Still sounds like driver error to me. Tab spray means the tabs were too deep-lifting the stern. High - short rooster tail means too much drive trim. This also brought the skag closer to the surface and out of clean water. The combination of high trim and lowered tabs would cause the stern to lift and loose the little rudder that he had in the water. Any wave acting on the bow could cause this boat to go into a slow uncontrolled spin. If they had broken a drive on a 40+ ft boat I dont believe it would cause a spin at the speeds they were reported going.

Rivergirl this was at Lake of the Ozarks. I am not saying the spray was or was not from tabs, I just know that is what it looks like when you run a V-hull (the only thing I have any experience with) with the tabs in to much. This thing may not even have tabs, don't skaters ussually have a "tunnel tab"?

At any rate Cord saw a slow start into the turn and I saw a kind of fast spin. Hard to know what happend. He was definatly going in a straite line and not turning. As soon as he got the boat running again did take off slow and left in the direction that he was originally headed in. Scarry stuff.

Jon

Let's just guess it was equipment failure for now. No point in bashing the driver without all the facts...:rolleyes: It would be nice if he came on the board to explain what happened....;)

I still say blow out. I am sure he has heard by now that he is a hot topic on the board.

What I remember was the boat starting to change it's angle of attack with the rate of turn increasing until the boat started to spin. The boat just didn't snap and spin. The spin started slowly and then increased exponentially.

Please tell this guy not to wreck this boat. Many people may not realize that catamaran insurance is in jeapordy! No matter what he is paying for insurance all the people under that particular carrier would lose. Since we only have 2 or 3 carriers who are willing to take these boats, another 7 figure loss would have a huge impact on this industry. If he spun this 46 foot cat, he could go over very easily. An enclosed canopy pleasure cat would probably not have oxygen. Has anybody considered how long it would take these people to get out of that cockpit area without drowning? These people are extremely lucky they did not have further incident.

We saw him running yesterday, so I would have to think it was not engine or drive failure. unless they have a lot of spare parts with them.

did any one talk to him yet as to what happened.at 80 or 90 my boat is like its on rails.hard to figure what happened to have it spin like that .

I spoke with the owner today at the public state park launch. He said he was going into a turn about 90mph when the entire skeg of the port side #6 drive broke off. I would imagine they all needed fresh underwear and had to clean the seats!

If that is true (broken skeg at 90 mph starting into a turn) then it was DEFINITELY driver error! He was in the middle of a channel too small and crowded for a turn at that speed, and at dusk too.

It was impressive to see, looked just like a PWC doing a 180, with similar spray.

Don't try this at home, kids.