Similar story a few years back here on Lake St. Clair in Michigan - local sheriff was called about a performance boat running in circles on the lake one Sunday morning. Turned out to be a 27' Baja or similar, guy went out early on a Sunday morning, probably wanted to let the horses run before the lake got crowded; I've done similar things myself. They pulled his body from the water 3 months later... wear those PFDs and lanyards!

My Dad watched this happen years ago at a lake:

Older, 1970s time frame, I/O day cruiser (they usually had pretty big cockpits), became driverless, and was making large circles, at a lake, slowly being pushed toward a crowded beach by breeze. As a couple people realized what was happening, time was running out to do something about it, and the boat was going to hit the swimmers if it did not hit this particular dock first. Turns out, a 16 year old kid attempted and succeeded in a running leap into the boat, as it passed the end of this dock, got the drivers seat, and brought the boat back in safely. The kid was heralded as a local hero.

kill switches
 

A week after the accident, a good friend gave me his boat a week after the accident because it needed a new motor and he didn't use it much. A nice little 20' liberator - runs 65mph with 330hp/350 I put in - good for getting the wife and kids out, but no good for the bay. He said I could use it as long as I wanted until I replaced what I lost. That was almost 4 years ago, and I just finally got my fifth boat. 81 Cig Squadron 27 - blown 540, huber trans, trs........ I'm in heaven....



PS. the really sad story is the guy in the Cig who picked me up had the chance to be a hero, but He said he "didn't have the time or enouph gas to follow that thing all over the bay". I even offered to fill his tanks - how much does a 35-38 Cig hold anyway!? - but he still pussied out, even in front of his 3 passengers.
I saw him from a distance a year later in a 40' canopied offshore cat - didn't get the chance to remind him that it's your actions, not the toys, that makes you a man!!

Glad to hear you were OK.

Chris Reindl

That was me and three of my friends. Warpaint now owns the boat!! :eek: