JV,

Your clicky won't open unless you register with the Dallas Morning News. Any links to get around this??? I hate to hear this.

Sad....Link works for me and I am not log in Bob. You can google "boat sunk ray roberts" and it will get you hthere too.

That is very sad! My prayers are with the family!!

Unbelievable. Just a father and son going to enjoy a day of fishing together and it ends like this. Sad, very sad.

does anyone know what part of the lake they were in? i was up in buck creek pretty much all morning and didnt see anyone in distress. the waves were terrible though and it was one time i was glad i had a CC with high gunwales.

Pecan creek

Sad really sad.

I was out fishing Saturday with a buddy and seen a care flight chopper land at Isle Du Bois State Park ramp with a bunch of fire trucks and such around also.

Does anyone know what that was all about?

Body of missing boater found in Lake Ray Roberts 10:27 AM CT

10:32 AM CDT on Monday, April 7, 2008
By RUSS AARON / The Dallas Morning News

Authorities on Monday found the body of a 51-year-old boater who was reported missing in Lake Ray Roberts over the weekend.

The body of Alan Riddels was recovered about 8:30 a.m. Monday near where his fishing boat sank, said Maj. Butch Shoop of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Mr. Riddels and his son were fishing Sunday morning when their boat started to fill up with water, said Maj. Shoop. It is unknown why the boat started to fill up.

Mr. Riddels and his son started to swim to the shore, but only the son made it. The son, who is in his 20s, was treated at the scene.

So sorry to hear that news. Prayers sent for the family.

He lived 2 houses down from me. Sad sad day. I guess they didn't even have life jackets aboard? I may not wear mine all the time, but it is there if I need it.

Very sad. And fellas this all could have been avoided if they had life vests in the boat. Its ok to be macho and such but dont be stupid. I might not wear mine all the time but I have it close by and ready if need be. If I am fishing by myself I wear it. They had to swim 300 yards to shore. Thats a long swim for anyone. When a friend and I sunk his boat on Lavon it was in the low 30s we got the day off because of the ice. Well we decided to go fishing. He did a half arse job fixing his patch on his hull and needless to say once we got to the other side of the lake we notice water being taken on. So we head all the way back across the lake. We ended up having to swim a quarter mile to shore. We were lucky I was able to get one vest out before the boat sank. I dragged him and myself back to shore. The wind and waves helped as well. This man was around 300 lbs. He would not have made it if I was not there. And neither of us would have made it if we did not have a life vest.

Anything can happen that is why they call it an accident. It is a unforseen event. I see to many people not wearing or even taking a life vest with them. I will pray for this family in its sorrow. I just wish people would take more precautions while out on the water.

We were on the main part of the lake on the east arm Sunday from 7:00 am to around 11:00 with guide Tim Wike and it was ROUGH. We all had life vests on, but I would not have guessed it was rough enought to take a boat down, we were in Tim's 19'/20' ranger and I felt safe the whole time. I've was on the west arm two years ago in my 19' Champion on fathers day and it was much rougher. I even made sure we stayed close to shore while we were try to get back to the marina...
God Bless this family...

Only two things I can think of ... well, three. Lifevests, floatation cushions and know what your boat can handle. Cannot imagine what the son must be feeling - heartbreaking.

Wasn't there a group of kids on Ray Hubbard just a few days ago whose flat-bottom boat capsized & they had to be rescued? When I saw the news on TV about the Ray Roberts incident, could've sworn I saw footage of a flat-bottom aluminum boat there as well.

Lifevests & float cushion ... they don't work if you don't use them ...