Three people were on a borrowed canoe with the plan to go fishing.  When the vessel started taking on water they decided to head back to shore.  The victim seated in the iddle attempted to grab a nap sack, the weight shifted and the canoe tipped/capsized.  None of the parties were wearing pfd's nor was any found on board.  Two of the three onboard swam to shore safely and flagged down a motorist for help.  They reported that one male party had gone underwater.  The canoe had also sunk to the bottom of the river.  Victim was found two days later down river.  Investigator concluded that unequal weight distribution/and or sudden sift of one of the parties onboard caused the canoe to capsize.  The canoe had two built-in seats only.  An examination of the canoe at the scene disclosed fiberglass repairs had been made on the inside surface, mid center near the interior frame support sections.  The victim sitting mid-center may have put excessive weight/stree on the fiberglass repair cracks that caused the canoe to take on water.  Victim may have survived if he wore a pfd.
Lowell                        