Sportfish tosses captain overboard...

Sure does if the current and breeze pushes it away faster than you can swim.

I'm glad that's been your experience, but no, that is not the only way to leave a Hobie. Also, in a good current you and the boat may not be traveling at the same speed not to mention a few other dangers like getting winded, knocked out or entwined.

wow those pictures are amazing and scarry at the same moment.

My prayers go for Captain Tom Henry.

Pascal, I got cannoned through the the rigging of a Hobie 21 under asymetrical spinniker at about 20-stupid knots. Bloody well hurt!

A few whoops is since Carl is fessing up.

1-Myself and 2 others got thrown at speed/lots of wind, off the wires on a Prindle 18. 1st person back on board was the new barely sailor owner. Watched him sail off into the sunset. Rescued by small fishing boat after a half hour or so. Minor Fright.

2-Almost rolled/was thrown out of, my Montauk 17 tow-in-surfing. Friday at Reef Road. Turns out Whalers do not sink! That was Pretty Hairy!

I like how this thread is going!

Passed away

Just read that Captain Henry has passed away.

Condolences to his family and friends.

I'm glad this thread took on a jovial mood. Most captains like a good laugh. Back to serious now. My condolences to the Caps family and friends.

Well, at least he passed doing what he loved best.

Far

Well said Far.

I draughted about 3 different replys but you nailed it.

Yes, that's why we do it.

Ah, that sux. I was hoping he would pull through. My condolences to the family.

Someone pointed out he died doing what he loved and that's a good thing.

It also points out what I tell people, especially with little experience, going offshore: The ocean is always looking for a way to kill you. Get careless and she may find it.

RIP Captain Henry

+1
According to a knowledgeable source, Tom Henry was a lawyer out of Maryland in his previous life who chose to become a charter skipper twenty years ago.
I'd wager he would agree that the last twenty years was infinitely preferable to the prior twenty.

My sincere condolances to his family and friends.
Good for him that he made his carreer change 20 years ago and not two weeks ago. Makes you think...

To add on to the list of confessions:
When I was a lifeguard at 19, I got tossed out of a boat in almost exactly the same way. It was a 17-foot RIB and we went belly-up. The boat was caught by a wave and started to surf accidentally, causing the loss of steering power. This is called broaching. The stern was kicked aside and the wave rolled the boat over.

We were two onboard and no-one was hurt, but my pride. Quickly learnt my lesson that you steer with the throttle in the surf, not with the helm.
I remember spending a long evening getting all the water out of the engine.

Jesus.... whole different story when you see all the pictures.
If you look at where he went into the water it is mighty close to the prop on the port side. That does not paint a pretty picture.

Question for the group. Would he have been better off staying on the back side of the wave? I guess if you stay on the back side of the wave too long you can lose steerage? It seems like his problems started when he stuffed the bow coming over the top of the swell. As a kid in the islands, I remember climbing the backs of swells that were so big the boat would almost completely stop even though the engine was revved and pushing hard. Then as you crest over the top, the boat would take off and try to stuff the bow.
Looking at this sequence makes me think you are better off staying just on the backside of the swell.

What is the correct procedure here?

condolences to the henry family.

i grew up in south africa , taking "ski boats" through the surf and river mouths. one thing that was always drummed into me was when you returned , you never try "jump" a rolling wave . in doing this , the boat would always broach one way or another . add speed to the equation , then it makes it even worse. stay in between two ways , this is by far the safest. this was in 16 -24ft boats , with outboard engines. yes , we all have done the "jump" thing on smaller waves and got away with it , but i can just imagine trying to control a 48(?) ft sportfisherman doing this .....

a sad accident.

Ok, maybe he did loose control and it wasn't some random wave.

I would have followed the wave, sitting just behind it, keeping the boat on a plane, adjusting the throttles to the waves speed, and keeping my eye on what's happening behind me.... But **** can happen clearly.

To the skipper's defence, maybe he thought the wave wasn't such a dumper.

Far

We must, and are expected to do our job perfect 100% of the time. It's almost a guarantee that our one lapse will bite us.

Looking at the first two photos, the wave does not look too bad and I can imagine the Captain thinking maybe, seeing as he was falling off it, then speed out of it. Only to find that big hole!
My experience would not match this qualified skipper yet I have done the same without issue, which now makes me think how easy it is to misjudge the sea.
What seems certain though, is that a lack of safety rails cost this man his life. A vessel without these would not be allowed to go into charter in Australia, for good reason.
A high price to pay to make the boat look "slick".