14yo Lad Killed on Cobra

[Mollers]

Father weeps as he tells how Olympic hopeful son, 14, gazed into his eyes 'as if to say help me' after freak wave swept him from boat on to spinning propeller | Mail Online

"Freak wave"?!! The kids shouldn't have been up there.

I see this often, more often hardboats. Kids, girlfriends bouncing around up forward with legs through rails etc.

Personally, I don't have anyone forward of the console if we're at speed or in any kind of sea.

[bad_moose]

Jesus christ, that's absolutely horrific. I can't imagine how his family is feeling right now. I guess that this should serve as a reminder to us all just how careful you have to be.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Just awful.

its crazy though, on the Anglesey cruises in the last two years I've seen children/teens sat on the tubes, one leg in and one leg out catching the spray. Yes they have wetsuits and a buoyancy aid, but if the foot catches the water they're in.

You can't say anything as you get told where to go. Mad

[mick]

Sounds like they were sat on the suicide seat very sad

[Paul Cannell]

So a boy has died in tragic circumstances and the Dailymail HAS TO TELL US 'Charlie, attended the £14,424 a year Whitgift school in South Croydon' as it's a matter of the utmost importance to the story how much his education cost.

[andyhuddy]

Terrible tragedy, feel for the parents!

Accidents can and will happen, its about trying to prevent them as best you can. How sad

[falcon0310]

lives right near me, and when you look at cobras they do have the front seat with handels

[whisper]

Originally Posted by Mollers

"Freak wave"?!!

My thoughts go out to the family, this has to be every father's worst nightmare. He looked like a nice kid too so this really is a sad loss. Heaven knows what his Dad must be going through every single second of every day be it asleep or awake.

Having been caught by a wave near the Needles breaking over the sand bar near by things can change in a split second (see my avatar).

I think this happened on the day we made the crossing to Alderney?

[Ribtecer]

Terrible,

[boristhebold]

Same as most people we all see kids sitting up front in a vareity of small boats, legs dangling etc, I have a cobra and have had the front suicide seat bottom part swept off by large waves breaking, people are right if in rough conditions or if going at speed no one should be in front of the console. Its down to awareness and following safe practicies and as we all know as we all see especially in the summer months in the UK many boaters just dont think too much. Very sad for the chap and the family. Perhaps organisations like the RNLI or RYA should put a load of posters up in marina's with do's and don'ts and headline examples of what happens if things go wrong. In my marina in the gents toilets where you stand at the urinals there are several posters of a cartoon type which raise awareness about various subjects including having a VHF and letting people know ashore where your going etc etc, seems to work well as I cant avoid them, good way of getting messages across. Perhaps marina's should have saefty at sea days etc etc.

[biffer]

Reading these posts has got me thinking. I feel for every one involved but need to say. It was a freak accident. Boats be it rib hardboat or suicide seat don't have accidents on there own. Just like computers don't make mistakes. It takes people

[kerny]

Originally Posted by biffer

Reading these posts has got me thinking. I feel for every one involved but need to say. It was a freak accident. Boats be it rib hardboat or suicide seat don't have accidents on there own. Just like computers don't make mistakes. It takes people

Agreed!! accidents are preventable and most of the time it's people not the machines at fault.
When we are out on rib rally's and at speed behind other boats and someone has just stopped dead in front of you for what ever reason and you have almost ran up there ar*e it's common but never the less highly dangerous, like biffer said in another post it's about being aware of your surroundings and reading the sea but accidents do happen and it's not always the injured party's fault but someone elses.

[PeterM]

My heart sinks when I read this kind of stuff. They were out from Mudeford to the Needles which 'usually' is simple if you know where the sandbanks are and is a fantastic place to boat from and stay.

But you can be on flat water one second and where the Solent runs out and joins the main channel it can get decent standing waves two meters to one side.

Accidents happen - hindsight is wonderful .. but the Dad has to deal with that for ever.

[biffer]

Never follow directly behind at speed. You will have trouble turning out of the wake in a light boat and as you said. Stoping dead can cause a few surprises. If you need to stop quick I've always tried to do a few things first. Have a quick look about. Tell everyone what's happening and try to turn out if the convoys heading

[kerny]

Originally Posted by biffer

Never follow directly behind at speed. You will have trouble turning out of the wake in a light boat and as you said. Stoping dead can cause a few surprises. If you need to stop quick I've always tried to do a few things first. Have a quick look about. Tell everyone what's happening and try to turn out if the convoys heading

That can be a bit hard to do with 26 + ribs running down the Menai straits, but yes you are quite right.

[jokaboat]

Originally Posted by Mollers

"Freak wave"?!! The kids shouldn't have been up there.

I see this often, more often hardboats. Kids, girlfriends bouncing around up forward with legs through rails etc.

Personally, I don't have anyone forward of the console if we're at speed or in any kind of sea.

Absolutely agree (hardboat user). So sad but in choppy conditions why were they up on the front. Mine only sit at the bow at low speeds on the river, never at speed, although I see it all the time on the Solent.

[Chris Caton]

very sad

[NeilH]

Originally Posted by PeterM

My heart sinks when I read this kind of stuff. They were out from Mudeford to the Needles which 'usually' is simple if you know where the sandbanks are and is a fantastic place to boat from and stay.

But you can be on flat water one second and where the Solent runs out and joins the main channel it can get decent standing waves two meters to one side.

Accidents happen - hindsight is wonderful .. but the Dad has to deal with that for ever.

I agree - incredibly sad for the family and everyone who knew him

[mick]

Originally Posted by kerny

That can be a bit hard to do with 26 + ribs running down the Menai straits, but yes you are quite right.

1st thing I was told by the RYA instructor don't follow the boat in front just incase someone falls out

[steco1958]

Originally Posted by kerny

That can be a bit hard to do with 26 + ribs running down the Menai straits, but yes you are quite right.

There may be 26 + ribs, but you are allowed to keep a distance from the rib in front, it is not mandatory to travel up it's chuff.

Steve