First drowning - stupid accident

[wvit1001]

Searchers Still Looking For Presumed Drowning Victim In Lake Norman

POSTED: 12:25 pm EDT March 12, 2007
UPDATED: 5:23 pm EDT March 12, 2007

DENVER, N.C. -- Dive teams spent a fifth day on Lake Norman looking for a man presumed drowned.
Searchers have been scouring the area around Little Creek Landing, close to Denver, where Sean Larkins disappeared on Thursday.
"We've got a perimeter of 300 feet by 300 feet," said Deborah Horne, deputy fire marsh for Lincoln County.

Investigators believe the 35-year-old Mooresville man drowned in the cold water after he and his fiancé were thrown from their boat during a maneuver called a power-slide. A man on shore spotted the woman and pulled her from the water with his boat, but Larkins had already gone under.

Monday's search crew included six boats and about 40 people, each working about 15 hours each. Many of them are just volunteers, but they said they can't imagine stopping until Larkins is found.

"This has consumed a lot of us emotionally," Horne said. "We just want to find the person and get him back to his family."

 

[wvit1001]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

Connard said she and 35-year-old Shane Larkins had just finished eating at a restaurant when the boat accident happened. They were to be married later this month and had just purchased the boat three days ago.
Connard was taken to Presbyterian Hospital.

Rescuers had to let the boat run out of gas before they could get into the water. It took about 20 minutes for the boat to finally shut off.

Boats and dive teams spent hours Thursday evening looking for the second victim. Susan Spake, director of Lincoln County Emergency Management, said that after 7 p.m. an object was identified about 15 feet down in the water but no divers were in the lake because of the cold temperature.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

Watched that on the news myself. New boater with a high speed Donzi.He had just bought it.
Lake Norman is over run with crazys in those big boats.
Its unreal to see those huge boats docked around that lake.Why do they need a 40 plus footer power boat on a lake that small.
That lake is nothing but the wealthy trying to out do the next guy.
I live 30 minutes from there but refuse to boat on that lake.I drive an hour or so to my calm quite lake in the country..Much nicer and the boaters are so much more respectful of each other..

 

[JB]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

Being on the water without an approved PDF is no accident. It is premeditated carelessness.

 

[JB]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

Being on the water without an approved PFD is no accident. It is premeditated carelessness.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I have some comments on this. First, I would like to state that I am all for keeping boating simple and without a ton of red tape...but boating and especially jet skiers/water sports is growing rapidly. There are a ton of responsible boaters in this category, but statistics don't lie and they account for most boating fatalities. I just want to enjoy boating and fishing without it becoming a high risk sport for my family :

1. No matter what your age, you should have to take a boaters safety course including on the water in a boat. While most of the older folks are exempt in many states, this should still be required...Stupid boat accidents don't care about your birthday and many "experienced" boaters still don't know the rules of the water or how to even launch a boat properly.

2. Some sort of boat inspections should be in place for boats older than X years. So many boats go down due to rotten transoms.

3. Small lakes with unlimited HP should restrict speed on weekends and/or certain time slots....I don't want to even be anchored in a small lake with my kids when a boat is going 70 mph....Its not like boats have seat belts and it just takes 2 seconds of stupidity.

3. Some sort of jet ski regulations have to be set...These account for most accidents

4. Rules should be in place by insurance companies that if your boat is within small craft advisory limits and you sink, your not covered...This might get a few idiots off large water during high waves.

5. I am contradicting myself here, but lets bring up required life jackets when over x mph in select water bodies or conditions (weather, congestion, etc...). A coast guard captain once told me he never rescued a corpse with a jacket on...and he was in the coast guard for 17 years.

Please help me add to this list or correct my opinions..I just see a growing problem that will hurt the responsible boaters in the long run.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

Even here in Pittsburgh, the rivers are the graveyard for many every year (same water as where the Bruce Willis movie Striking Distance was filmed) ...Here are just a couple examples last season:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06184/703042-85.stm

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/mostread/s_460485.html

Most accidents on the hundreds of miles of navigable rivers in Pittsburgh are a result of their engine failing...then instead of jumping ship and swimming to shore they continue to try and get the engine running...as they approach one of the many locks/dams, their boat goes over. I think the boat from last year is still churning in the massive swirl below lock 5.

 

[roscoe]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

No pfd, no lanyard, no sense, no longer. Darwin wins.

 

[Bondo]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I tend to Disagree with you dsiedt,..........

I can Agree with #1,+ your second #3.........

But,....... I Don't need the Government trying to legislate Common Sense.........
They've been trying for Years,+ it Don't Work.......

Everybody Can't live Forever,+ I can't see limiting/ Restricting Everybody's Rights,+ Privileges,.......

Just to Save the Stupid.............

man drowned in the cold water after he and his fiancé were thrown from their boat during a maneuver called a power-slide.

Power-Sliding a V-hulled Boat,..??..??..........

Ayuh,.......
I'd say that Moron definitely Qualifies as Stupid.............

 

[Silver/Fish]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I have to side with Bond-o on this one...Although rules need to be in place, having even more government regulation would not replace common sense...

 

[Silver/Fish]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

...I am also praying for this person and his family...

...If he was wearing his PFD as JB points, this tragedy may have turned out differently...

...Maybe a few bumps and bruises and a hard lesson...

I hope that others will read about this story...

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

it all goes back to knowing your boat. what it is capable of in all conditions. i have an automatic pfd and kill switch lanyard, that i wear when ever in the boat. i maybe getting old but i want to get older.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I am not a big fan of gov't regulations either, but it is just a matter of time before they start tightening the ropes....boats are getting faster, cheaper, and the number of people starting to boat is rapidly growing. Maybe creating a better training course and regs on PWC is all we need...See link below:

http://www.safetyforum.com/pwc/

 

[QC]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I am with Bondo on this BIG TIME. I boat, with kids, lots of 'em. And I still don't want mandatory PFD laws. I also don't like max speed limits, although there are some idiots that shouldn't have a boat that goes 1 MPH let alone 100 . . .

Ask anybody in England about speed limits. They have a beautiful Lake in a National Park called Conniston. A couple of big marinas, water skiing school, some 30 footers + with planing hulls, repair facilities, etc. etc. All basically dead because of a new 5 MPH speed limit.

Also, the PFD thing. Is a 30 footer at 20 MPH grounds for a mandatory PFD? A 40 footer at 15? Houseboat? I hate this stuff. Absolutely hate it. The water is one of the last refuges where we can often play the way we want and build 'em the way we want, oh wait, we can't do that anymore either . . . Noise limits, speed limits, technology requirements (no two strokes). Man . . . be careful what you wish for, this is a very sharp double edged sword if you ask me.

 

[mike176]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I could go for PWCs bein outlawed, i could live with speed limits my boat can do 50 but rarly see it, but no1 is gonna make it mandetory for me to wear a PFD. some fishin tornaments around here say ya gotta wear them anytime the boat is on a plane.
there is a state senitor around here trying to get airboats banned. He says they affect the quality of life for people who live on lakes and rivers in Alachua county. The honest truth is he never cared till he built a house on a lot nextdoor to a big airboat hangout.
Stupid people like the one who killed himself just give the government more fuel for the fire, that moron and others like him just hurt boating.

 

[mike176]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I bet if that guy had been forced to take a boating safety class he would still be dead, they make kids take substence abuse classes befor they can get a drivers lisence and they still get drunk and smash there trucks into trees

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

I have seen many boats in the paper that slam bottom at Bloody Point in the Chesapeake...All because they don't know which side of the buoy to go. That is one example of how learning navigation rules at a safety class can prevent senseless accidents...And I see your point about pfds, but if your in a boat with your kids, a pfd can allow you to have a chance to save them in the event of an accident....without one, you will be knocked silly and probably suck in half of the lake. I guess it is just common sense when you should wear one.

Since PWC account for 40% of accidents according to that link I posted, then maybe this would be the best area to focus...I never really thought about how you can't steer when your not giving one of these throttle....As the article stated, this often goes against your natural reaction in a panic situation...I guess that is why docking a jet boat is pretty difficult. I may just be picking on them since they ***** me off when I am fishing.

 

[tommays]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

Let me put it this way i have picked up more 1/4 pieces of finger tip than i care to talk about :devil: it could be a lot worse but there is just no need to trim your fingers nails in a machine

We have new machines with state of the art guards and old stuff with good guards

As you can guess they get hurt in the new machines with state of the art guards

People with comprehensive safety training do NOT seem to able to refrain from sticking there hand 2 FEET into a discharge chute and cutting off a some skin

So i really dont think your gonna get them to be safer in a boat as sad as that is to say UNLESS there is a water cop every 500 FT

Tommays

 

[cbavier]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

Well my $.02 cents. I've been boating for 40+ years and have a Horizon 190 with 185 Hp . When I am on plane at 38 Mph and make a sharp turn I can feel it start to slip and get a little squirrely. I don't like that feeling and don't feel in control so I slow it down! It doesan't take too many times to feel that and know how sharp you can turn on plane full speed.
I wear my PFD at all times on the boat as well as everyone on my boat. If they don't want to wear the ones I provide they can either bring their own and wear it, or stand on shore and watch.
I may do some stupid things but they are by accident only and I'm not going to be reposible for somebody losing their life on my boat because they don't want to wear or think they don't need a PFD.
We have lots of PWC on our fairly large lake and most of them drive like Idiots. Seeing how close they can come to you. Even if your in a cove anchored and especially jumping the waves behind if I'm on plane or any other boats are on plane.
I have nothing personal against them PWC but even with the regulations on our lake they are still a Hazard. I usually just stay on shore while they are out churning the water and acting like complete fools. They go around so much and so close they actually wash the shore and almost swamp the little fishing boats that are docked or tied up filling them with water.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: First drowning - stupid accident

See my signature.