Another scary thing happened.
 

This is 100% true. Last summer at party cove on HARDY DAM I had spent most of the day pulled up on the beach B S'ING with friends. This consisted of a lot of 30 to 36 ft boats with high freeboard. I decided to go for a run and about 15 minutes later this is what happened. About 15 minutes After I left the beach the boat next to me started to drift off the beach and had to be pulled up. Because the husband wasn't around the wife decided to do it herself-mind you this is a brand new twin engine boat 35 ft long-The wife did not ususlly drive and they were new to twin engine boats. She starts the boat,puts it in gear and gives it the gas. They were parked there for hours with waves hitting the back of the boat at an angle. This turned the drives so when she gave it gas the boat swung to the side. This would not have been a problem except a little scraped gell coat if it hadn't been for the 18 year old girl that was between the boats checking the props. She was a friend of another boater and had never been boating like this before so she didn't know to get out of the water when a boat starts. She was crushed and died on the way to the hospital. An experienced boater always gives the gas slowly to ensure the drives are straight and they always look before moving the boat. This shouldn't have happened. These things we call boats can be very dangerous even when they aren't going anywhere.

That's terrible. Unfortunately this sort of thing could happend any weekend anywhere is there is no way to make sure people know what they hell they are doing.

All of us that read this forum understand the machines and the inherent dangers involved with them. It's the people that aren't educated, aka our passengers that need to be educated on safe boating.

Man, that sounds awful. I'm sorry about your friend. The situation isn't all too uncommon, though! I see it on almost any given weekend. And there isn't any one particular group that does it, it's just the stupid ones! Anything from bidy surfing from the swim deck, to people swimming past just-beached boats that haven't killed the engines yet.

Sad, but true how many idiots there are.

Something I carried over from my limited flying days, is to always look around the prop and always yell something to the effect of "CLEAR PROP" before starting the motors up. Quick, free insurance! Every time I do this, though there's always someone who says: "Hey, You a pilot?" :D ;)

I alway's give my passengers some simple ground rules when they get in the boat. If they donnt like it then they can get out.
I have aways been lucky too. anyting can happen.

:( That really sad, just a bad accident. My uncle got clipped by a pontoon boat once, gave him some nice stitches. Similar situation. :(

Tinkerboater - Thanks for sharing your story - it's probably a lot more difficult for you than most of us can imagine. There's possibly a thousand OSO members that will read that and NOT post a reply. My guess is, you probably just saved someone a ton of grief someday in the future. Thanks!

Baja Daze - Your spot-on with the flying analogy. There's so much we could learn from the cross-over. Have you read flying magazines column, "I learned about flying from that." Man, we could use something like that in this industry.

This is my single biggest fear....especially at Party Cove with everyone in the water!!! When i start the boat up to move it for what ever reason, i personally go back there to check clearence then when motors are running i go back again just for my own peace of mind! With all the drunks floating around ya never know who or what is right in back of the boat!
Just this past Labor Day at Party Cove there was a guy (Drunk off his ass) that was trying to get from the tip of my boat to his buddies pontoon which was right infront of us. I was scared that he was gonna slip and crack his head on my bow and was holding this schmuck up. He goes and jumps in the water and does a back flop and his head missed the sharp edge of the front pontoon by barely inches!! :eek: it would have been a bad ending to the day! :(

Unfortunatly we as boaters cant always keep an eye out for evertything or everyone around our machines. All we can do is try and teach those that are with us the best we can. Things will happen.....good or bad.... and thats life. We just have to use our common sense as best we can and hopefully prevent accidents before they happen and point out to those about to make the mistakes their faults before they hurt someone. :(

Well as for what all have said thus far I must agree. I have been invoved in flying in one form or another for better than half of my life, from Military aircraft to the Space Shuttle, One thing is always the most important thing, Saftey :) Like others have said all we can do is all we can do? Huh well you know what I mean :D It is tragic that people get hurt but fools will be fools :( Thanks for the insight folks I for one think about such things and I can tell I am not alone in my thinking, and that is a good thing :D I am proud to be among such folks as ya'll ;)

ttt

I am always careful when I start my boat up, Baja Daze I will no be yelling CLEAR PROP before I start up at those crowded areas where there are swimmers. Thanks :) :)