Make the loss of life in Mobile Bay at least a learning lesson. Most of the loss of life was from folks in smaller boats. It is only prudent to have a good life jacket on, when in any small boat--an inflatable PFD with 36 lbs of floatation is better than one of the WalMart $4 vests. There are also a number of good vests which have pockets designed for fishermen or industrial use--but they only have 15.5 lbs up to 19 lbs of floatation; A vest such as the Sterns Navy Complete. The advantages of a pocketed vest, is that you can have dye marker, strobe light, whistle, and perhaps even more important a waterproof hand held VHF radio (now available with DSC), and even a PLB at hand. The older I get, the more I am convinced that in any small boat a hand held VHF and PLB are important as well as other safety aids. We carry these in our pocketed life vests, and do have two of the belt inflation PFD's we wear when in the dinghy in all conditions as well.
How about the floatation of a 15.5 lb. floatation vest in high waves? Not so good. Supplement this with a inflatable belt pack of from 15.5 lbs to up to 25.5 of additional floatation and it is much easier to keep your head above the waves, and summon rescue, with the whistle, or VHF radio.
There is criticism of the race committee. I don't believe than anyone at this forum was at the pre-race skippers meeting at 2000 the evening before the start. It would be normal that the weather issues were brought up there. It is the responsibility of each skipper for the safety of his crew on any boat, in any conditions. I live near the area, and observed the storm come by my waterfront home. A bass boat took refuge in back of our house. The skipper had seen the sky, and got off Perdido Bay in a safe and protected place. The race was 18 miles, was started at 9:30/9:45, and the squall came thru at about 4:30 PM. Many of the boats had already finished the race.
Bob Austin
Make the loss of life in Mobile Bay at least a learning lesson. Most of the loss of life was from folks in smaller boats. It is only prudent to have a good life jacket on, when in any small boat--an inflatable PFD with 36 lbs of floatation is better than one of the WalMart $4 vests. There are also a number of good vests which have pockets designed for fishermen or industrial use--but they only have 15.5 lbs up to 19 lbs of floatation; A vest such as the Sterns Navy Complete. The advantages of a pocketed vest, is that you can have dye marker, strobe light, whistle, and perhaps even more important a waterproof hand held VHF radio (now available with DSC), and even a PLB at hand. The older I get, the more I am convinced that in any small boat a hand held VHF and PLB are important as well as other safety aids. We carry these in our pocketed life vests, and do have two of the belt inflation PFD's we wear when in the dinghy in all conditions as well.
How about the floatation of a 15.5 lb. floatation vest in high waves? Not so good. Supplement this with a inflatable belt pack of from 15.5 lbs to up to 25.5 of additional floatation and it is much easier to keep your head above the waves, and summon rescue, with the whistle, or VHF radio.
There is criticism of the race committee. I don't believe than anyone at this forum was at the pre-race skippers meeting at 2000 the evening before the start. It would be normal that the weather issues were brought up there. It is the responsibility of each skipper for the safety of his crew on any boat, in any conditions. I live near the area, and observed the storm come by my waterfront home. A bass boat took refuge in back of our house. The skipper had seen the sky, and got off Perdido Bay in a safe and protected place. The race was 18 miles, was started at 9:30/9:45, and the squall came thru at about 4:30 PM. Many of the boats had already finished the race.
Bob Austin
