Update on Football Players Boating Accident in FL

[Gerry Zagorski]

If this is true these guys did everything wrong....

Some lessons learned here:
Never and I mean ever anchor a boat from the stern.... Bows are usually flared and can absorb a wave... Sterns are not designed for this... If you have ever backed down on a fish you will see that sterns are not designed for this... I've seen more then a few boats anchored this way... Not very smart...Even if it's flat calm a large boat wake can cause you to swamp very easily.

Those of you with outboard cut outs need to be especially careful in situations where the seas are coming on your stern. This is one of the number one causes of boats sinking... If you have an outboard cut out you might consider installing a splash guard which can be put in place while your engine is tilted down or removed so you can tilt your engine up.. This can help reduce the amount of water that comes onboard in these situations...


Taken from www.boattest.com


In all likelihood, three men lost their lives because NFL player Marquis Cooper didn't want to lose another anchor, as occurred on a fishing trip the week before. (Mistake #1) After William Bleakley tied the boat's anchor rode to a pad eye on the port side transom of the boat, (Mistake #2) Cooper shoved the throttle of his 200-hp outboard forward in an attempted to free the snagged anchor (Mistake # 3). With the anchor holding the boat down and the thrust of the engine trying to push the boat forward, it is little wonder that topping seas in what may have been 40 knot winds spilled over the boat's transom and swamped it. Survivor Nick Schuyler told FFWCC officers that once the boat swamped, it quickly capsized to the port side. To read the official report of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's report -- read on.