IMPROPER ANCHORING CAUSED BOAT ACCIDENT
Here is an excerpt from a story by the Associated Press
Improper Anchoring Caused Boat Accident By CHRISTINE ARMARIO
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- An agency investigating a deadly boating accident involving two NFL players and their friends in the Gulf of Mexico has concluded it was caused when the vessel was improperly anchored and the boat capsized after one of them tried to throttle forward to pry loose the anchor.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's investigation also cited carelessness and operator inexperience as contributing factors. The combination of errors came at the time a storm front was moving in, making conditions on the water very rough.
This is such a senseless tragedy that could have been so easily avoided. I know many of you were following this tragic story with great interest and were saddened, as we were, to learn that three of the four boaters did not survive.
Improper anchoring.... how to anchor your sailboat properly is of utmost concern to the safety-conscious sailing crew. With the proper sailboat hardware and minimal instruction, anyone can do proper and safe anchoring of a sailboat.
Carelessness and operator inexperience were noted as contributing to the accident.
Please, everyone, use some common sense and do be diligent to be sure your crew is educated and trained in all the techniques and procedures necessary to have a safe time on the water for all. The proper sailboat hardware and sailboat parts can only go so far. It is up to the operators to be sure the equipment is being used properly.
Our condolences to the families of the men who were lost in the Gulf. We pray nothing like this will happen to anyone we know or to any of our online customers.