This is a very tragic and sad incident, and I pray for their safety and their families.
But we should all take this accident to heart to remind us of the unforgivingness of the ocean, and not to Monady morning quaterback, but to look at safety steps that we should take to help our survival in such an accident.
-21' foot boat loaded with 4 large men 50miles off shore, is a littlte past my confidence level, or rather trust of the ocean to not have a siginifigant change in conditions during the time of the trip. Up here in the N.E. she can turn on you mighty quick, and I imagine as well down there.
-50 mile trip off shore in any of our boats on this website, we should alll let somone know our trip plan. When we plan to depart, our planned course, and what time we should be expected to arrive in port.
-I agree an EIRPB is a must when venturing that far into the ocean.
-I dont know if they had a VHF, but God that is a must on the ocean, not matter how far you go, and if you are always going far, a spare radio is cheap insurance if it goes down while off shore. When I buy new ones, I always store the old one on the boat as a just in case spare.
-Its never happened to me, knock on wood, but if it kicks up while out 50miles and its natsy and scary, I would defintley use that radio to broadcast and my coodrdinants and conditons and keep in contact with somone as a precaution to update my status.
-When the Captian with others lives in your care and things get nasty, put the over-confident pride in the back pocket, and put humble safety at the helm. Seems kinda obviuos, but Ive been on boats with those who's cocky pride was far greater than their experience, and they took chances that could have been disaterous. I did not return to his boat ever. Ive also witnessed a 40' Sportfisher capsize right before my eyes one time in Florida. A cocky young lad was trying to impress his friends on "daddy's" boat when hammering through the break water on a rough day leaving Hillsboro Inlet. He hit hard at an angle, and she came out of the water and rolled, he was moving too.
Again I'm not critising the tragic accident, just pointing out some things we should remind ourselves before, and keep in the back of our minds before we head out this season.
I have been going out on the ocean since I was a lad, yet I dont let myself feel over confident underway, you cam learn somthing everytime you set out.
Please add some safety tips that we can do everytime we go out. They may seem obvious to some, but not to others. And it may give a new to boating (and veteran boaters) members some knowlege they have yet to aquire.
When it comes to safety on the ocean I'm always ready to listen.
May God bless those boys in the Gulf and pray for their families.