| Name: |
GTX
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 1:15:53 PM
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There was a boating collision on Little Kowaliga last nite.One fatality and several injured. Thats all the info I know at this time.
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| Name: |
POLAR
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 1:46:41 PM
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there was a wrecked boat at kowliga this morning. It looked to be an older model with some pretty bad damage on the driver side. There were several people taking pictures. Mike said it happened last nite, but no mention of any details
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| Name: |
joyrider
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 2:17:04 PM
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These were friends of ours. They had been to Sinclairs in a pontoon boat, and were headed back to the house. They pulled off to the side to let some take a quick dip in the water, their lights were on, and they had pulled over to the far side to get out of harms way. Several jumped in from the side, and a couple were at the back of the boat in the water. The driver (who had not been drinking) was standing watch on the back deck when he saw the other boat coming towards them. The pontoon's driver screamed and waved but before he knew it- the boat hit them from behind. The driver of the pontoon boat was thrown into the other boat. One person in the water had his arm severed and later died, and another that was also struck by the propeller has had her second surgery this morning and is not doing good. Keep these people and their families in your prayers. No one was hurt on the speed boat, but the driver was arrested for DUI. Everyone on the pontoon boat was from Prattville.
Prattville was hit hard last night. A young man, a former Prattville Football player was shot and killed at a party also last night. He leaves behind his dad and a little baby.
Please keep this young mans family, his child and his friends in your prayers along with the boating accidents victims.
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| Name: |
SlowRide
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 2:23:58 PM
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I have heard second hand knowledge from a friend of the deceased that this accident involves drunken boating. Not to stir up a hornets nest while not fully knowing the details, but these situations are unacceptable and completely avoidable. If all indications are true, someone lost their life due to horrible situational planning and lack of concern for other lives. All those who complain about Marine Patrol checks and the "inconvenience" they cause should place themselves in this family's shoes. And to those few who feel the need to get intoxicated and cruise around the lake, I invite you to come have a "heart to heart" with me. I drive an old, ugly Monterey, and have an ample supply of good old fashioned a** whoopins on board. Lake Martin is a place for families, and at no time should someone else's disregard for human life tarnish that.
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| Name: |
Bob
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 2:32:08 PM
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Tragic...absolutely Tragic...my heart goes out to the family! Last week I was on my boat and we hit a violent wake throwing me from the bow and resulting in a broken vertebrae in my back, I was actually sitting here feeling sorry for myself that I am laid out, in pain and my Lake season is over...
Then I read this, Good Lord how horrific and a great reminder that no matter how bad you have it someone else has it worse and you have got to give thanks for your blessings. God bless the family!!
It is also a reminder that no matter how beautiful and tranquil the lake may appear there is the possibility of danger if you are not vigilant and careful...I hope the person driving the speedboat pays for their actions...
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| Name: |
DroughtBuster
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 2:41:25 PM
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First of all I pray for the victims in this accident.
Slowride, quit crying and whining. I've hardly ever seen anyone say that MP checks are a bad thing. They do plenty of it ,trust me. It's the overchecking and hawking by them that annoys people at times. You'll never rid the lake of idiots and alcohol all together. There are rarely bad accidents on the lake and is much safer than the highways. Lake Martin will always be a safe getaway from Hwy 280. Take a chill pill and breath deep...
GS
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| Name: |
SlowRide
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 2:54:37 PM
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I agree with you Drought, please pray for the victims, family, and friends of all involved. However, in regard to the statement about the rarity of these accidents on the lake, I ask you to explain to the victims family that the "once a year death or serious injury due to alcoholic ignorance" is acceptable. Your lack of frustration and comparison to "much safer than the highways" only pacifies people into believing that Lake Martin BUI's are something that will never go away and should just be accepted. I enjoy drinking from time to time, but never once will you find me on the lake in control of my boat with anything other than Pepsi and lake water in my system. Is that too much to ask from other operators as well?
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| Name: |
DroughtBuster
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 3:14:27 PM
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They could of just as easily been killed on the way home from the lake. I'm not arguing the point of being highly intoxicated while boating is right. Never a good idea, but we also need absolutely ZERO additional boating checks than we're already getting. They've been out in full force all summer long and have kept the lake safe. And to the victims family, it would be a waste of time trying to convince them that their accident was necessary.
Gs
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| Name: |
lakeplumber
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 4:21:17 PM
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This is indeed sad and tragic.
Last January, I served on a jury in Elmore County for a similar “accident” that occurred on Lake Jordan in July 2006. The circumstances were almost identical. A pontoon boat was rear-ended by a speed boat with the driver BUI. There was also one fatality in that case. It was a difficult and heart breaking task to have to listen to the details of the crash as they were brought out in court. In the end, there was a grieving family whom had lost a loved member. And the responsible young man that realized the consequences of his actions would play terrible images in his mind for the rest of his life. He received 18 months but he will never be the same.
There are no winners in this scenario only sorrowful family and friends. These situations are fully avoidable. They do not just happen without careless decisions having been made.
Praying for all involved realizing that except for God’s grace, there go I.
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| Name: |
dillakilla
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 5:53:31 PM
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Just got in. Read about the tragic accident on the lake. I agree with SlowRider, these things are unacceptable and avoidable. It is not an accident when a drunk kills someone whether it is on the highway or the lake. When they get drunk and drive they are looking for someone to kill. If they have a problem they should seek help.
Would like to ask DroughtBuster---how many checks by the MPs constitute "overchecking"? Possible if there had been one more check last night there would be one more person alive today and a lot of people not hurting. Also, I fail to understand what driving on hwy. 280 has to do with boating on Lake Martin. Guess I am just dumb.
It's to bad lakeplumber and the other jurors did not give the drunk that killed the person on Lake Jordan 18 years instead of 18 months. He will be out soon and enjoy the lake again but, the person he killed will never have that chance again.
I just wish the State had enough money to hire twice the MPs as we have.
Enough preaching. Please pray for the people that are hurting, the injured, the family of the deceased and the drunk that caused all this heartache.
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| Name: |
au67
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 6:05:35 PM
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Advertiser article...
URL: Boating Accident
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| Name: |
Blue Creeker
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| Subject: |
Nice hijack of a...
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Date:
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8/10/2008 6:17:31 PM
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...thread, droughtbuster.
Just go away.
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| Name: |
DroughtBuster
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 6:51:42 PM
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How many would be overchecking? Oh, I'd say 2 or 3 pullovers a day would be excessive. We dont need anymore police than we have. What we do need is a few less careless boat and jet ski operators. I've been reading daily and posting here for a good while and unlike Slowride I have never seen people label the marine police as an "incovenience". Where are we getting that info?
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| Name: |
mccusaf
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 7:34:17 PM
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In regard to your last comment about Slowride labeling MP checks an inconvenience, it seems like every holiday there is always someone complaining about the MP checks and people getting "picked on" out on the water.
In your words, "It's the overchecking and hawking by them that annoys people at times". While that isn't a direct statement against the process it points to an undercurrent opinion prevailing on the forums, deny it or not.
I am very thankful for everyone of those checks and especially so when I see a boat being towed and someone in handcuffs. Like Dillakilla said, it is never an accident when a person chooses to drink and drive. It is selfish behavior to put one's "good time" before the safety of everyone else.
Shame on anyone who makes those foul, irresponsible choices, and shame on those who depreciate the severity of the situation.
When, not if, is the next drinking/boating "accident" going to occur? Who is going to suffer the loss of their loved ones? All for the price of someone else to have a "good time"?
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| Name: |
joyrider
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 7:34:27 PM
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Both the Advertiser and WSFA have very little facts about their stories, as usual.
There were 12 people on the pontoon boat, 1 death, 1 in critical condition, and the driver of the pontoon boat which was thrown into the speed boat. The driver on the pontoon boat has several staples and stitches in his head and arm, and has lots of bruses. He will be fine, and with time he will heal. Everyone else was left in shock and disbelief. A nightmare for everyone.
Continue to keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
What is so ironic was that they had just seen another pontoon boat pass with the strobe light in the back and wondered how long it would be before something like a strobe light would be manditory for night time boat riding. They all thought it was great thing.
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| Name: |
longtimer
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 7:36:42 PM
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One way to make sure there are fewer careless operators is to make sure they pay for being careless BEFORE something like this happens. Had the driver of this boat been pulled over before the collision, he would be complaining about excessive Marine Police actions... but we wouldn't be talking about accidents, injuries and fatalities. For me, choosing which topic I'd rather see more of is not hard.
As for your impression that people have NOT been complaining about the Marine Police, have you been reading this forum this summer? Several times that has been the most active topic.
In my opinion, the Marine Police need to do MORE random checks, and when they find someone who is drinking, then that person needs to learn what a jail cell looks like from the inside, and they need to know that they have lost their boating PRIVILEGES (not rights) for a summer or two. Maybe then we'll get rid of the sort of carelessness and cavalier attitude towards others that leads to this sort of tragedy.
When you're talking about preventable accidents, especially those that lead to fatalities, "sh*t happens" is NOT an excuse.
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| Name: |
DroughtBuster
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 7:59:39 PM
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"When you're talking about preventable accidents, especially those that lead to fatalities, "sh*t happens" is NOT an excuse."
I concur.
GS
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| Name: |
lakeplumber
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 8:31:24 PM
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Actually we just found the charged person to be innocent or guilty. The judge decides the penalty.
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| Name: |
lakeplumber
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 9:24:36 PM
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Just noticed that someone is flaming my posts. Didn't see that coming. Just wondering what ticked them off.
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| Name: |
GTX
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 10:15:59 PM
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Joyrider This was not a SPEED BOAT It was an older runabout boat 20feet long ,and not in best of shape..Was there when marine police did investigation and was in the boat.I do not want anyone to think this boat was one of the high performance or GO FAST boats you see onthe lake .Just you average family boat.Some times simple words on this forum are taken to extrems.Sorry for the loss of your friend my thougths are with you and the family
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| Name: |
dragonfly
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 10:55:40 PM
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Just a note to express condolences to the family and friends that lost a loved one in this terrible boating accident. I hope all can appreciate the random checks if only everyone could put themselves in the shoes of these families involved.
My heart and prayers go out to everyone that had to witness any part of this tradgedy whether it was at the scene or at Sinclairs.
Any updates on the female in the hospital?
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| Name: |
Webmaster
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| Subject: |
Accident - Press Release
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Date:
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8/10/2008 10:59:41 PM
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The Alabama Marine Police just sent me their press release from today. The link below will tell you some more information not mentioned here and help with the mis-information also.
URL: Montgomery man charged with Homicide by Vessel after fatal boating accident
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| Name: |
joyrider
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/10/2008 11:16:08 PM
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GTX-sorry to misrepresent the boat in question.
I quote "a BOAT coming toward us at a HIGH RATE OF SPEED, hit the pontoon boat from behind". Does it really matter?? The driver was over the legal limit of blood alcohol, it wouldn't have mattered if he were driving a dingy, HE (not the boat) changed many lives last night.
We can sit on our deck most any night and watch boats (ALL kinds of boats) going WAY to fast at night. Ones depth perception is not the same at night.
There should be some sort of limit on speed for those who choose to ride on the lake at night.
Everyone,.. just be careful. The weather will be changing soon, and a nice night time boat ride will sound good to a lot of us. Take it slow, enjoy the ride and the sky and don't be in such a hurry!
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| Name: |
Lady
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| Subject: |
Accident - Another article
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Date:
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8/11/2008 7:44:02 AM
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From Montgomery Advertiser..
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080811/NEWS01/808110309
URL: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080811/NEWS01/808110309
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| Name: |
MartiniMan
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| Subject: |
Makes me reconsider
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Date:
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8/11/2008 8:46:44 AM
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night cruises with swimming.....
We don't always swim around our boat at night but we regularly take night cruises in the Sandy Creek area. I often see boats moving along at fairly high speeds and wonder whether I would be remotely comfortable doing that (I always putt along at 1,000rpm). Not sure what this area is like but if there are homes around, add the alcohol and it would be very easy to have never seen them before it was too late, even if this guy ever saw them. At night you really have to concentrate to distinguish boat lights from home/dock lights. I carry a 10,000 candle-watt light that on one occasion I had to shine toward a faster moving boat that I thought was headed in our direction. I think I made him mad because he intentionally came close to our boat. Thank God no one was swimming at the time.
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| Name: |
Landlocked
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| Subject: |
Makes me reconsider
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:09:37 AM
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Everyone should carry a spotlight during night cruises. They can save you from being rear ended. One kept me from being rear ended by a cigarette boat in Choctawhatchee Bay a few years back.
They are also useful for those return trips when you forgot to turn on the dock lights before you left.
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| Name: |
Aardvark
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:29:57 AM
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I have fished at night for many years, and I will tell you that you do lose some sense of perspective out there at night. You also can't see familiar landmarks or potential hazards, and that can cause some confusion as well, even in your "home" water. You don't always know where you are out there at night(and I don't drink), even in areas where you have boated for many years.
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| Name: |
Aardvark
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:45:02 AM
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One more thing about the Marine Police. I don't mind them being out on the lookout for drunk boaters. It is just that they seem to stop too many people who are not drinking putting around on a 'toon, especially while people on jet skis are zipping around like flies around a cow patty and other boats are zooming around with tubes in tow oblivious to the other boats in the area.
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| Name: |
Pontoonfisher
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| Subject: |
Makes me reconsider
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:52:14 AM
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After boating all of my life and spending time in the Coast Guard I am still very uncomfortable with boating at night. It is just simply too dangerous. Especially on a lake. The ocean is not as bad becuase there is less to hit, but a lake to me seems more dangerous. There are just too many inexperienced boaters out there. Throw in darkness and alcohol and forget about it. I too have seem many boaters going way too fast at night. I'll stick with my trolling motor and fishing pole at night.
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| Name: |
Pontoonfisher
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:54:50 AM
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I thought it was illegal to ride in the bow of a boat for that very reason. I know in a center console it is. Not sure what kind of boat you were in.
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| Name: |
LakeLover
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:59:33 AM
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Do you think a 'strobe' anchor light would have helped? I am thinking you are much more visible and it would distinquish your light from house lights. Does anyone have one?? Where did you get it?? Can you replace your existing on on a pontoon boat?
Thanks,
LL
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| Name: |
TotheLake
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| Subject: |
Strobe light
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Date:
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8/11/2008 11:14:53 AM
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Our neighbors have one on the back of their boat. The first time I saw it I thought it was distracting but when they went out in the water on the 4th of July and we were sitting on our deck it was easier to see that they were a boat than the others that didn't have it. I don't know where you could get one at. Maybe CatBoat knows.
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| Name: |
MartiniMan
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| Subject: |
Strobe light
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Date:
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8/11/2008 12:46:34 PM
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I just did a google search and found one for about $350. What I couldn't tell is exactly how it works (hard wired or battery).
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| Name: |
momo
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| Subject: |
Strobe light
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Date:
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8/11/2008 4:34:07 PM
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I bought one at Kowliga Marina this summer. It runs on batteries and is portable. It was only 29.99 and we clip it to our anchor light if we are out at night.
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| Name: |
8hcap
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/11/2008 6:30:09 PM
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Never heard that before. I have recently read Alabama boating regs and do not think I saw anything like this. Would kind of render the term "bow rider" incorrect.
8
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| Name: |
CAT BOAT
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/11/2008 7:57:05 PM
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Took a while to read through this thread. Sad weekend for us in Prattville. Young man looses his life at a party by gunshot, and a tragic accident on the lake. So, so many lives changed! I remember making a post similar sometime back, but I just don't understand why we navigate our boats at night with technology designed in the 40's???? A couple of ten cent light bulbs! Back then, that was fine. Boats could hardly reach plane speed! I am not talking about classing boats like speed boats/ski boats/ etc. so lets not get carried away. The majority, say 99.9% (on the lake anyway) of boats are now capable of plane speed, even many many pontoon boats and there are i'll bet 100 times the amount of boats on the lake! I admit, it is hard to distingquish a stern light from a house light at times. And, there are so many houses. I would probably vote for a no--wake zone lake wide after sunset. We must find a solution. Anyone have any ideas? My thoughts and prayers for the families.
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| Name: |
MartiniMan
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| Subject: |
Flagged post
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:04:54 PM
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Someone needs to explain to me how the post above was flagged as inappropriate?!?!? What is wrong with this picture?
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| Name: |
TotheLake
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| Subject: |
Flagged post
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Date:
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8/11/2008 10:50:48 PM
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Someone probably did it by accident. I know I've hit it by accident several times. I saw nothing wrong with the post.
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| Name: |
Aardvark
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/11/2008 11:25:17 PM
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I have been out at night fishing with those clamp on lights that probably can't be seen by anyone. Hopefully I can find some LED lights that I can use on my jonboat when staying out a little late in the fall because the schooling bass are biting so well. Still, if I know that I will be out at night, I stick close to home and try not to cross the lake if I can help it.
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| Name: |
mbk
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| Subject: |
Strobe light
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Date:
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8/12/2008 8:20:12 AM
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Many boat owners, including me, have a hard wired strobe light mounted on the rear of our boats (pontoon and fishing). If you wire it correctly it only comes on when you have your anchor light on. Mitchell Marine has them for about 50 bucks. You might want to call before you go because I guess there will be a huge rush on these lights after this incident (not accident). Why do we have to have a "new state law" to protect ourselves with every safety device available?
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| Name: |
cstewa
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| Subject: |
boating accident
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Date:
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8/12/2008 10:28:31 AM
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Does anyone know how far from shore the pontoon boat was when struck. I have always stayed close to shore at night and felt safer....but maybe not.
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