Few clues emerge on fate of teens missing on fishing trip

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Is there a thread about this already? I couldn't find it.

The kids have been gone for five days.

Few clues emerge on fate of teens missing on fishing trip

By Associated Press - Jul 28, 2015
BY MATT SEDENSKY

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Rescuers endured a fourth night of an anxious search for two young Floridians born and bred as boaters who went missing on the high seas. ... The Coast Guard scoured an area the size of West Virginia with no sign of the boaters by early Tuesday. Petty Officer Anthony Soto said Tuesday that the search area remains 50 miles off the coast of Jacksonville and expands as far north as Savannah, Georgia, and as far south as Cape Canaveral.

The 14-year-old boys’ vessel was found capsized on Sunday morning. But relatives and friends of the teens were clinging to hope that the expertise they acquired boating and fishing in their short lives was enough to keep them alive while apparently lost in the Atlantic.

“This isn’t something that he’s new at,” said Carly Black, the mother of Austin Stephanos, in an interview with television station WPBF. “I think they feel better on the boat than they do on land.” ... The mother said she wouldn’t even “bat an eye” about the boys’ ability to survive at sea.
....

The ordeal began as a teenage summer adventure: The boys were last seen Friday afternoon buying $110 worth of fuel near Jupiter and were believed to have been heading toward the Bahamas. Thunderstorms and heavy rains were forecast in the Jupiter area later Friday afternoon. However, Coast Guard Capt. Mark Fedor called it “typical South Florida weather” that didn’t provide an immediate answer to what happened to the teens.

Missing Florida teens' boat found overturned and empty

By Laila Kearney, Reuters on Jul 26, 2015 at 6:05 p.m.



14-year-olds Austin Stephanos (L) and Perry Cohen are showing in this handout provided by the United States Coast Guard in Miami, Florida, July 26, 2015. REUTERS/U.S. Coast Guard/Handout via Reuters

I think the youngest person to sail around the world alone was 17 years old. Hmmm: make that 16:

5 teens who have sailed around the world solo

He came close: Robin Lee Graham

Hey, he had a cat with him:

[mnhtnbb]

1. Doesn't look good after they found the boat capsized.

Very sad. Wouldn't be surprised if a rogue wave got them.

Saw a story about the Bermuda Triangle not long ago with several theories about
disappearances in that zone and one of the most likely for ships is rogue waves.

But it doesn't sound like the boys were lost in the area of the Bermuda Triangle,
but just north of it.

[cwydro]

2. They are no longer with their boat,

which was found capsized.

Their seamanship is moot now.

It looks pretty grim to me.

[MineralMan]

3. There are clues.

The boat capsized and the boys weren't there. It's a very sad business, and they should not have taken a 19 foot open boat over 50 miles from shore. Frankly, some adult or the Coast Guard should have stopped them as they were heading out.

They may be found at some point, and I hope they are for their families' sake.

[HooptieWagon]

5. 19 foot boat is ok going to Bahamas in good weather.

Friends of mine have taken smaller (17'), but with a partner boat, which is a good idea. Regardless, they should have carried an EPIRB. No one should boat offshore without one.
I'm not sure that it's been clearly established they were heading to Bahamas, BTW. It's really expensive to clear in (something like $300), and they were expected back before nightfall, which would be tough to do. Most likely they were just heading out to the Gulfstream where the fish are.

[MineralMan]

7. They were what? 14 years old?

I remember being 14. I was fearless and capable of putting myself in situations that were very dangerous. Like most kids that age, I didn't have enough sense to empty my wading boots to avoid sloshing around in them.

I've crossed to Catalina Island in a 16' outboard boat, but that was on an absolutely windless day in a group of other boats. My father allowed me to take the boat, but set up a set of rules for the trip, and made sure there were responsible adults in some of the boats that would be traveling together. Everything went fine, of course.

14 year olds don't have the experience or sense to venture out on a dangerous boat trip without a group of other boats as a safety plan. If there's a problem, it's likely to be one they aren't able to solve, and disaster is always a possibility. Kids that age are smart, but not experienced.

[HooptieWagon]

8. I agree, that may be a little young.

But not by much. At 14 I had to stay in sight of land, but by 16 I was delivering racing sailboats up and down the coast of Florida offshore. Was navigator on an ocean racer, racing from St Petersburg to Ft Lauderdale, at 17. By 18 I was captaining charter boats on delivery to the Carribean. But I had been sailing all my life. The boys were pretty experienced I hear, but just how much so idk.

[MineralMan]

9. There's such a huge difference between

sailing vessels designed for offshore and an open boat powered by an outboard motor. I saw the photos of the boat in question. It's a nice little fishing boat, but not really designed for serious offshore fishing. People do it with boats like that, but sensible ones avoid any kind of rough weather, even if there's only a slight chance of that weather.

This was a real tragedy, but a completely avoidable one.

[cwydro]

11. I haven't heard any reports on what the weather was during the time they went missing.

Have you heard anything on that?

[HooptieWagon]

20. There's many factors involved.

A typical Florida thunderstorm lasts just a short time, not long enough for the seas to build up. You can see them building up...if they were keeping one eye on the weather, and not getting too far offshore, they could easily get to protected water before a storm hit. Boats like that can do 30+ knots...about 35mph. Plenty safe, with a little experience.
Wintertime is different. Cold front rolls in and it's 50 knots of wind for several days. Huge waves build up. Their boat def not suitable for those conditions.
But, we don't know if a storm caught them, or how far out they were. Everything is just guessing right now. Anything more than 2 or 3 miles out and they should have had an EPIRB though. Even if in the water they could signal for help with their exact location.

[malaise]

10. I'm with you on this

They were way too young for this one - and the weather was bad.

[Blue_Tires]

19. I'm guessing your friends are well past 14, and already

were well experienced and equipped seafarers before making that trip...

[HooptieWagon]

21. Adults and very experienced.

It's just an unsubstantiated rumor the kids were headed toBahamas. Not likely, imo. And we don't know how far offshore they were. They're not too young to be 2 or 3 miles out. If they were 30 miles out, that's another story.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

24. EPIRB

IDKATA: I don't know all the acronyms.

I looked it up: Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon

Distress radiobeacon

[HooptieWagon]

25. Yes.

They are relatively inexpensive. You switch it on (some are automatic) and it relays a distress signal via satellite, including your exact location. It's not a Coast Guard requirement, but it's a very good item to have if you're more than a mile away from shore... Even on a small boat.
There are similar items called PLBs (Personal Locator Beacon) that are registered to the individual, not the vessel. They are even less expensive, and suitable for kayaks, canoes, skiffs,etc operating near shore. Hikers and campers even use them.
I'm a bit surprised the boys didn't have some sort of emergency beacon (haven't seen one mentioned), given how well equipped the boat was otherwise.

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. An offshore sailboat and an open runabout are very different animals.

I would not fish 50 miles offshore in an open skiff.

[HooptieWagon]

6. It depends on the design.

If the boat has a high transom, so waves can't come over the stern, a self-bailing cockpit, and equipped with proper safety gear like an EPIRB, then it's fine in good weather. No pleasure boat is going to be completely "safe" in the Gulfstream if it's stormy.

[lumberjack_jeff]

15. YMMV. My experience is in the northwest.

I shouldn't comment on conditions in the Atlantic.

I wouldn't fish 50 miles offshore in an open skiff. "Cockpit" implies a boat with some sort of cabin.

This is probably the smallest boat I'd consider taking out that distance.

[HooptieWagon]

17. We'd die from the heat in that pilot house.

Here's a typical boat for recreational fishing in Florida. The cockpit sole is above the waterline, so any spray or rain that gets in drains out. There is a bulkhead in front of the motor, so waves don't wash over the stern, especially when backing down. They're strictly day boats, not expected to go overnight. 40 or 50 miles offshore is common, it's only a couple hours.
[img][/img]

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. I guess I can see that. n/t

[SheilaT]

12. Even the most experienced

sailors can run into trouble.

The fact that other young sailors have made it around the world, or sailed regularly is meaningless.

[Eleanors38]

13. Oh, dear. Looks like they got into the Gulf Stream.

There is also the risk they were commandeered by drug runners for gasoline. They usually leave no witnesses. God speed to them.

[HooptieWagon]

22. Gulfstream edge is just a mile or so offshore.

Plus, that's where the fish are.

[FLPanhandle]

14. Teenage boys just don't make smart decisions

I'm sure the boys were experienced and capable, but they were teenagers.

I too grew up on the water. As a teenage boy, I would take my boat and buddies out in the Gulf of Mexico in all kinds of weather. We thought it was fun to jump waves, surf down wave faces, all kinds of stupid shit. I learned how to handle a boat in conditions I shouldn't have been in which made me even more fearless.

I don't blame the parents, or anyone. The boys did what teenage boys sometimes do...make poor decisions. Usually it's with a car not a boat. This is news because of the search but teenagers die in cars by the dozens every week also making bad decisions.

[Nay]

29. I agree. My brother and I grew up in Florida. He was sailing from a very

young age, not like those two 14-yr-olds, but far enough out at a young enough age (and with the accompanying teenage idiocy) that the Coast Guard had to drag his ass back to shore a couple of times. I consider it a lucky thing that I still have a live brother . . .

[JI7]

16. even if they had proper training and experience at that age

kids often feel invincible and are more likely to do things thst may know is dangerous but feel they will be ok.

[HooptieWagon]

23. We don't know what happened.

It could be something that even a very experienced adult couldn't avoid. There's no point in speculating. The only thing I can say is they should have had an EPIRB, which would have summoned help to their exact location very quickly, even if they were in the water.

[lostnfound]

26. Wishing for a miracle.

My own son in 14. It's hard to imagine kids that age doing things like this, but I know that some do, and that our society overprotects them a lot and/or deprives them of risk-taking adventures.
This seems to have been a gamble that went too far. It sure would be nice if a miracle happened, but I agree it's not likely.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

27. Coast Guard: Search for teens will be suspended at sunset

Coast Guard: Search for teens will be suspended at sunset

By Associated Press Jul 31, 2015

BY MATT SEDENSKY and MARISOL MEDINA

OPA-LOCKA, Fla. (AP) — The Coast Guard will suspend its search at sunset for two teenage fishermen who’ve been missing for a week, officials said Friday.

However, Capt. Mark Fedor said the search would continue in the meantime and has been a “true all hands on deck effort.” He said the Coast Guard took into consideration Perry Cohen’s and Austin Sephanos’ age, both 14, their lengthy experience on the water and their “will to live” in keeping the search going so long.

He expressed his “heartfelt condolences” and called the case “excruciating and gut-wrenching.”

“I know no statistics will ease the pain,” he said adding that hundreds of people searched many miles. “We were desperate to find Austin and Perry.”

[greytdemocrat]

28. It's a shame

Those two kids are way too young to be
out there alone.

They should have stayed with the boat. Not looking good.