2 miles up lake from the marina. Not sure if they were going into the setting sun, or running with their back to the sun. But the bottom line is, 1) Stow everything. 2) Wear your safety kill switch & PFD (although in this instince that would not have made any difference). 3) As QC said, THINK before you react - easier said than done.