demoivre - you are moving the argument here away from the rights and wrongs of wearing lifejackets to how stupid people can act when it comes to being in and around the sea.
And unfortunately for you, the arguments you're making are doing nothing to strengthen your case.
My point is it is always prudent to wear a life jacket at sea when aboard pleasure / fishing boats . You always stand a better chance out at sea when you are wearing a life jacket if you end up in the water - you wear it as a back up, regardless of weather conditions and your level of experience, because as efm pointed out there may well be unexpected problems .
I'm not arguing with your comment that you've a better chance - in the case of when something happens - if you're wearing a lifejacket.
If one followed your logic the unexpected would never happpen.
I think I remember having this argument here before regarding "freak waves" that are alleged to have sank many Irish boats. To a large extent, there is nothing that is ever unexpected when it comes to the sea.
Getting hit by another boat isn't unexpected, because boats can't come from nowhere. You're either not paying attention (or your drunk as happened in Dublin Bay), or you're in shipping lanes where you're not supposed to be because you don't know where you're going (which has also happened).
The predominance of alleged freak waves to hit boats in Ireland is substantially higher than the measured chances that freakwaves happen at all. This is merely an excuse to cover situations where boats stay out in weather which they shouldn't be out in at all.
Boats kitted with fire extinguishers will protect against the unexpected fire. How many boats actually have checked and working fire extinguishers. As a sample, where I have my boat, I can tell you that my one boat out of 25 is the only one to carry a fire extinguisher.
Unexpected things don't happen at sea. You either put yourself in a situation where something dangerous will happen, or you're inexperienced enough not to see the consequences of your actions, or you just ignore the signs of what might happen, or you're just unprepared for does happen.
The morning the Pisces set out there wasn't a ripple on the sea on a July morning, I know as I was in Slade that day and in any case it's well documented. None of the experienced seamen went out that morning thinking they were going to die but five of them did die because they weren't wearing life jackets and couldn't stay afloat until they were picked up by an accompanying boat, after their own boat sank.
I think it's very sad that you've brought up this example. I truely believe that this incident was a case of manslaughter rather than any kind of accident or unexpected occurrance.
As per an RTE report, The findings of the investigation into the Pisces sinking are blunt:
the boat was unseaworthy and unstable and in poor condition. The vessel did not carry sufficient lifesaving appliances and was overloaded with ten people aboard when it foundered.
Any of these points could have been avoided by the skipper, who was also inexperienced. If I remember, I don't think he'd ever owned a boat before, and had only just recently bought this particular boat. I don't think he was out in it before.
This Pisces incident has nothing whatsoever to do with lifejackets - per my arguments. This was a wreckless and careless action by a skipper who put the lives of his family and friends in danger. If ever there was a case to display a lack of respect for the sea, it was shown in this case.
This isn't the argument here. You may think that it is, but such is life. Get over it.
Let common sense prevail.
This is exactly my point. Common sense dictates when it's safe to wear a lifejacket and when it isn't. Common sense for experienced seamen - if you're not experienced, common sense dictates you remove any chance and always wear a lifejacket.
The next time I meet Jimmy's wife I must remind her that because he was on a 26ft boat he didn't by law have to wear life saving gear - some consolation.
Is this kind of comment really necessary? This was his choice. No one else, one way or the other, had any impact on his decision regarding a lifejacket. And knowing fishermen around Ireland, if the law said it or not, he probably wouldn't have worn one anyway.
Why don't you say to her what you were saying about my comments earlier, that Mr.Colfer died because he didn't wear a lifejacket, his own choice, rather than what legislation may or may not say.
>>posts merged by ajapale>>
is it compulsary to supply/wear life jackets on something like an office fishing trip outing? Folks from work here were out on a trip in AUgust and someone just put up photos and noone is wearing a life jacket on the boat....?
legend99, just to get back on topic. What size was the boat that they were out fishing on?