Hello Friends,
After reading countless threads in regard boating accidents, I would convey to all to please be safe and wear a life jacket; esp. this time of year when you all make those last runs either by yourself or with others. Please be safe!
Regards,
Christian Del Collo
Bad Boy Powerboats
Toasty Industries
856-904-1961
We had friends on a 26' cruiser at fairly low speed hit a submerged log this year two people thrown overboard on impact. Life jackets on their boat are mandatory for all passangers now. I'm thinking of doing the same thing. It's just like the lottery, You never know.
I second that. Should be built from the manufacturer on all boats. Regardless of performance levels. If the captain chooses not to use it, so be it. If he wishes to use it, it is there in the interest of safety. Key word here is SAFETY.
There have been several cases recently where there was a terrible accident, after which one of the boaters was missing, and was not recovered until several days later. Does this mean that they were not wearing lifejackets? Or can you still disappear even with a life jacket?
Presumably a life jacket would do nothing to help prevent you from being injured in an ejection? And that nothing would really help, other than a helmet, and it would only help a little?
Depending on the severity and details of the crash, one could still disappear w/a jacket on (slip out of it)... but it is more likely they'd be found, even if injured.
Wearing a life jacket can help prevent mid-body injuries... extra padding and so forth can't hurt. The biggest thing would be the fact that you may still be alive but unable to swim... in which case a life jacket would give folks time to pluck you out.
I always wear my lifelines . I tend to like to run hard, and figure if I come out of the boat at least I will have a chance of surviving. Can't save a guy if you can't find him. Everyone on my boat will have a jacket on if I'm going to run hard. Just common sense.
This is the first time I have been able to sit down at the computer since we found Pat. I’m feeling angry, sad and very alone. Bobby, Pat, Kenny and Josh, came to my house on Sunday to help me with my race boat. We weren’t successful that day but, the last thing Pat said to me as he was leaving my house that Sunday afternoon was, “bring the boat over on Monday, I’ll fix it”. Pat was the most selfless person I knew. Always willing to help out. Never say no attitude. Pat was my friend, my buddy, my mechanic. The squirrel. We have all lost too many of our family members, friends and comrades. We all take chances every time we Race, Test, or just GO FAST, in our boats. I think though, we have all learned a lesson, a very costly lessen that was taught to us by our fallen brothers. I believe that some of these tragedies could have been avoided if maybe they were wearing their life jackets. Maybe our fallen brothers are trying to teach us something? We all have had the time to start the grieving process, and it hurts, it hurts real bad. I don’t want to have my family and friends go through what we have all went through again. Therefore, I have made a commitment to my family and friends. That commitment is a promise for all on board to wear our PFD’s when my boat is on plane. We all live life on the edge, but at what cost? I don’t mean to sound pompous, but I do believe that some of our fallen brothers could have possibly been saved, had they been wearing some form life jacket. I have enough decals on my boat. I salute Smitty, Augie, Allen and the rest of the safety committee within the OPA for keeping us safe while racing. God Bless our fallen brothers.
Joe Peary
Crew Chief
Hot Licks Racing 371
Last edited by scandelous; 10-19-2008 at 10:26 PM.
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