Another Tragedy It's just not worth it!

[Chilli]

http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2011/07/man-rescued-germantown-lake-dies

[Basstronics]

Do you not run these same very risks swimming in open water such as ponds, lakes or quarries?

If your not in good health I agree, let the boat go. Also if the water is questionable.

Is this someone you know?

Any way it goes its sad.

[JIM MARCUM]

If you aren't a great swimmer stay out of the water! I was raised in the water, swim like a fish & was a professional scuba diver for five years. I've swam to retrieve my boats a few times but always talk to anyone running a boat to shut down until I get back to the shore. Like anything else, if you aren't qualified at something dangerous don't do it. JIM

[dana]

i bought a thule roof rack and a kayak. with j-hook mounts it unstraps in about 7 seconds and im in the water. best 600 bux ive spent so far

[Chenige]

Sounded more like a heart attack.

[Chilli]

Do you not run these same very risks swimming in open water such as ponds, lakes or quarries?

You do not because you are not going for a leisurely swim. You are on a recovery mission motivated by recovering a $500 boat. So the typical Joe who may have been a good swimmer and in better shape 10 years ago can easily get lured outside his capibilities.

We get these types of posts about twice a year. This is a reminder to the vets and a lesson to the newbies that things can go from fun to tragic in minutes.

Lastly, any bad publicity amoung model boaters is just one more reason for us to get shut out of places to run our boats.

[detox]

During exercise excessive Lactic acid build up in your muscles will cause them to tire and not function. You WILL sink because your muscles will cease to function. Only a person (olympic swimmer) that is in the best of shape has a chance. I once swam for a boat that was 50 yards out and almost died. I was so tired I could hardly hang on to the boat for floatation

[ray schrauwen]

Distances are very deceiving on water!!

[Fluid]

Do you not run these same very risks swimming in open water such as ponds, lakes or quarries?

Nope, you are not just swimming! That is the mistake so many folks make. In your quarry you are there to swim, concentrating on swimming, wearing trunks, etc. The R/C boater is trying to push/pull/carry an object he's trying to keep from sinking, his mind is not on swimming. Or if it sinks on the way in he's trying to carrying a dead weight. The result is far more risk even for an "expert" swimmer. One such died several years ago swimming for a boat in cold water. He thought he was in great shape and he probably was, but s**t happens. Now he's dead and his kids have no father. Was it worth it?



.

[detox]

I remember I more than once joked about the "do not swim for it" subject. Drown? How could I drown? I am a good recreational swimmer and love to swim, but it almost happened to me.

[Stinger9D9]

Being a proud owner of an AQ Motley Crew, I've spent a fair amount of time watching a disabled (broken prop shaft) boat adrift in the pond fairly lately.

Someone passing by suggested swimming for it. No bloody way.

It takes some self discipline sometimes. You may think, since it's brand new, it's somehow more valuable (or you may not have even finished paying for it), or - it's not that far from shore - or (even worse) the wind is blowing it away, across the pond or (eeek) across the lake.

If you can't afford to lose it, you really shouldn't be running it in the first place. Leave it as a static display model.

One good way to stop yourself, run in a flood control pond, or one that geese frequent. It'll probably be so skanky that you won't want to set foot in it!

Another couple things to look for before you let the boat take off out of your grasp: take a rescue boat (leave it in the car until you need it if you don't want to haul everything down to the pond), or take a fishing rod with a tennis ball to cast out to the boat - it works pretty well and can provide hours of entertainment for onlookers. (You'll never get it on the first cast - maybe not on the first couple dozen).

The best thing to do that I've found though, is get set up with the wind blowing towards you. If your boat dies (and isn't sinking) the wind will eventually bring it back to you. It may take a while - heck it may even be embarrassing if there's a crowd around - but it does work, and nobody has died standing on the shore waiting for a boat to drift in.

[morewattsnow]

Had my 24" hydro sink just before I got to it with my chase boat. Thought about jumping in to try to get and decided not to. I have a wife and 2 kids plus lots of other people in my life. I can get another boat- they can't get another me. You mean something to the people in your life- don't be stupid. It's not worth risking your life for a few hundred bucks.

[electric]

Swimming. This is sorta off topic, but.. I used to surf a lot on the West Coat (Huntington Beach and South of there) and there is no worse feeling than being out a big day (will call it 8ft to 10ft) and you duck under a giant wave and lose your board, then the leash that keeps you with your board snaps. There you sit floating...looking at your board happily going into shore and thinking...hmmm I have got to swim back in from God knows how far out I am through the surf and somehow make it to shore. AND you are alone, because you did a before work dawn patrol surf. Not a good feeling...chuckle.

[D. Newland]

If you aren't a great swimmer stay out of the water! I was raised in the water, swim like a fish & was a professional scuba diver for five years. I've swam to retrieve my boats a few times but always talk to anyone running a boat to shut down until I get back to the shore. Like anything else, if you aren't qualified at something dangerous don't do it. JIM

Jim-with all due respect and with no intention of singling you out (I could say the similar things about myself and my swimming/scuba abilities), this is a public forum and I feel it's best that we all have a united front about not swimming after boats. I really don't want anyone getting the impression that it's OK if they feel they can swim well. It's not the case. Really. Even our actions lakeside need to reflect this united front. Our hobby depends on it. Someones life might, too.

To all: Please have adequate floatation and have a means to retrieve a dead boat.

[electric]

Jim-with all due respect and with no intention of singling you out (I could say the similar things about myself and my swimming/scuba abilities), this is a public forum and I feel it's best that we all have a united front about not swimming after boats. I really don't want anyone getting the impression that it's OK if they feel they can swim well. It's not the case. Really. Even our actions lakeside need to reflect this united front. Our hobby depends on it. Someones life might, too.

To all: Please have adequate floatation and have a means to retrieve a dead boat.

You are correct. It does set a bad example. So, let me tell you also that despite the fact that I am very comfortable in the water and could basically float around all day in it, I bring a blow up life raft and ALWAYS use it to go get my boat (if the trusty fishing pole does not work). Without exception. I figure, as a group, I need to do my part to comply and not drive up Namba insurance rates with any foolishiness. I might also add, in Texas, where some of the smaller ponds have been stewing in the hot summer sun, there is no telling what bacteria etc is floating in the water...