Peel Island Tragedy

[charleville]

A 61 year old man fell from his boat at Peel island and drowned last night. That is a real tragedy - the weather conditions were pretty good according to what I saw on the beacon readings this morning on Seabreeze.

Makes you wonder if one of those inflatable lifejackets might be a good thing to wear at night.

[Camo]

Yeah pretty how strange they could hear his crys for help but couldn't locate him. He must have went under before they got to him. He must have been fishing by himself too. There was no mention of anyone else in the boat.

Camo

[StevenM]

Sad thing it is

[Dory4.1]

very sad

[stevedemon]

Hi all
this is a tragedy for all fisho's and there families
The Police are looking into the reasons why he went over the side they think it may have been the wash from another Vessel > > >

Cheers
Steve

[The_Walrus]

Sad to hear.

He's probably been fishing on his own for years without any problems. Unfortunately, it only takes one.

I think that if you do a lot of fishing by yourself, one of those self inflating life jacket is a must.

When underway, make certain you're attached to the engine kill switch and when at anchor, one of those safety lines worn by solo sailors would also be a good idea.

Luc

[finga64]

There was a few largeish leisure boats moored there this morning. He may have been one of these. He may have also had a few ales or wines as well and not fishing.
It's a very popular spot for overnight camping and for mooring.
Conditions were near perfect this morning.
Sad, so sad.

[cactus_jack]

I had the chance to speak with some boys in blue, apparently he lived on his vessel and was moored there overnight by himself, not sure if alcohol played much of a part but apparently he liked to go for a late night swim on his own occasionally. Very sad for the rest of his family all the same.

[Homer_Jay]

I think in that situation one of the inflatable life jakets are well worth the money. Now days you can get them for about $100 and when you consider the money we pay for our boats and fishing gear $100 isnt much especially if your fishing alone at night. I think at times we can all become abit slack about safety, but something like this should serve as a reminder as to just how easy something can go wrong.
Very sad, 61 probably worked all his life and should be starting to enjoy it.

[backhoe]

Got an auto self-inflating jacket earlier this year for fishing alone. Not the best swimmer so gives me some insurnce. It's a yoke style one and you don't even know you've got it on. Wouldn't go out without it now. May as well get used to wearing them now as we'll all be doing it within a few years if other states are anything to go by.

[charleville]

I think in that situation one of the inflatable life jakets are well worth the money. Now days you can get them for about $100 and when you consider the money we pay for our boats and fishing gear $100 isnt much especially if your fishing alone at night.

Is that all they are? $100? If that is the case, I shall get one this week.

[blaze]

You Can get them on ebay for $89.00, free post and they are supplied by liesure marine honda (?) and are suppllied with a gst invoice and meet pfd1 aussie standards. Happy with mine.
cheers
blaze

[charleville]

Here is a pretty convincing movie clip about those inflatable lifevests. There is a great demo in a swimming pool at the end of the clip...

[media]http://cabelas.com:80/cabelas/en/content/community/product_features/photos/images/pf_lifevests_lg.wmv[/media]

[finga64]

I think the details should be assertained before everyone gets carried away. Sure, it's a great shame about the tragedy but accidents will happen no matter what.

By the sounds this guy lived alone on his boat and liked to have a midnight swim. How many people wear a pfd of any description when they go for a swim??

By the size of the boats that were moored there when we got there early in the morning there would be no way in hell you would be able to get the people on them to wear a PFD of any description all the time. These things were all 25 foot +. If he lived in it, it wasn't a 15' tinny.

You can make rules all you want. All they do is restrict the majority of people that try and do the right thing.

IMO most people would wear a PFD when they fish alone in the middle of the night just incase but being alone on a boat at night and wanting to go for a midnight swim is a tad silly and you can't make laws against been a tad silly. Even if he was even going for a pee in the middle of the night and fell over there's no way that accident could have been prevented. How many people slip over in the shower and do lots of damage?? I've even slipped over in the little boys room and hit my head on the throne when I was a kid and got a few stitches in the top of my head. Accidents happen.

Don't get me wrong, I feel deeply sorry for the family and friends, but accidents will happen no matter what.

And yes, if you think you need a PFD on, the chances are you need to wear a PFD. If the laws say you need one on or not.

[blaze]

double post