Another sad reminder

[Rob LaMoy]

This past weekend a local sailboat capsized and 2 small children drowned. A 5 year old boy and his 7 year old sister. Buzz knows the family. Apparently the capt had been drinking. Just remember that booze and boats don't mix, it's not a hype slogan, it's true. It really hit home since my boy is nearly 5. I know that personally, I would not have come out of that water without my kids, I would be buried with them before I stopped trying. It's funny how when you're younger, death is something you see on TV or in the paper, but YOU are invincible. As you grow a little older and/or have children, the fear that it could be YOUR family, is lurking in every shadow. Drive safe and boat safe folks and hug your kids tonight!. I hate hearing news like this!

 

[TrepMan]

That is sad Rob, when I put the boat in on Saturday with my family the Corp folks were passing out a note that said "14 people have died on our lake this year, let's not make it 15", unfortunetly we did get saturday afternoon #15 (don't have the details).



Were the 2 kids wearing life jackets? That is my #1 pet peeve on the water (and safety belts in the car) is kids in ANY kind of boat with OUT lifejackets on!

 

[Barry Loos]

Booze and boating kill people and what hurts the most is that the deaths are preventable.



Bear

 

[Bob G.]

The article said that the children were wearing life jackets, but they were below deck. The sailboat was out on Lake Champlain at night for the fireworks show. It is always sad to read tragic events like this when children are involved.



Bob G.

 

[Dan J.]

Trep - Be careful out there! Our Lake Lanier is the heaviest visited in the corps.(23-24 mil. annually)AND has the highest average fatalities. Be as safe as you can, but be equally aware of the people around you. Many times the DNR are helping/saving safe boaters from wreckless and/or drunken ones. Keep an eye out and when necessary dial *911 to get help or report unsafe activities.

 

[Rob LaMoy]

They were trapped in a capsized sailboat. I'm thinking, had the adults not been drinking....a sailboat does NOT capsize in 10 seconds, it takes a minute or so, and this one was only 20-25 feet long, so it couldn't have taken a coherent adult any more than a few seconds to realize what was going on, run below, yank the kids out and throw them WITh PFD's on, into the lake awaiting rescue boats. They had enough time to radio for help it sounded. Again, I would not have stopped trying. I hope I am never put in that situation and maybe there are factors the public is not aware of, but it seemed like a mindless error. HOW to you NOT find kids, when you know you are turning over, and they are down there terrified, waiting for their mom or dad, their HERO to come save them. How do you NOT die trying? I can't bear the thought of my little boy down in the cold, dark water, crying for me, and his last thought being is "where is my daddy?", makes me want to vomit.

 

[TrepMan]

Dan J - Good to see you back on the site, was at the store on Friday with the family and they said you were off - lucky dog! Helped pay your salary LOL got a new Tube for the boys and ME (I never had/went boating/fishing as a kid and LOVE Tubing!) In fact I got Beka to drive the Tracker on Saturday on Allatoona while first I tubed with each of the boys in a cove slowly and then across the main lake channel to another cove with just me at WOT (OK so with my 40hp and my HEAVY weight on the tube she only got to about 24mph but that was FUN!



Also picked up one of the BPS MegaCast reels to go with a new XPS Flipping Stick I have.



I agree 100% on the good that the DNR folks do on our lakes. It still kills me to watch parents let their kids (i've seen 10-12 yearolds) drive these Jet Skis by themselves w/out kill switches or lifejackets! Seen that at Allatoona last month.



On the drinking and boating, I've always said I have 2 hobbies (besides my wife and kids, though those are really a full time job not a HOBBY LOL) which are Fishing/Boating and Brewing Beer - The two do NOT mix!

 

[Rob LaMoy]

What are you talking about? Never mind.