Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-13-2011, 07:21 AM   #1
Guru
 
Forkliftt's Avatar
 
City: Diberville Mississippi
Vessel Name: KnotDoneYet
Vessel Model: 1983 42' Present Sundeck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,450
4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

This is sad. I didn't realize hypothermia was possible down here. News link
http://extreme.mobile.msn.com/


-- Edited by Forkliftt on Sunday 13th of February 2011 09:23:04 AM
Forkliftt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2011, 07:46 AM   #2
Scraping Paint
 
City: Fort Lauderdale
Vessel Model: CHB 48 Zodiac YL 4.2
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,804
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Quote:
Forkliftt wrote:This is sad. I didn't realize hypothermia was possible down here.*
With water temperatures around 45* in that area, survival is problematic after around 3 hours and exhaustion can be expected in as little as 30 minutes even if you are young and fit. If* you are in that water without a lifejacket, plan on 30 minutes to ponder your choice not to wear one.

*
RickB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2011, 09:20 AM   #3
Guru
 
Carey's Avatar
 
City: Bellingham, WA
Vessel Name: Happy Destiny
Vessel Model: Custom Lobster Yacht
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,101
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Quote:
Forkliftt wrote:

This is sad. I didn't realize hypothermia was possible down here. News link
http://extreme.mobile.msn.com/

-- Edited by Forkliftt on Sunday 13th of February 2011 09:23:04 AM
Apparently MSN has replaced the news item to which you refer. Where did this occur?

*
Carey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2011, 09:57 AM   #4
Grand Vizier
 
Delfin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,816
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Stuff happens.

We were rounding Lopez Island heading into Upright Channel in the US San Juans two years ago when my wife saw something floating in the water.* Turned out to be a 70 year old guy who had bypass surgery the year before who had fallen off a charter boat his son had rented for the week.* He had gone forward to bring in a fender that had been slapping against the hull, probably for the last two hours, and fallen off - fortunately with the fender, which he was hanging onto, otherwise he'd already be dead.* One of my sons was with me and we were able to drag him onboard only because Delfin can be boarded about 12" above the waterline.* If I was by myself, or just with my wife the results for the guy might have been different because after only 5 - 10 minutes in that cold water all he could do was hang onto the fender.* On board, we had him strip off his clothes and wrapped him in blankets.* He hadn't been in the water long enough to be hypothermic, but a max of 10 minutes was enough to render him useless in helping with his own rescue.

We called the Coasties, who met us in Friday Harbor.* A description of the boat was provided and the chartered boat was contacted while at anchor by another vessel who heard the Coast Guard call.* Dad had been missing for about an hour and a half at this point, and they hadn't noticed yet.* The son was a doctor.

Stuff happens.
Delfin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-13-2011, 12:43 PM   #5
Grand Vizier
 
Delfin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,816
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

You know, he was very grateful at the time, but we haven't heard from him since although he gave us his card.* Perhaps too embarrassed.
Delfin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 11:16 AM   #6
Per
Guru
 
Per's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 622
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

hypothermia can happen at almost any temp..

from wiki:

Heat is lost more quickly in water[18] than on land. Water temperatures that would be quite reasonable as outdoor air temperatures can lead to hypothermia. A water temperature of 10 °C (50 °F) often leads to death in one hour, and water temperatures hovering at freezing can lead to death in as little as 15 minutes.[31] Water at a temperature of 26 °C (79 °F) will, after prolonged exposure, lead to hypothermia.[32]

Carl, you saved that guys life twice, once by pulling him out of the water and second by giving him the proper treatment. Well done.
Per is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 01:10 PM   #7
Guru
 
Carey's Avatar
 
City: Bellingham, WA
Vessel Name: Happy Destiny
Vessel Model: Custom Lobster Yacht
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,101
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

My understanding is that water temperature less than about 80 degrees can lead to death by hypothermia, given sufficient time.
Carey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 01:19 PM   #8
Guru
 
skipperdude's Avatar
 
City: Whittier AK
Vessel Name: Apache II
Vessel Model: 1974 Donald Jones
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,147
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Where*I boat Here in South Central Alaska The water rarly reaches 45 Deg.

*The joke is be sure to wear you PFD.

Makes it easier for the Coast Guard to find your body.

SD
skipperdude is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 02:27 PM   #9
Guru
 
City: Carefree, Arizona
Vessel Name: sunchaser V
Vessel Model: DeFever 48 (sold)
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 10,188
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

I have a friend who is an English Channel swimmer. Hours on end at 50 degrees is ok for him if he is moving hard burning calories. Unlike some of his peers who are built with seal blubber it would seem, he is rail thin.
sunchaser is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 02:41 PM   #10
TF Site Team/Forum Founder
 
Baker's Avatar
 
City: League City, Tx
Vessel Name: Floatsome & Jetsome
Vessel Model: Meridian 411
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,332
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Quote:
sunchaser wrote:

I have a friend who is an English Channel swimmer. Hours on end at 50 degrees is ok for him if he is moving hard burning calories. Unlike some of his peers who are built with seal blubber it would seem, he is rail thin.
And just a little FYI....if you find yourself in a bad situation in cold water...DO NOT move around to stay warm. *Those calories you are burning are what your body needs to keep itself warm. *When they are gone, so are you!!! *I guess this would hold true in any hyporthermic event....on land or in water.

*
Baker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 02:43 PM   #11
TF Site Team/Forum Founder
 
Baker's Avatar
 
City: League City, Tx
Vessel Name: Floatsome & Jetsome
Vessel Model: Meridian 411
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,332
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm



That is just the first hit in a google search.....
Baker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 04:54 PM   #12
Per
Guru
 
Per's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 622
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Quote:
Baker wrote:

*
sunchaser wrote:

I have a friend who is an English Channel swimmer. Hours on end at 50 degrees is ok for him if he is moving hard burning calories. Unlike some of his peers who are built with seal blubber it would seem, he is rail thin.
And just a little FYI....if you find yourself in a bad situation in cold water...DO NOT move around to stay warm. *Those calories you are burning are what your body needs to keep itself warm. *When they are gone, so are you!!! *I guess this would hold true in any hyporthermic event....on land or in water.

*

*

i remember waterskiing at big bear lake at easter one year, was the day after and i think the alcohol was still clouding our sound judgement skills.. we did not have wetsuits.
the best thing was to sit absolutely still in the water as your body would warm up the waterlayer up against your body, as soon as you moved it would turn cold again.



*
Per is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 05:22 PM   #13
Guru
 
Carey's Avatar
 
City: Bellingham, WA
Vessel Name: Happy Destiny
Vessel Model: Custom Lobster Yacht
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,101
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Quote:
Baker wrote:

http://www.ussartf.org/cold_water_survival.htm


That is just the first hit in a google search.....
That says it all John.

*
Carey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 05:26 PM   #14
Grand Vizier
 
Delfin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,816
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

The two things I learned from our experience was first that it is really hard to get someone back on the boat after they are in the water.* It is likely the person in the water won't be able to help much, so you have to be prepared to hoist them on by whatever means you can muster.* Best to have a plan beforehand.* The second is that it happens that boats lurch and people fall off, so my wife and I maintain situational awareness of each other's location.* If I disappear into the ER for 5 minutes without telling her where I'm going, she comes a looking.*
Delfin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 05:40 PM   #15
Scraping Paint
 
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Quote:
Delfin wrote:

The two things I learned from our experience was first that it is really hard to get someone back on the boat after they are in the water.
This was demonstrated first hand in the USCG Auxilliary boating course my wife and I took back in the mid-80s.* Even getting somebody up onto a swimstep can be an impossible task.* This is why when we got our GB we got rid of the ring life preserver that came with the boat and installed a Lifesling.* We would use the boat's mast and boom and double-block fall to help*hoist a person on board.

*
Marin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 05:51 PM   #16
Guru
 
Forkliftt's Avatar
 
City: Diberville Mississippi
Vessel Name: KnotDoneYet
Vessel Model: 1983 42' Present Sundeck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,450
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

How about a survival suit? Do any of you guys up north keep one near your ditch bag?
Forkliftt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 06:19 PM   #17
Grand Vizier
 
Delfin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,816
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Quote:
Forkliftt wrote:

How about a survival suit? Do any of you guys up north keep one near your ditch bag?
My wife sleeps in one, but I am not sure why......

On the boat, no.* It would be good to have if you know you're sinking, but on most dude boats, the problem is falling offl.* I read someplace that half the bodies that wash up on the beach from drownings off boats have their flys open.

*
Delfin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 06:41 PM   #18
Guru
 
Forkliftt's Avatar
 
City: Diberville Mississippi
Vessel Name: KnotDoneYet
Vessel Model: 1983 42' Present Sundeck
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,450
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

That's funny!
Forkliftt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 07:55 PM   #19
TF Site Team
 
koliver's Avatar
 
City: Saltspring Island
Vessel Name: Retreat
Vessel Model: C&L 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,663
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

True story:
My daughter's best friend lost her father in this accident in their grade 12 year, 1998.
Herring opening in January in the gulf Islands. The fish boat that Leo was on was fishing in Tricomali channel, off the south end of Ruxton Island. Flat calm, clear and cold. The owners had a second boat that suffered mechanical problems, so the quota for that boat was transferred to his. After midnight, they were loading the last of the set into the boat when it turned turtle and went quickly to the bottom. Four aboard. All got out, 2 with survival suits on , two without. the two with suits survived. The two without huddled together, and worked their way to shore. they were located in the morning, but only one survived.
The WCB inquiry determined that the survival suits were still on their hooks. The sinking was too fast for them to get them. Two of the crew did get theirs, only because they were closer to where they were stationed.
SSuits work. You need to have them on, or close enough so you can get to them quickly in an emergency.
koliver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2011, 08:23 PM   #20
Grand Vizier
 
Delfin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,816
RE: 4 drown in the Gulf of Mexico

Very sad story, Keith.
Delfin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
California recreational (fishing boat) overturns - 4 (all onboard) drown. Per General Discussion 28 03-19-2012 07:18 PM
Key West to Mexico belizebill Voyagers and other Boaters on the Go! 19 07-23-2011 12:48 PM
Navonics (Gold Card) 128MB for Gulf of Mexico blacksheep Classifieds Archive - Closed To New Posts 0 07-18-2011 10:07 AM
Gulf Islands Marin Cruising and Events - West Coast 5 10-02-2009 11:01 PM

» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012