Off Topic MIssing Fisherman

I always wear a kill switch extension when fishing solo. I’ve almost gone out of the boat twice this year when downrigging with buddies. Once I slipped on a wet deck and it threw me forward and almost out of the boat, second time at the back while starting the kicker and the main throttle was accidentally bumped when my buddy was shutting it down. I would’ve been fine as it wasn’t really rough and I had friends in the boat but it shows you how easy it is! I always wear an inflatable too!
 
2 police boats still searching as of 13:40on Sunday - getting pretty choppy out there this afternoon.
 
Have read from Snap'd Hald-Nor that the missing boater was found this afternoon - east of Featherstone Point - deceased. Condolences and sympathies to his family. Please - lets all ensure we don't let this happen again. Wear your life vest and if you see anyone fishing alone without a vest - you need to politely tell them to put one on.
 
For those that fished back in the late 80s early 90s when the fishing was very similar to right now you'll remember the sheer numbers of boats of every shape and size that would go out. Unfortunately that also included ones that weren't really lake appropriate or well equipped. Safety was a second thought and there were a rash of deadly incidents..most of them related to the failure to wear flotation gear. The good thing is the improvement in the quality of boats, gear, and knowledge that seems to be the new standard. Unfortunately we still have these tragedies that are a sad reminder to us all to play safe. Wear a jacket or a self inflatable, use your kill switch cord. Most of us have had those moments when if we hadn't caught ourselves or if the wave was a little bigger or if we hadnt had the seat to lean on we could have been in the same boat.
Condolences to his family
 
Maybe its time wearing a flotation device is mandatory? One could compare it to seat belt law changes way back when. Many fought it, now its second nature for most, and look at the lives saved. Some are still going to disagree, but it worked?
Full disclosure, my life jacket sits at my feet under console for the most part, and but I'm planning to change that
 
very sad ending to a fellow fisherman...and 48 years old...absolutely terrible

believe it or not..there is such thing is impaired boating today...back when we all use to drink beer like a fish on our boats.. good thing we had our sea legs urinating off the side of the boat..the wake up call for me was when i watched first hand an OPP boat took the fishermens case of beer and towed there boat in..ya the word got around about the OPP Blitz boating & booze..alot of guys got busted..they ruined our fun..but saved some of our lives..and i come from the era of 70s rock and impaired was deadly..

ya i beleive the boats today are better equiped..like for pottahawk pissup..
 
According to preliminary data in the Lifesaving Society's 2018 Canadian Drowning Report, Ontario had 93 water-related fatalities in 2017.

About one-third of all water-related deaths occurred while boating.

Not wearing a lifejacket or personal flotation device is the number one cause of recreational boating deaths in Canada.

The majority of fatal accidents are caused by capsizing, collision or falling overboard.

About 40% of drowning fatalities from recreational boating in Canada are alcohol related.
 
My condolences to this man's family.

I've been following this thread for a while now and while everyone seems to be saying a lot about not only having, but using a life jacket, or PFD etc and there is mention of the various types available, some of the legalities about some of them, and a mention of alcohol use, but there is also one thing I haven't seen mentioned, and it's a pretty simple concept. Not going out alone. I firmly believe that you should never be going out on the water alone, especially on any of the Great Lakes for exactly this reason no matter how experienced you are. Anything can happen, and it can happen to anyone. All accidents are preventable.

If you're out there alone and something does happen, you're at the mercy of the lake unless or until someone hears or sees you, and often times, these things happen fast before you can call for help and these lakes do not show mercy. These lakes are known killers and all of the lakes, but especially Erie, can turn on you very quickly. If you're alone and you go over, you aren't likely to catch your boat, especially when it's a less than flat lake.

While I understand that some people just prefer to go out alone for any number of reasons, from not wanting to have to deal with "rookies," to can't find anyone available to go with them, to just don't want to take others out with them to avoid all the BS they've experienced in the past, there is also a saying that says there is safety in numbers. There is some truth to that.

Using a PFD, engine kill chords, not mixing alcohol with boating etc that's all great, but even an engine kill chord isn't going to necessarily save your life if you can't catch up to your boat that is drifting now and way over there and you're still where it was before you went over.

It seems to me, not going out alone is also a very wise preventative measure that should be given a great deal more consideration than it's being given, even by some of the most experienced members, because even if the person with you isn't an experienced boater, if you aren't out there alone, at the very least the other person with you can, or should be able to get that boat turned around to come get you and that could potentially save your life and tragedies such as this might not happen.

We don't know what happened in this incident. What we do know is a man went out fishing alone. A friend checked on him using a telescope less than an hour later (as reported) and realized he wasn't in the boat and called 911. We don't know how or why he ended up in the lake. There has been no mention in any of the public reporting that I have seen, as to whether he did or did not have on a life jacket or other PFD. There was no mention of whether he had or had not consumed any alcohol.

There are many potential lessons to be learned through this man's tragedy, and not going out alone might be one of those lessons. How many of us will learn it, but more importantly, how many of us will ignore that lesson and continue going out alone because of a mindset that says, "it's better to go alone than have to deal with a "rookie" or the BS I've experienced in the past"

While we can all speculate on why it happened, in the bigger picture all that matters is, he went out alone, and for whatever reason, he ended up in the lake, and it did not have a happy ending. THAT is what happened. Let's focus on that instead of focusing on speculation and theories about why it may have happened.
 
Hi Trevor...the common deminator with the replies here is ways to prevent another tragedy..
absolutely wearing his life vest is the number #1..
in no way shape or form I myself speculated impaired by alcohol..I suggested a prevention with past experiences..
I would believe the poor man was not drinking and impaired by alcohol...it wouldn't make sense to me..
time of day and by yourself..definately a fatal accident..
 
I understand that Mick. I was bringing attention to something that hasn't been said, the idea of not going out alone. That too is very much a preventative measure that nobody had brought up.
 
Some of us enjoy the freedom of fishing alone. Spending quiet time clearing my head from everyday life is one of the biggest draws of fishing....1/2 my trips whether it be out on the lake, floating down a river or hiking through the bush are alone. I'm pretty sure I'm more capable of taking care of myself in most situations VS any company I take with me. And yup, sometimes extra precautions are taken when fishing solo, particularly on a boat. But to say everyone requires a partner to fish? I don't think so....

Don't be wasted, use your kill switch and wear a life vest if alone. And most importantly don't be stupid. Shit can happen either way whether it be in a boat, on the road, in a plane or in your own living room...

Josh
 
Trevor, strongly disagree, but firstly my condolences to the mans family, my bad for not mentioning that in the first post.
But don't fish alone? Then what in life can be done alone? Farmer working alone, think how many have perished in farm related accidents? What about hunting alone? falls from stands, accidental discharge ect? Cutting fire wood, cleaning chimney, eves? River fishing, slipping in on muddy bank? Riding a quad, motor bike? Driving your car down a back rd and hitting something, hell, driving anywhere?
Everything we do in life comes with a risk, some more than others.
All due respect, "but the some-buddy should have been babysitting me" train of thought seen so much nowadays seems over the top anymore.
 
This is a very sad event, But he was a grown man maybe if he was here today and going out alone was put to him, what would his answer be ? Yes accidents do happen and we can't solve every thing with a NEW law. My heart goes out to his family !!
 
It's possible that I misunderstood some of the posts in this thread. Likewise, it seems to me some people are maybe misunderstanding or maybe I didn't articulate properly what I was trying to convey, and as a result some may be reading a lot more into what I said than what I meant, and they're offended. Sorry, that wasn't the intention. I've read back through what I posted, and I have to ask, did I say anything that was false?? I don't think I did and I certainly didn't mean too.

I didn't ask you to agree with me. I offered an alternative that wasn't being mentioned. You don't have to agree with it, but please don't tell me I'm wrong. The points I made about not going out alone are valid. For those of you who don't know, I was a truck driver before I got hurt. I didn't like training people. I didn't like having a swamper once in a while when I was doing local stuff. I hated driving team. I know full well what it's like to be alone, and not for hours at a time, but days, sometimes weeks. I know all to well the advantages as well as the disadvantages, but sometimes having that swamper or that trainee with me when I wasn't on the road for extended periods was a welcome change.

Hindsight being what it is, had I been more willing to take a swamper, instead of arrogantly thinking I was able physically to do on my own, what many times I should have had help doing, I wouldn't be where I find myself today. Those are the what if's I deal with in my life everyday now because I can't do a majority of the things I once could.

As Red Fisher said, maybe this gentleman would have made a different choice if he were here to ask. Sadly, we'll never know and we're all losing focus on the fact that there is a family grieving while we sit here and needlessly debate what perhaps could or should have been done to prevent this tragedy from occurring.

I for one have come to realize, I am ashamed of myself as a result.
 
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