What year was that hull built?

Not trying to turn this into a pissin contest, but they were upside down going backwards at a pretty high rate of speed. I dont know for fact, but I am sure that they were hurt or possibly knocked out from the backwards impact. I didnt time the event as to how long it took the rescue bost to get to them, but if they were unconsious and in the water...any amount of time is too long and 45 seconds is like 2 days. I dont recall seeing an escape panel on the bottom of the boat either and I am assuming that there was/is not one...meaning that the boat must have been something like at least 10 years old...yes...no?? Going backwards and upside down should have generated enough force from either water pressure or air pressure to blow the panel out. The other thing that bothers me on their crash is that other racers saw it and just went on by their merry way. To me, that is total BS and I firmly believe that one, if not all the boats that just drove on by, should have tried to help them. If just one of the other race boats would have stopped, they might have saved their lives...or they could have been killed on impact...we will never know. One thing I do feel secure about and that is if the accident had happened close to shore, the spectators would have hit the water to try to help them. Really leaves a nasty attitude with me that all the other boats didnt stop to try to help them. Whether they died on impact or from drowning...45 seconds is too damn long...especially when the first boat went by them less than 10seconds after they blew over.

As for whatever an ER nurse says...I take it with a grain of salt. If a doctor was to say the impact probably killed them...then I would be more in line to believe what a doctor says, but a nurse bumping their gums when they shouldnt...carries no weight with me at all.

I didnt know either of these guys, but I enjoyed watching them race. I hope that their families are doing the best they can, considering what has happened.

This used to be the rule in the early 2000's and it was reversed as the racers essentially got in the way of the properly trained medical personnel. The rule now states that you are to slow down, distance yourself from the accident, and proceed with caution. ie When the Superbikes crash, they have a "local yellow" at that point of the track, once clear, they go full out racing again in the incident free areas. Some road racing organizations also follow these rules.

I could understand people getting in the way of the Pro's to save them, but if the non-pro's got there first, they could do whatever until the medics arrive...at least thats what we did back in the day. When someone crashed, almost everyone tried to help. then when the ambulance crew got there, everyone got out of the way. We saved many of our fellow racers lives by doing this. The first boat by didnt move over or slow down.

Mr Alweiss' APBA, LLC is the first of the groups to have changed this rule and the rest followed. I guess with his knowledge both of offshore and the legal end, he had his reasons for instituting the way the ruling is today.

Big Thunder had hired a "helicopter" to asisist in safety of their team. This included a diver and staff. It is unrealistic that ANYONE could have responded any faster than what was done...

You have to remember these are race conditions not a script in a movie.

One has to first realize what has happened, access the situation and respond. It is EASY to sit at a key board and access blame after the fact. I can guarantee the people in the helicopter were as profeciant and cared more about what was going on than anyone else in the world at that time.

The hull was an older model, but if you knew the maintenance regime and what was going on for the boat to race, you would NEVER question the condition and race worthy of the boat.

Bob was a world champion in both drag boats and offshore, he knew safety was the key to success along with pushing the envelope, that is why he was world champion so many times. You do not gain to that position by being a novice.

The accident occurred directly in front of hundreds of spectators at Mallory Square. Please just stfu; the rescue crews are not to blame; RIP Bob and JT.

as mentioned i have watched the video from our helicopter, and coming into the harbor the boat was running off from the chopper, but the response was instant to the diver and he was deployed immediately....and as i mentioned earlier, i believe the impact is what caused the drowning, not a slow gasping for air type drowning...be it right or wrong that is my opinion based on the professionals i have spoken to, the diver that pulled them, and the hours spent starring at that thing afterwards, and that is what i prefer to believe to give myself the closure needed to see two friends perish..

agreed.....