Opening Statements Begin In Gratton Lawsuit Trial
01-22-2015 | 05:56 PM
#241
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Posts: 4,339
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From: Florida
Chaser, you sound very proud of this statement, "We have NEVER, EVER stopped a race for an accident on the race coarse. An acident does not warrant that the race be Stopped." To me, anytime there is a racer in the water, or a boat overturned, their safety should be the #1 priority; not the race, a trophy, or one's position on the track. From being a volunteer medic boat for 3 years, I can tell you 100% that SBI's safety procedures were flawed. I was personally involved with Bob Morgan's accident, and numerous things happened during that rescue that should never have happened. Two years earlier, Cleveland Construction flipped in turn 2, right in front of us. Rescue helicopters were yelling at us to get our safety boat to them right away. We could not get across the course to them or their boat because of the several race boats that were still coming between us and the flipped boat. Luckily Shawn and Ed were fine, but I know for a fact that we were delayed in getting our divers into the water AND delayed in reaching them because the race was not stopped. To me, not stopping a race for any accident says that the race or the profits from said race are more important than a racers safety. I know also that when Joey's accident happened, rescue personnel were asking that the race be stopped. It came across the radio that John did not want to stop the race. Finally, someone in Angel 1 or 2 said that he was making the call to stop the race. The racers safety should be the top priority for all organizations.
Thanks for all ur input I'm sure SBI will review all ur suggestions and act accordingly. Have you thought about possible composing a saftey and resue manual that the organizations could review for future saftey proceedures? That would be a win win to make saftey even better in coming yrs.
01-22-2015 | 06:21 PM
#242
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,183
Likes: 6
From: Wenham, Ma
Great post Scott.
In the OPA worlds when Main E Axe rolled (thankfully both crew members okay), OPA stopped the race as per OPA rule. Everyone went back to their mill, and after the crew was deemed OK and the boat out of the course, we lined up in our running order and started the race. No hiccups, smooth as silk and SAFE.
In the OPA worlds when Main E Axe rolled (thankfully both crew members okay), OPA stopped the race as per OPA rule. Everyone went back to their mill, and after the crew was deemed OK and the boat out of the course, we lined up in our running order and started the race. No hiccups, smooth as silk and SAFE.
Last edited by bwd; 01-22-2015 at 06:23 PM.
01-22-2015 | 11:43 PM
#243
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Sharkey-Images.com
For anyone that is unfamiliar with what it could be like to roll upside down in a canopy race boat, Richie's description will put chills down your spine... I would think it may not have been much different for Steve Page.
Note: It was JT that stopped his own race boat and jumped into the water to try and help rescue the crew as the divers had not arrived yet.
Unfortunately Tom Gentry never recovered from his injuries from that day.
God bless him...
http://www.biggerhammer.net/offshore...st/powers.html
Photo and Article By Andy Newman
KEY WEST - Despite a close brush with death at last November's world championship, Hollywood resident Richie Powers is prepared to return to the world of high-speed, bone-jarring offshore powerboat racing.
Actually, Powers was ready seven months ago at the beginning of the 1995 racing year. But as the season-ending, Key West World Championship is taking place this week, he has yet to find the right racing team needing a veteran throttleman with 30 years of experience punctuated by seven world championship titles.
Of course, some people might consider Powers insane to come back to the sport that almost took his life on the 10th lap of last year's final championship heat.
With Powers and Honolulu real estate developer Tom Gentry at the helm of Team Gentry, the 40-foot Skater catamaran entered turn #3 in Key West harbor closely following two other boats. Gentry attempted to pass the first, a Japanese entry, to the left but quickly ran out of room. Moving to the right, at the turn, Gentry had to execute a quick left maneuver to maintain course. As the boat came around, it hooked and flipped over, submerging both men.
"It was an extremely panicky situation," Powers, 49, remembered. "When that thing went over, there was no oxygen. It was just instant submersion.
"It's like one minute you're walking, breathing, talking and the next thing you're under water and didn't even have a chance to gasp for breath."
Harnessed in his seat, upside-down and disoriented, Powers tried to remain calm and focus on previous training for extradition from enclosed cockpit canopies.
"I opened the hatch, undid my seat belt and that's when all hell broke loose," he said. "The life jacket I was wearing just pinned me to the floor of the boat. So I'm floundering around and got tangled up underneath the dash. Then I got my wits and realized I had to grab some oxygen, because I wasn't going to get out."
Fabricated from the same Lexan molds as Air Force F-16 fighter jet shrouds, many race boats are equipped with canopies to protect against critical injuries in the event of a 100 mph-plus accident. But canopies also can provide significant challenges for crew escape following a roll-over. To help sustain life, most canopy-equipped boats carry emergency oxygen. Gentry's boat had two sources for each crew member including a built-in system with a SCUBA regulator and a small, backup air cylinder.
"I started thinking about Allyson and Samantha, my wife and little girl," Powers recalled. "I grabbed the spare (backup) air, tried to put it in my mouth, but the protective dust cover was still on."
Still floundering, Powers discarded the cylinder and again attempted to get out. But despite the struggle, he could not counteract the life jacket's buoyancy which kept him pinned to the floor of the boat, now above him.
"I had to breathe," he said. "I took one breath of salt water. I thought to myself it's unbelievable, I'm breathing underwater."
With hands and arms flailing, Powers suddenly grabbed an object that felt familiar.
"It's like God handed me the regulator," he said, referring to the breathing apparatus from the boat's permanent air supply. "Thank God, the oxygen was on and everything was working. With the last breath I had, I cleared the regulator and just sat there. Everything was fine."
Soon after, rescue diver Jonathan Nuta came to Powers' aid, helped disconnect lines that fed coolant to his race suit and guided him to the surface.
Powers returned to his hotel, checked out and departed Key West by car. Gentry, 65, was not as fortunate and was taken to Lower Florida Keys Health System hospital. Later he was transferred by air ambulance to Miami's Cedars Medical Center in critical condition.
"I think Tom experienced the same thing I did," said Powers, adding that Gentry did not suffer any impact-oriented injuries. "For some reason, he didn't have the mind to go for the regulator. He tried to get out, but I guess he ran out of time."
Almost a year after the accident, Gentry remains comatose in his home under medical supervision.
READ MORE..........
Note: It was JT that stopped his own race boat and jumped into the water to try and help rescue the crew as the divers had not arrived yet.
Unfortunately Tom Gentry never recovered from his injuries from that day.
God bless him...http://www.biggerhammer.net/offshore...st/powers.html
Photo and Article By Andy Newman
KEY WEST - Despite a close brush with death at last November's world championship, Hollywood resident Richie Powers is prepared to return to the world of high-speed, bone-jarring offshore powerboat racing.
Actually, Powers was ready seven months ago at the beginning of the 1995 racing year. But as the season-ending, Key West World Championship is taking place this week, he has yet to find the right racing team needing a veteran throttleman with 30 years of experience punctuated by seven world championship titles.
Of course, some people might consider Powers insane to come back to the sport that almost took his life on the 10th lap of last year's final championship heat.
With Powers and Honolulu real estate developer Tom Gentry at the helm of Team Gentry, the 40-foot Skater catamaran entered turn #3 in Key West harbor closely following two other boats. Gentry attempted to pass the first, a Japanese entry, to the left but quickly ran out of room. Moving to the right, at the turn, Gentry had to execute a quick left maneuver to maintain course. As the boat came around, it hooked and flipped over, submerging both men.
"It was an extremely panicky situation," Powers, 49, remembered. "When that thing went over, there was no oxygen. It was just instant submersion.
"It's like one minute you're walking, breathing, talking and the next thing you're under water and didn't even have a chance to gasp for breath."
Harnessed in his seat, upside-down and disoriented, Powers tried to remain calm and focus on previous training for extradition from enclosed cockpit canopies.
"I opened the hatch, undid my seat belt and that's when all hell broke loose," he said. "The life jacket I was wearing just pinned me to the floor of the boat. So I'm floundering around and got tangled up underneath the dash. Then I got my wits and realized I had to grab some oxygen, because I wasn't going to get out."
Fabricated from the same Lexan molds as Air Force F-16 fighter jet shrouds, many race boats are equipped with canopies to protect against critical injuries in the event of a 100 mph-plus accident. But canopies also can provide significant challenges for crew escape following a roll-over. To help sustain life, most canopy-equipped boats carry emergency oxygen. Gentry's boat had two sources for each crew member including a built-in system with a SCUBA regulator and a small, backup air cylinder.
"I started thinking about Allyson and Samantha, my wife and little girl," Powers recalled. "I grabbed the spare (backup) air, tried to put it in my mouth, but the protective dust cover was still on."
Still floundering, Powers discarded the cylinder and again attempted to get out. But despite the struggle, he could not counteract the life jacket's buoyancy which kept him pinned to the floor of the boat, now above him.
"I had to breathe," he said. "I took one breath of salt water. I thought to myself it's unbelievable, I'm breathing underwater."
With hands and arms flailing, Powers suddenly grabbed an object that felt familiar.
"It's like God handed me the regulator," he said, referring to the breathing apparatus from the boat's permanent air supply. "Thank God, the oxygen was on and everything was working. With the last breath I had, I cleared the regulator and just sat there. Everything was fine."
Soon after, rescue diver Jonathan Nuta came to Powers' aid, helped disconnect lines that fed coolant to his race suit and guided him to the surface.
Powers returned to his hotel, checked out and departed Key West by car. Gentry, 65, was not as fortunate and was taken to Lower Florida Keys Health System hospital. Later he was transferred by air ambulance to Miami's Cedars Medical Center in critical condition.
"I think Tom experienced the same thing I did," said Powers, adding that Gentry did not suffer any impact-oriented injuries. "For some reason, he didn't have the mind to go for the regulator. He tried to get out, but I guess he ran out of time."
Almost a year after the accident, Gentry remains comatose in his home under medical supervision.
READ MORE..........
Last edited by SHARKEY-IMAGES; 01-24-2015 at 08:15 AM. Reason: Spelling
01-22-2015 | 11:56 PM
#244
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 19,757
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From: Sharkey-Images.com
Chaser, you sound very proud of this statement, "We have NEVER, EVER stopped a race for an accident on the race coarse. ............. I know also that when Joey's accident happened, rescue personnel were asking that the race be stopped. It came across the radio that John did not want to stop the race. Finally, someone in Angel 1 or 2 said that he was making the call to stop the race. The racers safety should be the top priority for all organizations.
His testimony was that he would deny the stopping of the race even if the Angels were asking him to do so. When asked if he would over rule the Angel's request as to stopping of the race, JC's response was, "YES"
01-23-2015 | 06:42 AM
#245
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Posts: 2,038
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From: TR, NJ
Scott, This was brought up in the questioning of JC in the court.
His testimony was that he would deny the stopping of the race even if the Angels were asking him to do so. When asked if he would over rule the Angel's request as to stopping of the race, JC's response was, "YES"
His testimony was that he would deny the stopping of the race even if the Angels were asking him to do so. When asked if he would over rule the Angel's request as to stopping of the race, JC's response was, "YES"
01-23-2015 | 07:19 AM
#246
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 196
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From: Vero Beach FL
scott, this was brought up in the questioning of jc in the court.
His testimony was that he would deny the stopping of the race even if the angels were asking him to do so. When asked if he would over rule the angel's request as to stopping of the race, jc's response was, "yes"
His testimony was that he would deny the stopping of the race even if the angels were asking him to do so. When asked if he would over rule the angel's request as to stopping of the race, jc's response was, "yes"
01-23-2015 | 07:49 AM
#247
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 399
Likes: 19
From: Denver, Colorado 303 287 2800
Scott, This was brought up in the questioning of JC in the court.
His testimony was that he would deny the stopping of the race even if the Angels were asking him to do so. When asked if he would over rule the Angel's request as to stopping of the race, JC's response was, "YES"
His testimony was that he would deny the stopping of the race even if the Angels were asking him to do so. When asked if he would over rule the Angel's request as to stopping of the race, JC's response was, "YES"
01-23-2015 | 08:41 AM
#249
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 171
Likes: 1
From: Solomons, MD
Scott
Thanks for all ur input I'm sure SBI will review all ur suggestions and act accordingly. Have you thought about possible composing a saftey and resue manual that the organizations could review for future saftey proceedures? That would be a win win to make saftey even better in coming yrs.
Thanks for all ur input I'm sure SBI will review all ur suggestions and act accordingly. Have you thought about possible composing a saftey and resue manual that the organizations could review for future saftey proceedures? That would be a win win to make saftey even better in coming yrs.
In my opinion, and I am NOT speaking for Mark; when Mark and Tommy barrel-rolled in Cocoa Beach, I think the race should have been stopped. I am certainly glad they were both ok, and looking back, had the race been stopped I don't know if that would have helped them more or not. However, what if one of them was more seriously hurt, and needed attention where time was of the essence?
It is VERY frustrating to think that an organization appears to be more concerned with profits from a race, than racer safety. I don't want to bash anyone; I just think that racer safety should be EVERYONE's number one priority.
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01-23-2015 | 08:49 AM
#250
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 184
Likes: 8
From: Detroit Murder City
Nascar regroups the pack in running order after a caution and re-starts. Not only will it be no question safer, but it would also make for closer racing with a restart. How many of these offshore races end up with the pack spaced so far apart by the end of the event its a yawn fest.
