Boat sinks in Gulf

Saltwater Offshore Discussion
1

Got this from a friend. Worth sharing

Boat sinks, Texas man survives 30 hours in Gulf

Associated PressBy RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI | Associated Press 14 hrs ago

This undated photo provided by Ashley Coen shows Ken Henderson during a fishing trip. Henderson's longtime friend Ed Coen died after their fishing boat sank in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday. The men treaded water for over 30 hours before Henderson decided to swim to a natural gas rig for help. Coen's body was later found by a fisherman. (AP Photo/Ashley Coen via Conroe Courier)Enlarge Photo

This undated photo provided by

This undated photo provided by Ashley Coen shows her father, Ed Coen, during a fishing trip. Ed Coen died after he and friend Ken Henderson's boat sank in the Gulf of Mexico. Henderson managed to swim to a natural gas rig for help more than 30 hours after the boat started taking taking on water and both engines failed. (AP Photo/Ashley Coen via Conroe Courier)Enlarge Photo

This undated photo provided by

HOUSTON (AP) For hours after their boat sank, Ken Henderson and Ed Coen treaded water in the Gulf of Mexico, talking about life and death while struggling to survive. For more than 30 hours, it worked.

Then Henderson was forced to make a decision that would save his life, but not his best friend’s.

“This is the last-ditch effort, but I’m going to go for help or you’re not going to make it,” Henderson told Coen, just before cutting the strap that connected them in the deep, cold waters off the Texas coast.

“I understand,” Coen responded, giving Henderson a last set of instructions. “Kiss them babies for me.”

It was Friday around 4 p.m. when they parted.

On Tuesday, days after the fishing trip ended in tragedy, Henderson recounted the harrowing tale for The Associated Press, alternating between sorrow, guilt and laughter as he recalled the last 30 hours of Coen’s life and the pain of living life without the man who had been his best friend for 25 years.

The saga began Thursday right around noo

2

Man that was rough to read another salty soul lost to the big blue my heart goes out to his family and friends

grab the gaff and another cold beer

3

That is so sad…

2180 Ranger Bay w 150 Yammi

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Sounds like from the beginning, Henderson was working/thinking hard to save their/his lives. From the story sounds like the other guy just didn’t have it in him. Fight hard to stay alive, terrible ending.

BG

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30’ Boat…No EPIRB or SPOT ???

.

NMFS = No More Fishing Season

“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”

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Definitely hate to put a negative connotation on an already tough story like this but your life is worth the money an EPIRB or SPOT will set you back. You’ll pay that much in fast food/beer/fishing supplies three times over in the course of a year. If you don’t have one on your boat you are risking your life and the lives of the people you take offshore.

Its a matter of WHEN, not IF something is going to happen and no amount of “Experience” on the ocean can save you from freak accidents.

Do not tell fish stories where the people know you; but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.

  • More Maxims of Mark, Johnson, 1927

31’ Contender
Twin 250 HPDIs

7

I read this story about 2 days ago I don’t understand how no one was on 16 when he said mayday. So sad

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This story brings tears to my eys!! The cost of a Spot and actvation is the price of about 70 gal of fuel! and EPERB about 150 gal When are people going to think! By the way check the batterys on your EPURB
I rechecked mine!WOW

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Trust me, it’s more scary than you can imagine. Everyone’s an expert on this stuff until reality hits you and you’re actually there. There are no atheists floating at sea.

Stephen Goldfinch
“Sleep When You’re Dead!”

10

Any ideas how an anchored or tied boat could all of the sudden take on water? Sounds like it happened very fast. Anything we should check on our boats to avoid a similar accident?

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quote:
Originally posted by Joe batman

Any ideas how an anchored or tied boat could all of the sudden take on water? Sounds like it happened very fast. Anything we should check on our boats to avoid a similar accident?

Check every thru hull and every hose and connection. Make sure the bilge pumps are in good working order. Run water in the bilge to check that the floats are working.

I’m thinking more and more about a high water alarm. It might give you the extra time you need to find the leak and get it stopped. Because once the bilge is full, it’s pretty certain she’s going down.

I bought a Spot the other day from Best Buy for $9.99 They made a mistake for one day online. They were $59.99 the next day. :smiley: Even at $99 which is regular price plus the $99 subscription this is chump change when compared to what we spend to go offshore.

I now have a plb, spot, handheld vhf with gps and dsc and will eventually buy an epirb as well.

It would be scary enough to sink 50 miles out but knowing that for less than the price of a case of beer you could have bought a spot that would be telling the coast guard where you are.

yellabird, I can’t even begin to imagine what you went through!

Cape Horn 24OS Sold!
twin 150 Optimax

I don’t want to be rich,
I just want 1 dollar more than I can spend!