Author Topic: Tour boat overturned by wake (Read 198 times)

Hangtime · « **on:** October 03, 2005, 06:13:34 AM »

Whole buncha folks chucked into Lake George.. seems a larger boats wake flicked it over. Freak accident to be sure... but 'wakes' are controllable by modifying speed. Ferries around here slow down when their wakes may cause damage or threaten other vessels.

Last time I checked, Skippers are responsible for their wakes. Local Sherriff sez 'no criminal charges'.

That got my eyebrows up.... guess different rules apply on inland navigation?

frank3 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2005, 06:36:03 AM »

The victims were elderly people, most of them walking with crutches or in wheelchairs

I recall several drowned, never being able to swim in the first place

Curval · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2005, 07:44:58 AM »

The other boat/ship must have been moving at very high speed to cause a wake to overturn a large boat like that. The one that flipped must have been top-heavy and probably overloaded.

Very strange that it has simply been classified as an accident.

FiLtH · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2005, 10:17:59 AM »

I was on Possum Kingdom in Texas one day in a 14' boat with a bud fishing, and the big boat flew by us. We barely had time to steer into the wake. The prop came out of the water each time one hit us. Scared the heck outta me.

john9001 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2005, 10:34:00 AM »

boat operators are responsible for their wakes, i see a civil suit.