I remember some years back this happened- in the same place. What I remember is something about how the freighters have absolute right-of-way and if they crush your docked boat, that's your tough luck.

Does anyone know if that's the case?

Dayum

Large commercial boats do have the right of way in a narrow channel, but that is if you are both navigating the channel, not if it is docked, unless there were No Landing signs.

Michael

Now that water just screams "come swimming". That is f'ing NASTY. It looks like coffee

Is that the river that used to burst into flames periodically?

Yep, the Cuyahoga River.

Those folks definitely needed an unexpected cab ride.

A barge hit about 7-8 docked boats on the east side of the river about 10 years ago. Most of those folks had checks in thier hands from the ship lines within 24 hours.

I don't know that I'd call it "periodically" but the Cuyahoga has ignited in the past. Randy Newman immortalized it in his song, "Burn On, Big River".

That particular spot is tragedy central. More than a few boats have been crushed there. There are bars lining both sides (there used to me quite a few) and on more than one occasion people have tried to swim it. Usually drunk and at night. It's further than they thought. A ways back a guy had his family and some friends on a cruiser tied up at almost exactly that same spot. He fired up without running his bilge blower and the boat exploded. Everyone was killed except for a very small child that was blown clear and fished out by bystanders.

From boatnerd.com:

Freighter on Cuyahoga River hits, sinks boat, damages a second

6/2 - Cleveland - One boat sank and another was damaged Sunday evening behind a Flats nightclub when a freighter moving up the Cuyahoga River hit the two docked boats.

The freighter Cuyahoga hit the boats, which were docked behind Shooters on the Water, about 5:15 p.m. The boat that sank had two large gas tanks and was leaking oil, said Petty Officer Matthew Schofield.

The Coast Guard's Unified command, including the state's Department of Natural Resources, was deciding how to clean up the spill Sunday night.

The area around the submerged boat was cordoned off to keep any oil from spreading. A dive team was checking to see if they could stop the leak, Schofield said.

The Coast Guard is continuing to investigate why the Cuyahoga, a 605-foot freighter carrying a full load of gravel, hit the boats and what amount of damage it caused, said Lt. Col. Linda Sturgis.

From the Cleveland Plain Dealer

I remember the day that big cruiser exploded well; it was a Mother's Day - we had gone to the big brunch buffet at Shooters and we were sitting right inside the big plate glass windows watching that guy come in and tie up. I think the thing went up about 15 minutes after we left...I'm just glad the kids, mom and I weren't there to see it. As I recall, I'm not sure they ever found the owner's body--I think he ran a charter air business at Burke Lakefront. :(

Now that you say it, I believe that was the case.