Wrong choices are costly.

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Sneaks

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SEATTLE - The Coast Guard responded to a call Thursday from the master of a vessel stating his crew had pulled two people from the waters of the Columbia River.

The research vessel Point Sir's crew spotted a father and son floating in the water 3/4 mile south of the Columbia River's mouth and called Coast Guard Group/Air Station Astoria, Ore., at 9:52 a.m.

The pair had been in a 28-foot jet drive boat when it was swamped by a wave and capsized. The Point Sir lowered their small boat to recover the two men. The 32-year-old son was responsive when pulled aboard but attempts to rescucitate the father were unsuccessful.

Group/Air Station Astoria launched an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to hoist the son from the deck of the research vessel and transported him back to the air station where emergency medical technicians were waiting. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment, Wash., launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat to recover the father from the research vessel.

The father and son were not wearing lifejackets at the time the vessel became swamped but did manage to don lifejackets before their boat capsized. The father's lifejacket was too tight and was cut before going into the water in an attempt to make it fit better.

River bar waves at the time of the capsizing were approximately four feet tall.
 
No loss of life here, but the captain may be out some bucks...

Coast Guard probe of near miss

SAN FRANCISCO - A near-collision between a container ship and a fishing boat near the Golden Gate bridge is under investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office announced Friday.

The incident occurred Aug. 16 when a container ship named Santa Monica was traveling past the bridge when it had to drastically change direction to avoid colliding with the fishing vessel Cheryl-C about 7:50 a.m., a Coast Guard news release said.

The Cheryl-C was obstructing the shipping lane and did not heed the danger signals sounded by the 831-foot Santa Monica.

The Coast Guard is pursuing a civil penalty action against the Cheryl-C for violating Rule 9 of the Navigation Rules, which states "small vessels should not obstruct deep draft vessels in shipping lanes," the release said.

The Marine Safety Office will forward its investigation to Coast Guard Headquarters for approval from marine investigations.

Navigation Rules violations can result in a civil penalty with a fine of up to $5,000 per violation.
 
tragic, we crossed the bar a bit after this happened, we crossed at low tide so that would have put them at about max ebb. We had a good ride except for a few speed bumps. A person has to keep in mind that no matter how nice the conditions are, it only takes one wave to mess you up. I suspect they where zipping along and didn't slow down for the speed bumps. The speed bumps we encountered consisted of several steep, close 4 footers on an otherwise flat bar...bummer
 
Here is a press release by the USCG concerning the incident cited in the initial post to this thread. The choices were not knowingly wrong, it seems. It certainly opens my eyes because I use the inflatable PFDs, and the reason they are on my boat is due in great part to having my dad frequently aboard. I will certainly be doing a manual inflate and fit test with the things. The press release quoted below can be viewed online at this site.

Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District

Press Release Date: Aug. 27, 2005
Contact: PA3 Adam Eggers

(206) 220-7237


SON'S ATTEMPT TO PERFORM CPR WHILE IN THE WATER UNSUCCESSFUL, FATHER DIES

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard responded to a call Thursday from the master of a vessel stating his crew had pulled two people from the waters of the Columbia River.

The research vessel Point Sur's crew spotted a father and son, from Oregon City, Ore., floating in the water two and a half miles south of the Columbia River's mouth and called Coast Guard Group/Air Station Astoria, Ore., at 9:52 a.m.

The pair had been in a 20-foot jet drive boat when it was swamped by a wave and capsized. The Point Sur lowered their small boat to recover the two men. The 32-year-old son was responsive when pulled aboard but attempts to rescucitate the 62-year-old father were unsuccessful.

The father and son were wearing lifejackets at the time. The father's inflatable lifejacket was too tight around his neck and was affecting his air supply. When the son noticed his father struggling for air he punctured the lifejacket, removed it and placed an inflatable cushion underneath his father to keep him afloat.

Due to the choppy sea conditions, the son was unable to keep his father afloat. While in the water, the son attempted to perform cardio pulmonary rescucitation but was unsuccessful.

Group/Air Station Astoria launched an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to hoist the son from the deck of the research vessel and transported him back to the air station where emergency medical technicians were waiting. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment, Wash., launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat to recover the father from the research vessel.
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Note: I am moving this topic to the Boating Safety Forum so its value will be maintained. It would disappear down the list too quickly in the General section.
 
Poor Coop......
It would be a good idea to discuss how to use a throw-able too.
The "seat cushion" preserver is actually made to step into one loop and place the other loop over your head. I know that a lot of folks think you wrap your arms through the loops but this is not the case.
Lets all take this lesson to heart and be prepared should any of us find ourselves in this predicament....
 
Mr. Fisherman":1n5wjnbo said:
The "seat cushion" preserver is actually made to step into one loop and place the other loop over your head.
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What the..?..??.

I would most assuredly choke myself blue even trying that maneuver in my back yard. It would surely be impossible in a sinking vessle.
 
Yeah, I'd like to see that seat cushion trick too! I think my forehead and knee would be within a foot of each other. Hard to stay afloat that way! :shock:

Charlie
 
Take one out and try it. The loops in the cushion are designed for this application. I even saw the instructions when this was pointed out to me.
This application allows you to float and still use your arms to signal or swim while keeping you floating on your back (face up).
If I can get one of these on like this odds are you can too.
The point here is to better understand our safety gear and how to use it, maybe even break it out and get to know it a bit better before we actually need it.
I had no idea this was how to actually use a throwable cushion, but it is and when you try one it kind of makes sense. I am not saying it is comfortable but it just may save your life or the life of someone you know.
 
I'm with the skeptics.

Very hard to do, even for Houdini!

By the way, somebody call 911....I'm caught in my boat with a seat cushion with one strap around my neck and another around my foot and I can't breathe!

It's time for my morning coffee, Rx's, and the good ol' ship USS Relief!

Tryin' this seat cushion on is takin' years off my life expectancy.

Us retirees don't get no respect around here for all our hard work doin' nothin' on the boat and visitin' on the Internet all day long!

But I don't think I'll be volunteering to go back to "WORK" anytime soon.

Seriously, have you ever tried to use on of these cushions in the water?

The only stable way to get one to hold up your weight is to hold it close to your upper chest to keep your head above water so you can breathe.

Putting an arm through each strap simply allows you to hold on longer once your grip weakens.

There must be a Coast Guard web site that shows how to use one properly. May even be a drawing on a label attached to the cushion! Have to go look after morning light.


Joe.
 
What the throwables are really for, is to have a beverage platform while swimming near the boat. The typical life jacket is much more comfortable if worn upside-down, like a diaper. This makes the reach to the brewski much easier. I hope this helps.
 
Looked (for a little while) on the 'net for instructions for Type IV throwable PFDs. This is the first thing I found about the cushion style that referenced how to "wear" them. I'm sure there's more!

"A Type IV PFD is intended to be thrown to a person who has fallen overboard, and is designed to be grasped and held by the user until rescued. It may be a cushion or a ring buoy. Cushion-style PFDs are not intended to be worn. (Emphasis/color added) If worn on the back, a cushion-style PFD will turn the wearer face-down in the water. A Type IV PFD is of no use to an unconscious or exhausted person and is not recommended for nonswimmers or children. It is not suitable for rough or cold water survival. It provides enough buoyancy (ring buoys have 16.5 pounds and cushions 18 pounds) for users to keep their heads above water. It is suitable for use on boats under 16 feet, in calm, inland waters where quick rescue is likely. On boats 16 feet and over, one Type IV PFD is required, in addition to wearable PFD requirements."

Nothing like a little controversy before breakfast!! :lol: Mine make a lousy beverage platform, they don't have cup holders. Where do you get the ones with cup holders? :smile
 
strap around neck, that's how I instruct bro in-law...but I usually replace my throwables with cement blocks when he's onboard :)
 
Best use I can think of for cushion type preservers is to use them for fenders when rafting up with other boats or being forced to use a poorly cushioned dock. Joe.
 
B~C":2sflvg5o said:
strap around neck, that's how I instruct bro in-law...but I usually replace my throwables with cement blocks when he's onboard :)
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I assume you have him use those for seat "cushions" too! :lol:
 
Mr. Fisherman,
I just read all the posts on this incident, and went out and checked my throwable cushions. You are correct, mine have a picture showing how to wear one! I tried one on. I am 5'7" and it would work for me. If I were 6'4" I don't think it would work. My cushion also shows an alternate illustration of one loop around the leg and the other around the opposite arm. Good post-gets people to thinking.
 
CAVU":3cgqgvc4 said:
Mr. Fisherman,
I just read all the posts on this incident, and went out and checked my throwable cushions. You are correct, mine have a picture showing how to wear one! I tried one on. I am 5'7" and it would work for me. If I were 6'4" I don't think it would work. My cushion also shows an alternate illustration of one loop around the leg and the other around the opposite arm. Good post-gets people to thinking.
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I agree, at the very least it has us thinking about it and discussing the issues. If nothing else I know Coop would want it this way.

Thank you for taking the time and for sharing. I hope you never need it but at least you have it.

The more we learn and share the safer we will all be. Hopefully we will have what we need should the time come AND at least have an idea what to do with it.
 
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