Fishing Boat Carrying NFL Players Reported Missing in Florid

[flrockytop]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,502785,00.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ap-missingboaters-nfl&prove=ap&type=lgns



Roger

[Alyssa Jean]

It is very sad when these events happen. Most of the time they are very preventable. But when you look at the numbers it is no surprise. 21 ft boat. 50 miles out in the ocean. 4 adults each weighing in the neighborhood of 240 lbs. 20 kt winds and 7 ft seas. And of course, manly men don't usually wear life jackets.

[DaveS]

[Captains Cat]

They found one of them, neither player though, clinging to the top of a boat. Others not found yet. Apparently they were anchored when the boat rolled. Lifejackets????

Charlie

[starcrafttom]

Report I heard just now said that the saved guy reported that they all had life jackets and were all together until sometime in the night. Then they got seperated.

[Tortuga]

CNN.com reports that the boat was anchored during a storm in about 30-50 feet of water some 50 miles offshore. I don't know the area but it looks like a relatively shallow shelf that drops off about 75-100 miles offshore. Is it possible they were swamped by a rolling swell that the boat was unable to handle due to the ground tackle? If the boat was swamped it would likely roll over.

Wind in unprotected shallow water with that kind of fetch seems like it would cause some pretty steep chop. Being anchored seems like a very bad idea.

Hopefully these guys will be found -- if anyone can survive this it's 3 pro ball players. My 160 lb frame wouldn't last 20 minutes...

[chromer]

I don't know the fishing tactics in the gulf, but I find it strange someone would have an anchor out on purpose. The other thing not yet noted, was the absence of any backup propulsion (ie kicker motor). To be 50 miles out, they should have some backup power. I would also like to know if it was one of those open bow jobs. The coming week should tell alot.

[starcrafttom]

I have not fished this area yet but I have seen it on tv while sleeping at a holiday inn. Yes it is common to anchor on off shore reefs and bars. only way to stay on top of the bottom fish. They even do it here for halibut sometimes. The Canadians anchor on coyote bank all the time. When you get the anchor line wrapped around the motor and turn ass in to the wind you can get sunk quickly. Don't know if that is what happen but the survivor should know.

[dave]

[Wefings]

I fish similar waters as frequently as I can . Lots of folks anchor over reefs as Tom points out . The seas in the Gulf of Mexico can come up fast . In the summer, rather sudden storms are common , The winter fronts are much more predictable . I had a demo on a CD 19 in the morning Saturday . When we reached the pass at maybe 8;30 A.M. there were steep standing waves of 4 feet or so and they were no more than 4 feet apart . The C Dory handled it admirably with a little use of the windshield wipers, but a center console would have "washed through or poked the bow through the waves " a number of times just getting out of the pass . I knew what the weather was going to be ,when it blows from the north or northwest , its pretty bad and gets worse the further offshore you go . The other question other than weather judgment that comes to mind is what the heck were they going 50 miles to catch on a snotty day ? The 2 red grouper that the feds allow? Red snapper is closed , Gag grouper is closed , its still too cold for dolphin,tuna, or wahoo or billfish [and they werent far enough anyway]maybe they know something I dont ? Maybe not .
I hope they all survive and wish the best for them and their families . Go Coast Guard !
Marc

[FtBiggy]

Growing up on the West Coast of FL, this story hits very close to the heart. Reading some of the details, I was thinking that being at anchor in 8' swells was unsafe, should they have had a Sea anchor rather than anchoring to bottom? I guess at times like this boaters can learn from accidents, as long as the facts are known.

I would also like to give a great deal of RESPECT to the Coast Guard!!

We have been caught out on the Gulf a few times in quick moving storms and reading this really makes me stop and think about the safety of my family and boat. I will do all I can to think about safety as much as possible when we go boating.

[SGIRhino]

I heard one report that they were going to a favorite spot to catch "Reef-Donkeys" (Amberjack).

[Wefings]

Stuff most of us alredy know but interesting nonetheless HERE
St Pete Times is a very well respected news source here in FL .
Marc

[thataway]

The boat's owner was experienced and had fished that area a number of times in the past, including the previous weekend. The boat was 38 miles out when found.

This topic has been very active in a number of other forums, especially those involved with Florida fishing. The weather when they left was good--seas calm--and one person who posted bought bait just after they did and watched them go out. The seas began to come up about 4 to 5 hours later and gradually built to up to over 10 feet. The front came in an hour earlier than expected. Anchoring on a reef in that area is not unusual. But when the boat is anchored, the bow will not rise to the seas, as well as when it is underway. It is not clear if there were engine problems, or if they remained anchored because of the wind and seas--and felt that they could "ride it out". There are two types of Everglade 21"s --I am sure that Mac can tell us much more about these--but they had the one with larger freeboard and fuel tank.

Hyrothermia already played a major role here. The water temperatures are in the 62 to 64 degree range at that time. The water conducts heat 32 times faster than air. Generally in 60 to 70 degree water you have 2 to 7 hours before exhaustion, and unconscious status, and 2 to 40 hours of survival. However in this case all four got on the bottom of the boat. But there did not seem to be any lines to hold them completely out of the water, so one suspects that they were peroidically in the water or at least hit with spray and waves. The longer survival of the one individual may have to do with his jacket. We don't know about the other three. But if they were to keep out of the water, chances of survival would have been much better.

Yes, we would think that a kicker would have been a good idea--but in these seas, it may have been hard or impossible to run. (Cavitation, weight aft, difficuty steering). They may have been out of radio range and certainly out of cell phone range (if the cell phones were functioning).

In the spirit of education, rather than criticism--what could have been done differently. Obvious is the distance off shore, the size of boat, and the weather (coming back in sooner). A second engine or kicker. A sea anchor may have been better--or a float on the anchor rode, so that the load is parallel with the waves vs pulling down with the waves, may have helped. Float coats with insulation (it can get mighty cold even in Florida this time of the year).

A better float plan and earlier notification of the Coast Guard would have helped. (But the family knew the general area and when they were expected back).

Marie and I have been carrying Personal locator beacons (EPIRB 406, with GPS)--activation of one of these would have both brought fast help and to the correct location. A hand held VHF radio would have helped in the final localization. A strobe light may have also helped with the search, especially after dark. We believe that all three of these need to be carried on the person of each person--maybe more reasonable is just the skipper. But either way--$500 for the PLB, $100 for the water proof handheld VHF radio and $30 for the Strobe would have saved lives and affected prompt rescue.

[Don and Brenda]

Hey Marc The big question, did you sell the CD 19 after a rough demo ride like that?