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Bryan Tuvell 33ZX
03-20-2002, 08:28 PM
I just wanted to say that the newest HotBoat Mag had what Nancy and I felt was a good article on safety, called "Hard Questions" and I wanted to mention it here to my buds.

I mentioned awhile back that "my family" was going to try to be more safe, and we have, jackets and to always have the lanyard on.
My being safe had a fellow boater say he "laughed" when he saw us in our jackets!
(some bay slop, fast run).

Anyway, if you have the chance to read it, it is a great article on safety, we all make assumptions, me included.
I hope we all have a great safe Donzi season and I can't wait to see and meet everyone in KY.
Bryan

Sam
03-20-2002, 09:43 PM
Untill you have a close call or experience something worse a lot of people will respond like your friend. Here is a true story, every year I take a two week cruise with my big boat. I was running with three other boats in Lk Huron in 3-5 footers nothing bad. The smallest of the group was a 26'sport fish with Mom Dad and two young girls ages five and seven. Two make a long story short the seven year old got tossed out the back end without anyone knowing it untill they went about three miles. At the point of discovering the girl was missing we all did an about face and called the Coast Gaurd. We found her floating with her life jacket on just sort of hanging out, not freaked in the least. After getting her on board and checking her out she confessed that she was not scared because she new her life jacket would keep her afloat just like her Dad said it would and that Mom and Dad would find her. Thank god she kept her cool and that she had been trained not to panic.
So my friend my hat goes off to you for taking the time and spending the money to keep your family as safe as posible. By the way I love my new jacket !

Sam

Bryan Tuvell 33ZX
03-20-2002, 10:04 PM
Hi Sam, great story, happy ending. Jess and Joey both got new Type II offshore jackets this year. Can't imagine an accident where a child would be involved...
Just wanted to mention the article, it has been tough stuffing my ego on this matter. And with Nancy how could I forget a lanyard? She made me stop 2 runs ago crossing the bay to put it on!! Damn PQ's thought I couldn't hang! But we caught up!

CBDR and who knows what that means? LOL
Bryan

roadtrip se
03-21-2002, 08:28 AM
Hey Bryan,

Anybody who laughes at someone who is wearing a life vest is a liability because they just don't get it.

One thing a lot of boaters don't realize is that a lot of injuries happen in high speed accidents from getting bounced around inside the cockpit. A life jacket protects for this.

While I won't go into the details of the boat because I promised I wouldn't, I took a day recently to go look at a blackhawk. The guy's widow showed me the boat. He died from a bruised heart and other injuries in the boat. Very sad story and five years later she has finally mustered the energy and courage to market the boat. I admire her.

Great looking vests, wear them with pride, and tell your buddy to stay way wide when he is out on the bays with you...

Todd

Steven Cohn
03-21-2002, 09:17 AM
Bryan,
I cruise a VERY slow boat. Actually, she resembles a flating apartment (Pacemaker 40 FBMY). However, my family and I always don our type 1 vests when we're underway. My wife and I are strong swimmers (when we're conscience). However, I don't think I'd care to live if something happened to my three year old daughter that could have been prevented w/a life vest. Protect your family, wear your vest w/pride.

Bryan Tuvell 33ZX
03-21-2002, 10:01 AM
Thanks for the replies, great hearing from you ROADTRIP, I got an email from Scot B last night!

Just wanted to mention the article on safety.
Plus I think the 40 mid life crisis thing is coming back for round 2, birthdays next month for Nancy and I...

ALSO there is also a Donzi featured on page 79 called "FAT GIRLS II" Smyrna Georgia. Cool...

Bryan

JimG205
03-21-2002, 12:05 PM
Bryan-Good point,isn't it amazing how foolish some people can be???Still can't understand it,but the sad truth is until you look the shining light in the eye and return for another chance-then you seem to wake up.Plan on investing in the new mustang suspender vests-saw them at the NY boat show-anyone using these????Think they go for $140.for the automatic ones where they inflate as soon as you hit the water.Cheap price to pay to save a life.Jim

Bryan Tuvell 33ZX
03-21-2002, 03:54 PM
Since we are talking safety, I had my Coast Guard inspection 2 weeks ago and got my sticker.
The guy ask me if I knew about the new Federal law regarding children? He quoted it to be 12 and under must have a jacket at all times, regardless of state.

That day when returning they were citing people docking who were not it compliance.

My youngest has his on from the minute he leaves the truck until he gets back in the truck, he is all boy and tends to be at waters edge while we are launching etc.

Wasn't trying to be some safety nut with this thread, but the article did make good reading, and all that I have said applies to my family and is my opinion, again, for my family.
I will admit the HTM crash (which I continue to follow closely) opened my eyes.

Again, hopefully we will all have a safe Donzi year! AOTH II here we come!
Bryan

Danny
03-21-2002, 05:19 PM
http://www.donzi.net/photos/dkeefe001.jpg
A good PFD also keeps you warm during those early season boating adventures.
Danny

Bryan Tuvell 33ZX
03-21-2002, 06:49 PM
DANNY, one cool picture!

Another good reason is to keep Nancy's breasts in check! eek! eek!
I would hate to loose them too.... :D
Bryan

Digger
03-21-2002, 07:11 PM
I Have the Mustang auto-inflate Type V. They are USCG approved. Comfortable to wear. Speaking of safety gear, a good source is Landfall Navigation, www.landfallnavigation.com (http://www.landfallnavigation.com) First class stuff. some of it is pricey but you get what you pay for.

RedDog
03-21-2002, 09:35 PM
Yep, in TN I picked up a warning ticket last Fall because my 12 year old didn't have a vest on. The Officer asked his age, I said 12, and oh boy I found out about a law I didn't know about.

On a different note, around that same time I found out that my 12 year old could legally drive my Donzi without an adult - fat chance I'm going to let that happen! Even though I lean toward the conservative/libertarian views of life, in this case I could support government regulation requiring mandatory training or licensing for powerboat (or over a certain size) operation. Some of the A-Hoes out on the water today can really give boaters a bad name. But then maybe that is not a regulatory issue, but just a lacking of some common sense?

Who likes to steer toward jet skis – I like to jump their wakes??? - uggggh - I better go and get some indoctrination before boating season starts.

GEOO
03-22-2002, 08:43 AM
This whole HTM thing got my attenetion!! I own two Lifeline Jacket's but don't use them offen enough. From now on no runs over 60 without it!!! And I'll be more selective to use speed only when the water conditions allow. GEOO

MikeStar
03-22-2002, 01:32 PM
Couple years ago a 3 year old boy drowned in the marina we kept our boat at. The father was getting their cruiser ready to go and went belowdecks, leaving his two sons in the cockpit. The younger boy somehow got out onto the swim platform and fell in. No PFD. Sad, sad story - and this was in the middle of the afternoon in a busy marina.

Another time the Coast Guard found a 27' or 28' performance boat running circles in the middle of Anchor Bay (off Lake St. Clair in Michigan). This was on a Sunday morning. Looks like the owner got out early Sunday morning to beat the traffic and have some fun before the lake got all churned up. Must have been tossed somehow, no PFD, no lanyard. The boat circled until it ran out of gas. They found his body 2 months later.

Wear those lifejackets and use the lanyard!

Dr. Dan
03-22-2002, 06:11 PM
GEOO, and the other Warp Speed Capable, hell actually all of us! In summer of '91 I was on my buddies 252 Convincor -Checkmate,Sassafras River,Northern Chesapeake Bay, we were cruising less than 25mph, went over a rogue wake from a large beamed cruiser. My friend who was driving, no lanyard attached, was thrown completely verticle like a bucking Bronco,the only thing that held him in was his grip on the wheel, his 9 year old daughter was slammed to the deck, hard, I was tossed across the back seat into a girl 26 or so years old, and I fractured her pelvis in 3 spots, she literally was like spaghetti,we kept her as calm as possible, it all turned out as O.K. as it could, considering! She healed fine(after 6 months), but the true lesson it taught him and I was that it did not take any amount of speed to generate such force as to nearly kill or severely injure all of us on board, it sucked, I felt horrible :( , and responsible, and helpless all at the same time, we've all had close calls eek! , try to learn from our mistakes and those of others, SPEED is ADDICTIVE to be sure :p , but S*#! happens very fast when it does, no one plans on killing their friend or relative,that's why they're called accidents! Keep it Real, Stay Healthy, and may we all enjoy the great experience that our families,friends and this good life affords us all...... wink ...Doc