Be Prepared ??

T

tom&shan

New member
The U.S. Coast Guard today rescued six fishermen from a disabled vessel about 6 miles north off Kane'ohe's Mokapu Point at 6 a.m. today, a news release said.The Coast guard said the wife of one of the fishermen called the Coast Guard at 10:46 p.m. Wednesday night to report they were overdue from a day fishing trip on O'ahu's windward side. The Coast Guard was able to talk briefly with the fishermen through a cell phone and determined a general location approximately 6 miles from shore.

The fishermen reported the cell phone was running low on battery life and that they had no personal flotation devices, flares or working radio aboard their vessel.

Using GPS information provided by the cell phone company, the Coast Guard determined the general search area and coordinated with the Honolulu Fire Department on a search and rescue plan, the release said.
HFD diverted its Air One helicopter to the search area and the Coast Guard launched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter and crew from Air Station Barbers Point. The HH-65's crew spotted the vessel at 12:29 a.m. and lowered a radio. The Coast Guard established a communications plan with the fishermen and asked them to check in periodically. The crew of the 87-foot patrol boat Ahi began making its way toward the disabled vessel's position.


Hard to belive people go out into the ocean with no working radio, flares or lifejackets.

Cheers,
Tom
 
tom&shan":1dviv1ow said:
...

Hard to belive people go out into the ocean with no working radio, flares or lifejackets.

Cheers,
Tom
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For some reason, there are folks who think a "local" trip doesn't require the same precautions of a longer trip. Frankly, I don't go out on any body of water without all of the above... but you'll find many (if not most) boats on lakes have no radio or flares (I'm assuming they know they have to have PFDs). Problems on the water don't care if you're on the ocean or in a lake or on a river.

Of course, when you're in Hawaii, everytime you shove off, it's an "ocean trip." :wink:

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Let's see, Journey On has life jackets and a couple of VHF radios. I'm surprised that the fisherman got through with a cell phone. I'd be surprised if you can do that in So Cal, since all the antennas point towards land.

However, let's discuss flares. I've bought my share over the years, since they're only good for a couple of years. Now that we do coastal waters, I have a red flag and a blinking red light. I believe those are equivalent to the flares, and they don't have an expiration date. Since I never used either flares, flag or flashing light, I'm not sure which is best. Hope I never find out.

Boris
 
Hi Folks,

This does not surprise me at all. I use to patrol the Nantucket Docks offering FREE VESSEL INSPECTIONS. Benefits is that the State Environmental Boat will not stop you for an equipment check. Most were not interested. Those are the ones who get into trouble.

We can not get the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to pass a boating License law. Very simple. Take a SAFE BOATING COURSE given by the USPS and the USCGAux. Also free by the Environmental Police. Pass it and get a license. So simple and it would save a lot of grief and lives.

Fred
 
Having grown up on O'ahu and spent much time in the ocean I can say this doesn't TOTALLY surprise me. Some of the local bruddahs have boats and go fishing, but spending money on safety equipment is not high on the list of priorities. They sorta walk to a different beat there. STUPID, I know. That side of the island is the windward side (usually) and has rough seas in general so they were extremely lucky.

The one time I was out fishing at night off Kaena Point and had engine (IO) trouble I was glad the boat owner had a VHF radio & flares on board. We were adrift with no engine power and could not anchor due to the depth. He fired off two flares and soon the radio went crazy with offers of help. We were towed in to Waianae Harbor and made it home alive. Had we not had that safety equipment the next stop would'be been Samoa....
 
Locals in my area have a different name for boaters who go 6 miles out with no safety gear, crappy equipment and a cell phone as their communication device.

They call it a "recovery", as in recovering the bodies.

A rescue I am told is what they perform when the boaters have the proper gear and training.

The Coasties really prefer to perform rescues, so we've spent a great deal more on redundant safety equipment than fishing gear. Hopefully the only time our boat will have a Coastie on board is for it's annual check up!

I hope you all the same good luck!
 
Before the Canadians went crazy on their last "Gun Control Merry-Go-Round", :sad I used to carry a Winchester 12GA. pump shotgun on board. It would hold 7 of the Olin Meteor flares and you could light up the sky with it. :smileo Now I'm back to the approved S/Shot, Plastic, Pop Gun. Bummer!:crook My "Terrorist" days are over. :cry

:smiled Jack
 
No radio. Its like the guys I towed a few months ago. they locked up the engine and waved me down. I asked if they had a radio and one of the punks, under 20, gives me a look like I'm stupid and holds out his cell "we have cell phones dude" oh yeah " know any one on a boat near by dumb A$$" Just blank look in his eyes while he trys to think, not something they teach these days. These are the same guys with a anchor but no rope.
 
starcrafttom":1kqg55dm said:
I have a good idea but what is the exact definition of a "bruddah"
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Sorry. Watch the video. You'll see.

In general, born & raised in Hawai'i, public school educated but they probably didn't graduate. They've usually spent more time surfing or hanging out than working or studying. Are fluent in "pidgeon English" and so they're verbal & written communication skills suck, which makes it difficult to get a good job. Most (not all) are blue collar workers, if they work at all. Hawai'i has a large population reliant on welfare and all that it brings. The guys in the video probably live on the Waianae Coast and as such they probably don't like outsiders much. They tend to have the "nothing bad's gonna happen" attitude.
 
Hi Folks,

I just remembered a story that happened in my early twenties. My brother and I were off the North River off Scituate Mass. The visibility was not the best. A boat came out of the mist and asked where they were. The pulled out a car map. They wanted to know how to reach Boston, some 30 miles north. We pointed out Scituate Harbor and suggested they stop there first. That was only a few miles north. We never heard from them or about them afterwards. I guess they made it home.

Fred
 
76' in maryland. New guy on the dock gets invited out to the local swimming beach by my folks. He ask my dad how to get there and the old man say" lets see you chart and I will show you" out comes the place mate from a local seafood place with a map of the chesapeake bay. I was 12 and I was amazed. I didn't know they gave away free maps.
 
When people would ask me about charts, I used to love to pull out my plastic place mats and tell them, " It's not only a map, but on the other side it shows you where the Texaco Stations are and how to tie knots." :wink

:smiled Jack
 
Being from Oahu also, I have seen a lot of small boats go out of Waianae Harbor loaded with all the gear, coolers, ice, tackle (and life vests?, nah no need). I fish with my brother out of Kaneohe when I go back every year and the typical fishing water is 15 - 20 mph and 4' - 6' seas...pounding rough, but he and his group of guys have all the electronics and safety equipment because if you go down, someone knows where you are. Usually they go out with two or more boats and stay in radio contact. They each have over $20K in gold reels, rods and electronics to be that careless, but as localboy said, some never learn. Lucky HI's water is warm...here in the Pacific NW...you'd be pau in 45 minutes!
 
Holoholo":6pajudp3 said:
Being from Oahu also, I have seen a lot of small boats go out of Waianae Harbor loaded with all the gear, coolers, ice, tackle (and life vests?, nah no need). I fish with my brother out of Kaneohe when I go back every year and the typical fishing water is 15 - 20 mph and 4' - 6' seas...pounding rough, but he and his group of guys have all the electronics and safety equipment because if you go down, someone knows where you are. Usually they go out with two or more boats and stay in radio contact. They each have over $20K in gold reels, rods and electronics to be that careless, but as localboy said, some never learn. Lucky HI's water is warm...here in the Pacific NW...you'd be pau in 45 minutes!
Click to expand...

But life jackets take up space that needs to be dedicated to a cooler full of Budweiser! :lol: The water may be "warm", but the Tiger sharks are big. Aloha....
 
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