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Old 02-19-2022, 12:00 AM   #1
Bob Ballew
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Solo divers? Wear a Life Vest when Running a Boat

...Having spent a good part of my life diving solo on the ocean, I can relate to the following story...Recently, a Santa Barbara urchin diver was solo on his 24' Radon heading for the islands or returning (accounts vary)...A slip on deck and overboard he went. The boat continued on course and he was suddenly all alone in a big ocean..
...He started the long swim to shore without a life vest. Hours later, he was exhausted and stopped swimming. Suddenly, he was nudged several times and prompted to move fast. Luckily, it was one of those once-in-a lifetime episodes where nature is on our side. A harbor seal was poking him and it prompted him to continue his swim...
...Some 5 hours later, he made it to an oil platform and received help. He was treated for hypothermia and released. The only negative side was his boat ran onto the rocks and sustained about $13,000 in damage....Still, a cheap price and strong reminder for all of us to wear a life vest when running solo...
...At 75, I still dive solo at times but, always wear a life vest when running on the open ocean, where every run guarantees some sort of adventure; wanted or not...

Last edited by Bob Ballew; 02-19-2022 at 06:09 PM.
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Old 02-21-2022, 04:45 PM   #2
Pfish
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Re: Solo divers? Wear a Life Vest when Running a Boat

If I go outside of my cabin, I take boat our of gear and wait until it is stopped. Same idea. Don't be totally stupid when running solo.
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Old 02-22-2022, 08:59 AM   #3
Gary H
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Re: Solo divers? Wear a Life Vest when Running a Boat

Bob, I am in Florida and about 2 weeks ago a friend of mine told me he almost got thrown out of his boat while driving alone on the Atlantic. He just bought one of those auto inflate life jackets!

But, in addition to wearing a life jacket, I also recommend using the engine shutdown cable you clip onto yourself. They are a pain in the ass, and the alligator clip could fail, but it is an additional risk mitigation when motoring offshore alone.
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Old 02-23-2022, 07:01 PM   #4
asianspearo
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Re: Solo divers? Wear a Life Vest when Running a Boat

Many thanks to you all for the wake-up calls. Now at past 70, I may be a bit wiser than in my younger years, but that doesn't mean I no longer make mistakes... With a bit of experience under one's belt, it's easy to become complacent -- and that's when sh_t happens!
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Old 02-24-2022, 12:51 PM   #5
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Re: Solo divers? Wear a Life Vest when Running a Boat

Get smart. Life jacket. Kill switch lanyard. Waterproof vhf with dcs. If you can afford a boat you can afford a radio.
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