Sinking boat saved by flares

[ex Elly 258]

For those of you who think flares are unnecessary these days.

Lucky these guys carried and used their flares.  Seems that no-one listens to the VHF on the west coast.

The other lesson is: don't go fishing in an inflatable! 🤪

 

Bethells Beach fishing trip takes terrifying turn after shark gashes inflatable boat

A quiet Sunday fishing trip turned into a near-death experience for three West Aucklanders after a shark ripped their inflatable boat, sparking a mayday call and dramatic rescue as the trio began sinking.

"Dad's been vigilant about making me do Coastguard courses so we had VHF, we had flares, we had EPIRB we had multiple mobiles."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/bethells-beach-fishing-trip-takes-terrifying-turn-after-shark-gashes-inflatable-boat/OQBKXCNTKTK2BVBDOEKH6BTZWE/

 

 

[Fish 0]

Looking at the picture, it is far more likely they hooked their inflatable with the hook...

I note they had an EPIRB with them, and several cell phones, so phoned police. Still no justification in that story as to why flares should be mandatory for Cat 4 & 5 racing, in the inner Huaraki Gulf. That is a fair bit different to going off the west coast, launching off a surf beach, and err, puncturing your inflatable with fishing gear.

Good to know they were prepared. The value of doing your own risk assessment, and not relying on third party rules, like YNZ stuff.

 

A few hours later Bruce started reeling in a 4ft shark on his line. As the fish came to the surface its teeth, or the hook in its mouth, sliced open the side of the trio's IRB.

[alibaba 84]

small correction to 'nobody listens to VHF on the west coast'- they certainly do, and if reception had been OK they would have been heard. Unfortunately, there are some real dead spots around Bethells in particular and also off Muriwai. Ch 16 goes through the Sky Tower and of course as we all know, VHF is line of sight because of the high frequency.

[Jon 409]

Correction 

Maritime Radio goes from the top of the Waitakares

Still create dead spots in close.

not sure where coastguard repeats from

[Ex Machina 390]

17 hours ago, Jon said:

Correction 

Maritime Radio goes from the top of the Waitakares

Still create dead spots in close.

not sure where coastguard repeats from

Yep and there’s no line of sight to close inshore at bethells from that repeater on westcoast Rd/Scenic Drive 

[Black Panther 1,765]

On 14/06/2021 at 12:26 PM, Fish said:

Looking at the picture, it is far more likely they hooked their inflatable with the hook...

I note they had an EPIRB with them, and several cell phones, so phoned police. Still no justification in that story as to why flares should be mandatory for Cat 4 & 5 racing, in the inner Huaraki Gulf. That is a fair bit different to going off the west coast, launching off a surf beach, and err, puncturing your inflatable with fishing gear.

Good to know they were prepared. The value of doing your own risk assessment, and not relying on third party rules, like YNZ stuff.

 

A few hours later Bruce started reeling in a 4ft shark on his line. As the fish came to the surface its teeth, or the hook in its mouth, sliced open the side of the trio's IRB.

Nice clean tear for a shark's mouth