Incident at Great Guana Cay, Abacos

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Wrong

This is a fix.

Ever used the anchorage at Chagauramas, Trinidad?

If so, you know what it means to anchor anywhere that engines smaller than 500 h.p. only belong to no-counts and high speed achievable at any cost is the norm. Ideally, boats owned by anyone of any significance will have two 500 h.p. engines...

Slow, safe and considerate are not part of the boating lexicon.

Originally Posted by crazyoldboatguy

Regarding these high speed boats - I lump them into the "cigarette boat" category - I invoke the inverse proportion rule. The larger the go fast boat, the smaller the "appendage".

Just to be clear, not referring to our powered cruiser friends.

You guys are just spouting rhetoric without any facts. The powerboat was a "Mako 30". It's center console fishing boat. It's not a offshore racer. It was being operated by an irresponsible rental company employee.

Let's try to stick to facts.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by Shrew

You guys are just spouting rhetoric without any facts. The powerboat was a "Mako 30". It's center console fishing boat. It's not a offshore racer. It was being operated by an irresponsible rental company employee.

Let's try to stick to facts.

What you've just done is called castigating others... Can't speak for others but personally I don't care for it.

Considering the facts.

Do you know what size engine was on you're "Mako 30"?
Do you know at what speed the boat was travelling?
Indeed, do you know how fast the boat can travel?
And finally, what is meant by "an irresponsible rental company employee"?
Was the employee under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both?

So, what are "...the facts" we are to stick to?

[Yukon Cornelius]

I haven't heard of any proof yet, but there is speculation that the guys driving the Mako were on their way home from Nippers. The Sunday afternoon pig roasts at Nippers are renowned, but I would argue that the event has been crossing the line from famous to infamous. I was there on a Sunday afternoon this February. The head bartender was so drunk he could barely talk. We wandered down to the beach where some guy had just rolled his (rented) Albury 23 center console in the surf, and watched his drunk friends try to help push/ pull the disabled craft back through the breakers to the waiting tow boat. Then, we walked back down the hill to Grabbers, only the see a good old-fashioned bar brawl started by, of all people, two women. The bartender even had to get help from the staff in the kitchen to restore order. During our dinner there at Grabbers, I had to ask the guy next to us to stop spitting his tobacco juice next to my feet.

I love Nippers, and I love Guana and its people, but I don't go there anymore on Sundays. Don't get me wrong, I love a good time, I enjoy being with rowdy sailors, and can drink with the best of them – it's one of the best things about cruising! Keep in mind though, many of the folks at the pig roasts are getting home, in the dark, by power boats. Sometimes enough is enough.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by Wrong

What you've just done is called castigating others... Can't speak for others but personally I don't care for it.

Considering the facts.

Do you know what size engine was on you're "Mako 30"?
Do you know at what speed the boat was travelling?
Indeed, do you know how fast the boat can travel?
And finally, what is meant by "an irresponsible rental company employee"?
Was the employee under the influence of alcohol, drugs or both?

So, what are "...the facts" we are to stick to?

The nearest offering to 30' from Mako is 28' 4". Specs are as follows:

Length 28' 4''
Beam 9' 10''
Max. recommended HP 700 HP
Min. recommended HP 400 HP
Fuel capacity 228 Gallons
Max. person capacity 13 Persons

Max. person weight 2600 Lbs.
Max. weight capacity 5791 Lbs.
Transom height at center line 30"
Deadrise 21 Degrees
Draft 21"
Approx. hull weight 6000 Lbs.

6,000 pounds being driven by a minimum recommended 400 h.p. engine, 700 h.p. max.

What sort of speed can be attained with either engine, and what sort of lethal collision can be caused by an irresponsible employee?

[scuba0_1]

Well hopefully the business and its emp has insurance

Sent from my SM-N910V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by Shrew

It was being operated by an irresponsible rental company employee. Let's try to stick to facts.

The boat was RENTED from Abaco Dorado Boat Rentals by the Baker Bay management company. The operator is an employee of Baker Bay.

[scuba0_1]

Originally Posted by minaret

And once again we see the laminate thickness of hull and liner on a production boat that uses those methods.

I bet your right a little thicker but not needed would have bounced right off and sunk the speed boat that's the selling point. Great just great...
Genius to be able to tell the thickness from that picture. So many ways to go..

Sent from my SM-N910V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[JPA Cate]

So sorry to hear Kokopelli's people injured. I wish them both a speedy recovery. I hope they're able to get the boat repaired effectively. It's really hard to imagine how to go about repairing a liner built boat and make it strong "enough" again. You gotta wonder how much cabinetry, etc., was dislocated. If the guy who struck them was up on a plane, that would have been a lot of energy for Kokopelli's hull to absorb!

Ann

[Yukon Cornelius]

Some good insight from AbacoForum:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Island Daze
That is a really crappy situation but I don't see how Baker's Bay would be responsible for the negligent actions of an employee who may or may not have been working at the time?
My understanding is that Bakers Bay rented the boat from Abaco Dorado Rentals for their employee. So just like any other renter, they are responsible for the damage to the rental boat.

Reply:
The rental boat hit another boat. As far as I am aware most rental contracts do not include insurance for third party damage and even if they did, the insurance would not be effective if the renter operated the vessel in breach of the rental conditions. It was dark when they hit the other boat and they should not have been operating the boat in darkness, which is prohibited by the rental contract conditions.

And yes, "Kokopelli" should consult a US Admiralty Lawyer at the earliest opportunity and commence an action in the US Courts against Bakers Bay for damage to their vessel and for personal injury.
They can do it in the US Courts (assuming my understanding of the facts are correct) they are a US registered vessel and the renter of the boat was a US registered company (or the parent company is) and the operator of the boat was an employee of the same."


onestepcsy37
Member

Join Date: Mon Feb 2008
Posts: 148
"S/V Cool Hand Too was anchored nearby when the incident occurred and reported on a sailing forum that S/V Kokopelli was well lit, incuding deck and interior lights, when she was hit."
[end quotes]


Just to give some insight ... Bakers Bay is not particularly liked among the local cruisers (it's a very exclusive, member-only marina, no longer open to the public) and disliked even more among the local Bahamians (BB are accused of hiring illegal Haitian immigrants over locals, are suspected to have bribed their way through the process of obtaining building permits, and, lastly, there is a campaign underway to prove that they are killing off the reefs with the chemical run-off from their new golf course.

[FamilyVan]

It seems like the Beneteau held up not too badly. A boat weighing 6000 lbs doing 30 or so knots, it's lucky nobody was killed. I've taken some bumps in a few boat collisions, I can't imagine what that impact would have been like. Score one for Beneteau I guess, hopefully they can get her put back together again.

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by Shrew

You guys are just spouting rhetoric without any facts. The powerboat was a "Mako 30". It's center console fishing boat. It's not a offshore racer. It was being operated by an irresponsible rental company employee.

Let's try to stick to facts.

With the capability of some 500 horsepower or so they are pretty damn fast boats. Like a sailboat with a Sa/D ratio over 20 they require a little more pre-planning before operating than many other vessels.

Lets stick to the point of the thread- how about that laminate?

.

[MarkJ]

Had Kokopelli just come up from the Caribbean?

There was a well known boat of that name here last month.

[Jolly Roger]

I don't wish to dilute this thread, but I’ve just done a two week trip on the Florida Intracoastal and was appalled by the speed and recklessness of some of the lunatics “driving” their speedboats.
I would go so far as to say it spoiled the experience for us.
At one point we were anchored in nine feet of water, (we draw six) well off the fairway, when a damn great flashy power boat roared by and we bottomed in the wake.
It is distressing to see how many Manatees have multiple large scars, caused by people who obviously can’t differentiate between their cars and their boats. In both cases they need to get there fast, regardless of how it effects others.
Where are the water coppers when you need them?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Had Kokopelli just come up from the Caribbean?

There was a well known boat of that name here last month.

Its not the Kokopelli that has been cruising the Caribbean recently.


Mark

[waterwks4me]

Considering the weight of the Mako and moving even at a moderate speed, the laws of physics would indicate a considerable force at impact. From the looks of it, the Beneteau held up nicely in my opinion. I believe almost any glass boat no matter the builder would have sustained at the least moderate to heavy damage. Lets hope the couple aboard are not too badly hurt. Alcohol involved or not, find it kinda hard for the Mako captain to not see it. Hope Kokopelli and owners get their life back to normal soon.