Was coming in from Jeffries Ledge in heavy fog yesterday and met a couple in a 19 foot bowrider about 3 miles inside halfway hump (12 miles off coast). Fog was in and out with visibility from 100 yds to a mile depending on when/where you were. The couple (soaking wet from a wave over the bow) waves me down and tells me they are lost and have only a 1/4 gallon of gas left (5 galons). They are trying to get to Eastman's in Hampton Harbor, but are headed southeast. I handed him a spare 5 gal can and told him to follow me into the Merrimack to fill up.

No compass, no GPS, no charts, no radio, but a lot of luck! It was about 4 PM and I think most boats were already in especially given the thunderstorms that could have been coming our way. Just knowing the situation they were in scared me. I'm glad they made it. The look on the woman's face told me this was not going to happen to her again. Not sure what she did to the guy after they got in.

good for you :claps: :claps:

i hope they said thanks :hihi:

It always amazes me how people have so little respect for the ocean and the weather. I was out near Bishop and Clerks last year and 4 guys were in an 18 foot freshwater bassboat with all of 6 inches of freeboard, in seas that were building to over 3 feet and a SW wind nearing 20 kts. Luckily, it's only a 3 mile run back to Hyannis Harbor (but in a nasty quartering wind), and these guys were taking water pretty heavily.

But this one takes it all. 5 or 6 guys in an open hull runabout (maybe 16 feet) with a walkthrough console (so it had a wheel). We noticed a bunch of line wrapped around the outboard engine and something protruding from it. The protrusion was a piece of 2x6 that they had lashed to the engine as a tiller, since (evidently) the steering cables were no longer attached...and off they go into a decent wind and sea conditions with their only steering being a pine stick lashed with clothsline.

Jeez!

Darwin Awards await these bozos.

:) Good deed on your part "Sweetwater!!!";) ;)

Originally posted by Fish On
Was coming in from Jeffries Ledge in heavy fog yesterday and met a couple in a 19 foot bowrider about 3 miles inside halfway hump (12 miles off coast). Fog was in and out with visibility from 100 yds to a mile depending on when/where you were. The couple (soaking wet from a wave over the bow) waves me down and tells me they are lost and have only a 1/4 gallon of gas left (5 galons). They are trying to get to Eastman's in Hampton Harbor, but are headed southeast. I handed him a spare 5 gal can and told him to follow me into the Merrimack to fill up.

No compass, no GPS, no charts, no radio, but a lot of luck! It was about 4 PM and I think most boats were already in especially given the thunderstorms that could have been coming our way. Just knowing the situation they were in scared me. I'm glad they made it. The look on the woman's face told me this was not going to happen to her again. Not sure what she did to the guy after they got in.


No compas, no GPS, No charts, No Radio
:confused:

Sounds like no brains also!!!:af:

People like that make every boater look bad:af:

How do boats like that not get boarded for a safety check by the coast guard before situations like that happen. :af:

WOW, I would say Unbelievable, but it is believable.
You would think at some time they would learn.

Extremely lucky for them.

Good for you. Did you give them a lecture too????

Another.....
Years ago fishing in a nearby bay, 2 young girls in a sailboat find us, they are both crying cause they're lost. Took 15 mins just to calm them down enough for them to understand they were very close to where they wanted to be, and in no danger.
I'll never forget how terrified they looked.

Once back at the fuel dock I should have gave them a lecture. I guess I felt bad for both of them and didn't want to make it worse, but not giving them the lecture probably made it worse. I would have been doing them a favor.

However, I do believe that they both got a pretty good scare and probably won't be heading out alone any time soon.

Fishing off Npt. a couple years ago (maybe last year) A friend of ours came alongside one night; SE 15-20kts, choppy, maybe 3mi vis. in hazy fog.... in a 24ft scarrab... heading about 170 degrees.. Asked how fishing was, said he was going to BI... we mentioned BI was about 70degrees west of that course... he wisely decided to head in; if we weren't there I'm sure he would have ended up in veetches or something :smash:

There are old sailors and bold sailors but no old bold sailors. People just don't use their heads. P.M.

Every May the Portugese navy invades Plymouth in search of the mackerel. I have seen 16' MFG bowriders with 4 guys and gear, 2 miles offshore in the fog without even a compass on board, asking if we can point them to Plymouth harbor. last May I came upon a boat in the fog seeking direction and pointed him towards Plymouth and did some more jigging. Before I went in I had a look around to see if they were still out there. I found them heading NE in pea soup fog. I had them follow me into Plymouth harbor. :rolleyes:

Being Active Duty in the CG for over 26 years I could tell you several stories but there is one I will never forget. A couple ran aground on Brewster Spit in Boston and did not want CG assistance. They had PFD'S and would wait out the tide. Unfortunately the boat had a small hole and filled when the tide rolled in. The young couple were found floating in their PFD'S the next morning unfortunately both died from hypothermia. There are many many thousands of boats on the water and there is no way to check them all. When people do get boarded, they get upset but it is afterall for everyone's safety and to ensure compliance with all applicaple federal laws. My advice is. if you come accross someone in danger, offer assistance like this good Samaratin did and once moored provide an education without embarassing them in front of others. It might not hurt to notify the harbormasterbecause I imagine, they attempted to make it home before dark running along the beach and rocks. All I am suggesting is to keep a keen eye open for fellow boaters and remember there are quite a few out there who are novices. Please remember to suggest boating classes to people who are getting into boating. On a final note, the fish will be there tomorrow, don't push it. They are only fish and not a single one is worth dying for.

Dave

Last weekend the wife and I took out the 'always in repair' boat for a spin. Going down the Piscataqua I hear this 'Whoot Whoot' and a CG boat pulls along side. Asks if we had ever been boarded by CG. I reply 'No'. Officer Smith asks permission to board.

I got inspected for about 25 to 30 minutes and got a 'No Violations'. Thank You.

I never go out without PFDs, VHF Radio, GPS (spare batteries), extra flares, cell phone, compass (don't know how to read it yet but have CG New Boater class this week.

People that go out past the harbour and don't have safety equipment, enough gas or communications/guidance devices are asking for trouble.

Just the 'New Boaters' thoughts about that.

Sarge