SAFETY ALERT: Bow Seating Hazard (Malibu)

[Fun Times]

 

[flashback]

That's so crazy. Man over board is not a new occurrence..

 

[Scott Danforth]

My guess is there was alcohol involved

 

[flashback]

My guess is there was alcohol involved

I hope so, a sober man would hopefully hang on, or at least have a pfd ...

 

[Scott Danforth]

I was talking the boat pilot

 

[airshot]

Why is proper boat handling the last thing on the list ?? Any good boat captain could have prevented that !!

 

[aspeck]

There is a lot to the story we don’t know and this letter doesn’t tell us. Unless we know the whole story of what happened and why it is best not to speculate.

 

[dingbat]

Why is proper boat handling the last thing on the list ?? Any good boat captain could have prevented that !!

Because "stuff" happens that is out of control of even the best Captains.

The best defense is to not put a passenger in a position to be injured to begin with. I enforce the rule nobody forward of the helm while the boat is in motion.

In most States it's illegal to ride on the bow while in motion unless riding in designated seating.

 

[airshot]

On the bow is common sense, but when proper seating is provided, it becomes the captains job to determine when it is safe or not to ride up there !! " things happen" sounds more like an excuse for for poor decisions or inexperienced boat owners over driving their craft. Been piloting boats if all sizes for over 60 years including many open bow style and have never buried the bow causing water to come in over the top, but then again, I pay close attention and don't let substances do the driving for me !! But...like everything nowadays...
"It has to be someone elses fault"

 

[silverbul]

On the bow is common sense, but when proper seating is provided, it becomes the captains job to determine when it is safe or not to ride up there !! " things happen" sounds more like an excuse for for poor decisions or inexperienced boat owners over driving their craft. Been piloting boats if all sizes for over 60 years including many open bow style and have never buried the bow causing water to come in over the top, but then again, I pay close attention and don't let substances do the driving for me !! But...like everything nowadays...
"It has to be someone elses fault"

DITTO

 

[racerone]

Haulover Inlet has lots of " credit card captains " you will see some dangerous stuff on --You TUBE videos.

 

[flashback]

Exactly! If I sell guns and you blow your head off why should I be responsible.. like I said "crazy"

 

[airshot]

Haulover Inlet has lots of " credit card captains " you will see some dangerous stuff on --You TUBE videos.

There a person can get quite educated about what not to do !! Credit Card captains is about right...great videos!

 

[04fxdwgi25]

Just like the warnings... "Coffee is scolding hot. Do not place cup between legs" or "Don't eat the Tide PODS".

Because of some peoples lack of common sense and ability to think through a situation (read that as "STUPIDITY") and desire to sue any and everyone else for the mistakes they make themselves, these types of warning need to be stated, for legal reasons.

Rant over...

 

[garbageguy]

awful

 

[62Scout]

and have never buried the bow causing water to come in over the top, but then again, I pay close attention and don't let substances do the driving for me !! But...like everything nowadays...
"It has to be someone elses fault"

Grew up on Lake St. Clair near Detroit, running a 19ft closed bow Formula Thunderbird. There's been exactly one time I saw Dad drinking any alcohol - his retirement party. He certainly never was intoxicated on any level while driving cars/boats.

However, there were several times I recall being in the boat, and having waves come over the bow, soaking both of us behind the helm, and continuing clear over the stern. Small boat, large enough lake to create some serious waves during an unexpected storm, and "things happen". LSC is known for some crazy waves that stack up close enough that as you're coming down the backside of one you just don't have any choice but to punch through the middle of the next one. Made the mistake of taking my 17ft bass boat out there once, storm popped up...and thought for sure I wasn't going to make it back.

I recall a number of times that storms seemingly pop up out of nowhere, and get violent FAST out there. Or that time on Houghton Lake that I saw some light grey clouds forming in the far distance and decided it was a good time to head back. Took about 15 minutes to get back to the trailer, and watched a tornado rip through the area right as I was strapping the boat down.

I don't know what the specific details are of this Malibu incident, but I can say from experience that water coming over the bow isn't always due to the idiot captain or being drunk/high/whatever. MANY reports of this on the LSC forums as well.

 

[Lou C]

Some of those wakeboard/ski boats have a very low bow design that is just not good at all for rough water. Compare that with an off shore style Center Console or even a DC.
Personally, I'd rather have a closed bow with a way of getting up to the front of the boat for trailering/mooring. Flip open windshield and a panel that opens so you can get up front without climbing over. I have a bow rider but don't plan on buying another one. Just not as safe as it could be.

 

[airshot]

Storms that just pop up out of nowhere means the skipper didn' t bother checking the marine forecast before venturing out. Or the skipper that saw all the signs comming, but chose to ignore them until the last minute before deciding to come back in. Weather forecasting gives us many advance warnings and tells us about situstions that could cause bad days on the water, the problem is, very few pay attention or heed the warnings !!

 

[garbageguy]

It is so easy now to look at current weather radar.
That, and knowing your, and your craft's, limitations - make captaining a vessel much more predictable nowadays

 

[Chris1956]

My SeaSwirl 21 DC has seating for 3 adults in the bow. However, if you put two adults in the bow, very occasionally when you hit a wave just right, the bow will catch (not cut) the wave and lurch left or right. It could cause the driver to fall, if he is standing.

If the bow seating is empty or you have up to 3 kids in the bow, this never happens.

It is obviously a design flaw, however, it is impossible to create on demand.

Reading the bulletin, I still do not know how the passenger was washed overboard. He must not have been seated. Maybe he was hanging over the bow for some reason?

I have occasionally taken waves over the bow on a bowrider. This occurs when a closed bow would have taken water onto it, as well. You can get wet, and the boat is weighed down, until the water is pumped out, but as long as she doesn't sink immediately, and the pump is working, and it is a single wave, you should recover.