Corpusfishing.com

[o_brother]

I saw on the news that a man and woman was hurt in an accident over the weekend around Goose Island. Anyone know what happened????

Mike
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Come out of the grass with your fins up.......

[Texmaps]

From the CT http://www.caller.com/news/2010/jul/19/seguin-man-loses-arm-to-boats-propeller-on-bay/

ROCKPORT — A boating excursion among out-of-town friends turned into a fight for their lives Saturday in a waterway near Aransas Bay, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife officials.

A 49-year-old man and his wife were struck by the propeller of a 17-foot motorboat about 1:20 p.m. near Goose Island State Park, said Brandi Reeder, Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden.

The left arm of Mark Westernholm, 49, of Seguin was severed at the shoulder when the driver of the motorboat lost control, Reeder said, and the boat did a sudden 180 degree turn, ejecting three passengers.

Westernholm’s wife, Sharon, also was thrown into the water and suffered a laceration on her right thigh, nearly to the bone, Reeder said.

She also received a deep gash to her right wrist. A third ejected passenger was uninjured.

Luckily, a fisherman and his wife were about 300 yards behind the group and saw the whole incident unfold, Reeder said.

“Fortunately the fisherman’s wife had some medical training and administered first aid at the scene,” she said.

The woman used bungee cords for tourniquets on the injured couple, and towels on board to stop the bleeding, Reeder said.

The couple was flown by a HALO-Flight crew to Christus Spohn Hospital Memorial where they remain in stable condition.

Reeder said this is the fourth incident she has responded to involving injuries or death from a boat’s propeller.

“In all of these instances if the driver had been wearing a kill switch then major injuries would have most likely been avoided,” she said.

[robul]

ouch. glad to hear it wasn't worse.. sounds like a case of a tunnel V flipping a 180 when least expected. Not enough skeg to keep it from happening in the water. Wear them kill switches folks. Especially if you run a tunnel v

[Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm]

kill switches and a NO FEEDBACK HELM
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[RPool]

Ditto on that advice from Robul and the porkster. I went out fishing years ago while in college on the then new and just filling Lake Livingston in a 16' aluminum boat with an 18 horse, tiller handle outboard. Did not see a burned out, submerged tree trunk in the water and we went over it like going over a ski jump - just enough to tilt the boat to land on it's side. My buddy and I went flying and found ourselves in the middle of the circle, treading water as the boat made tighter and tighter circles around us. Not a good feeling, trust me on this one. Fortunately, it capsized before it hit either of us but that was just pure, stupid, dumb luck. You cannot make me operate a boat without a kill switch. I recall Corpus lost a young guide about 15 years ago down south when he was kicked out of a boat without a kill switch and it got him - left a young wife as I remember. Simple deal - when you go to put your key in the ignition, make sure it first goes through a loop in the kill switch lanyard. Tug on it before you turn the key - you'll be glad and so will your loved ones and friends.

[Chef Lefty]

I recall Corpus lost a young guide about 15 years ago down south when he was kicked out of a boat without a kill switch and it got him - left a young wife as I remember

Scott Gilbert. Was a hell of a guy.
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[the troutman]

Yes, it was Scott Gilbert and he was a great guy to be around. My buddy and I were coming back to weigh-in from a tourney years ago and his hat flew off so he decided to back-end the 21 Majek around only to rocket launch himself out of the boat. I was going over the side when the pocket of my wading shorts got twisted around the back cleat so now I am hanging head first out of the boat inches from the screaming prop as the boat is doing full throttle circles. My buddy finally timed it and jumped in the boat and shut it down. I knew my time had come and that either the boat was going to flip and drowned me as my shorts were so knotted up I never would have gotten loose or they were going to finally let losoe and I was going head first to the prop. Until that day, and many flats boats later, I still get the chills everytime I have to take a sharp turn but I damned sure where the kill switch at all times. I get freaked out everytime I tell the story as it was just before the time Scott died.
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Later,

The Troutman

Love em and leave em, otherwise known as Catch and Release!

[ROBDOG]

Wow, Thanks for the eye-opener. I have never used the kill switch on my 21 Skout, or any of my previous boats, but I will from now on. I guess I have been lucky/ignorant to the potential dangers.....

[wallhanger]

I had never worn mine until this weekend. Once I heard about this story I realized I owed it to my family and friends to make sure they didn't have to go through the same ordeal. I put mine on this weekend for the first time. My wife asked me what it was and I told her it was a life saving instrument that I hoped we would never have to see in action.

[RPool]

...and it isn't just for our safety. I was thrown out of my scooter when a fast running bay boat ran into me when passing on the ICW. If I had not been wearing my kill switch, there is a strong chance my boat would have kept going towards the JFK and hit someone at full throttle. Again, you can't make me run a boat without wearing one.

[Chef Lefty]

Troutman,

The Man upstairs was definitely with you and your friend that day!!!
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