Big wave throws dive boat captain overboard - Florida

[rjack321]

After the second wave (when I assume the ejection occurred) .. nothing happened. The boat did not seem to move under its own power. I saw no evidence that anybody on the boat was doing anything. Presumably a competent boat operator would either immediately turn the boat toward shore or back east and try to get off the bar, but instead the boat was left to flounder in the surf taking seas on the beam. I assume that would be the worst possible situation and the only reason I could guess why an operator might not begin moving the boat was if he thought it might further endanger the person who had been ejected and was in the water.

Once you're beam on in that situation unless you are lightly loaded or have a ton of reserve power or a gigantic rudder outsized for the vessel - you can often get stuck for more than one wave set. Just because the vessel appears to be not under control doesn't mean that the DM or the skipper who jumped aboard were incompetent. Depending on the steering gear and the fact that they didn't know they were both trying to drive they may also have been operating at cross purposes. If it has hydraulic steering and one helm turns right and the other tries to turn left you're not going to turn.

 

[pauldw]

A thought for a new sig: "If someone has a "Jesus take the wheel" approach to crisis, they shouldn't be driving a boat."

 

[Jcp2]

I can’t help but think that this (wave ejection of captain) should be called a “Patrick”.

 

[PBcatfish]

If the divemaster who had taken the wheel, also saw the surfer approaching, he may have been reluctant to to make aggressive moves for fear of hitting the surfer. He also may have been looking to see where the captain had landed. If he did not yet know the captain's position, he probably was pretty concerned about not running him over.

In most Man Over Board situations, the first thing you do is assign at least one person to keep eyes on the MOB & not be distracted by any other task.

 

[Altamira]

Just a curious question. Do these type of boats have an engine cutoff device attached to a cord that is supposed to be attached to the boat operator, as is the case on smaller pleasure/ski boats such as my 1930 Chaparral? If so, am I correct in assuming there is a bypass for this cutoff switch on boats that have an upper and lower helm?

 

[johndiver999]

If the capt falls off and is downwind and inshore of the boat, the seas and wind might tend to repeatedly bash him with the boat. Someone might try to help him back on board, but if you are worried that the boat may sink or roll over, the priority might be to provide the capt a pfd and try to save the boat and get the heck out of there. He might be safer in the surf, especially with all the jet skiers to assist.

It does little good to get the capt on board and have it roll over 30 seconds later. It is a pretty complex and time sensitive emergency with a person in the water and the boat endangered and being propelled toward the beach by the seas. I could see how the boat crew might freeze up and have to wait for someone else to board the boat and begin to take purposeful actions.

 

[Wookie]

Just a curious question. Do these type of boats have an engine cutoff device attached to a cord that is supposed to be attached to the boat operator, as is the case on smaller pleasure/ski boats such as my 1930 Chaparral? If so, am I correct in assuming there is a bypass for this cutoff switch on boats that have an upper and lower helm?

No. On your Chapparal, the kill switch turns off the ignition. On a diesel, you’d have to open a circuit and have it take a positive action, like closing the fuel rack. That isn’t how those systems are designed. And you’d never want to make a boat in the jetties unable to run. And yes. Sometimes drivers fall overboard and are lost at sea. Happens to sailors more than most.

 

[Bob DBF]

Never mind.

Bob

 

[Altamira]

@Wookie. Thank you for the information.

 

[PBcatfish]

Just a curious question. Do these type of boats have an engine cutoff device attached to a cord that is supposed to be attached to the boat operator, as is the case on smaller pleasure/ski boats such as my 1930 Chaparral? ...

Those are common on small boats. I do not normally see them on larger boats. I would be very surprised if that boat had a kill lanyard.