Carnage at Dinner Key
- Thread starter DaveS
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We gave up going to fireworks shows by boat many years ago. It's pretty obvious someone was going to fast for the conditions, like darkness. Even if your boat has all of the proper lights, if it is crowded, you run a high risk.
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We were out on charter and spend the night anchored at marine stadium. It was the usual display of stupidity...
Personally I lay the blame for this accident on the USCG, FWC, and Miami/dade/coral gables PD who don't make any effort to enforce existing safety rules. But god forbid, should you disrupt a blade of sea grass, not have your current sticker, or catch a fish that's 1/4" too short, they ll throw the book at you.
Things are out of control on the bay, and every week end we see speeding, overcrowded, boats racing down the channel into the marina and the ramps. As mentioned in th other thread we spend a lot of time on the water at night, whether on charter or sailing. Lately I ve been looking at nav lights and about half of the boats under 50 have at least one missing or obscured light, often the all critical stern light.. Others have put so many LEDs everywhere that you can't see the rd and green... Or they are running with un dimmed displays and alight all over the place killing their night vision
It really woudlnt be hard for law enforcement to patrol the channels leading to the marinas and the ramps where this accident happened. But the only time I see an FWC or PD boat coming in is usually at lunch time and they are heading straight to Monty's restaurant.
This is the 3rd fatal accident on the bay in the past 2 months...
Now, I enjoy going out for the fireworks and there are way to do it safely. The most important thing is to wait at least 45 minutes to leave after the show. Why rush... This way they re all on here way home already and it s much safer. Make sure your nav lights are on and pay attention to traffic, and radar. If you can run with other lights that will not interfere with your night vision, do so. On a flybridge boat, keeping lights on downstairs and the aft deck is a good idea. Underwater light can help be seen too as long as they don't get out of the water and blind the guys behind.
Personally I lay the blame for this accident on the USCG, FWC, and Miami/dade/coral gables PD who don't make any effort to enforce existing safety rules. But god forbid, should you disrupt a blade of sea grass, not have your current sticker, or catch a fish that's 1/4" too short, they ll throw the book at you.
Things are out of control on the bay, and every week end we see speeding, overcrowded, boats racing down the channel into the marina and the ramps. As mentioned in th other thread we spend a lot of time on the water at night, whether on charter or sailing. Lately I ve been looking at nav lights and about half of the boats under 50 have at least one missing or obscured light, often the all critical stern light.. Others have put so many LEDs everywhere that you can't see the rd and green... Or they are running with un dimmed displays and alight all over the place killing their night vision
It really woudlnt be hard for law enforcement to patrol the channels leading to the marinas and the ramps where this accident happened. But the only time I see an FWC or PD boat coming in is usually at lunch time and they are heading straight to Monty's restaurant.
This is the 3rd fatal accident on the bay in the past 2 months...
Now, I enjoy going out for the fireworks and there are way to do it safely. The most important thing is to wait at least 45 minutes to leave after the show. Why rush... This way they re all on here way home already and it s much safer. Make sure your nav lights are on and pay attention to traffic, and radar. If you can run with other lights that will not interfere with your night vision, do so. On a flybridge boat, keeping lights on downstairs and the aft deck is a good idea. Underwater light can help be seen too as long as they don't get out of the water and blind the guys behind.
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Latest....
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/06/4221322/victims-of-deadly-three-boat-crash.html
One boat, a 32 contender hit the two boats.
Note the FWC attitude... "Nothing we can do"... Sure... For starter they could have had a boat at the channel entrance with flashing blue lights.... Or establish a slow speed zone in the channel.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/06/4221322/victims-of-deadly-three-boat-crash.html
One boat, a 32 contender hit the two boats.
Note the FWC attitude... "Nothing we can do"... Sure... For starter they could have had a boat at the channel entrance with flashing blue lights.... Or establish a slow speed zone in the channel.
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I can't agree with you on the blame - but only because I don't believe in a big-brother nanny government that we should expect to be responsible for us via over-regulation and enforcement. (Ironic, I know)
But that is no bueno if things are that bad and there's no visible enforcement. The single most effective MEANS of enforcement is to do it visibly. You don't need to write everyone operating negligently - you just need to make it look like you're out to.
I wonder what effect a well written letter from an organized group of concerned waterways users to the chief of the District Enforcement (dre) office would have, especially if it mentioned the concerns brought up here in an articulate manner.
But that is no bueno if things are that bad and there's no visible enforcement. The single most effective MEANS of enforcement is to do it visibly. You don't need to write everyone operating negligently - you just need to make it look like you're out to.
I wonder what effect a well written letter from an organized group of concerned waterways users to the chief of the District Enforcement (dre) office would have, especially if it mentioned the concerns brought up here in an articulate manner.
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NC and Pascal, I have been on the water enough to know that blue lights don't have much affect on stupidity. All too often I've seen people blow right by the L.E.'s.
To illustrate this year -
While towing a dink and motoring around Peanut Island on the way back from Bimini on Memorial Day, the L.E.'s yelled at me when I was bumping in and out of gear at 4 knots for going to fast! Meanwhile we are getting blown by, people are pulling up on our dink in tow and looking to grab things from it etc. etc.. For the most part the folks that were hanging out enjoying the day were cool. BUT there were many out there that took pride in blowing by us at a high rate of speed.
If we had a weather window any other day, we would have taken it. Well almost any other day.
To illustrate this year -
While towing a dink and motoring around Peanut Island on the way back from Bimini on Memorial Day, the L.E.'s yelled at me when I was bumping in and out of gear at 4 knots for going to fast! Meanwhile we are getting blown by, people are pulling up on our dink in tow and looking to grab things from it etc. etc.. For the most part the folks that were hanging out enjoying the day were cool. BUT there were many out there that took pride in blowing by us at a high rate of speed.
If we had a weather window any other day, we would have taken it. Well almost any other day.
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Well, last night around 9pm I heard a jet ski coming in the marina headed for the ramps. Pretty common on week ends even though it was pitch dark. Well this time, when it came into view I noticed it was escorted by a USCG small boat.
Blue lights do help, at least most of the time.
Education is key... When all you read in a newspaper article is FWC saying they can't direct traffic you got to ask yourself how the heck people like that can actually be in their position. They should make sure every media article and interview include basic safety messages like slow down after dark, make sure your lights are working, not just the usual wear a PFD mantra.ll
Blue lights do help, at least most of the time.
Education is key... When all you read in a newspaper article is FWC saying they can't direct traffic you got to ask yourself how the heck people like that can actually be in their position. They should make sure every media article and interview include basic safety messages like slow down after dark, make sure your lights are working, not just the usual wear a PFD mantra.ll
mrknowitall
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Sad day. Tragic loss. More laws won't help, but enforcing the ones we already have might work!
tugboat kevin
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a 36 foot cc on plane T boned another 36 cc throwing the driver out the boat then kept going in circles on plane striking another vessel before sea tow was able to match its speed and get someone aboard
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Incredible... The father of th guy who was running th contender that crashed in the other two boats blame budget cuts for his son's death!
"As the Hanono family waited Monday at Jackson Memorial, the father of Andrew Garcia lashed out during a press conference held by the Miami-Dade Fire union to protest cuts by Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Jack Garcia, a retired fire rescue boat captain, said that the result of Friday’s crash could have been different if there were more resources available.
“Everything that could have been done was not done,’ ” said Garcia, who only spoke about his son to say that he lived for boating. “Everything that should have been there was not there.” Gimenez issued a statement expressing condolences for the tragedy but blaming the firefighters’ union for mothballing a rescue boat."
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/07/4223405/investigators-add-alcohol-as-a.html#storylink=cpy
Both the city and the county fireboats are routinely seen cruising th sandbar looking at girls, tied up at restaurants or throwing wKes for no reason.
"As the Hanono family waited Monday at Jackson Memorial, the father of Andrew Garcia lashed out during a press conference held by the Miami-Dade Fire union to protest cuts by Mayor Carlos Gimenez. Jack Garcia, a retired fire rescue boat captain, said that the result of Friday’s crash could have been different if there were more resources available.
“Everything that could have been done was not done,’ ” said Garcia, who only spoke about his son to say that he lived for boating. “Everything that should have been there was not there.” Gimenez issued a statement expressing condolences for the tragedy but blaming the firefighters’ union for mothballing a rescue boat."
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/07/4223405/investigators-add-alcohol-as-a.html#storylink=cpy
Both the city and the county fireboats are routinely seen cruising th sandbar looking at girls, tied up at restaurants or throwing wKes for no reason.
Capt. Bill1
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While it would have been nice if he did have a safety lanyard on, the reality is outside of wave running operators, almost nobody wears them and they are not required.
Nor would one have been necessary if he hadn't been running at high speed at night in an area filled with other boats.
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Yeah the lanyard would have stopped the boat after it hit the first one... Woudlnt have made much of a difference,
So far, FWC who is in charge of the investigation, has only been talking about finding alcohol on board and how thy can't do anything to "direct traffic" Not a single mention of how critical speed, lights, night vision can be in any article on this accident.
Interestingly, for Columbus Day regatta FWC, USCG and other agencies set up special no wake zones and markers to protect sea grass at Featherbank but they can't figure out that on July 4 and dec 31 they could do the same in congested areas to protect human life.
So far, FWC who is in charge of the investigation, has only been talking about finding alcohol on board and how thy can't do anything to "direct traffic" Not a single mention of how critical speed, lights, night vision can be in any article on this accident.
Interestingly, for Columbus Day regatta FWC, USCG and other agencies set up special no wake zones and markers to protect sea grass at Featherbank but they can't figure out that on July 4 and dec 31 they could do the same in congested areas to protect human life.
Capt. Bill1
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http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/08/4225479/witnesses-recount-harrowing-aftermath.html#story_link=email_msg
We used to go out Hillsboro inlet to watch fireworks but too many close calls after dark and we stopped. We did the wait an hour thing but people were so hammered and throwing up so many wakes it wasnt fun and felt like someone would T-bone us at any time. My boat is not very stable at anchor due to deep vee and relatively skinny beam ... been relegated to ICWW and the wake free zones to enjoy the 4th on the water.
the take away is sadly, darkness, alcohol and boating are not a good mix. at a min a designated driver is a must.
we have a rule on our boat that is written in sand, after dark the boat doesn't move unless its absolutely necessary and when it does, it moves at displacement speed only.
we have a rule on our boat that is written in sand, after dark the boat doesn't move unless its absolutely necessary and when it does, it moves at displacement speed only.