St Croix River tragedy

[gim]

Yet another example of how wearing a PFD (and required kill switch) may have prevented a loss of two lives recently.  I am generally a supporter of "make your own decisions as an adult" but there is a certain segment of the population that is never going to wear them until it becomes mandatory.  We all make our own beds here, and unfortunately this one turned fatal.  Stay safe out there.

 

https://www.twincities.com/2023/10/03/authorities-investigating-apparent-st-croix-river-drowning/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow&utm_content=fb-PioneerPress&fbclid=IwAR1_pBj5tVgXCUb76ISFXpfCvQ92MAyx5cBOwldsHIJP5sEkaXNEO86VXP0

[flyfisher]

Sucks for the families for sure.  It still amazes me how many people do not respect the power of water even if they have fished on it for a long time.  No reason to not wear one anymore, especially given the comfort of inflatables.  I have driven home with mine on before because I forgot to take it off.

[DaubsNU1]

Sadness. When the big motor is on, my PFD is on. I need to remember to hook up the kill switch...old boat didn't have one...I need to get in this habit.

 

Thanks for sharing this article. 

[Tennessee Boy]

Very sad.   Are life jackets not mandatory in Minnesota?

 

 

[MN Fisher]

6 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Very sad.   Are life jackets not mandatory in Minnesota?

 

 

You have to have them available - like not locked in a compartment - but you don't have to wear them unless you're under 10 years old.

[TnRiver46]

10 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Very sad.   Are life jackets not mandatory in Minnesota?

 

 

Twas in Wisconsin 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

Twas in Wisconsin 

Take the Minnesota rules - up the age to 13 and under for required wearing...

[gim]

7 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Twas in Wisconsin 

Actually it was on a border water.  So take your pick on the state law that applies.

 

Bottom line, its preventable.  Apparently the outboard ran out of gas too after doing the "circle of death" for a while.  I think the word used in the regs for PFDs is they have to "accessible."  That can sometimes be subjective based on who you ask, but I agree with @MN Fisher, if they are tucked away in a compartment, that is not good enough.

[TnRiver46]

14 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Actually it was on a border water.  So take your pick on the state law that applies.

 

Bottom line, its preventable.  Apparently the outboard ran out of gas too after doing the "circle of death" for a while.  I think the word used in the regs for PFDs is they have to "accessible."  That can sometimes be subjective based on who you ask, but I agree with @MN Fisher, if they are tucked away in a compartment, that is not good enough.

Gotcha, I just clicked the article and it all said Wisconsin 

 

wonder how they were ejected? 

[ike8120]

Just a terrible tragedy.

 

[A-Jay]

This is and will always be very sad.

At least they located the victims fairly quickly which isn't always the case.

Dead men tell no tales so "what happened" will never truly be known.

Not uncommon I'm afraid. 

The vessel specifics were not offered either which might tell part of the story.

 

Carnage on the water has been going on for a long time.

USCG makes the 'stats' available to everyone.

It's hard to believe, even after seeing so much of it first hand.

https://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_statistics.php

 

This is from 2022 - in the US.

There's a lot of information in this link but it is sadly sobering. 

If nothing else- look at pages 6 & 7.

https://www.uscgboating.org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2022.pdf

Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

 

[papajoe222]

5 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Sadness. When the big motor is on, my PFD is on. I need to remember to hook up the kill switch...old boat didn't have one...I need to get in this habit.

 

Thanks for sharing this article. 

I keep my kill switch lanyard attached to my PFD so that it’s always hooked up. 

[BigAngus752]

9 hours ago, DaubsNU1 said:

Sadness. When the big motor is on, my PFD is on. I need to remember to hook up the kill switch...old boat didn't have one...I need to get in this habit.

 

Thanks for sharing this article. 

Funny you mention this because today I was on the water and as I got up on plane I had that "what's not right" feeling and realized I hadn't snapped my kill cord to my PFD.  I've gotten into such a habit that it felt exactly like I didn't have my seat belt on in the truck.  "Something's missing".  It's the first time I've noticed that snapping on the kill switch cord is a habit now.  Considering how many bad habits I have, this habit is a blessing. 

[Woody B]

I'm a "make your own decisions as an adult" person, but a kill switch can affect others, even people who aren't in the same boat.   

I wear an inflatable with my kill switch lanyard attached to it.   

I saw a guy ejected from a bass boat earlier this year.  He had on an inflatable life jacket, with his kill switch attached.   It happened ~100 yards from where I was fishing at the time.  I heard the motor cut off, then could see him in the water.  I picked up my trolling motor and went over there.  He as OK, swimming back toward his boat.  It went a fairly long way after cutting off.  (Surprised me how far)  He grabbed onto my gunwale, and I took him the rest of the way back to his boat.   He said he had no idea why, or how he came out of the boat.   

 

 

To everyone one.  Make yourself use your kill switch lanyard.   It doesn't take long for using it to become a habit.   

 

 

I've always used my kill switch.   I got, and started wearing an inflatable life jacket after @A-Jay talked about first responders and rescue workers risking their lives to either save me, or find my body if I weren't wearing a life jacket.   

[MN Fisher]

I wear my PFD 99% of the time I'm on the water...only when I'm taking off my hoodie cause it's gotten warm, or putting on my rain-jacket cause it's starting to sprinkle is when it's off...then it goes right back on again.

 

My 1973 'Rude didn't have a kill-switch...I retrofitted one and use it 'religiously'.

[DaubsNU1]

@BigAngus752 great points! I certainly have that "something doesn't feel right" feeling when getting in to a car, and not having my seat belt on.

[gim]

19 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I'm a "make your own decisions as an adult" person, but a kill switch can affect others, even people who aren't in the same boat.

That’s the technical difference here when referring to why a kill switch is now mandatory and wearing a PFD is not. Me not wearing a PFD only affects me. Me not wearing a kill switch can seriously injure or kill someone else.

 

I do as others have already stated here. My cord is attached to my PFD and I wear that while I am in the driver seat at any level above minimum wake. Once you start to do it regularly, it just becomes a habit.

[A-Jay]

We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence is not an act but a habit.

And habits are the building blocks of our lives.

Develop good ones.

A-Jay

 

[slonezp]

The only guarantees in life are death and taxes....

 

Something else to take into consideration...Don't let technology run your life. I don't want to take away from this tragedy and, if I am, mods move this post. 

 

There was a fatal accident this week in Miami near Black Point Marina. 40ft Contender with 1800HP hanging off the back. Boat was for sale. The seller, the buyer, and the buyers "friend who knew about boats" were on the boat. Electronics were lost and the 4 motors took a hard left and caused the boat to flip.  "Friend who knew about boats" was driving the boat at the time and has lost his life. 

[Swamp Girl]

@A-Jay is right. Develop good habits. 

 

#pdfsareagreathabit

 

 

 

 

[Susky River Rat]

This is so sad. I do hate hearing it. I cringe doing water fowl season. Once person we hear of Simone capsizing their boat full of decoys. I hook my kill switch up to my inflatable life jacket before my boat even touches the water.

 

I have a question for you who do wear your killswitch.
 

Do you carry a spare in the boat? If the operator gets ejected but, the passenger is in they would have no way of getting the boat over to the ejected person.  It I’d also for their safety as well so they do not get into another bad situation.  I give all new people in my boat this run down. 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

This is so sad. I do hate hearing it. I cringe doing water fowl season. Once person we hear of Simone capsizing their boat full of decoys. I hook my kill switch up to my inflatable life jacket before my boat even touches the water.

 

I have a question for you who do wear your killswitch.
 

Do you carry a spare in the boat? If the operator gets ejected but, the passenger is in they would have no way of getting the boat over to the ejected person.  It I’d also for their safety as well so they do not get into another bad situation.  I give all new people in my boat this run down. 

I carry an extra just because redundancy in my life's work.

But I think if the kill switch is flipped up even without the cord,

the motor will run.

A-Jay

[gim]

3 hours ago, Darnold335 said:

If the operator gets ejected but, the passenger is in they would have no way of getting the boat over to the ejected person.

This might be part of the reason MN also requires a "throwable PFD" in the watercraft too.  Its essentially a cushion with straps on it.

[Susky River Rat]

@A-Jay on mine it is a round spring loaded disc the kill switch clicks into. When the kill switch lanyard is pull it it goes shut. It would be near impossible  to try to hold that open and operate the boat. Sure you could always rig something behind it but, spend the $10 and get the correct thing. 
 

@gimruis I think that is a USCG requirement. I do not know of any state on a boat you wouldn’t need that. Kayaks and canoes are an exception. Either way if your boat goes 100yards  down stream on a river from you it’s going to be a rough go trying to catch back up to it without someone using the motor to get back to you.

[MN Fisher]

19 minutes ago, Darnold335 said:

@A-Jay on mine it is a round spring loaded disc the kill switch clicks into. When the kill switch lanyard is pull it it goes shut. It would be near impossible  to try to hold that open and operate the boat. Sure you could always rig something behind it but, spend the $10 and get the correct thing. 

Ya - Mine isn't a 'flip switch' - it's a normally closed switch that needs something behind it to keep it open...when pulled, the switch closes, shorting the points and killing ignition.