Listen to Nort.

We all make mistakes. You can choose to restrict yourself to the "merrry-go-round" or get back on the "roller coaster." It's up to you. The longer you wait to get back on the horse, the harder it will be. Okay... that's enough metaphors for one day.

I was testing a 28' Apache with Eric Froberg the day before the Miami boatshow in '96. Eric was at the wheel and we were off Haulover inlet running against a 32 Active Thunder when we tripped over a wave and stuffed into the next. 28' Apaches don't stuff... they roll to either side and as this one rolled to the stdb. I was dumped out of the bolster and into Eric and my head into the dash. I awoke in the hosp. with severe head trauma.

While Eric and I are anything close to being friends now, I do credit him for getting me back to shore. He did so with two broken ribs of his own.

An hour before we had been demoing the boat for a friend of mine, Captain Dave Redwine with the Florida Marine Patrol. They were considering an order of 28 center consoles for their agency at the time. I must have been out of it, because when I regained consciousness. I was asking "what Happened to Dave, is he alright?" For the first year all I could remember was leaving the dock. Your memory regains though. Today, it's crystal clear.

For a while, just the roar of an engine made me uncomfortable, but I soon developed a respect for this. Maybe it's an ingredient that I lacked before. I don't know. I just know that I am safer and better off now, having gone through all of this and you will be too.

Key word "Respect" I don't fear the water but I have a lot of respect for it.

that is the key . I have been wet 2 times , the first time at 115mph in a drag boat and the second testing a drag boat at 125mph i can tell you in both cases i never saw it coming ,in both cases i had something break and cause the boat to crash. Out of this i have a lot of Respect for the water and a fast boat , do i still boat, hell yes as much as i can but i do not race any more. Funny thing right after the last one i became a dad and the wife said that is enough, i went from racing to being the starter for the USDBA and did that for 9 years. Oh i did manage to get back in to a hydo a few times and make a pass and i loved it. SSo if i was you i would look at what caused it and not let it happen again you may have found your boat or your limits respect them and go and enjoy your boat.

I stuffed and hooked a 28 Pantera with twins about 8 years ago. I was thrown under the passenger seat after hiiting the dash and steering wheel on the way through to the floor. Broke my nose, bruised ribs, and cut my back. My passengers head went under the water when we went on our side before hooking. Thankfully i was wearing my lanyards and the boat stopped. There was a river of blood down the floor, and blood splatters from the dash, off the swim platform. We continued to the next stop where i got off since it was my home town. My buddy finished the run. Took me about 5 days to physically climb back into the boat and i went back out. I caught a lobster pot and swore that boat was trying to kill me, but all was well. I learned a lot of respect that day and changed the way i do things. Do what you are comfortable with, everybody handles things differently. Glad you are ok. Good Luck.

We barrel rolled a 35' (Not good) had many, many close calls. I witness many crashes even a few deaths all while Racing. While I am milling its the worst time for me. I'm very nervous of everyone and everything but when that green flag drops its game on. I am glad you are OK. Experance and mistakes makes you better at things. Do what YOU think is best for you. Good luck Jo.

Fixx
 

Yep been their to..i was running down river in my x 18 way back when,,it was a year after i got my boat(1986 ish)
we were blasting down river, i had a guy friend and 2 girls and my friends dog ''quicky'' which was sitting between my seats enjoying the fast breeze in his face(you know how dogs are) lol..i was clipping along around 60 mph minding my own bizz then all of a sudden the boat came off a wave then i felt the azz end of the boat coming around..the boat did a complete 180* turn in mid air and landed with the azz end of the boat in the water submerging it up to the back seat.. then i thought we were going to sink,,i said to myself you better stick the throttle down so when i canned it the whole boat lunged out of the water and i backed off it and came to a stop..Scared the crap out of me!!!..then one of the girls said where's quicky at?? i thought he went overboard,,anyways the dog came crawling out from the ski locker under the bow of the boat wagging his tail like HEY LETS DO THAT AGAIN !! 20 years have passed and I'm still having fun on that little boat,,i have learned through out the years it to respect the water because it can put a hurt-in on ya!

fixx

I had the Harley for a year or so after my first kid was born... then I sold it. I didn't enjoy it anymore... when it was just me I had a whatever attitude if I got killed, but with the kid not so much.

I still run fast in my boat but when I'm alone and I am a whole lot more safety minded than I was before. Mainly the boat is for family activities now, which is all good.

In the end, don't worry about what others tell you to do or pressure you to do. You do what is right by you in your mind and all will be fine.

i always say when your number is up it doesnt matter what you are doing hauling azz on a boat, bike, car, snowmobile or sitting in a chair watching tv it doesnt matter you cant live your life wondering what if all of the time or you will never leave your house i crashed a snowmobile 2 1/2 years ago at 120 plus rolled it when i hit a wash out in a field broke my back, a couple of ribs and cracked my left pelvic bone i am not afraid to get back on one i just cant own it as i would drive yours different than i would mine which mine would be wide open all the time and i might not be as lucky the second time around just use some brains

I blew over a 17' Hydrostream running in the 85mph range some 20 yrs ago.... broke all my ribs on one side , punctured a lung, took about 1" off the heal of my foot on the gas pedal....

I have been "fast" boating ever since....

In time your fear will lesson & your desire to go fast will again rise above the fear... if not.... thats what was meant to be...

Give it time....

I've been wet four times (i.e. had to go for a swim):

Flipped a small open offshore cat @ about 70 mph (still a blank spot from half of the flip until I was swimming).

Rolled the same boat in the 2001 Worlds in Sweden, leading the whole thing (I think people heard me swearing even though I was sitting upside down with in my seat)

Rolled an open boat @ about 90 mph, getting thrown out.

Rolled the Skater last year in Key West, and was really unhappy looking at the races the next day since we locked up one engine - wanted to race bad.

Every time in racing gear

Morten