EXACTLY!

You can preach about a safety list until your blue in the face..do this, dont do that, wear this, dont touch that so on and so forth. Like somones signature states "If you build it idiot proof, someone will build a better idiot".

Who said I read them.. cant not see them in the list of posts though.. I havnt read any accident threads since Texoma.
All im saying is that our track record as a group is being used against us by our critics. So why supply them with more ammo.
You mean to tell me that we need another wrecked boat and dead body story to remind people not to drink and drive?

Judging from what I see on the water, we need billboards on barges.

There are way too many boaters out there that believe it's their God given right to do what they damn well please on the water. They'll go WOT through no-wake zones while pitching their empties over the transom.

Here's what I have learned since joining OSO:

The sport is inherently safe if you know the rules and learn to read the water you're on.

Save the drinking for the dock at the end of the day.

Always wear the lanyard.

Wear lifejackets when the conditions warrant it.

Don't run too close to others at high speeds.

Make sure your mechanicals are 100% before leaving the ramp.

Never assume that an approaching boater is going to do what you would do in their situation.

And what type of threads have vividly instilled these lessons? ;)

All things in moderation.

Just because an accident report is not posted here, don't assume that it won't show up on another web site, probably one that's far less friendly to performance boats at that. When we discuss these things honestly and openly with tempers and emotions in check, we all learn something, and in the process give ourselves more credibility as a group. It doesn't un-do the tragedy, but it might prevent another one.

Personally I have no problem of people posting about recent accidents and I agree with the people that say that it is beneficial to boaters everywhere if the information is factual and describes the reasons for the mishaps.

I don’t follow the notion or logic that we should remain in the dark and not want to know about things that could affect the safety of us and our passengers.

If someone is worried about excessive the coverage on boating sites I think that is somewhat misguided, more often than not this information comes from a local news organizations and/or governmental law enforcement website. It takes two seconds to do a Google search to find any number of accidents around the country on a given day.

Sometimes these reports are very sobering due to the fact that through the “Grace of God” they have not happened to us at some time in the past and they tend to bring things back into the proper perspective.

Recently there have been several accidents involving Operators being thrown overboard due to any number of factors and has brought to light the importance of wearing your “Lanyards”.

I personally look at these reports as a personal “Wake-up Call” and they can help to make us better and safer boaters overall. “Safety” in the Workplace is a very high priority in my line of work and it shouldn’t and doesn’t stop the moment I hop into my boat.

It’s what you don’t know that can and will eventually get you into trouble not gaining knowledge of someone else’s misfortune.

The world isn't all roses, lollipops, and puppy dogs. I want to see and hear about it all, warts included, so I can learn and grow. Don't come out to OSO if you do not want to see boating accident threads. Simple as that. If I had an accident I would have no problem with the facts of said accident being posted. This site is as much about the sharing of information as it is entertainment. Don't confuse accident threads as entertainment.

Chris Sunkin and others make excellent points. We're not "breaking news" to insurance companies and would-be legislators here. Also, there is something to be learned from every accident, which, as any pilot can tell you, is most often caused by a series of mistakes or incidents rather than one giant mistake or incident.

Tom A. suggests we only state "the facts" and I wholeheartedly agree. But generally speaking, here's what we know about "the facts" of any given accident:

1) It happened.
2) There was/was not damage to property/persons.

Anything beyond that tends to be speculation, especially when it comes to "the cause." Example: You witness one boat run broadside into another. You saw it clearly with your own two eyes. But when it comes to the cause, you have no idea if the driver of the boat that broadsided the other wasn't paying attention, got something in his eye or lost his steering system.

Point being? When it comes to cause, almost everything you read on this board about an accident is speculation, not fact. What one person saw, however accurate in the recounting, almost never explains "what happened." That's why we have accident investigations.

Something to consider.