The Conservative Cave
Current Events => Breaking News => Topic started by: bijou on March 01, 2009, 12:36:36 PM
-
(http://www.wxyz.com/media/news/5/f/1/5f18c098-7031-43d7-b219-dbd8537557f9/Story.jpg)
Clearwater, Florida (WXYZ) - The Coast Guard is searching for a Detroit Lions player and three others missing after they didn't return from their fishing trip in Florida.
Coast Guard officials say they're searching for Lions defensive end Corey Smith, and three others, including Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper.
The Coast Guard received a call about 1:30 a.m. Sunday that the four people did not return from their fishing trip as expected.
Smith and the others left Clearwater Pass in a 21-foot center console boat at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.
Coast Guard boats and helicopters are out searching about 50 miles off the coast of Clearwater.
...
http://www.wxyz.com/news/story/Lions-Corey-Smith-Missing-in-Gulf/GJEJFkun8k2Exc3CISk5Tg.cspx
-
Distress locator beacon go off? Did they even have one? Aluminum target so large vessels can "see" theM? Does anyone on the boat understant that regardless the "rules of the road" freighters and tankers have the absolute right of way, because, mostly, day or night, they can't SEE you, cause they're NOT LOOKING?
-
As a veteran of more than a few of these types of cases when I was in Uncle Sam's Confused Group, please allow me to conjecture...
Judging by what I've read about the boat, I would venture a guess that it would have been Boston Whaler type fishing boat. Low freeboard, somewhat unstable in any kind of weather other than FAC, and fiberglass. There would be almost no radar return off such a vessel. Even fiberglass sailboats, with that nice tall mast will give almost no return, so most responsible boaters will run some type of radar reflector to the top of the mast to give radar something to ping off of. This type of boat won't have such a capability, so essentially, they're invisible to large traffic.
More than likely, the only communication device they'll have onboard will be a cell phone. You wouldn't believe the people out there that think that a radio is now a superfluous, unnecessary object. That's a big problem these days, especially with the new Rescue 21 system that's coming online. It can triangulate even a momentary click of the radio mic, but does not have this capability with cell phones. And phone use is notoriously spotty on the ocean. Even among the San Juan Islands when I was stationed in Bellingham, WA, there were large areas with no cell coverage.
More than likely no EPIRB either, for the same reason. Why spend a few hundred bucks when help is just a phone call away? Other signal devices such as day and night flares, mirrors, and dye packs; ditto. Again, the over reliance on cell phones.
The average (and I stress average, there are a few sailors/boaters out there that learn them) know diddly about the Rules of the Road. Private vessels over a certain size (45' if I remember correctly, but not 100% sure) are required to carry the book, but I doubt many people have cracked it. It's boring. I still have my copy from when I was studying for the NAVRULS test when I was in the Guard, and I hated having to study it. This is why states are starting to license boaters like cars, but that's an uphill battle.
Hopefully, they find them alive, but I'm not holding my breath.
Hope I'm wrong...
-
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv1nDdrrXCM&feature=PlayList&p=13594284691FA6F6&index=7[/youtube]
JAWS GOT THEM?
-
A Whaler, if everyone sits on the "deck" ( inside of the hill, below the seats and rail) is not all that bed. Sit on the "floor" and make you're "run" for the beach, taking the course with the least discomfort due to weather. No rush, either, 5-6 kts is fine. After all, the Gulf has the advantage of having land in a big crescent of land around itself.
Frabnkly, as the conditions were described as 1o' seas and 14 kt winds, if they were't run over , they prolly went overboard with bad seamanship, the two foto's I saw screamed "land lubber ahoy" , as I have been since my little sail from Los Angeles to Hawaii in a 63' gaf rigged schooner.
-
Rich, you may have heard that Cpt. Frank Mundis ( the model for Quint) died last year or so, and his original "sharkhunter" boat, "The Cricket" is for sale? Right down to the shark bite marks in the transom....Montauk hates to see it go,,,...but no one local wants to spend that much for what is now a toy.
-
They should have listened to Chief Brody and gotten a bigger boat. All kidding aside it's a shame this happened and some blame could be placed on over confidence on cell phones like was said before .Besides the Boy Scout training some people have had there isn't alot of people that know what to do when it comes to an emergency no matter what they may think you never know when mother nature will bite you in the ass or your own stupidity
-
I'm not going to blame cell phones or anything else..................If it was 10' seas, I lay all blame on them going out in a 21' boat.
I must ask Mike why would you consider it a Whaler.......why not a mako, Regulator, Contender, Seaswirl, Scarab, Coastal, Chris Craft, Hydra Sport, Robalo.............you get the drift
-
Because when I think "21' center console fishing boat" a Boston Whaler is the first that comes to mind. It was a representative idea, since I said "Boston Whaler type," not necessarily the specific brand of boat.
Of course, I should have thought of Robalo, since I used to own one.
-
Boat was an Everglades...
Here's a more detailed story. From Seattle of all places.
Link (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskies/401884_cooper02.html)
-
Because when I think "21' center console fishing boat" a Boston Whaler is the first that comes to mind. It was a representative idea, since I said "Boston Whaler type," not necessarily the specific brand of boat.
Of course, I should have thought of Robalo, since I used to own one.
The only two boats that come to mind for me as Boston Whaler like are the BW and the old McKee Craft.
When I think a 21' CC I think of many others before the Whaler
-
Boat was an Everglades...
Here's a more detailed story. From Seattle of all places.
Link (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/huskies/401884_cooper02.html)
Everglades is a fine and expensive bote
-
Oh yes, Whaler style boat 50 miles from shore, that's just plain nuts. So much to go wrong, so little chance of "help" arriving in time.
Here's what can happen a short swim from the beach.
http://www.fmundus.com/ThePelican.html
-
The only two boats that come to mind for me as Boston Whaler like are the BW and the old McKee Craft.
When I think a 21' CC I think of many others before the Whaler
Different experiences, I guess. The only center console boats I've ever been on are a bunch of Whalers and the Robalo. So my mind goes to one of those first. And the BW was what I used.
-
Oh yes, Whaler style boat 50 miles from shore, that's just plain nuts. So much to go wrong, so little chance of "help" arriving in time.
Here's what can happen a short swim from the beach.
http://www.fmundus.com/ThePelican.html
I'd take a 21' Whaler 50 miles offshore.................depending on the make
Shit I;ve seen Carolina Skiffs 50+ offshore
-
Did you go to my link, C.Horse? Hell, I was 1500 miles from land in the 63' Schooner, and it was not that safe. HERE'S A LINK i FOUND TO THE BOAT:
http://www.boattest.com/All-boats/5506/1/specs.aspx
SORRY, 50 MILES OFF THE BEACH IN THAT JUST is not my idea of a good day. CLEARLY, IN DETERIORATING WEATHER that boat is a bad choice. But if the passangers sat , and the "Skipper" took a course into shore that worked with the weather, that was easily surviveable. Hell, years ago three SCUBA divers survived 3 days floating around the Gulf, one swam almost to shore from 30-35 miles out over 3 1/2 days.
But that's not the point. Darwin often gives you ONE chance not to screw up, and if you blow it, fish food. You should try not to screw up. These guys, with every reason to live the high life for another half century and more , well, looks like they sure screwed up, ya think? :innocent:
-
It was only supposed to be a 3 hour tour....
a 3 hour tour.....
(http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/how-to-survive-a-shipwreck-1.jpg)
-
They "claim" they were going fishing.
There is another, and ILLEGAL, reason for them going out there - drug running!
Not saying they did, but just offering up another scenario for their little excursion.
-
Well....all kidding aside I hope they are found alive and soon.
My heart goes out their families - this will be a long night and
next few days for them I know.
(http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/153/969479~Open-Water-Posters.jpg)
-
Something was found!
Boat found off Fla.; unsure if NFL players aboard
By CHRISTINE ARMARIO, Associated Press Writer Christine Armario, Associated Press Writer – 6 mins ago
TAMPA, Fla. – The Coast Guard found a person clinging to an overturned boat off Florida's Gulf Coast on Monday, but could not immediately confirm whether it is the same boat with two NFL players aboard that went missing over the weekend.
Corey Smith, a free-agent defensive end who played for the Detroit Lions last season, and Marquis Cooper, an Oakland Raiders linebacker, as well as former University of South Florida players Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler left on a fishing trip early Saturday. Weather conditions worsened through the day and the men did not return as expected in the evening.
The men were reported missing Sunday, and the Coast Guard had searched about 16,000 square miles of ocean for the 21-foot Everglades-manufactured boat by Monday morning.
Everglades boats are built with compressed foam encased in Fiberglas, which makes them difficult or impossible to sink.
Petty Officer Sondra-Kay Kneen confirmed searchers located a boat. No further details were available.
Link:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090302/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/missing_boaters_nfl
-
Looks as if the waves reached 15'. That, in such shallow water, can be a problem. On such a small boat, going WITH the swells, you can "surf" them for long distances, but if you "lose" the swell, you can poropus and sink/capsize, or the wave can cause the boat to turn , her crossways to the sewlls, and turn turtle. EXctly AS WE SEE IN THE NEWS !
My best guess is the boat got sideways to the swell, and was overturned. One made it to the stern, and got onto the boat, using the lower transfer case to cling to . The others were seperated from the boat by the wind, surf and current. Another guess is that unless they are found by nightfall, they have only a very faint chance of being discovered alive.
-
Fox News just updated with Schylur (sp?) only found and he's okay. Told authorities that others decided to leave the boat about 2 a.m. this morning, now looking for them.
-
(http://www.foxnews.com/images/root_images/030209_survivor3.jpg)
-
Fox News just updated with Schylur (sp?) only found and he's okay. Told authorities that others decided to leave the boat about 2 a.m. this morning, now looking for them.
Dumbasses..................never leave the boat
-
Dumbasses..................never leave the boat
...never GET OFF the boat.
Absolutely gawdddamm right. Unless you were going all the way.
Kurtz got off the boat...
-
Almost 100% that the remaining three are dead. Seems that the boat turned turtle as they were trying to pull up the anchor. Obviously crosswise to the wave set. 15 foor waves , blowing a gale, what to do? You CUT lose, and make it home alive.
-
Almost 100% that the remaining three are dead. Seems that the boat turned turtle as they were trying to pull up the anchor. Obviously crosswise to the wave set. 15 foor waves , blowing a gale, what to do? You CUT lose, and make it home alive.
A lot of nOObs think that operating a boat is like driving a car. Lotta ways to die even on inland waters let alone the Ocean.
-
And now it looks like the survivor is very lucky himself to be alive. Nearly 48 hours in 65-degree water?
That's just insane.
-
During my lifetime, I can recall no fewer than 8 aquaintances and friends who died on the water. In everything from a rowboat to a Chesapeak Deadrise. In each and every case, foolishness paid a big part, no matter the experience on the water. In one case, it was SIX DECADES WHEN DRINK AND COLD WATER (43 DEG) took his life as he and a helper attempted to take squid from a trap. Less than 100 yds from shore. BOTH DIED.
The Deadrise had a full load of fish on board, 50-60 miles N/E of the Montauk Light when they waited 3 or 4 hours too long. And as the Gordon Lightfoot song says "she...broke deep..." . Another friend who was also headed for Lake Montauk say the boat hit the face of a large swell, and not come out the other side.
Another went stringing for coot with a friend in nasty December weather. All they found of him was a foot in a hunting boot the next spring on the shore of Gardiner's Island, thou his friends body was recovered within 24 hours.
When I was salvage diving in LA CA, a Abalone Diver's boat turtled, and he sat on the overturned hull for 4 days, the last two with the body of his partner, who died of exposure. The diver lived because he was TOUGH as nails and kept his full wetsuit on.
Not to say that I didn't do stupid things on the water, I did. Not the least of which was surfing in Hurricane surf. At one point I fell off, lost my board about 30 yards from shore, intio a BAD rip. It took me a half hour of steady swiming to make the beach. Praised God, loaded my bioard, and went home. NEVER did that again.
But NORMALLY sanity overcame my brain while doing stupid things, and I'd head for the beach. Maybe that's why I'm here and they are not.