Deadly Lake?

GeeBee

GeeBee

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Lake Lanier is acquiring a reputation as a deadly lake. 11 people dead so far this year. All of them stupid accidents. The real problem is two fold. A lack of enforcement and a lot, lots of rentals. Just the other day I saw a rental pontoon boat so overloaded the pontoons were nearly submerged. I called the rental company and they said the boat left the dock with 4 people on it. But they picked up a party at a nearby park.Equally so, I cannot believe the number of boaters without lights at night! Again an enforcement issue. It seems the water sucks the brains right out of people's heads.

https://www.newsweek.com/heres-how-...sing-haunted-georgia-lake-lanier-2019-1446845
 
I’ve found that focused enforcement of safety issues like overloading and no lights at night/in or near an area of restricted visibility has a very effective ripple effect if you feed the rumor mill. Warn the right people in front of the right audience, and word spreads like wildfire that “you better have running lights in the fog, the ______ was out here yesterday writing a dozen people $5,000 violations for not having lights! (I warned three or four people, and told the local tackle shops that I did. You need a rumor spread, tackle shops are where you go)

But if nobody is out there with blue lights and paperwork, nothings going to happen.
 
In this case, I would warn the rental companies and see if you can issue them a summons as well.
Warning tackle shops would not work where I live. In our little club of ~100 slips when someone is un-safe we call him/her out on it.
For instance there's a sail boater that loves sunset cruises...and has no lights. WTF!? We threatened to revoke his slip if he continues.

I could see rentals being a huge problem! I'm happy there are not many, if any around here.
 
I would agree with November Charlie. Enforcement is the key.

Walshie. Reread my post. They rented the boat at the rental place, boarded 4 people. Then they went to a nearby park down lake, picked up more people than for which the boat was rated. It is a little hard to cite the rental company when the people involved violate the rental agreement. As soon as I called the rental dock, they went out, stopped the people, and took their boat back. The rental company makes their renters complete a video course with quiz prior to taking possession of the boat, yet these people saw no reason why not to violate the rules.
 
I read your post. By "in this case" I meant the safety violations by rental companies. Since they are the last point of contact before shoving off, they should spread the word, emphasize the importance of safety and that the LEO stops by to remind them...as opposed to a tackle shop....which is also a good idea.

Glad the rental company took the boat back! Hope they kept the fee.
 
quote:
Originally posted by WALSHIE

I read your post. By "in this case" I meant the safety violations by rental companies. Since they are the last point of contact before shoving off, they should spread the word, emphasize the importance of safety and that the LEO stops by to remind them...as opposed to a tackle shop....which is also a good idea.

Glad the rental company took the boat back! Hope they kept the fee.

Click to expand...


The utility of taking advantage of “rumor mills” is that in dense boating traffic with limited assets available, you just don’t have the minutes in the day to board them all, or even make contact with them all. But one person tells someone that we’re out telling people they’re required to have lights, that person tells the next guy we’re writing warnings, that guy tells three people we’re writing violations, they tell three people, and so on. Change the negligent behavior of an entire horde in a day or two.
 
Just happened to rent a toon about a month ago. Not Lanier but a very deep lake. Rental agreement said there was something like a $250 fee for getting closer than 150’ to shore. Doubt they can enforce that but a phone call like that would have probably sparked a conversation upon return.
 
Alabama as a state seems on a major increase in boating deaths and injuries this year. They are still searching for one young lady who has been "missing" in Smith lake for over a week. In another 'accident' a 17 year girl and her father crashed into each other killing him and she lost a leg. Our gulf coast saw a large increase in new boaters after the oil spill "damages" were paid out. Many folks who never had the money for a offshore boat now had it. The results of been 'spectacular' as they say.
 
You want to see lots and lots of rentels? Come on down here and see all of the Sea Doo Types and Pontoon boats. However here it is not these people who kill themselves. It is the locals.

George
 
My daughter in law lost her cousin Clay Jackson and his friend Travis on July 4. His first time on a boat. They were stationary just hanging out with friends after the fireworks and were hit by another boat. I do not think it is definitive but they suspect drugs and alcohol with the driver. Very sad.
 
Same thing here in Miami. It s ridiculous. Zero enforcement after dark. I ve lost track of the number of times we couldn’t swim because of jet skis racing within feet of the boat. CG doesn’t care, the answer is “call FWC”. FWC doesn’t monitor 16 and when you call dispatch nothing happens

About 50% of boats running at night have missing lights Then you have jetskis speeding thru marinas and coming back after dark

Nobody cares
 
When I had my boat on Lake Lanier I would not even think of using it on a weekend. One of the benefits of retirement is you have Monday thru Friday to avoid some of the crowd. Same thing when we were in Pensacola, lots of craziness on weekends
 
quote:
Originally posted by PascalG

Same thing here in Miami. It s ridiculous. Zero enforcement after dark. I ve lost track of the number of times we couldn’t swim because of jet skis racing within feet of the boat. CG doesn’t care, the answer is “call FWC”. FWC doesn’t monitor 16 and when you call dispatch nothing happens

About 50% of boats running at night have missing lights Then you have jetskis speeding thru marinas and coming back after dark

Nobody cares

Click to expand...


That still blows my mind - those guys are lawdogs, they LOVE doing boardings and writing violations, and don’t like doing SAR. I’m the exact opposite and I even coordinate multi-agency after dark ops (they get overtime, they love doing it) when patterns start showing. I mean, if you’re on duty anyways, you’re probably bored, and an ounce of prevention is worth a few hours of uninterrupted movies after dinner.
 
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