Almost died today

Dean, I'm glad to be reading something you wrote not your obit. Dead man switches are on all my boats, your reminder is to use them. And like I tell my Firearm Safety classes, THEY ARE CALLED "LIFE JACKETS " FOR A REASON. Personal floatation devices is just too P.C. for me. Again- you did have some help from above today.
 
Glad you live to tell the tale!

I don't know why a tiller extention is needed.... I have a 14 CLassic with a 25 Yamaha... It steps up on plane and runs out at 28mph...
 
Tom I'm glad to hear you put it that way. When i sell a boat, at the bottom of the last page of the owners info, the last sentence is,"It's not a PFD, it's a life jacket."
 
First off, glad you are ok. Second, glad you were good enough to look past the numerous embarrassing mistakes that led to this and posted this story to help the rest of us dimwits. I wear my pfd, take my time when the weather is bad, dark, or foggy. I gleened a couple things from your account: I realized that the waders will not help you swim and are better off being removed in this situation. I also learned that the red dangly cord that hangs from my throttle quadrant should be attached to something.....ME! I know what the cord is for, but to me it meant that the engine would start if it was holding the kill plunger out. I would hate to unplug the plunger everytime I moved around in the boat while it was running. WAIT.......why should I be moving around in the boat while it is running? Thanks for the story and for helping me revisit ALL of the safety topics that need to be adhered to while waterfowling.


dc
 
I realized that the waders will not help you swim and are better off being removed in this situation.

dc
Click to expand...

Although "swimming" with waders on is not easy, I have heard many stories of guys drownding and their bodies found with their waders half way off. Don't have the time at the minute, but I'm sure there are many sites with survival techniques with waders used to float you. Even without a PFD, you can bend your legs to trap air and paddle with your arms. Plus the added benifit of the insulation (especially with neoprene waders)...from what I have always been told, Dean is a very lucky man!

Chuck
 
Thank God Dean. What a story.

I always wear an inflatable life jacket when under power but I have NEVER attached the kill switch. I can promise you I will form now on attach that switch to me when underway. Call it an early New Years Eve resolution I guess.

Stories like this make all of us think. It was a similar story that didn't turn out so well that changed my mind about wearing life jackets all the time while under power. Haven't had to use the thing but I sure feel better when wearing it.

Mark W
 
Chuck,

I always get my waders one size larger than I need them so I can add more socks if needed. As I was just going for a ride I didn't even have socks on,
Those waders came right off. I did try to swim with them but my feet kept popping to the surface and I didn't try very long before deciding to take them off.

Dean
 
Dean

Again, you are lucky and I'm glad you are not another in the long string of news posts this fall of stories of hunters dying or being rescued. I can't say from experience, so I'm glad you kept your head and went with your gut. However, most modern recomendations are to not remove your waders. Like I said, glad it worked, but there are more commonly recomended methods:

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/education_safety/safety/boatwater/duckhunterbrochure06.pdf

http://www.worldconferenceondrowningprevention2011.org/SiteMedia/w3svc1092/Uploads/Documents/WCDP2011_A&O_McElroy_p305_Abstract.pdf

Thanks for sharing your experience,

Chuck
 
Dean,

Thats a powerful story and proves just how fast a good day can go very bad. Thank god your here to tell the tale. I always wear a life jacket when I'm by myself but this past summer I was close to the mouth of Tampa Bay when a rogue wave caught me off guard and I hit it wrong just about sending me over the side. I didn't have the engine cut-off switch lanyard lashed to me and I have hydraulic steering. If I hadn't grabbed the windshield grab rail I would have gone over the side and the boat would have headed out into the gulf leaving me behind. Now the water was 80 degrees and I was wearing my life jacket but it would have been a very long swim to shore. I wouldn't have drown but at my age with the tide going out I may have been pulled out to sea before I could have gotten to shore. I now use the cut-off switch religiously and wear my life jacket even if someone is with me. Glad to hear you're okay.
 
Dean,
Hellva a story, glad u were able to tell it. Just this year I realy became aware and started wearing by PFD and kill switch.
You did what everyone should do, fight him to the end and never let him catch you.....
 
i'm glad you're ok! thanks for sharing your story though, it made me re-evaluate a few things. I had been doing solo missions on my skiff to the marshes and now i've decided to try and be level headed and say that a bunch of ducks are not worth your life! again, thanks for sharing and I'm glad you're safe! happy new year
 
WOW! That is a heck of a story. That was a Brillant move on the waders. You kept your head and saved your life. I think you had some help from the help from the "Man Upstairs" as well.
 
Dean,
I'm glad to hear you're OK. You are very fortunate to have been able to keep your wits about you and make it back to shore. An experience like that will change how someone views things, but I hope that you are still able to enjoy yourself out on the water in the future.
 
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