Boating accident in the Georges

[Hodgey]

This article in the news this morning:

Report

Hodgey

[Captin]

Been reading about it all morning Hodgey. Some reports say that none of them were wearing life jackets.

[Catchin Jack]

Not good, I wonder IF the buoy had a light and IF it was working.

Night time navigation on waters you know well is still risky let alone unfamiliar waters.

I took some people out in Lake Macquarie at night and they had no idea what the lights meant or what the flashing ones meant, was a scary thought and they had boat licences.

[piratesgold]

Not good, I wonder IF the buoy had a light and IF it was working.

Night time navigation on waters you know well is still risky let alone unfamiliar waters.

I took some people out in Lake Macquarie at night and they had no idea what the lights meant or what the flashing ones meant, was a scary thought and they had boat licences.

unfortunatly a lot of people, whilst taking their licence, just do what they need to, to pass the test, and forget most of it as they leave the room, and at the time, never intend to go out at night. even the daytime nav aids, i think i would have to refresh myself in the book before going out as i don't go out often enough to become 'fluent'. The 'it'll never happen to me' and 'rules are for other people' attitudes are always there too (as a general comment, not necessarily in this instance). feel for the family,friends and rescue services though.

I took the RYA motorcraft course in the uk many years ago, 12 weeks, one 3 hour night per week, it included a 'full navigation' section, (without GPS), dead reconning, course to steer, chart work, parallels and dividers stuff, it included sailing from a point at sea, to moored up in an estuary at night, 'document the lights, beacons,you will encounter from the chart plot waypoints' their elevation, direction and their meanings etc. Included a saturday afternoon practical in a 40 ft yacht (!), on the Solent, to show how difficult it is to manouvre a yacht and why the rights of way are such for motorcraft, crossing commercial lanes etc.....

Edited November 1, 2011 by piratesgold

[bassboy888]

Very sad news. I was wondering what all the helicopter noise was last night coming over my place, sounds like i may have found out.

[Catchin Jack]

Yes sad for the families n friends involved.

unfortunatly a lot of people, whilst taking their licence, just do what they need to, to pass the test, and forget most of it as they leave the room

That is the problem, it's to easy to pass and if you had that attitude with your drivers licence you'd be stuffed. It's just to easy to get a boat licence, I reckon a lot of people IF retested would fail.

I'm not going to get any more off topic than I already have here.

Condolences to family and friends of those involved in this tragic accident.

[datwins]

Yes sad for the families n friends involved.

That is the problem, it's to easy to pass and if you had that attitude with your drivers licence you'd be stuffed. It's just to easy to get a boat licence, I reckon a lot of people IF retested would fail.

I'm not going to get any more off topic than I already have here.

Condolences to family and friends of those involved in this tragic accident.

hey fezza,any one retested for car driving licence would fail,so youre poit is...

[musty]

Yes sad for the families n friends involved.

That is the problem, it's to easy to pass and if you had that attitude with your drivers licence you'd be stuffed. It's just to easy to get a boat licence, I reckon a lot of people IF retested would fail.

I'm not going to get any more off topic than I already have here.

Condolences to family and friends of those involved in this tragic accident.

We dont know that they were inexperienced or forgot what they knew and were not following correct rules/procedures. The fact remains two people are missing, One of which has 3 kids at home and yes i have spoken to his family. An accident is exactly that, an ACCIDENT, and they happen from time to time. No point in looking for reasons and blames. As a matter of fact I was at the beach yesterday and by 7.30 pm all the markers within sight were blinking except for the one in question. Weather it came on as it got darker i dont know.

My condolences go out to the families of those involved.

Musty

[SNAP-ER]

Was driving back from work today (about 1pm) and thought id stop by to have a look, since i was driving home that way,and had seen the police divers have there lunch.Once they resumed searching,i seen the divers give hand signals,and talking on the CB radios,i knew that they had found someone.(The body was found in front of the red marker not far from the beach,about 10m downstream of it,where there is a decent drop off to about 11m.)They pulled the person on the police boat,covered the body and drove off downstream,was very intense watching all the families there,in such pain and sorrow.

It doesnt take much to happen.

" SLOW DOWN AT NIGHT "

Condolences to family and friends of those involved in this accident.

[BWV]

If the light wasn't working its probably because they just ran into it!! Sounds like another case of a vessel not travelling at a safe speed or keeping a proper look out.

Edited November 2, 2011 by Whaler 255