quote: A friend of ours who owns TowBoat US down in Pensacola has a saying that comes to mind when I think about life rafts and any type of marine safety gear, "What's your life worth?"
After you ask what your life is worth, or your kids’, ask yourself how long you can tread water, especially in the winter, and how long can your kids?
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair
So if they were 1 million dollars, would you still buy one? Is your life not worth that much? I'm sorry, but the "what is your life worth" argument is nonsense...
People put their lives “at risk” every day when they drive their car to work. Is your life not worth just staying at home?
Skinneej let me start by saying for the most part you come across as being a very intelligent person… The rest of the time you come across as being an ass clown that likes arguing for the sake of arguing… Hypothetically let’s say that you’re 90 miles out and your boat collided with another boat and both are sinking. There are 2 of them floating by in a 4 man life raft and they offer you a seat. Do you take them up on the offer? Or would you cling to your 2 epirbs and or a spot and push them off… Afterall the coast guard will be there in 45 mins right?
Skinneej let me start by saying for the most part you come across as being a very intelligent person… The rest of the time you come across as being an ass clown that likes arguing for the sake of arguing… Hypothetically let’s say that you’re 90 miles out and your boat collided with another boat and both are sinking. There are 2 of them floating by in a 4 man life raft and they offer you a seat. Do you take them up on the offer? Or would you cling to your 2 epirbs and or a spot and push them off… Afterall the coast guard will be there in 45 mins right?
2007 Scout 221 150 Yamaha 4 stroke
Intelligent people aren't scared of things that will never happen.
DoubleN, sorry I didn’t give you the answer that you were looking for! I guess I will just have to find away to live with myself!
But honestly, I thought your question was:
quote:Someone mentioned getting a liferaft to go along with everything else. I am limited on space but would like to know some of your thoughts on this please.
If you aren’t on a budget and you feel you need a life raft, then by all means go buy one!!! My only point was to put a different perspective on things. Sorry my thoughts weren’t good enough of an answer for you!
Have yall ever noticed how full moons and nasty weather influences conversations?
There is no right or wrong answers here, except for sometimes I’ve spent half my life running offshore charter boats and we always had a life raft. In over 3,000 logged trips we never used it, but I always felt good seeing it on the bow.
Today most of my offshore fishing is recreational. My boat couldn’t sink if you cut it up into 4 pieces. Each piece would make a raft, and I seldom go more than 30 miles offshore in it, and almost never overnight, so I don’t carry a raft on it. But I built the boat and I know it can’t sink. And have all above mentioned safety equipment.
I also fish a lot in the Gulf of Mexico with a good friend who has a 28’ Pursuit. We fish the Middle Grounds, 100 miles offshore and stay out for 2 1/2 days at a time. We always carry a life raft. A big SOB, takes 2 men and a boy to carry it. And I’ll drag it to the boat by myself if I need too:wink:
You can’t get too confident thinking someone will pick you up quickly when you push that button. Most of the time yes, sometimes no. The CG only has so many resources, and sometimes when you need them they are deployed on other missions and not available. Help could easily be hours away. That’s a long time in 50 degree water. I’ve personally had this happen twice. One of the 2 resulted in a death. A life raft would not have mattered in that case, but the point is, you can’t count on help coming quickly. you can only count on what you have at hand to keep you alive.
As somebody once said, you pays your money and you takes your chances. Nobody can tread water very long when the temperature is under 55 degrees. Even with a life jacket you will be dead in 4 hours.
Better hope the CG isn’t doing something else down off Mayport.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair
Everytime Skinnee gets on a roll it reminds me of the trip he went offshore and found the house floating upside down with the mexican guy clinging to it… That was one of if not his best reports ever.
Anyway… To the question. Type 1 life jackets with big boy flares, strobes, mirrors, and whistle is more important than a life raft to me. (yes you need all the electronic stuff mentioned too) Lets be honest unless you fish a whole lot in the winter most of your trips will be in 70 to 90 degree water during the spring and summer months. You can float for a LONG time in that. Also our coastal waters are very popular RARELY, I would say never but I am sure someone will find an example that I can not, but RARELY has anyone with EPIRB, TYPE 1s, GPS, VHF, etc. fishing <100 miles offshore been lost at sea in this day and age. Look at the data most, maybe all, are blatantly missing something. No VHF, no epirb, ski belts, no gps, no float plan, very old poor condition equipment etc.
I challenge you to find a case of an incident that occurred in our warmer type waters that had it all except a life raft and did not make it but would have if they had a life raft.
Money better spent on better electronics and general boat maintenance. Just my $0.02
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
While you are floating around in your type 1 life jackets with your feet dangling down, in 55 degree water waiting on a rescue, try not to think about Mary Lee and her friends either
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair
While you are floating around in your type 1 life jackets with your feet dangling down, in 55 degree water waiting on a rescue, try not to think about Mary Lee and her friends either
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair
Tell her to come on! I can chew on her carcas while I wait on the CG!! BRING IT OLE GAL!!
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
Have yall ever noticed how full moons and nasty weather influences conversations?
Not really. I am like this all the time.
quote:
We fish the Middle Grounds, 100 miles offshore and stay out for 2 1/2 days at a time. We always carry a life raft.
Yes. I agree. As I mentioned before, the further offshore you are, the more important they become. If you are out 100 miles, then chances are, you aren't in VHF contact with another vessel. The ocean is a lot bigger when you don't have anyone to ask for help. My only point was that for the average joe in Charleston, most people are within VHF range of another boat or have a "buddy" that can assist them as a first line of defense.
quote:
You can't get too confident thinking someone will pick you up quickly when you push that button. Most of the time yes, sometimes no. The CG only has so many resources, and sometimes when you need them they are deployed on other missions and not available. Help could easily be hours away. That's a long time in 50 degree water. I've personally had this happen twice. One of the 2 resulted in a death. A life raft would not have mattered in that case, but the point is, you can't count on help coming quickly. you can only count on what you have at hand to keep you alive.
As somebody once said, you pays your money and you takes your chances. Nobody can tread water very long when the temperature is under 55 degrees. Even with a life jacket you will be dead in 4 hours.
Better hope t
Everytime Skinnee gets on a roll it reminds me of the trip he went offshore and found the house floating upside down with the mexican guy clinging to it… That was one of if not his best reports ever.
Anyway… To the question. Type 1 life jackets with big boy flares, strobes, mirrors, and whistle is more important than a life raft to me. (yes you need all the electronic stuff mentioned too) Lets be honest unless you fish a whole lot in the winter most of your trips will be in 70 to 90 degree water during the spring and summer months. You can float for a LONG time in that. Also our coastal waters are very popular RARELY, I would say never but I am sure someone will find an example that I can not, but RARELY has anyone with EPIRB, TYPE 1s, GPS, VHF, etc. fishing <100 miles offshore been lost at sea in this day and age. Look at the data most, maybe all, are blatantly missing something. No VHF, no epirb, ski belts, no gps, no float plan, very old poor condition equipment etc.
I challenge you to find a case of an incident that occurred in our warmer type waters that had it all except a life raft and did not make it but would have if they had a life raft.
Money better spent on better electronics and general boat maintenance. Just my $0.02
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
While you are floating around in your type 1 life jackets with your feet dangling down, in 55 degree water waiting on a rescue, try not to think about Mary Lee and her friends either
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair
That's actually the way I want to go... I mean seriously... Which epitaph sounds more badass?
“Here lies SkinneeJ. He got his ass eaten by a Great White! Yeah, that’s right!!!.”
OR
“Here lies SkinneeJ. He died in his wheelchair at the age of 93, hooked up to a dialysis machine, and pissing himself when he farts”…
quote:A wise man told me when I first got on CF that I should beware of the drama that takes place on the Offshore threads.
quote:Have yall ever noticed how full moons and nasty weather influences conversations?
Girls, Girls, Girls!!
I think we could use this to our advantage - it seems like every time the majority of the fisheries are shutdown – Look Out – The gloves are coming off on CF!! Lets take it on over to the SAFMC office - I guarantee, you get SkinneeJ on one of his “rants” they would open up the whole ocean!!!
quote:A wise man told me when I first got on CF that I should beware of the drama that takes place on the Offshore threads.
quote:Have yall ever noticed how full moons and nasty weather influences conversations?
Girls, Girls, Girls!!
I think we could use this to our advantage - it seems like every time the majority of the fisheries are shutdown – Look Out – The gloves are coming off on CF!! Lets take it on over to the SAFMC office - I guarantee, you get SkinneeJ on one of his “rants” they would open up the whole ocean!!!
36 Contender Fisharound
Are We There Yet?
Actually if a member of SAFMC SEDAR committee went offshore on my boat, there is about 100% chance that they could benefit from a life raft... And maybe a patching kit for any bullet sized holes that they might encounter.
quote:Actually if a member of SAFMC SEDAR committee went offshore on my boat, there is about 100% chance that they could benefit from a life raft... And maybe a patching kit for any bullet sized holes that they might encounter.
Now we are all agreeing!! One big “Happy” CF Family!!
quote:Actually if a member of SAFMC SEDAR committee went offshore on my boat, there is about 100% chance that they could benefit from a life raft... And maybe a patching kit for any bullet sized holes that they might encounter.
Now we are all agreeing!! One big “Happy” CF Family!!
36 Contender Fisharound
Are We There Yet?
Look, I don't want to make this awkward, but I don't really do "chest to chest" hugs with other men. If I have to, I could do the half embrace, "homie hug", but that is about as much as I can give... Is that okay?
quote:Look, I don't want to make this awkward, but I don't really do "chest to chest" hugs with other men. If I have to, I could do the half embrace, "homie hug", but that is about as much as I can give... Is that okay?
All I can say is it must be one Long Ass day on a boat with “The SkinneeJ” when the fish ain’t biting! God help the captain - probably need a good life raft if SkinneeJ had one!!
I really agree with Skinneej in that a day trip with a buddy boat doesn’t require a raft, your buddy boat is your raft. Also, a day trip within VHF range of a busy port doesn’t require a raft, somebody is always close. You probably will not tread water very long before another boat will pick you up, if the water is not too cold. It also depends a lot on if it’s summer or winter. We can live a long time in our summer waters, not long in winter.
But on long trips, overnight trips, or no buddy boat trips, I want a raft Just my opinion
quote:That's actually the way I want to go... I mean seriously... Which epitaph sounds more badass?
“Here lies SkinneeJ. He got his ass eaten by a Great White! Yeah, that’s right!!!.”
OR
“Here lies SkinneeJ. He died in his wheelchair at the age of 93, hooked up to a dialysis machine, and pissing himself when he farts”…
</font id=“quote”></blockquote id=“quote”>
Got no problem with that, I just want to wait until I’m 93 before the Great White gets me. I don’t want my feet to dangle too long out there:smiley:
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair
All I can say is it must be one Long Ass day on a boat with “The SkinneeJ” when the fish ain’t biting! God help the captain - probably need a good life raft if SkinneeJ had one!!
36 Contender Fisharound
Are We There Yet?
I have at least 1 pool noodle for everyone on board.
jeebus. throw in a rocket powered line throwing gun and you have as much life saving equipment as a 1000’ cargo ship. some safety gear is invaluable (EPIRB, Flares, VHF) but my butt aint leaving the boat until its far enough under water that i need to come up for air, which for modern positive flotation boats could be a while.
I’ve spent half my life running offshore charter boats and we always had a life raft. In over 3,000 logged trips we never used it, but I always felt good seeing it on the bow.
