Float Plans
Stuart Bee, from Port Canaveral, FL, recently made news when he was found clinging to bow pulpit of his 32 Sea Ray about 86 miles from land. Stuart encountered engine problems soon after leaving port on a Friday afternoon, which escalated into a sinking situation, by Saturday night.
Fortunately, an alert marina member reported his absence on Saturday morning, setting in motion a host of search and rescue activities, led by the USCG. A 225-foot container ship, Angeles, spotted Bee clinging to his boat and rescued him, unharmed.
This real-life story illustrates the importance of float plans, or, at the very least, alert concerned marina members who have an idea of the proposed outing route. Mr. Bee cheated the odds this time, but the odds were against him and they are against anyone else, including you and me, who doesn’t practice solid procedures in this important area.
