coast guard station cleveland harbor received a call from a park officer about 4 red flares in the area around e. 72nd street, station cleveland lauched a 25ft response boat, while enroute, we got more information that there was a capsized vessel just off shore, once on scene we found the owner safely onshore, he was cleared by ems and deemed ok.

 

thanks george

 

hey no problem, i figured since i was out there id give the run down, didnt want the news to hop on here and tell it completly different and wrong----i cant lie though, huuge pucker factor out there trying to pull him off the rocks :C :C

 

What do they do with the boat in a instance like this? Have a private company tow it to shore where a hired crane lifts it out of the water and places it back on his trailer? (if he has one).
That has to be expensive.

 

Tigger and I were just about to pull the boat at the dock when we saw the second flare. It was actually the first one we saw. We had a friend out there in a smaller boat and thought we should check it out. John had just jumped off the boat and jumped right back on. Off we went. We called our friend on the phone and headed out. Jig was ok but there was another flare so we went looking. Saw a cooler floating near the wall. Scared us both. Then had the spot light on the wall. We saw a small about 12' boat upside down on the wall and a person standing on the wall. Next thought. How many on board??
Scared us again. Called to the guy on shore and he said he was alone. There was a smaller boat trying to help the guy on the wall. The winds were just so that it was VERY tough for them. We had already called the Coast Guard. We called to the other boat who had no radio. Told them the Coast Guard was in route and to hold off trying to help. They agreed and backed off. Kudos to the Coast Guard as they were there REALLY FAST!!!!
We stuck around and watched them get the guy in. When we got to the ramp Cleveland PD, Fire and EMS were all there but left quickly as the fellow was ok. We did talk with him and he is in town for the Holiday Season from Mich. First time fishing out of Cleveland at night. He won't forget this trip soon!

Again the Coast Guard was great. We are lucky to have such a fine group in Cleveland.

In talking with the guy that was rescued he said he took a wave over the transom and the motor died. Next thing he new he was on the rocks and the boat flipped. He was only wet from the waist down.
Another reminder we all need to be safe.
DC

 

What do they do with the boat in a instance like this? Have a private company tow it to shore where a hired crane lifts it out of the water and places it back on his trailer? (if he has one).
That has to be expensive.

That's exactly right on all points. Insurance will cover the cost of most if not all of it. BoatUS, will also cover cost of chemical cleanup if necessary...now that seems like it can get really exspensive.

 

I agree the CG does a fine job. I'll probably catch some crap for this, but...I think it is unfortunate that people choose to go out on Erie in a 12' boat placing their lives, and subsequently others lives in danger. A narrow beamed, 12' boat, very likely without radio, bilge, etc. has no place on Lake Erie...especially at night. JMO.

Tim

 

I agree the CG does a fine job. I'll probably catch some crap for this, but...I think it is unfortunate that people choose to go out on Erie in a 12' boat placing their lives, and subsequently others lives in danger. A narrow beamed, 12' boat, very likely without radio, bilge, etc. has no place on Lake Erie...especially at night. JMO.

Tim

I was thinking the same thing especially considering it is late season with cold water which could add to the risk if capsized. Not to mention the waves apparently were hammering.

I also wondered if the guy may have been a bit premature with his flares if he made it to the rocks only wet from the waist down. If he was that close to the shoreline I wouldn't think getting the Coast Guard involved would have been necessary. But then again I don't know exactly what went on. Perhaps he was in more danger than the report sounded. If so, by all means use the flares. Fortunately he had them with him.

 

What do they do with the boat in a instance like this? Have a private company tow it to shore where a hired crane lifts it out of the water and places it back on his trailer? (if he has one).
That has to be expensive.

Correct. I have a buddy that capsized his boat last season. He had to hire a private salvage boat to go out and get his boat. The salvage boat went out, hooked up his boat, and brought it back to a marina that had a boat hoist. They lifted it out of the water, and set it on the trailer. The capsized boat was about ten miles from the marina. The cost was about $4700.

 

What do they do with the boat in a instance like this? Have a private company tow it to shore where a hired crane lifts it out of the water and places it back on his trailer? (if he has one).
That has to be expensive.

You're right. And the owner IS responsible. What Hook said about the environmental cleanup and/or citations from EPA can be extremely expensive.

12 foot boat on Erie at night... Darwin Award candidate.

 

The cost was about $4700.

Holy smokes! And that doesn't include repair costs either.

 

Holy smokes! And that doesn't include repair costs either.

No it didn't. If I remember correctly, it was $450 per mile for the towing, and $200 to flip/hoist, and set the boat on the trailer.

 

No it didn't. If I remember correctly, it was $450 per mile for the towing, and $200 to flip/hoist, and set the boat on the trailer.

I think I am in the wrong business. Wow! Even if you creep at 1 mile an hour you still make $450/hour. I didn't take the fuel cost into consideration though.

If you don't have much wrapped up in your boat it would make more sense to leave that as wreckage.

 

If you don't have much wrapped up in your boat it would make more sense to leave that as wreckage.

My guess is they would throw the book at anybody discovered trying to do that.

 

I think I am in the wrong business. Wow! Even if you creep at 1 mile an hour you still make $450/hour. I didn't take the fuel cost into consideration though.

If you don't have much wrapped up in your boat it would make more sense to leave that as wreckage.

I'm pretty sure that, by law, it is the owners responsibility to get any capsized/wrecked boat off of the lake ASAP. Leaving a capsized boat out on the water bobbing in the waves is asking for trouble, not to mention the leaking of gas and oil into the lake.

I was out there the day my buddy capsized. The waves were downright nasty. The salvage guy that retrieved it made every penny he was paid. There is no way that I would have went out there, in any boat, and tried to hookup to the capsized boat and bring it in.

 

Just a thought here, you said something about the guy maybe being a bit premature...Maybe if he'd of waited another 2 or 3 minutes it might've been too late. I imagine at that time, he's either come close to crappin' his pants or in the process of shaking it out of his pants. I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry. Of course, maybe he shouldn't have been out, but that's another story altogether and not my call. Glad he's ok! Good to know that guys like Dixie Chicken and Jig would go out and try to help, rather than the world alot of us know, i.e:someone's in distress and everyday citizens turn their back and walk/drive away. Good effort guys....I personally applaud you!!

 

I understand that it is necessary to remove the boats and I would not leave one myself either. I guess when I wrote that I was thinking in terms of one sunken and not just capsized and was wondering how many may choose to simply leave them at that point. No doubt if it is capsized and still on the surface it needs to be removed quickly.

I was out there the day my buddy capsized. The waves were downright nasty. The salvage guy that retrieved it made every penny he was paid. There is no way that I would have went out there, in any boat, and tried to hookup to the capsized boat and bring it in.

I can see a premium being paid in those types of conditions. I just wonder if the fee is based on factors such as the current conditions or if they simply charge a large fee to cover for that type of scenario?

 

Just a thought here, you said something about the guy maybe being a bit premature...Maybe if he'd of waited another 2 or 3 minutes it might've been too late. I imagine at that time, he's either come close to crappin' his pants or in the process of shaking it out of his pants. I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry. Of course, maybe he shouldn't have been out, but that's another story altogether and not my call. Glad he's ok! Good to know that guys like Dixie Chicken and Jig would go out and try to help, rather than the world alot of us know, i.e:someone's in distress and everyday citizens turn their back and walk/drive away. Good effort guys....I personally applaud you!!

Like I said I don't know all of the conditions or circumstances involved so your description could very well be right. It just sounded as if he must have been very close to the shoreline when he had trouble since he was on the shore with the boat on the rocks.

In talking with the guy that was rescued he said he took a wave over the transom and the motor died. Next thing he new he was on the rocks and the boat flipped. He was only wet from the waist down.

I read that as the guy was on the rocks before he even fired the flare. Maybe not. Again, I don't want to make any issue of it. I guess I was only mentioning it to suggest to guys that if they are in fact on the shore and not in danger they may want to not signal the Coast Guard immediately.

Bottom line is that it is good that the guy is alright. And overlooked in the discussion was the good deed by the guys that responded to the flare. It sounds like your deed didn't actually save lives in this case but very well could have in other circumstances.

 

Spoke to someone at the docks at Edgewater that had to be towed in around midnight last summer.The taxi or tow boat charges $75.00 to respond to a call and $75.00 for each hour.Or he could have bought the yearly membership for $75.00 that covers him for anywhere on Lake Erie.This was not considered an emergency situation, but I'm sure for the people on the boat it was.This is a different situation that the guy in the capsized boat, but for what we have tied up in our boats and gear,$75.00 is a no brainer.I'm pretty sure this insurance only runs for the the months of April to September.My buddy has the pamphlet at home and I'll update this later tonight when I talk to him........Mark

 

I agree, I wasn't trying to make an issue. But I remember 4-6 weeks ago and I was out there and the waves kicked up, I'm 10-12 miles out and it got ugly. Call it scared or smart, but I decided to call the Coast Guard and alert them to my situation. They didn't come out, but did monitor my movements every 15 min until I made it safely in. I don't know how long it took to get out there, less than an hour for sure, but it took over 3.5 hrs to get back in, fighting 6 to 7 ft'ers in with a South wind. Had I not called and failed to make it in, no one would've known until possibly way toooo late. Trust me, knowing they had my coordinates made me feel much better. That's really all I meant, better safe than sorry. By the way, does anyone know what size boat it was? I suppose it doesn't matter if the motor dies, eh...!

 

Glad he's ok! Good to know that guys like Dixie Chicken and Jig would go out and try to help, rather than the world alot of us know, i.e:someone's in distress and everyday citizens turn their back and walk/drive away. Good effort guys....I personally applaud you!!

agree 100% the main point is he's OK and Larry and John did a great thing helpin great job guys!!!!!!!!!

 

By the way, does anyone know what size boat it was? I suppose it doesn't matter if the motor dies, eh...!

In Dixie Chicken's post he guessed around 12 foot. It wouldn't take much to capsize a boat that size out there.

I agree that you contacting them in your situation was a good thing. I may very well have done the same. There is a difference in verbal contact with status and whereabouts versus flares. Nevertheless if he felt that he was in danger then there is not a problem. I was only mentioning that so that consideration can be made as to whether there is physical danger involved or not. The Coast Guard is certainly there to serve everyone when in need but they don't want to be called out to non-emergencies.

 

I wonder if it was the small jon boat that had no lights, just a couple glow sticks hanging off the side and back.

 

It's on WKYC Outdoors

http://www.wkyc.com/outdoors/news_article.aspx?storyid=78481

 

called for an insurance tow in april off catawba and they were not in buisness for the season yet. so towboat is of no help in the OFF season.this time of year as they are in drydock???? seen a duckboat getting towed in a few yrs back . it was hook up to the bow and dangling like a tuna on the salvage boat.