A coroner has issued a stark warning about the dangers of recreational boating following a tragic accident that claimed a man’s life off the Tasman Peninsula three years ago.
Peter Anthony Timson, 65, died of hypothermia and drowning when the plastic dinghy he and his son were using was swamped in heavy seas in November 2021.
In his findings, Coroner Robert Webster said the pair had ventured out into Norfolk Bay near Premaydena in the Eaglehawk Neck area despite a strong wind warning, using a borrowed dinghy for a fishing trip.
They encountered trouble as the wind picked up after around 40 minutes on the water, with motor issues causing the boat to drift away from the shore.
“Mr Timson turned the boat and headed towards shore however Michael Timson says they were travelling too quickly and they hit 2 large waves head on. The boat began to fill with water,” Webster said.
“Michael Timson attempted to bale the water out with a bucket while Mr Timson turned the boat side onto the waves however the next wave went over the side of the boat which resulted in more water filling the boat. The boat then began to sink and everything fell out.”
The coroner said both struggled to hold onto the boat as they attempted to swim back to shore for about two hours, before Michael Timson decided to swim alone.
“He estimated the distance to shore to be about 2km. As he was a fairly strong swimmer he believed he could make it. He therefore left Mr Timson and swam towards the shore,” Webster said.
“He lost sight of his father after about 20 minutes and he continued towards shore for about six hours but he was losing ground due to the swell, wind and current. He was kept afloat by his life jacket.”
The alarm was raised back on land just after 6pm, around 5 hours after the capsize, when the owner of the dinghy realised the pair hadn’t returned.
It wasn’t until 10pm that Michael Timson saw a helicopter fly over the bay and he was pulled from the water by a police boat 30 minutes later.
Mr Timson’s body was located on Wiggins Point at Murdunna early the next day and the boat was found in the vicinity of Dunbabin Point in Norfolk Bay.
Webster said the pair were both wearing life jackets and an autopsy of Mr Timson confirmed he had no alcohol or illicit drugs in his blood.
He said the combined weight of Mr. Timson and his son alone, without including the weight of any equipment including the engine, exceeded the boat’s recommended maximum weight limit of 183kg by approximately 24kg.
“Although Mr Timson had been fishing at this location previously there is no evidence he had ever used the dinghy which he used on this occasion,” Webster said.
“Although there were no structural or mechanical faults with the dinghy or the outboard motor it seems it was not being operated correctly because the breather vent on the fuel tank was closed and this may well have led, in addition to the kill switch being engaged, to the problems encountered by Mr Timson with the outboard motor.”
He said the case serves as a timely reminder of the dangers of recreational boating in the state.
“Weather conditions in the waters around Tasmania can be variable and unpredictable,” he said.
“If a person is not familiar with the equipment which they are using and/or are not using the equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations then this can, as this case demonstrates, have tragic consequences.”
