For many years I took overnight Sportfishing trips where we slept in bunks. Unfortunately, I haven't done that for years but I don't remember ever being given any kind of instructions as to what to do if a fire started on the boat. All the instructions dealt with fishing. Has that changed? If not, what's your experiences?
Just curious... all night boat trips...
- Thread starter Ken Jones
- Start date
Its been a moment since I've been on an overnight. But last time I was out, it was on the producer chasing paddies and they informed us where the fire extinguishers were. My more recent trips (3/4 day), I've always made a note of where the extinguishers were at least but the deckhands were always very vigilant of keeping hatches clear, emergency pathways free of clutter (bags/tackle trays etc). One boat specifically corrals everyone to the stern to make sure they were there and aware of emergency procedures overall before allowing them to sit down/pass out/set up.
The recent tragedy will probably bring about some changes on how safety talks are performed on boats...
The recent tragedy will probably bring about some changes on how safety talks are performed on boats...
When I got certified ages ago, I used to go on a boat called Peace. It was well known for its hot tub. It was from Oxnard to Channel Islands.
During one trip, I was seasick and spent many hours sleeping in a bunk.
I do remember safety instruction given, but it has been very long time to remember the details.
I may have remembered any hatch and fire escape instructions. They were mostly about life jackets and life boat locations.
I do remember on a 2-day fishing trip from SD, the captain gave the safety lecture. What stuck in my mind was that----if you need to "feed the fish" at night, be sure to do it in a trash can and not from the railing. The reason was that, if angler bent over falls in the water, no one will know for a long time.
My guess would be:
a) fuel leaking over a hot generator. Engines would be off at night. b) nitrox tanks leaking, but they are outside. c) an electrical short, but it was too fast.
It is indeed a tragedy.
During one trip, I was seasick and spent many hours sleeping in a bunk.
I do remember safety instruction given, but it has been very long time to remember the details.
I may have remembered any hatch and fire escape instructions. They were mostly about life jackets and life boat locations.
I do remember on a 2-day fishing trip from SD, the captain gave the safety lecture. What stuck in my mind was that----if you need to "feed the fish" at night, be sure to do it in a trash can and not from the railing. The reason was that, if angler bent over falls in the water, no one will know for a long time.
My guess would be:
a) fuel leaking over a hot generator. Engines would be off at night. b) nitrox tanks leaking, but they are outside. c) an electrical short, but it was too fast.
It is indeed a tragedy.
Apparently, that boating accident near Santa Cruz (Ventura) caught your attention (as the 5 man crew up top all made it and the people down below perished).
I always thought about if I had an accident with some hooks and a careless accident about how I was going to insist they get me to medical attention immediately.
Ken, you should share your experiences on some of those multiple day trips. And I have not done any because of the what ifs: What if I get really sick, really injured, or worse... like what happened to the divers. The cost is really nugatory at that point (in spite of the only tuna I like is canned). My one solo day trip that I chartered for marlin in Hawaii back in ‘96 kind of full-filled my long-range thing. The only kind of trip I would want to do now is a day trip, like for albacore.
I always thought about if I had an accident with some hooks and a careless accident about how I was going to insist they get me to medical attention immediately.
Ken, you should share your experiences on some of those multiple day trips. And I have not done any because of the what ifs: What if I get really sick, really injured, or worse... like what happened to the divers. The cost is really nugatory at that point (in spite of the only tuna I like is canned). My one solo day trip that I chartered for marlin in Hawaii back in ‘96 kind of full-filled my long-range thing. The only kind of trip I would want to do now is a day trip, like for albacore.
I guess I said that wrong, these weren't multi-day trips just all day trips where you left around midnight and slept on the way out to the islands—Catalina and Coronada. The worst was on an albacore trip out of the Marine Corp Recruit Depot in San Diego (my stepdad was a Marine). The base had a Sportfishing boat that was a converted PT boat which meant lots of diesel fumes. Turned out they also had over booked by one and since I was the only non-Marine, I had to share a bunk with a guy who had started drinking long before we departed. Between the diesel fumes, uncomfortable bunk, and alcohol breath, I was pretty miserable. I stayed seasick almost the entire day and though we journeyed out close to a hundred miles we never saw an albacore. I did manage to fish long enough to catch 7 decent-sized, 4-8 1/2 pound bonito but was so seasick that I wondered how I would even drive home. But I made it.
As for safety instructions, I don't remember any.
As for safety instructions, I don't remember any.
Most of the boats cover the basics. Where the life rafts are, where the life jackets are, where the throw rings are, where the fire extinguishers are, where the bathrooms are and what can and cannot go into them. At night do not go on deck if at all possible, get sick in a trash can or if you need to use the bathroom and they are forward notify the crew watchman. This is all because of the OC Register reporter who got sick and fell off an albacore boat out of morro and was never seen again. Do not remember many fire or escape hatch comments. Back to the reporter falling off. All the central cal boats and quite a few of the socal boats after this put a locking mechanism and an alarm on the galley door. Then stationed a crewman in the galley as well at night. I am sure more changes will be coming.