Buoy + Power Boat = BOOM!

[donradcliffe]

Today's fun at Martha's Vinyard was watching a sailboard race. I heard a loud metallic thunk and saw one of the sailboarders picking himself back up after ramming the channel buoy head on...no damage to the buoy or the boardhead.

[Zednotzee]

I came closer to a buoy than I would prefer today (which is anything under a boat length for me). I was close-hauled & got into some dead air, probably wind shadow from the point. I probably could've gone to the other (shoal) side of the buoy, but I decided to stick with the obstacle I could see.

Speaking of inattentive power boaters, someone flipped a 42' power boat on Lake Simcoe in Barrie this weekend when they hit another boat's wake (how big was the other boat?!). Rescuers had to do CPR on one of the people they pulled from the water. Both are expected to make a full recovery.

Two hurt in speedboat crash - The Barrie Examiner - Ontario, CA

[Chief Engineer]

It's voila'.

Never use a buoy as a waypoint and don't have your autopilot on under bridges or in close proximity to large pieces of steel (Ships/Barges)

[Opie91]

My favorite boat wreck story involves a Coke machine and a 31 Tiara express cruiser.

The last place I used to work my boss had a 31 Tiara. For some reason he had a trailer for it. One day he decided that his boat was not going fast enough (only 40kts) so he figured if he pressure washed the bottom he would get a little more speed out of it. The marina his boat was at had a ramp so he hooked his trailer to the company truck and headed out (2" ball on the truck and a 2 5/16 receiver). Oh yeah, no chains either.

So he gets to the marina, puts the boat on the trailer and pulls it out. He pulls it straight out of the water and leaves it on the top of the ramp. No problems so far. Pressure washes the bottom, still no problems. Decides to put the boat back in the water, soon as he shifts the truck into reverse then the trailer jumps off the truck (with boat attached) runs over his 3 hour old pressure washer, then a Coke machine and launches itself. The Coke machine was totally destroyed and cans of soda were all over the place. About a minute later all the kids from the marina came and looted the machine. The guy who owned the place just sat back and laughed the whole time. BTW he found out Coke machines are not that cheap.

[Maine Sail]

Personally I see just as many bad sailors as I do power boaters. Common sense is in short supply across all walks and sailors do not own the market on it by any means..

This guy (sailor) dragged into me in just fifteen knots of wind not once but TWICE and in VERY good holding!


This clown (sailor) thought he could use a small Danforth as a permanent mooring:


No comment needed (sailor):