yesterday's boat crash..

[dsiekman]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

I get razzled when my buddy is following me in my wake after a day of fishing, returning to the harbor. Even though he is at a safe distrance, it often crosses my mind if he is really paying attention to the whole situation, if I had to suddenly slow down or make a sudden manuver.
I've discussed it with him and he knows the situation, but it still has me wondering.

I had a guy do this to me last weekend except I didn't know him and he didn't know where I was going...and he was in a 38' express. I got a very good look at his keel.

I was coming into a no wake zone and every time I would slow down and angle towards the dock he would follow but wouldn't slow down. He finally backed down when we ran past the bouys. Yes, I had to come into a no wake zone on plane because I was convinced this guy couldn't react fast enough and would run me over. On the upside, no one was close to me so my wake didn't have an immediate impact on anyone. Needless to say, I was less than amused. If he hadn't had kids on the boat I would have let him know he was #1...

 

[Fisherball]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

In Ohio if you were born after 1981 you need a boater's license to pilot any boat over 10 hp. (I think it's 10). So you can't rent one without the license. The trick with the date is that someday everyone alive will have been born after that date & than all boaters will be licensed. They couldn't force people who had been boating for years to all of a sudden need a license.

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

I shake my head every time I read someone saying something about the rental company having responsibility in this situation. The only people who bear any responsibility are the people on the boats who allowed this to happen.

People who think the rental company has responsibility are the same ones who believe the gun manufacturers are responsible every time someone is murdered, or the tobacco companies should be responsible for heart disease related deaths.

I miss the country that believed in personal responsibility.

 

[MPII]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

There used to be comanies (U-Haul for example) that used to rent ATV's. People were renting them for the day and then going out and kiling themselves. Wow, sad.

 

[srimes]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

In Ohio if you were born after 1981 you need a boater's license to pilot any boat over 10 hp. (I think it's 10). So you can't rent one without the license. The trick with the date is that someday everyone alive will have been born after that date & than all boaters will be licensed. They couldn't force people who had been boating for years to all of a sudden need a license.

Well, yeah, they could. And I wouldn't have a problem with it. I'd even be fine with multiple levels of testing: say a simple written test for 10 to 49 hp and a lower age limit (maybe 12), and another test for 50 and up. Or something.

Here you need liability insurance for 50 hp and up. I'd be fine with the insurance companies charging a high base price and a discount for those who have passed a test.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

In Ohio if you were born after 1981 you need a boater's license to pilot any boat over 10 hp. (I think it's 10). So you can't rent one without the license. The trick with the date is that someday everyone alive will have been born after that date & than all boaters will be licensed. They couldn't force people who had been boating for years to all of a sudden need a license.

...Wellllll: This is the way it is in 'ol Virginny!!!

In 2007, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law to establish a boating safety education compliance requirement. This requirement does not apply to law enforcement officers while engaged in their official duties. The requirement for boating safety education is phased-in over several years and applies to all Personal Watercraft (PWC)* operators and operators of boats with motors of 10hp and greater according to the following schedule:

PWC operators between the ages of 16 and 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2009, operators ages 14 or 15 may operate a PWC if they have successfully completed an approved boating education safety course;
PWC operators 35 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2010;
PWC operators 50 years of age or younger and motorboat operators 20 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2011;
All PWC operators, regardless of age, and motorboat operators 30 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2012;
Motorboat operators 40 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2013;
Motorboat operators 45 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2014;
Motorboat operators 50 years of age or younger shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2015;
All motorboat operators,regardless of age,shall meet the requirements by July 1, 2016.

 

[freeisforme]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

Its not just boats rented by idiots that worry me. Think about the guy that goes out and rents a 24' box truck with a 23,999 lb GVW or a full size class A motorhome who never drove anything larger than his Honda Civic.

I had a friend who was moving cross country, she decided to make the move herself, everything she owned plus the mini van on a trailer behind a Budget Rental truck. She called me to go with her to pick it up since she never drove with a trailer before. She couldn't even reach the pedals at only 5' tall.
With this in mind and her plans were to drive that rig with her van in tow on a car trailer on a 1,500 mile trip which would pass through several major cities.
After some serious discussion and her inability to see over the dash and reach the pedals, she offered to pay my expenses if I'd drive her there.
Just think the next time you pass a rental truck, it may be some 20 year old woman who has all of about and hour of driving experience in that thing. (You know, the type that screams and closes her eyes when it looks like it may not fit).

I can just imagine the same type of driver behind the wheel of a rented boat who suddenly realizes that boats don't have brakes.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

I give rental trucks a wide berth. And also a boat on a trailer in the afternoon or evening--the driver is most likely tired from an early morning and a day on the water, and there is also the chance that he has been drinking while out there.

 

[imported_rick]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

A marina where I worked back in the early eighties sold and rented out Windsurfers. I was a certified Windsurfer instructor and we were required to give 6 hours of instructions before the customer could be cut loose on their own on a rental. One hour for basic sailing instruction, 3 hours on a land simulator and 2 hours on the water where their board had 100 foot line tied to it so I could reel them back in if they were having to much difficulty. Six hours of lessons turned away a lot of potential renters, oh well. But, most of the ones who took the time to learn enjoyed the experience so much they usually ended up purchasing one or more (from us). Never had a casualty!

 

[MPII]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

Well, yeah, they could. And I wouldn't have a problem with it. I'd even be fine with multiple levels of testing: say a simple written test for 10 to 49 hp and a lower age limit (maybe 12), and another test for 50 and up. Or something.

Here you need liability insurance for 50 hp and up. I'd be fine with the insurance companies charging a high base price and a discount for those who have passed a test.

I agree. I took the Coast Guard Aux. Course back in 89. I still have my card and my carrier gave me a discount.

 

[tarpleyg]

Re: yesterday's boat crash..

I used to manage a boat rental years ago. I have seen it all...dead people, broken limbs, cut limbs, boats/jet skis run through other boats/jet skis, sunk boats, and the list goes on.

We had a $1M liability policy that cost us dearly annually but we never had to use it to pay out in the 6 years I ran the place. Went to court a couple of times but the outcome always went in our favor. You know why? Because we ran a tight ship, had a solid rental contract, and people+water=instant idiot.

Greg