An old story about that tricky word ... assume.

Terrance Phillips

About this time of year, the casual or weekend boater begins to

think about things other than boat maintenance and safety.

Unlike April and May when the cash registers at the marine stores are

resounding with “kachings,” in October, November and so-on, people have

Thanksgiving, Christmas, snow skiing, etc, on their minds.

A recent event and rescue illustrates how dangerous casual boating can

be, as two experienced Southern California fishermen will attest.

Maintenance items that you were dealing with prior to summer were

accomplished with great excitement, anticipation and enthusiasm, whereas

in the fall, these same issues are now handled with the “I’ll fix that

next season,” attitude.

Another kind of boater is a person who is very safety conscious and

will always run to West Marine after seeing the latest product at a boat

show. In fact, that’s why they have boat shows, isn’t it?

Jeff Stoner and Peter Eller are two such men. Good boat, new fishing

tackle, GPS, VHFs, fathometers, finder’s, EPIRB (Emergency Positioning

Indicating Radio Beacon), foul weather clothing and a top-notch cooler

for the beer.

Seasoned fishermen with the best equipment. They had it all! However,

after enduring 53 hours huddling on the bottom of their capsized boat off

Ensenada, they felt they’d had enough.

What they did have was hypothermia, hunger, dehydration and one other

thing -- they had an incredible amount of luck when they sorely needed

it.

They were headed for albacore in their Wellcraft 20-footer when the

weather decided not tocooperate. The proper thing to do is head for the

barn.

The boat was pointing north about 41 miles from Point Loma when they

noticed water rapidly filling the hull. They had only enough time to tie

some empty plastic fuel cans together and lash them to a cleat, call out

several “maydays’ into the radio and were comforted that they had an

EPIRB unit aboard.

These devices send out their emergency beacon immediately upon hitting

the water, or that’s what it says on the box. Coast Guard officials and

other boaters in the area report they heard no VHF distress call nor did

the EPIRB unit send out a beacon. Hence, 53 hours of standing on the

wrong side of the boat, cold, hungry, wet and beginning to believe it was

time to meet their maker.

After 25 or 30 boats came close, but couldn’t see them, hope and their

voices (from yelling) were almost lost, that was until H & M

Sportfishing’s San Diego day boat Mustang spotted the two specs on the

horizon. Jeff Stoner and Pete Eller got lucky!

The U.S. Coast Guard strongly advises boaters to check their EPIRBs on

a frequency of 406 as there are several reports these devices can be

tempermental. Either they haven’t worked upon hitting the water, or,

several have sent out their warning signal even when they were dryer than

the Mojave. Just check to be sure.

The San Diego Coast Guard office reports that of 186 EPIRB units that

were randomly checked, 13 didn’t work. Certainly this is a scary thought

considering how signigicant this device can be during a time when

castastrophe looms on the horizon.

It seems the more familiar people become with something, they tend to

be much more casual and less concerned about issues that, when new to the

activity or sport, are almost overly cautious and concerned.

Traveling the sea in a device that can sink and knowing no person has

ever been able to swim a hundred or so miles, is a lot different than

playing tennis with a racket that has old strings.

Don’t be casual about the wrath of the sea. It could happen to you.

TERRANCE PHILLIPS’ boating column appears each Friday. He can be

reached by calling (949) 574-4223.