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Heard about this down here at LOTO already...
Very sad.. RIP |
RIP in Kevin.... You will be missed...
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Originally Posted by Downtown42
(Post 2676798)
From Lk Cumberland site...another eyewitness...
Pop-O_826 Master Member -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posts: 724 Registered: 12-12-2002 Location: KY. - State Dock Member Is Offline Mood: FLORIDA-41-ohio state-14 & LSU-38-ohio state-24 posted on 9-6-2008 at 05:25 PM Not how I saw it Quote: Originally posted by cumberline Perhaps someone who actually saw the incident can tell, but I've been told 2nd hand that he was near a houseboat and hit wake. We were on the right bank on our houseboat. MOTORS OFF and drifting with the wind! They had passed us and were 1/2 to 3/4 mile past us starting to make a left turn. There were lots of boats on both sides of that turn and it was close in there. He had to turn hard left because he didn't have room to make a wide easy turn. Hooked and barrel rolled at speed. Didn't see any houseboats near! |
very tragic... r.i.p.
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Rip
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Rip
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Originally Posted by Marginmn
(Post 2676781)
I was in the Poker Run today but I didn't see what happened as this terrible accident happened with the first wave of boats. Here is what I do know from a friend of mine who pulled the driver out of the water, and from another friend who was sitting right in front of the accident and also saw it happen.
These two eyewitnesses both said that the boat was running "balls to the walls" to catch up to the three or so boats in front of him - that he was gaining on them quick when it happened. They estimated that he was doing 120 (maybe more) when he hit a big roller - launched 20+ feet into the air, inverted upside down in the air ejecting the passengers, then the boat barrel rolled. Contrary to what others have reported, these two eyewitnesses say that he was not avoiding spectators, that he just hit a big roller and launched. Boaters who knew him on the dock say that this gentleman had been talking last night about how this boat and the speeds that it could achieve were making him uneasy, and that he was seriously considering buying a much slower and less stressful top gun to take to poker runs. Everyone said he was a heck of a nice guy. The one friend says a buddy on our dock caught the accident on video so authorities should be able to determine exactly what happened. It's just a sad scene here on Cumberland. :( |
Prayers to the family. I hate to see this!
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What's really unfortunate is...
The unfortunate part of all of this is that somewhere in the larger scheme of things I feel that with further planning and better organization incidences like this could have a better chance at being avoided. My reasons are this:
In my opinion there were far to many boats on the lake. I know trying to restrict the number of boats that actually gain access to the lake would be difficult, but when local county and or city administrators can close a public park to the public for a private party then they damn well have the power to restrict access to this body of water. It shouldn't be to hard to do given the limited number of entry points on the lake. The start of the run was delayed, which gave every other boater in the vicinity of the lake the opportunity to get on it to watch and possibly contribute to or create a hazardous situation. I am not saying that someone caused this tragic accident either accidentally or deliberately, but just the shear number of vessels on the water could cause serious distraction to any of the participants of this event, and as most of us know going over 100mph in a boat requires the utmost in concentration, ability and faith in your equipment. I am not criticizing anyone or anything in particular and I'm quite sure that Kevin possessed every quality necessary to operate his craft at whatever speed it was capable of attaining. I'm sure his loss will be remembered for quite sometime, and I feel for his immediate family and those who knew him best. I did not know Kevin. I am certain of one thing, in my opinion the Poker Run coordinators need to pay more attention to organization, group sequencing, time strategy and most importantly of all working with local and state officials to somehow limit the ability of non-participants to influence the direction of the course. We all know that a Poker Run is "not a race" but by the same token going fast or as fast as we possibly can with other owners in a like category is just part of the Poker Run adventure. I really don't think it would be impossible to heavily restrict access to this lake for 6 hours one day a year. This is the same reason I won't run in an organized event on Lake Lanier, the opportunity for disaster is just to..... Opportune. As I stated earlier my heartfelt condolences go out to all of those involved and who knew Kevin best. RIP |
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