Boaters listen up..and learn

[zooker]

both my self and 1fastlaser know ra -red allison-and have seen the er pic's..NOT pretty..but here is his story -he lived to tell about it- i removed some of it..



They say the Good Lord favors a married man, I guess that's the ONLY reason he was with me yesterday!Just hope it makes some at least THINK about what can happen in a flash.

I was in Roy's (Baitcaster) boat. (XB2003/260) I had made one pass up river and then came back down in front of the waterfall. It was to rough to be going that fast, I never looked at the GPS but I remember being at 7000 or a click over when I got up on some waves, the boat went right and I don't remember anything after that for a few moments. I guess I "came to" while in the boat on the way back too the ramp. Gotta say THANKS to everyone there because they were there to help pretty quick once word got out what happend. My bro Andy was there for me as usual. He said I was talking to him while still in the water but I don't remember it. At 68 degrees I'm sure I was shocked and numbed by the water.

I DID have sense enough to put my vest on and killswitch attached!!! If I hadn't have had it on they would've been looking for me via a side finder Humminbird or something.

I remember being in the boat again with Padura driving me back too the ramp. Thanks again bro! Someone gave me a towel and I just put it over my head. I didn't realize my left ear was held on barely by a few pieces. Everyone came to my aid, I think Andy said he drove my boat back too the ramp. Put it on the trailer, battoned it all down and then drove me the 1hr 30min to the hospital in my hometown. (Wanted to be there instead of the rural hospital's nearer the lake)

My wife met us at the ER and then nearly threw up when I removed the towel. I was taken back too the trauma unit about 6:30pm and then FINALLY got into a room on the Neuro floor abotu 2am this morning. I have 12 staples in my head and 8 stitches holding my left ear on. The doctor who stitched me up learned his craft while a military surgeon in Iraq, he had alot of experience with impact trauma and did a GREAT job on me.

I was diagnosed with a concussion and am ordered to basically stay off my feet for the next week. Hope to have the staples and stitches removed in a week or so. EVERY joint, muscle, tendon is sore. I think the only thing not sore on my body is my toenails. Roy called me this morning and told me the passenger bucket was broke up and the mounting hardware was bent and busted up, his GPS was gone and the covers on the speakers under the nose were missing and threw screws in the jackplate cover had been ripped out and were gone. It musta been a hell of a stop. Probably glad I DON'T remember it.

I couldn't help but notice today on the way home from the hospital how particularly BEAUTIFUL everything is. Don't take anything for granted, you realize how quickly it can all be taken away from you in an instant. No more tweaked pads and jacked engine heights for this cowboy! I'm a deckboat and XB21 easy livin kinda guy from now on I reckon.



RA


this is a risk that every one of us boaters face.. even though most of us are not running in the 100 mph area like red was..hitting the water at any speed above plane speed-normally 20 mph- is like fallin out of a car and hitting concrete.. coming out of a boat at chin walk speed -65ish mph- you will start to rag doll. hitting the water at 75 mph area is called liquid clothes remover for a reason.to even be able to walk away from a high speed wreck like red did is just plain dumb luck. since most that have been ejected at this speed don't...

that being said the moral of the story is life vest and kill switchs save lives..i know i HATE using both but do it be cause of stuff like this..

i had been trying to get red to meet up with us at the ky lake shin dig..

zooker