2 dead 4 rescued

[WETDREAM]

Sorry for the loss of life but I think 6 people in an 18ft boat is too much.




VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Coast Guard officials say two people died and four were rescued after their 18-foot boat capsized Wednesday in cold and choppy waters on the Chesapeake Bay.
Coast Guard spokesman Brian Neilan says a Coast Guard helicopter and boat, along with local rescuers, responded to a distress call near the Lesner Bridge in Virginia Beach shortly before 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Neilan says the four survivors showed signs of minor hypothermia after being pulled from the water. They were taken to local hospitals.
Authorities are investigating the incident.
The National Weather Service reported the water temperature was 46 degrees at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It also issued a small-craft advisory, with waves up to five feet high and strong winds.

[phish4fun]

:(.............................

[Skmag357]

eek no good...and I was thinking of taking my 17 mako down there....

[deep defiance]

It looked to me to be A aluminum boat on the news.Can anyone tell me different? needless to say small craft advisories and 5' seas in A smaller boat are no game.:(

[Flyguy784]

18 ft, small craft advisories, down there, 6 people, hell, 6 life preservers would take up a quarter of the boat. He's lucky they all didn't bite the dust. That's big water. It's handed my butt back to me several times.

[Brian E. Mullaney]

sad - very sad

[Beach Pounder]

:(:(:mad::mad:......... What the hell were they thinking???? With so many reports of mishaps year in and year out you would think that people would make better decisions.... Very sad..............

[wentfishn47]

:(:(:mad::mad:......... What the hell were they thinking???? With so many reports of mishaps year in and year out you would think that people would make better decisions.... Very sad..............

I hear ya Bill and I was thinking the samething. It just proves commonsence is in short supply these days...

[CTW]

Truly a preventable tradegy, I also agree that 6 men in a 18' boat in Jan. is in no way safe. We read it quite often on here, people pushing the limits of the boats they venture out on and the distances they stretch out to.

[OUTCAST2]

We're still short on details of what happened. All 18-ft. boats are not equally seaworthy. All Capts. are not equal in either preparation, helmsmanship, safety, or judgement. January weather can't be counted on for an even break. Neither can pure luck. 6 people is certainly at the high end of the capacity of an 18 ft. boat. You might cheat on one of the factors-you can't cheat on all of them. I think the problem is that once we decide to compromise on one of the factors involved, it's easier to justify the next compromise, and yet easier on the next. If six friends can schedule a trip at the same time, get up at 2 a.m., make the efforts, maybe drive several hours, well, it gets tough and unpopular to shut down the trip, in anything short of a full gale. But that's exactly what we have to do.

[geoman2008]

The local news has reported these six folks involved in this sad event were tourists from Arizona .The ramps they launched out has a huge parking lot that had only had one other trailer in,also this is a manned ramp staffed by a knowledgeable group of guys that according to reports warned the party of the small craft advisory in the bay and to stay in the inlet.I use this area several times throughout the year and with a small craft advisory,the high winds,&tide running its not a good place to be, especially in an 18' alum. boat loaded with 6 men.Unfortunately the signs not to do this were pretty clear. As far as a boater safety course in Va. it is currently being phased in based on your age and is detailed on the Va. Game and Inland Fisheries web site all the various stages and requirements. prayers go out to those involved &families

Edit Note: I read this comment on another site.


Pat