re: Missing Florida boys' boat found capsized

Two kids should be able to swim circles around the boat. The drift of a capsized boat can be modeled and predicted much easier than a person. They should have been able to stay with the boat.

Not "mr arizona". Mr Louisiana. Spent most of my life on the gulf or in the woods. Saved 3 guys from freezing and drowning in a capsized boat one December out duck hunting 10 years ago. Picked up a guy in a capsized boat on catahoula lake one year. i still do a lot of backcountry thru hiking. Just hiked the 200 mile JMT through the high sierras. The best thing to do in an emergency situation is to stay put. Don't expend energy and wait it out. If you panic and try to swim or walk out. Your risk goes way up.

We've been through this a million times over. Your expert opinion doesn't change anything

Not wrong on this one. You can use the lower unit of the outboard as a step and to stay with the hull of the boat. The hull of the boat can be used to get out of the water. It is slick but has grooves and lips in the fiberglass. It's much better than being submerged in water. The hull is less exposed to wind and more to current. Easier to predict it's drift. Any expert would say to stay with the boat in a capsized situation.

Okay, well, that didn't happen here for whatever reason, so please start a thread on correct procedure for capsizing in a boat and leave it out of this thread. Thanks

This same thing happened to a friend of mine 9 yrs ago outta st Augustine, he was never found. It is what it is! We make big deal on ESPN about someone that wants to do a backflip on a skateboard/dirt bike.

BUT, every time I pull outta the inlet to fish a wreck 3 miles offshore or if I'm going to 21 bottom 45 miles offshore. I know my life, is not in my control!! That's why I pay for a Roffs subscription, and pay for the best electronics I can afford!! Theses kids did not/ don't deserve there faith! Cuz I've done much worse!!

In the moment u r having a good time catching fish, it's the ultimate high!!

Nothing can go wrong?'

Dude, no offense but you're seeing things wrong.

For one, none of us know where they were headed or thinking for certain.

Next, EPIRB is not the guarantee people think it is and it is usually overkill for a boat normally confined to distances from shore that are normally covered by VHF and cell phones. EPIRB's are not always the godsend some are making them out to be. They are definitely a benefit and add an extra level of safety but the boat must go down or the trigger pulled for them to broadcast, the EPIRB needs to remain in a position that will allow rescuers to receive the signal, rescuers need to know what signal that particular device is emitting, and you need to be able to stay with the signal for it to be effective(I haven't been in the market for EPIRB's lately so I may be a little off here but it's mostly accurate from the technology I've known).

If one is caught in a storm, offshore, there's usually an urge to think you can scoot around it. Their phones' could show radar and give them a false sense of bravado, something similar has happened to even the most experienced saltwater angler.

Finally, why would anyone assume they had the choice of staying with a capsized boat? It fricking capsized, do you think it did so under pleasant circumstances? We should be shocked they haven't been found sitting on the boat sipping drinks with their Yeti ice and paper umbrellas according to the logic of many...

Bottom line, these kids probably were in the midst of doing something their parents wouldn't approve of and they knew what they were doing was risky but they were going nonetheless. They seem likely guilty of bad decision making but without knowing what happened, no one knows for sure. If you never did something similar on your bike with your friends, you're either a liar or a pussy. Everyone complains kids are spending too much time with computers, video games, etc. and it seems these kids took it too far. The stakes are higher when boats and saltwater are concerned but don't pretend to know what happened or judge anyone without knowing what happened.

Crucify me if you will, I don't care, I'm just hoping these kids are found with a huge, huge lesson learned. The sea is fun, fishing is fun, proving to your Dad you can fish without him is fun, knowing he'd respect you more by throwing caution to the wind takes maturity.

Has the coast guard commented on the buoy photos? That would be a hugely unlikely event to catch these boys on camera but the picture at least gave the families one last dash of hope today. If it was truly a sighting it really means they have been searching too far south the last couple of days.

from the Hull Truth thread

First I want to thank you guys for this thread, it's been a great resource.

I lived in Jupiter for many years, and recently moved.

The reason I finally registered was to tell you The Buoy Pics are legitimate; the UNedited ones are at least. I do know with certainty that the USCG sent 2 Helos to the location, but I do not know the result; or if there even is one yet.

The USCG was also made aware of the images long before anything was posted on the Facebook group (no comment about that place...) and they were already analyzing them by the time the "coloring contest" started. There are units enroute, but I don't have anything further. Just thought you all would like to know.

Thanks again for the concise info you all have posted, you've helped more than you know!!
Hemicat is online now

I would assume the close gulf waters are no match for the Atlantic Ocean when things turn for the worse.