Programs

Striper Hunt Nearly Turns Deadly For Kayak Angler

Ambrose Salmini was going through a rough patch in April 2022 and like many of us he took comfort in fishing. But that wasn’t going well either. “It was five days in a row and I did not even have a bite. I can’t really explain how strong that urge to catch a fish was,” […]

Boater’s High-Speed Ejection and Survival Swim

‘What are the odds?’ asks Jack Doty after miracle rescue from freezing lake After a close call in the frigid waters of Minnesota’s Lake Minnetonka, Jack Doty is urging fellow boaters to avoid the mistakes that nearly cost him his life. This month the lifelong boater shared his cautionary tale on The Qualified Captain podcast. […]

One-In-A-Million Ghost Boat Rescue

The quick thinking and extraordinary luck that brought a North Carolina fisherman back from the brink. Andrew Sherman and his son Jack were fishing 37 miles off the North Carolina coast when they spotted a boat coming straight at them. Andrew directed a few choice words toward the 23-foot Parker cuddy cabin rumbling along on […]

Stay Safe On Your Next Paddling Adventure

Paddling is a fun and safe activity, especially if you pay attention to these common-sense rules — always wear a life jacket, don’t paddle alone, dress for water temperature and don’t mix alcohol and paddling.

Bargain Kayak (Remember a Life Jacket!)

If you go to the box store for paper towels and end up with a kayak, make sure you also pick up a life jacket. Because nobody wants to pull a Brad.

Learn to Get Back On Your Kayak BEFORE You Flip

Getting back on your sit-on-top kayak isn’t that hard – if you know how. That’s why it’s a great idea to take a paddling safety class BEFORE you flip.

Don’t Forget the Leash and Lifejacket

You can pick up a new SUP anywhere these days, but you can’t buy common sense. Always remember to wear your life jacket and leash when you paddle your standup paddleboard. And if your honey asked you to get TP at the Big Box, don’t forget that either.

Heroic Boating Rescue

Sgt. Brian Parkton knew the situation could turn bad in a heartbeat. The veteran marine patrol officer was responding to reports of a boat in trouble with nine people, including three children, still on board. The 21-foot open motorboat had filled with water and lost power at the mouth of Destin Pass, a northwest Florida […]

Heroes Rescue Kids From Epic Boating Smackdown

By Jeff Moag Shane McDonald couldn’t look away. He and his son Jake were on stand-up jet skis, following a 30-foot center console out of Boynton Beach Inlet. Under certain conditions, the south Florida pass opens into a line of breaking surf, and on that particular day the waves just beyond the breakwater looked like […]

Incredible Boating Rescue Caught On Camera

‘This Could Have Killed Him!’ fishing guide says, and that’s no hype You never know when a slow day fishing will turn into a story you’ll be telling for years. Take Ty Southerland and his new neighbor Chris Pace. Ty is a well-known fishing guide out of Rockport Texas, and host of the “30 Miles […]

Lifeline

Adrift on a capsized boat 16 miles offshore, a palm-sized personal locator beacon was their best last chance. By Jeff Moag The situation went bad in a hurry. Tan Boriboune joined a group of five friends for a day of spearfishing off Virginia Beach on August 16, 2020. A heavy swell was running that Sunday […]

The Rest of the Story

What happened after this viral smash-up at the mouth of the Columbia is just as scary as the crash itself. By Jeff Moag If you’ve been on the Internet in the last four years, you’ve probably seen the video. It starts with three salmon fishermen waving and shouting as a 31-foot powerboat bears down on […]

Bass Boat Hero Coralls Runaway Boat

Getting thrown from a bass boat at 60 mph is one way to learn about the importance of Engine Cutoff Switches.

A Whistle in the Wind

Mark Wheeler went overboard in pitch darkness and a 40-knot squall. This is the remarkable story of how his friends got him back. By Jeff Moag Mark Wheeler went overboard a few minutes before midnight. He was in the middle of Lake Michigan, 30 miles offshore in 40 knots of wind. As he fumbled for […]

Rescue at Pictured Rocks: Reader’s Digest Version

It was meant to be another boys’ trip, the latest in a tradition that stretched back more than two decades. It soon became an epic fight for survival.

Teen Boaters Rescue Five From Capsized Boat

The radio made all the difference, Evan Kamoen says. Evan, then 18, was heading to a favorite fishing spot on Long Island Sound with friends Ryan Kelly and Luke Voegeli last summer when they heard the call. “It was ‘Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Our boat is sinking!’” Evan recalls. Five men were aboard the stricken vessel, […]

Who Do You Call When Your Kayak Sinks?

Treading water three miles offshore is no place for a wrong number Christian Nelson didn’t know the trouble he was in. He was three miles out from Gulf Shores Alabama when the kayak he was trolling from developed a 9-inch crack between the scupper holes. He didn’t notice the damage until the kayak was full […]

Surfski Paddler Saves Kayaker From Freezing Lake

Five lessons from a dramatic close call caught on video Anyone who has helped a fellow paddler recover from a swim in deep water knows how difficult it can be, whether the craft you’re working from is a canoe, a sea kayak or whitewater boat. Now imagine handling such a rescue alone, with a victim […]