Lost a good friend

Jan 25, 2011
2,391
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
We lost a good friend and club member a few days ago. He lived on his boat in Anacortes. He was in town at the Brown Lantern Tavern (a few of you know it) and evidently was feeling the proverbial oats when he left. He went missing wed night when his girl friend could not contact him and started calling around. Police were called and the boat was boarded to see if he was there and he was not. They started a search of the marina and found him Friday in the water. No evidence of foul play and evidently just ended up in the water with no help..People in the tavern said he was drinking pretty heavily and he somehow ended up in the water. Nobody knows how. Pretty sobering thought about how you walk down the dock and get onboard after libations or even without and depending on the wx conditions..I think we all have a process of boarding our boats from the dock as far as stepping and handholds. All it takes is some aberration in that process and the result could be fatal. RIP Art..
 
Feb 10, 2004
3,917
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Very sorry to hear. A reminder that we all need to be careful, everywhere, and at all times.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Sorry to hear of this, and his loss to everyone that knew him.

You're point about being careful is well taken. Sadly, this EXACT THING happened in Bayfield two years ago, when the bowman (yes a bowman) from best-sailed 50-footer on the lake came back to his boat after an evening at the bar and ended up in Lake Superior. They found him in the morning.
 
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Nov 13, 2013
723
Catalina 34 Tacoma
So sorry to hear. This points to an issue I have noticed among many boaters...alcoholism. We often joke about the effect of our libations. It's really not a joke. For many it is a serious problem.
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
Very sad and something that should be brought up more often. We had similar incident here recently that resulted in a trip to the hospital and not a death thankfully. Same deal: drinking and fell in trying to get on the boat. Ironically, the boat is the go to for many folks when they cannot drive. A buddy system may be the answer.
 

Bob S

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Sep 27, 2007
1,771
Beneteau 393 New Bedford, MA
Truly sorry. Something we should all think about.
 
Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
Sorry to hear that, Mark. I lost a friend that way too. He was a habitually heavy drinker.
 
Dec 14, 2003
1,393
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
Sorry about your loss Mark. A friend's wife left the end of the year party at their club several years ago to go back to the boat. She looked OK to everyone so they did not worry. When he did not see her on the boat upon his return, he thought she had had a change of mind and had gone to their home. He tried to reach her by phone but of course did not get an answer. He thought she had gone to bed and disconnected the phone as she was doing often. The next morning they found her body. Thankfully her clothing had gotten hooked to the corner of a dock, preventing her body from going awash with the tide. It does happen far too frequently that people leave on their own. My friends and I have made it a point to never let anyone leave alone when we have had a few drinks. It's now a habit for us and we don't even hesitate to ask one another.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Sorry to hear the sad news Mark.

I know the Brown Lantern. Good food good drinks.

Boat living has its hazards. good to have folks who care.
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Had your story on my mind leaving the marina tonight in Arizona so I took a picture. RIP to your friend..

IMG_0751.JPG
 

DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,690
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
So sorry to hear about your friend Mark. Amazing (and scary) how many people have similar stories. Years ago at a gathering at a small town about 20 miles from our club, walking back from the bar a friend fell off the dock on the way to his boat. Fortunately we heard the splash and hauled him out. He was in no condition to get himself out if no one was around.
 
Jan 7, 2014
395
Beneteau 45F5 51551 Port Jefferson
Sad story. Often there are no ladders, try hauling yourself out alone -even sober it's not easy
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Walking back from dinner tonight, I thought about this situation. More than a couple of glasses of wine and I would have been at risk. With boats being 12 or more inches above the water line, even the swim decks. Getting out would be nearly impossible. Looking for ladders they were few and more than 4 slips apart. I decided the chance of getting out of the water would be less than if I was hanging from the life lines by my tether. A very sobering thought on this chilly evening.