Just a reminder

T

thataway

Active member
Joined
Nov 2, 2003
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C Dory Year
2007
C Dory Model
25 Cruiser
Hull Identification Number
DOR25652A707
Vessel Name
thataway
I am sure that many of your have been following the saga of the two lost 14 year old boys out of Jupiter Inlet almost a week ago. The CG is formally calling off the search today. I am sure that some private planes and boats will continue the search. This is one of the most intense searches I have been aware of in recent memory. The boat was found about 65 miles off shore, and about 150 miles North of the Inlet. The search patterns have gone all of the way up to the Carolinas, (because of the Gulf Stream's current).

The boat was overturned and the cowl was off the motor, leaving the speculation that the motor had stalled, and perhaps the boys were trying to repair it, when the bad weather hit. That waves came over the transom, swamping the boat suddenly. There was a Yeti Cooler on the boat, which gave many hope that the boys would be with the cooler, and that they at least had water and some food/bait to sustain them.

One offshoot of this on many forums, especially The Hull Truth, is the awareness of safety gear: Life jackets, ditch bags, and especially a Personal Locator beacon/EPRIB and VHF radio attached to one's life jackets/inflatable PFD etc. Also the need for float plans.

Needless to say, all of our prayers are with the boys and their families!
'
 
It's been a long time since I was 14, or my kids, so I'm looking at my grandkids. I don't think, at least I hope I wouldn't, that I'd let my 14 year old grandkids out in a boat off any coast. Certainly I would think their parents would insist on lifejackets and hopefully a VHF and EPIRB. With training. Can you imagine what those parents must feel?

I'd be interested in what those kids were planning to do. Somewhere I read that they were heading to the Bahamas. It's a real tragedy mostly on the parent I would think.

Boris
 
From all the reports I've read, the boys were supposed to stay in the ICW. They were apparently enthusiastic boaters, grew up on the water, both worked at a tackle shop, etc.

BUT, they decided to go out into the ocean, and the weather turned bad (not sure what the forecast was). A mistake as it turns out -- and also against the families' "rules."

I was out running our family skiff solo at a pretty young age (maybe 8 or 9?), but it was on a small inland lake, 6hp engine. No place to really go (not that I would have anyway).

So I'm somewhat on the fence about whether the parents were too lax. I mean, if your kids are allowed to take the car to the store, but they decide to head for Mexico....?? I guess it would depend on how mature they were over the long haul.

How tough for the parents now. Man.
 
Some of us who grew up on the water and boats, as these kids did, have a lot of empathy for them, and the parents. Sure we did some stupid things-Old cork life jackets, often no life jackets, jackets, but all were good swimmers and divers. Small boats to Catalina, fixed up old outboards at that age, and in 12 foot boats were underway. I was skippering my father's 26 foot sailboat in races at 14, some races 50 miles offshore. So I think I have a pretty good handle on how the kids felt. My kids were standing night watches alone on our 62 foot ketch at age 12.

Sure we can find fault--but I can assure you that those parents are really beating up themselves.

The lesson is that we do have modern safety gear, which we should all use. My smallest PBL is about the same size as a deck of cards and cost about $200--no excuse not to have that in my pocket. I just packed it for the Catalina trip. I am sure that the parents would want to prevent others from making the same "mistakes" that these kids did!
 
So far we have been boating where you can swim to shore. Cayuga Lake isn't that wide. First trip to anywhere else going to get e-pirb and personal tracker for wife and my life jackets. Now I have hand held floating vhf,will get a second for her. Want to have life vests with everything we need on them,strobe light,whistle ect. I can only take her if I have all the safety gear just wouldn't feel right without it. Boating is a lot of fun,but accidents do happen,boat fires, motor problems ect. If we go to lake Erie this season will be purchasing equipment.
 
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