survival

[Spring Drifter]

It's stowed in my suit and I have the type that doesn't have to be opened. If you're going to go into the water, the approx. Lat. --long. should be known.

Spring Drifter

quote:Originally posted by Concerned Angler

Forlocal waters a cel phone in a ziplock baggie in your suit is good insurance

 

[Spring Drifter]

Once in the water (assuming I'm wearing a survival suit and all the cinch points are tight),I'd try to keep my movements to a minimum as thrashing around will only open up the vital areas of the body such as the groin and underarm areas.
You're correct about being screwed in 10-20 minutes. It'd probably be about 5 minutes for me as I'm over 70 and overweight. My only hope would be for an automatically deploid Epirb which I should be wearing (not on the market to my knowledge), remain in a pre-natal position and hopefully have foam gloves on and wearing a diver's cap (most of the body's heat esacapes through the head).

Spring Drifter
You're suggestion of having a floating box is good but it'd be more effective if attached to you (which is difficult).

quote:Originally posted by casper5280

Spring Drifter I to wear a survival suit and have a floating box with flares and handheld vhf,survival kit,dye cans,knife etc.I would like to know what you mean by "a basic understanding on what to do once in the water".I feel that after the first 10-20 minutes in the water that I would be screwed as I don't think I could help someone help myself.By this I mean that if someone did find me I don't think I could help them pull me out of the water,I would be just dead weight. As Fishinnut has said I don't think people realize how cold that water is after a few minutes.
I would also like to know peoples thoughts on how long a average person could last in the water.
I truly hope all this is just food for thought and no one has a need to use this information
I sometimes think that I'm a little anal about all the safty items I puton the boat.Then I see others out there no radios and no brains going out in bad weather and think that that is the guy that I may need to save.

 

[Spring Drifter]

The biggest scares have been when travelling back to Gordon River between Camper and Owen Point and having a following sea quartering me. I can be my own worst enemy sometimes because I like to fish for coho about three miles off the Bell Bouy in mid-October and the water can be tricky.
Although rare, the entrance to Gordon River can also be unpredictable with big rogue swells washing over the bar.

quote:Originally posted by tyee2112

quote:Originally posted by Spring Drifter

I've had some pretty scary events while fishing off Port Renfrew over the past 25 years and have wondered how other sports fishermen
prepare for a possible capsizing. My boat is seaworthy, and is well equipped with safety gear but they aren't much good if the boat flips and i'm into the water in a flash.
I wear a survival suit, carry a waterproof radio, a knife and a flashlight plus have a basic understanding on what to do once in the water but that's not enough. There is just so much that can be stuffed into a suit.
Ideas?

Spring Drifter

Fill us in on some of those scary events out of renfrew I have only fished out there for about five years now and have been lucky to not have seen any yet.

 

[gpspowell]

>My only hope would be for an automatically deploid Epirb which I should be wearing (not on the market to my knowledge), remain in a pre-natal position and hopefully have foam gloves on and wearing a diver's cap (most of the body's heat esacapes through the head).<

Spring Drifter, Wearable EPIRBs, called Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are on the market, approved, and reliable. Go to: http://www.landfallnavigation.com/plb.html . So far as automatic deployment; If you're wearing it and you're in the water, it has been deployed. I don't think the PLBs turn themselves on when wet but they are probably easy to activate. My guess is it would be a high priority if one found himself suddenly boatless in 50º water. At 70 years old (I'm a young 60) you'd probably last 2 - 6 hours, or more in a survival suit, but I'm guessing you're wearing (as I am) bibs and floatation coat or a floatation work suit. Much shorter survival time but better than a pair of jeans & a windbreaker.

 

[Dave H]

I once rescued a couple of boaters from Alberta who got nailed by a set at the mouth of Muir Creek during a big swell in 1986. I drove up just as they flipped and was able to get out to them fairly quickly as I was still in my wetsuit from surfing the point at JR.
Got them both in ok and managed to salvage their boat and motor too, but they lost most of their gear.

Oh, and in 12 years of living at JR and surfing the whole area, I never saw it 15' there....... and if it ever was there sure as heck wouldn't be a bunch of surfers out.
But I'll take your word it was big when they got nailed.
I've also watched a few sketchy moves at Renfrew as I worked there for eight years and surfed there a lot during the big El Nino of '82-83.
Some boaters are a bit crazy methinks.


Take care.

 

[dog]

Hey Spring Drifter. I like your idea about using a smoke signal to get attention if the flares arent working. Now I have a good reason to head down to the good store tomorrow. I knew I really needed something.