Fatal Boating accident in MI/IN?
 

Does anyone know more about the fatal boat accident in New Buffalo Indiana?

The news said the boat hit a large wave and ejected the three occupants. All were rescued except one --- the driver -- a 43 year old man from Niles Michigan. He is still missing and was not wearing a life jacket :(

They said the boat was an over-30' Baja.

Anyone have any more details??

:(


http://www.wndu.com/

I hope they find him and he is OK!

I know of a New Buffalo, Michigan which is on Lake Michigan and just north of the Michigan/Indiana border by about 5 miles. St. Joseph, Michigan is the next port north of New Buffalo by about 20 miles. I hope it's NOT "Steve AKA Rampage" he has a 36' Baja and is from Niles, MI. Gosh, I sure hope not! Steve usually heads south from St. Joe a lot too. I hope it's not him!

I think Steve is about 50 years old, not 43. So that's a good sign. Either way I wished the accident didn't occur.

Sorry, I didn't see the link on BK's post. Looks like it wasn't Steve after all---whew! Well, I hope they find the guy's body.

Sounds like nobody would have been harmed if they would have had jackets on.

Does anyone know if this man is a member of OSO??? :eek: :(

http://www.southbendtribune.com/stor...EW_BUFFALO.sto

Here's another story on the accident.

:( To much!!

Sad news. :(

I unfortunately think bad things can happen to any of us in any kind of boat. Things happen fast on the water. One distraction next thing you know you hit that rouge wave. Experience helps. Even Reggie can roll a boat. All we can do is make sure are equipment is in good shape. Stay aware of what is going on around us. And probably the most important, wear a life jacket and kill switch. I still haven't gotten use to the jacket thing. I purchased inflatables but haven't worn them every time I've been out. I might have to re-think that for the future.
Dan

I had an 89 Baja 280 sport (30' with swim step) with a couple of fairly stock 330 hp 454's and that boat was scary. The steering was stock and slightly loose. It did about 63 mph. When I would launch it off a wave, when it came down, if it wasn't perfectly straight, it would take a hard right or left and I had a hell of time holding on to the wheel. Not to mention the built in hook in the bottom that made it porpoise so bad that it would literally start jumping out of the water if you had it trimmed up just a little too far.

Night and day difference with my Cafe Racer.

Sad to see this happen to someone.:(

Let us concentrate on the real issue here PLEASE!

The loss of a fellow powerboater is very saddening!

:( :( :(

I'm curious as to what the wave conditions were like at the time of the accident. Or if he was attempting to do some wave hopping off a cruiser's wake or something. It's a sad storey, I really feel for that 13 year old boy who was with his dad at the time and then to wittness losing his dad like that.

We were on the water Friday night. (25' checkmate) I thought the water was very calm , less than 1'. Almost too calm, we ran from St. Joe to South Haven at 7:00pm for a dinner run. Cruised at 60mph, buzzed by Pallisades at almost 80.
(I was hungry :D :D :D Three Pelicans)
We did hit an occasinal wake but nothing unsettling.
We feel for the familys loss.:(

Sad to hear this.... but (you knew that was coming, didn't you?) it sounds like this was a preventable accident - or at least, there were some things that could have been done to possibly mitigate the consequences.

From the article, it looks like no life jacket. Bad idea any time, VERY bad when you're running. We've discussed this issue on OSO a million times already, but it's worth mentioning again. You might be able to swim the English channel, but if you're ejected and knocked unconcious - pretty likely if you hit at 70 mph! - it won't make a bit of difference.

Second thing I got from this is that the lanyards weren't attached - who knows how far the boat ran before the one guy on board was able to shut her down? Side note - keep a spare set of lanyards on board, and make sure everyone knows where they are. If you go over and take the lanyards with you, whoever is left on board won't be able to start the motor(s).

Again, sad to see this happen - even more heartbreaking that the guy might have had a chance if only they had taken two simple precautions.

Why is it that people seem to think they are impervious to any harm on the water (and I've been as guilty as the next guy). Lots of folks wouldn't drive down the freeway at 70 mph without a seatbelt on, but they'll hammer all over the lake without basic safety gear.

This kind of thing really makes me think long and hard about how I boat, and what I can do better. Too bad this guy is not going to have the same opportunity. :(

Classic case of trimmed to the moon combined with a rogue wave. Anyone remember Rick32's experience a few weeks back? How about Kook's?...

Definitely a sad story. My thoughts are with the family.

Just an observation but, I just read the article that BK posted the link to, and the article beneath about the car crash.

Why is it that the media has to hype the speed of boats ? The boat accident story read "powerful..." "capable of speeds..." while the car crash article says "traveling...at a high rate of speed". Every article I've read of boating accidents make it sound like boats are inherently dangerous or are overpowered to begin with. A car is capable of speeds over 100mph as well.

Maureen

Sad story. Our prayers are with their family.

First and foremost...Our thoughts and prayers go out to those involved and their families. A sad day indeed...:(

Secondly....and I debated quite a while about even saying anything.. but this post I just quoted to has got to be one of the most rediculous posts I've ever witnessed on this board. Just pathetic!

Playn he's new bro, I think we can give him a pass here with a little reprimand, don't you?

Secondly, Dockrocker my hero, you hit the nail on the head!!!!! Safety equipment is not for looks or decoration of the boat it's meant for you to save your lives.

I made a comment to Rick32 after his accident, who by the way was wearing his lanyards but no jackets, saying this; Bro just think if the boat would have hit you and knocked you out all the life flight all the treatments and this conversation wouldn't be happening you know why because you would still be out there because when hit 9 times out of 10 your not going to float while unconcious until your dumbass decides to bloat up and float at that time but that's a few days bro, Think you could hold your breath that long stud????

I think it hit home because I see a new approach to boating by Senior Foringer...let's see how his therapy comes along....

Sean

One more thing always, always watch your water it bites when you least expect it....right sissy????

I took BCC, Rivergirl, Semper Fi out with me in a boat one time that I was checking for issues before shipping it across country....Beautiful weather and the Pacific was like a mill pond, I mean flat, not another boat around anywhere. So I take this thing up on plane (38 Top Gun Conventional Bottom Big Power) warm up the oils and stabilize everything and I start to get on it and somewhere around 90, the only thing in sight anywhere is some blowboat, I look over the side of the boat towards the stern to see how much water I'm dumping out of the cooling system....All of sudden this thing does a Tango and Watussie dance up in the air and points the nose at God himself trips on the third, not second, dips the nose and I power it through the next one as we are trying to hook and swap something around,,,Anyhow while all these bodies are flying around and I'm trying to catch them and drive and throttle all at once, it was very exciting in the cockpit to say the least, Let me tell you!!!!!!!!

Only time in life where I was responsible for someone else getting some minor injuries while pleasure boating:( :( :(

the friends and family of all that were involved will be in my prayers. they have my deepest sympothy....

..........and

i'm with you on this one Playn. i'm not even going to take the time to say anything.

jbk

Some unfortunate news to update this story:

Yesterday, the 43 year old man's body was found at Weko Beach. A couple walking along the beach discovered it.

If anything at all positive could be said, at least now maybe the family can get some closure.

Weko Beach? (Bridgeman), That's like 10 miles north or so of New Buffalo.

I talked to someone who lives on the beach about 1 mile or so south of New Buffalo. He was home when the accident took place right out in front of his place. He didn't see the accident happen, but said the water was pretty flat and according to some of his neighbors who saw the accident, the boat (a yellow Baja) was jumping the wakes of a couple of big cruisers type boats and there were a few jet skis doing the same. Apparently, he successfully jumped one of the cruiser's wake and the accident occured as he was simultaneously turning and engaging the other cruiser's wake.