4 men missing off Florida, including 2 NFL players

[Jamisjockey]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/01/florida.missing.boaters/index.html?section=cnn_latest

CLEARWATER, Florida (CNN) -- Two NFL players are among four boaters missing since Saturday night off Florida's Gulf Coast, officials told CNN.

 
Corey Smith, left, and Marquis Cooper are two of the men missing in Florida, officials said.

 1 of 2  Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper and NFL free agent Corey Smith, who played for the Detroit Lions for the past three seasons, have not returned from a Saturday fishing trip in water off Clearwater, Florida, family members and colleagues said Sunday.

"It feels like my greatest fear coming true -- it doesn't feel real," Cooper's wife, Rebekah, told CNN affiliate WTSP in Tampa on Sunday afternoon. "I'm just waiting for a phone call."

The Coast Guard began searching around 2 a.m. Sunday after it learned that four men -- Cooper, Smith, and former University of South Florida football players William Bleakley and Nick Schuyler -- had not returned from their fishing trip Saturday evening as expected.

Rough weather has hampered the effort, but "it's still a very active search," Coast Guard Capt. Tim Close told reporters Sunday afternoon.

Poor visibility from heavy waves forced the search-and-rescue effort to be conducted primarily by air, though authorities deployed patrol boats as well, Close said.

Searchers have focused on 750 square miles of open water in the Gulf of Mexico, about 50 miles west of Clearwater Pass. From there, the men had left the Seminole Boat Ramp in a 21-foot single-engine boat about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, the Coast Guard said.

I have it from another boating forum that the seas were 2-4 in the morning, but built to 4-8 in the afternoon.  The boat they were in is 2' shorter than sugar mama.  Last time I was in 4' seas I packed up and went home.  When you lose sight of land in a boat in this class, you feel very, very small.
http://www.evergladesboats.com/boats/210cc.php

[dogmush]

I read a slightly different article, but came to the same conclusion.

They were heading to a fishing spot 50 miles offshore, in a 21' boat, in building seas and cold weather.  I'd be shocked if they had any commo other then cell phones and a VHF, which is only effective to abou 10-12 miles on a boat like that.  I feel bad for the families but this is a case where stupid cost something.

I have a 21' Caravelle, and live right next to to Clearwater, and would never have considered that trip. Heck, in 4-8 foot seas I would take my (the Army's really) 74' LCM-8 in unless I had a real good reason not to.

People buy a boat, play ith it in the Bay a couple times and all of a sudden think they're Cpt. Cook or something. 

[jackdanson]

I was in a boat that was 21' during a storm one time and it was pretty freaky... that was on a lake. I can only imagine what it would be like on the ocean.

[Jamisjockey]

Local scoop is that two of them are actually experienced boaters.  I think they saw a weather window and went with it.  Probably over estimated how long it would last and got caught.  One or two over the transom, and its over.

[myrockfight]

I'm here in St. Pete too. I know guys that pick their days with boats that size. If they were "experienced" I cannot for the life of me understand why they would go out, knowing a front was coming like that. If you have a boat that size you have to be, very, very, careful about how far offshore you decide to go on any given day. Not only that, but if you do decide to run something like that 50 miles out, you need to have a means of relaying a distress signal.

My Dad has a boat that size, but I wouln't take it out that far without knowing that I could put out a distress call that would reach someone. Anything can happen out there. Besides the weather, you could easily have electrical or mechanical issues. The Gulf is typically a lot flatter than the Atlantic, but you can't take it for granted. Especially in a boat that size.

With that said, I really feel for those guys and their family. The ocean is a huge, unforgiving, cold, place. I spend a lot of time on the water and can't imagine how bad it would suck to go that way. My prayers are with them.

[MechAg94]

50 miles in a 21 foot boat.  Sounds like it would take half the day just getting out there and coming back.  Not something for a small weather window.

[Ben]

I take it no EPIRB since the story didn't mention it?

[Jamisjockey]

50 miles in a 21 foot boat.  Sounds like it would take half the day just getting out there and coming back.  Not something for a small weather window.

A 21' Center Console like the one they were in typically will make 30-40mph cruise in a 2-4' ocean swell. 
And I'm not buying the 50 miles stuff.  Just 'cause they've been that far out didn't mean they were going that far yesterday, or that they didn't break the boat before they got that far out, etc etc. 

[myrockfight]

A 21' Center Console like the one they were in typically will make 30-40mph cruise in a 2-4' ocean swell. 
And I'm not buying the 50 miles stuff.  Just 'cause they've been that far out didn't mean they were going that far yesterday, or that they didn't break the boat before they got that far out, etc etc. 

The Middle Grounds are about 40 to 50 miles out off Clearwater/St. Pete. I have no idea if they were going there or if they made it. I just assume that is where they were going because that is where everyone else is goes to fish around here. However, the article said they were headed for a wreck. Could have been the Blackthorn, but there is no telling. That is a popular one but there are obviously others. This is all speculation of course. I was just thinking of what could possibly get them in trouble even if they didn't have any trouble mechanically or electrically.

[Jamisjockey]

It sounded like the media and USCG were speculating off of some of the missing crew's favorite fishing sites, I think they had a log book with GPS coords, or something like that. 

[Jamisjockey]

http://www.tampabay.com/

One of Four found, alive, clinging to the capsized boat. 

[myrockfight]

http://www.tampabay.com/

One of Four found, alive, clinging to the capsized boat. 

Just heard the report. I was unconcious getting a TEE Echocardiogram when the found him. Thank God they found at least one of them. That is very hopeful for the rest of them.

Nick was saying that they were all together with life jackets on at 2:00am. I really hope they find the rest of them soon. It couldn't be too long before the rest of them are found due to standard dispersion/currents.

Thankfully they are all really healthy young men. Hopefully that will carry them until they are found.

[dogmush]

I take it no EPIRB since the story didn't mention it?

EPIRBs are vanishingly rare on boats that size, at least in FL.  They do lower your expected rescue time to about 12 hrs on average though.

[Matthew Carberry]

EPIRBs are vanishingly rare on boats that size, at least in FL.  They do lower your expected rescue time to about 12 hrs on average though.

I know kayakers, heck, even backcountry skiers and hikers, who carry the smaller epirbs up here.  For as little as they cost I can't think of a good excuse not to grab one for a boat of that size if you are going out into open water.

[myrockfight]

I know kayakers, heck, even backcountry skiers and hikers, who carry the smaller epirbs up here.  For as little as they cost I can't think of a good excuse not to grab one for a boat of that size if you are going out into open water.

Those are my thoughts on the subject exactly. Especially since VHF can't reach the Coast Guard towers at that range, which is my understanding.

[Jamisjockey]

I'm actually contemplating getting a spot, since I can carry it directly on my body on the boat.

[Matthew Carberry]

At $150 or so a pop on sale, I'd probably work my way up to one per life jacket if I just had 4-6 to do and thought the risk high enough.

Cheap insurance considering.

[Hawkmoon]

The guy they found still clinging to the boat was suffering from hypothermia. Life jackets or not, ocean water is cold. I do not think this bodes well for the other three. I doubt the Coast Guard is saying it publically, but I suspect this mission is shifting from "rescue" to "recovery."

I used to own a 30-foot deep-water cruising sailboat. I might have ventured 50 miles offshore in that, but in a 21-foot center console? No way, no how. Not over the horizon in that little toy.

[Ron]

I'm actually contemplating getting a spot, since I can carry it directly on my body on the boat.

If you have any questions about the SPOT ask away.

I own one and have used it on several backpacking trips.

If you want I'll email you the link to my SPOT page for my next trip. This Thursday through Mon or Tues of the following week I'll be in Quetico Provincial Park in Canada. 

[dogmush]

At $150 or so a pop on sale

They'r a little more expensive then that.  The kayak/hiker/backcountry models aren't really the best for ocean use.  If you're going out of VHF range of land what you really want is a floating 406/121.5 Mhz Cat I or II Epirb.  Depending on deals they will run you $350-$500.  500 if you want the auto-activate and hydrostatic release.  Still, about what a decent VHF costs.

My 21' has this EPIRB, A GMDSS compliant DSC VHF slaved to my GPS, float-free water activated strobes and smoke pots, and I STILL don't go more then 12 miles off-shore, and need a REAL good reason to do that.  I've seen the Gulf of Mexico get nasty, quick.  It doesn't happen often , but if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Of course I'm a military mariner, and slightly paranoid.  The only reason I don't have RADAR is I can't find a spot to mount the dome.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Of course I'm a military mariner, and slightly paranoid.


you are not parnoid  mother nature is trying to kill you

[Jamisjockey]

The guy they found still clinging to the boat was suffering from hypothermia. Life jackets or not, ocean water is cold. I do not think this bodes well for the other three. I doubt the Coast Guard is saying it publically, but I suspect this mission is shifting from "rescue" to "recovery."

I used to own a 30-foot deep-water cruising sailboat. I might have ventured 50 miles offshore in that, but in a 21-foot center console? No way, no how. Not over the horizon in that little toy.

I've been over the horizon in my boat a few times.  Its all about picking the days, watching the weather, and not being too proud to turn around if its not what you expected.  I've done exactly that, in NC, last summer. 
Between accurate NOAA forcasts and instant, current offshore weather and wave data, its kind of hard to screw up IMHO.

[myrockfight]

I've been over the horizon in my boat a few times.  Its all about picking the days, watching the weather, and not being too proud to turn around if its not what you expected.  I've done exactly that, in NC, last summer. 
Between accurate NOAA forcasts and instant, current offshore weather and wave data, its kind of hard to screw up IMHO.

Exactly. Part of being a good sailor is knowing you and your equipment's limits. I've definitely gone "over-the-horizon" in a 20 foot boat in the Gulf. But I was always sure of the weather, had back-up equipment, and proper comms. I always understood the horizon to be about 12 miles away standing on the deck of a boat. However, I also know that the Coast Guard has a tower that is more than a few feet above the ground so they may hear more VHF distress calls. I always thought they could hear them from about 28 miles - even if you couldn't hear them. I'll have to look that up though to be sure.

I competitively sail mostly these days. I haven't gone offshore in quite a while to fish or dive. We usually sail in the Bay. So we don't normally have any of the same worries. Plus there are always a bunch more eyes around.


I'm getting really worried about these guys now. They've been pushing physical limits for hypothermia for a few hours now. My original understanding was that the other guys were with Nick until 2:00am, yesterday. But that seems to be a false report (morons). The story seems to be that they were separated from the boat when it capsized. If that is the case, God be with them. They are going to be very, very, hard to find.

I'm afraid the biggest lesson out of this accident will be to do anything that you can to stay with your vessel. Capsized or not. If your boat capsizes, and you are in a storm, fight like hell to get back to it. It may be the only thing that saves you.

I'm still praying for those guys. There is still a chance they could make it. They are big, healthy, and young. I'm still keeping my hopes up a bit for them.

[Jamisjockey]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090303/ap_on_re_us/missing_boaters_nfl

CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Coast Guard says four men, including two NFL players, put on their life vests after their boat overturned in the Gulf of Mexico.

The ocean search for Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, free-agent defensive lineman Corey Smith and former University of South Florida player William Bleakley entered its third day Tuesday.

Capt. Timothy Close says the lone man rescued so far, Nick Schuyler, told interviewers that the boat capsized as the four friends were pulling up the anchor Saturday evening.

They swam under the boat and were able to recover their life vests.

They stayed together for some time and it remains unclear when and how they got separated. The Coast Guard rescued Schuyler Monday after they found him clinging to the hull of the boat.

[dogmush]

There is still a chance they could make it.

Unfortunatly not a meaningful chance.

If at all possible, if your boat capsizes, tie yourself to it.  that way you won't get washed away.