Eliminator/Cat
09-29-2003, 04:14 PM
#3
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First off I want to say I am sorry for your husbands death.
I do not know where you have heard "about more than usual wrecks for Eliminator Cat style boats" but I have not read or seen where Eliminators are more likely to wreck than any other brand of boat. As you do your searching of posts you will see there are many different brands of boats involved in accidents.
I do not know where you have heard "about more than usual wrecks for Eliminator Cat style boats" but I have not read or seen where Eliminators are more likely to wreck than any other brand of boat. As you do your searching of posts you will see there are many different brands of boats involved in accidents.
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09-29-2003, 07:53 PM
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I'm not sure if the boat was stuffed when the accident happened. ???
Sheila, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your husband.
I don't know the details of the accident, but a possible cause of the accident could have been what's referred to as 'stuffing' a boat. This is when a boat basically digs into a wave rather than slicing thru it or skipping over the top as cats do at speed. It's kind of like slamming into a brick wall at higher speeds. Eliminator cats (smaller ones) have a pretty shallow tunnel under them and really aren't designed for rough waters. By design they are much more prone to 'stuffing' than say an offshore cat. But like all cats, the faster you go the smoother the ride is as it skips over the tops of the waves. I think you had mentioned the winds and water were picking up at the time of the accident. It's very possible that boat stuffed into a big wave. Again, smaller Eliminators aren't designed for rough waters, but rather they are more considered 'lake or river' boats. If it hit big water at the time of the accident, making a claim against the manufacture could be difficult. If the boat was traveling at high speeds (it's probable if he was racing to beat the weather while also smoothing out the ride at the same time) and the boat did 'stuff' into a rouge wave, the fact that it blew apart is no surprise. Most boats traveling at 60-100 mph that come to a complete stop in a couple of milliseconds will blow apart. Even if the boat didn't blow apart, the injury outcome would possibly be the same. I don't know the details of the accident, I'm just offering this as a possible cause for the boat blowing apart. Also, I'm not a fan of Eliminator boats because they have shallow tunnel, so please don't think I'm trying to support the manufacture. I'm just trying to educate you on the phenomenon know as 'stuffing'.
Again, I'm very sorry to hear about you tragic loss.
Sheila, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your husband.
I don't know the details of the accident, but a possible cause of the accident could have been what's referred to as 'stuffing' a boat. This is when a boat basically digs into a wave rather than slicing thru it or skipping over the top as cats do at speed. It's kind of like slamming into a brick wall at higher speeds. Eliminator cats (smaller ones) have a pretty shallow tunnel under them and really aren't designed for rough waters. By design they are much more prone to 'stuffing' than say an offshore cat. But like all cats, the faster you go the smoother the ride is as it skips over the tops of the waves. I think you had mentioned the winds and water were picking up at the time of the accident. It's very possible that boat stuffed into a big wave. Again, smaller Eliminators aren't designed for rough waters, but rather they are more considered 'lake or river' boats. If it hit big water at the time of the accident, making a claim against the manufacture could be difficult. If the boat was traveling at high speeds (it's probable if he was racing to beat the weather while also smoothing out the ride at the same time) and the boat did 'stuff' into a rouge wave, the fact that it blew apart is no surprise. Most boats traveling at 60-100 mph that come to a complete stop in a couple of milliseconds will blow apart. Even if the boat didn't blow apart, the injury outcome would possibly be the same. I don't know the details of the accident, I'm just offering this as a possible cause for the boat blowing apart. Also, I'm not a fan of Eliminator boats because they have shallow tunnel, so please don't think I'm trying to support the manufacture. I'm just trying to educate you on the phenomenon know as 'stuffing'.Again, I'm very sorry to hear about you tragic loss.
Last edited by SS930; 09-30-2003 at 11:55 AM.
09-29-2003, 08:14 PM
#8
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Sheila....I too am sorry for your loss .....However I drive a 21 ft Edge tunnel and have been around Eliminators for a long time...I would have to agree with ss930 on this one ...21ft tunnel boats are certainly not designed for big water and I would think any brand low profile tunnel would come apart quickly if stuffed into a wave at a high rate of speed.....again my condolences for your terrible loss....
09-30-2003, 07:11 AM
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It looks from the few pictures circulating around the various posts that the boat came apart as a RESULT of the accident,not the CAUSE of it. lmost any boat that is slammed into the water from the top will break apart somewhere. The design physics involved are to support the structure from the forces acting on the bottom of the hull,not the deck. If as Sheila stated,the boat "cork screwed" at 70 mph,its no surprise that the deck broke open. Water is a "fairly solid" substance at speed,we all know that and have to respect it. Just as rolling a car at highway speeds will destroy the car,rolling a boat at those speeds will usually destroy the boat. Its not a design failure,its physics and a fact of life.
Though I am truly sorry for you Sheila, please do not try to do the usual and "lay blame" against the boat builder. There are literally 100's of Eliminator tunnel boats running around at high speed and if they had a major design flaw,there would have already been many more accidents and deaths because of it. Unfortunately,when the investigations are all over,driver error will probably be the largest contributing factor to the accident.
Though I am truly sorry for you Sheila, please do not try to do the usual and "lay blame" against the boat builder. There are literally 100's of Eliminator tunnel boats running around at high speed and if they had a major design flaw,there would have already been many more accidents and deaths because of it. Unfortunately,when the investigations are all over,driver error will probably be the largest contributing factor to the accident.
