Conference vicki::boats

re .0

	I was on Fort Meadow Pond for a little while too last night, I 
decided to get out partly due to the number of boats, but mostly due 
to the behaviour.  Would you believe 3  (YEAH  "THREE")  unattended 
skiers in the water near the causeway at about 7 pm ?   Either their 
drivers/observers didn't know they were down and had zoomed off, or 
they knew they were down and had decided to go and fetch the dropped ski 
first - though I know one of them had 2 skis in the water, I can't 
believe they were  "just letting 'em soak for fun".  None of the skiers 
seemed to be making any attempt at being particularly visible either, 
of course the sun was getting low so the  "squinting factor"  was 
right up around level 9, any one of them could have been mowed down by 
a boat trying to miss another boat.  No counter clockwise observance 
either - deeeeeep sighs,  someone will get killed and they'll close 
the place to public access and/or water skiing, boats over a certain 
size or HP.

	R

There was also a spot on this morning's tv news about an accident 
on Lake Sebago in Maine.  Apparently a pontoon boat with approximately
20 passengers on board was rammed broadside by a Formula speedboat.
They said the accident happened at about 1:30 am, and the Formula 
may have been doing 40 mph.  According to the report one passenger
from the pontoon boat was in critical condition.

A pontoon boat with 20 passengers, and a speedboat doing 40 mph in
the dark?  Sounds like both drivers have some explaining to do...

Rick W.

    It looks like it was "just that kind of day" everywhere. I had my
    fun day too. I wrote about it in the fishing notes.
    
    As much as I hate the idea and more laws, I think it's come to the
    point where a lic. should be mandatory to operate a boat with power
    or sail of any size. There are just too many Yahoo's on the water
    that have no idea what their doing. Prior to a lic. being issued
    it should be required to take a course like U.S. Power Squadren
    or Coast guard ( I wouldn't consider the MA. fish & Game as qualifing)
    and have a training period like a learners permit operating under
    a licenced Capt. for 10? Hours prior to taking the test.
    
    I for one would be willing to write a petition to the U.S.C.G
    requesting a lic. bill. Would anyone else be interested?
    
                                         Walt
    

    Re:.3
    
    Walt,
    
        I agree with you 100%, that regretably the time has come for such
    a license requirement. I am a member of the USCGAUX, I am currently
    my flotilla's VE officer. I am from that area and given the behavior
    on Lake Shirley and Lake Whalom that I saw two years ago, I had then
    predicted it was only a matter of time before such a tragedy occurred
    with the loss of a life. Both of my son's because they are under the
    age of 16 have both successfully completed the C.G. boating course
    and I have full confidence in there operation of my boat. But if
    they won't go the license route, I believe the mandatory attendance and
    passing of the course could prevent alot of future pain.

    I was up around the north end of Winnisquam Sunday on my windsurfer
    and had a very close call with a 16-17 ft I/O towing one of those
    yellow inflatable rocket things with two kids (under 10) on it.
    I was on a reach going across the lake and this guy was coming toward
    me on my left (I had full right of way privileges sail or power).
    I could see we were converging on a potential collision course,
    but expected him to steer slightly right and pass behind me. No
    dice, he held his course straight as an arrow (I was looking through
    the clear panel on the sail), so luffed the sail to slow down, then
    had to drop the sail to stop when I realized that my momentum alone
    would carry me past the stern of the boat into the path of the towed
    children 75 ft. behind the boat. These clowns were laughing like
    hell when the little rocket passed within 3 ft of my board, but
    the kids had very scared looks on their faces. If I had not stopped
    my rig these kids would have been hurt.
    
    If only I could have read the numbers on the boat or followed him.
    
    Is that what it's like out there now? If you have enough brains
    to write a check....
    
    Al
    Al

After a day of boating on Lake Winnipesaukee about 3 weeks ago I came
to the conclusion that mandatory licensing is the only way to go.  I 
saw more idiots in one day than I could keep track of.  On that day, 
the blame could not be placed on any one particular age group or type
of boat.  I had a kid on a stationary jet-ski start up and turn right 
into my path without even looking, and I had gray haired old gentleman
in a 32' Carver yacht refuse to give right-of-way when we aprroached 
at a 90 degree angle.  I had the right of way, but naturally gave in
due to his size advantage.  And there were several other incidents too
numerous to mention here.

I am firmly convinced that the vast majority of boaters on Winnipeasukee
or any other waters do not have a clue when it comes to the rules of 
the road.  And most of them do not seem to have any *voluntary*
inclination to learn them.

Opponents of mandatory licensing use the argument that licensing does
not help prevent people from doing stupid things in their cars.  They're
wrong.  Without the threat of revocation of your driver's license, think
of the madness that would exist on the road.  You could drive drunk, cruise
to work at 130mph in your Porsche, run people off the road if they got in
your way, ignore stop signs and red lights, etc....  Short of locking you
up, the police would be powerless to stop you from doing it again, as they
are on the water today.

Mandatory boat licensing will not remove all the crazies from behind the
wheel of a boat.  But it *will* serve two purposes; it would force the
education of those who think they know it all or don't care enough to learn
the rules, and it would give the authorities the power to remove those people 
from the water once they've proven they cannot handle the responsibility.

Rick  (stepping down from his soapbox)

    I'd go along with mandatory licensing, too, for the various reasons
    stated in previous replies.
    
    Another note about Lake Shirley - I was at a friend of mine's camp
    a week ago, and boats were cruising by within diving distance of
    his dock. Not a smart thing to do - but lots of people were doing
    it!
    
    Bill

    
    Sigh...never thought I'd say this: yes, it has come time to license
    'boat driving'. Having boated in Winni for the past 6 years and
    gotten to the point where 1. I regularly refuse to drive or ride
    at night and 2. try not to move from an anchored point during the
    busiest times of the day due to the 'drunk & stupids' zooming
    around - licensing can only help. I'll sign the petition to 'save
    our waterways'.
    
    I know people who complain about the 3 drink limit on the lake AND
    who frequent several beach bars to 'get their fill'.
    
    I've seen kids run at full throttle at night and laugh about not
    having their running lights on...or adults who drop anchor in the
    middle of a busy area and fail to light their anchor lights to save
    electricity for their radio/fridge.
    
    This is sheer madness and terrifies me with its idiocy!
    
    When I was twelve, I lived on an island in upstate NY. One night,
    my father and I heard a loud crash...fired up the launch to figure
    it out...and fished some seriously hurt kids out of the drink. What
    happened. They had 'gone parking' in the boat, turned off the anchor
    light, and been rammed by a much larger boat making headway.
                                             
    
    I'll sign the petition.

    This is a bill that will have to be passed state by state.  I have
    overheard positive discussion towards laws in every state I have been
    boating in, and it seems that the only people against it are just
    afraid it would become another way for states to collect fees.  It only
    makes sense to collect fees to pay for enforcement though.
    
    Since most states already have the endorsements on drivers licenses for
    motorcycles and commercial vehicles, why not adopt a program with the
    U.S. Coast Guard in each state for endorsements for boating?
    
    The D.E.A. and the Game Department confiscate boats when involved in
    crimes, seems like it would be a good idea to take boats away from
    drunk and reckless boaters.  Here in Colorado, (as well as in
    Washington I believe) there are now STIFF drunk boating laws.  One more
    step in the right direction!

    
    Unfortunitly licensing would'nt have meant anything in regards to what
    happen on Lake Shirley. I was there all day Sunday at our camp. It was
    very busy. I witnessed a lot of dumb things happening on the lake. I
    left at 8:00 pm and it was getting very quite. The people who jam up
    the lake are the ones over at the Shady Point picnic area. My sister-
    in-law called last night to tell me about the accident. It turns out 
    that the girl who was hit was skiing at night. This is the preliminary
    information. My sister-in-law was watching the rescue work from the
    dock. The guy who hit the girl lives on the lake. She was about 26.
    I dont know what goes through some peoples heads on the water. Watching
    fools pulling kids on tubes through 15-20 boats and not having a
    spotter was increadible. I also saw 2 people drop a ski in the middle
    of the lake so they could get on that one. I vow from now on if I see
    a ski kicked off like that on a busy day I'm picking it up and I'll let
    them come get it. Luckly we had a fun day but I was pretty tired due to
    the amount of time I had to spend watching out for people. Two weeks
    ago there was a patrol boat on the lake all day. They had a field day
    pulling people over. To bad there arent more of them. 
    
    I did not know the girl who was killed but its sad to know someone is
    killed like that in a place where you spend alot of fun time. Lets
    hope we dont hear of any more this year.
    
    Safe boating
    
    Bill
    

    Re. .6
    
    Rick,
    
    I agree with you on your conclusion (it won't remove crazies, but will
    grant more police power and force education) on mandatory licensing,
    but I don't agree with your opinion licensing prevents people from
    doing crazy things in their cars. I see it everyday. I have been run
    off the road, seen it happen to others, I see everything that you
    mention every day, except for 130 MPH, make that 80 - 90, even 100 MPH.
    There is madness on the roads, and the 50,000 fatalities each year is
    clear evidence of it. Just like on the water it is the crazies that
    stand out, while many more others safely make their way, unnoticed.
    
    
    Re. Mandatory License Discussion,
    
    Manadatory licensing is a way to "do something" about the problem, but
    I don't believe that it will solve it, or even come close.
    
    Remember the old saying, Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.
    Especially here in Mass. 
    
    john

RE: Note 447.11   
>> but I don't agree with your opinion licensing prevents people from
>> doing crazy things in their cars. I see it everyday. I have been run
>> off the road, seen it happen to others, I see everything that you
>> mention every day, except for 130 MPH, make that 80 - 90, even 100 MPH.
>> There is madness on the roads,

John,
I never said that there is not madness on the roads.  What I said is this:

"Without the threat of revocation of your driver's license, think of
the madness that would exist on the road."  

As bad as it is, I don't think you could argue with the fact that it would
be *much* worse if the police could not revoke your driving privilege.


RE: Note 447.10  
>> Unfortunitly licensing would'nt have meant anything in regards to what
>>  happen on Lake Shirley. I was there all day Sunday at our camp. It was
>>  very busy. I witnessed a lot of dumb things happening on the lake.

Bill,
Why wouldn't licensing have helped in this case?  The point of licensing
and education is that it well help prevent some of those dumb things you
witnessed for two reasons.  The first is that the education will teach the
driver the rules of the road, and make him more aware of the consequences
and seriousness of his actions.  The second  is the threat of loss of boating
privileges may stop some people from doing things like skiing at night, 
which is what got this woman killed.  You're right, in this case licensing 
and education for the driver won't help after the fact, but it certainly 
may have done some good if given before the damage was done.

One thing that I think is getting lost in the shuffle is that driving,
whether on water or land is a *privilege*.  It is not a God-given right,
and should be able to be revoked if you prove you cannot handle the 
responsibility.  Under the present system, unless you commit a jail-able
offense, the police have no power to stop you from driving a boat.  Doesn't
my *right* to safety on the water override the *privilege* of some nut to
operate a boat in any way he sees fit?


RE: Note 447.9 
>> Since most states already have the endorsements on drivers licenses for
>>  motorcycles and commercial vehicles, why not adopt a program with the
>>  U.S. Coast Guard in each state for endorsements for boating?

What a grea idea!  I don't know why I've never heard of this before. 
Most of the opponents of licensing talk of the millions of dollars it
would cost to implement a licensing program.  A simple written test
at the registry, the same as adding a motorcycle endorsement would be
relatively simple and inexpensive.  If you could pass the test based 
on previous boating experience or self-paced study, then madatory 
education would not even be required.  The only hitch would be in the
case of children under 16, who would need to be issued a separate license.

Rick W.  (Sorry for the long winded reply!)

    Rick, I think what I was trying to say is that I read an assumption in
    what you are saying that is: that the waterways are crazier than highways
    and the difference is that you need a license to drive on highways. My
    response is that I have not seen, or heard of anything that happens on
    the water that is crazier than what happens on the road, mandatory
    licensing won't serve to bring boating up to the level of roadways,
    because highways are below waterways in that regard now and they have
    mandatory licensing. And those who drive without one. 
    
    Please do not misunderstand. As a member of the USPS I am fully
    supportive of education and safe boating operation. I have not decided
    on which side of the licensing issue I stand on - though I tend toward
    it, it is that I simply disagree with the sentiment that the waterways
    are crazier than the roadways. Each has it's own set of unique problems.
    
    Loss of license may cause some to think before drinking. Loss of
    use for a period of time might be even more influential.
                
    john

    
    I'm all for requiring a license or permit to operate a boat on public
    waterways.  Being a waterskiier and boating person myself, I was sick
    when I heard about what happened a Lake Shirley.  My girl friend works
    at Burbank Hospital in Fitchburg, and she was in the ER when they
    brought the husband in to identify the women hit.  She says it really
    wasn't a very pretty sight, and it made her sick to think that
    something like that could happen.  I used to work at a summer camp in
    the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York where I taught waterskiing
    and drove the boats for the water activities.  I had to take a written
    and driving test to get a permit to operate the boat.  Both parts of
    the test were pretty difficult and involved a lot of work and practice. 
    They (the inspectors) wouldn't grant the "license" even if you passed
    if they felt you weren't responsible enough to handle the boat.  I have
    to agree with most of the opinions regarding a mandatory licensing or
    course regarding boat operation.  Such a thing would make people more
    aware of what they are doing and the proper conduct on the water.  Such
    a thing is needed with the increase in boating activities.
    
    Jim B.
    

    
    
    	. I'm generally against more governmental influence in our lives
    than we already have.
    	. I feel that if licenses were required it would allow even
    more of the law enforcement abuse that we all abhore.
    	. We must begin to fix the problems of rediculous behaviour
    on the water.  It is difficult to impress on ones children the need
    for safe behaviour and responsible action when seemingly everyone
    one the water 'takes chances'.
    	. I would prefer to require the CG boating (or equivalent) course
    as a prerequisite to registration.  This would not eliminate the
    problem, but it's a start.  We also should, as individuals, take
    more initiative in reporting/counseling unsafe boaters.
    
    Dedicared to safe/educated boating
    Steve DeLisle
    

      Licensing could at least insure that the holder of the license has
      been exposed to the educational process that safe boating requires.
      Granted, as in the case of cars, exposure does not guarentee that
      rules will be followed, but my gut tells me that the roads would be
      alot worse if there were no licenses required or no education
      mandated.

      I think that another benefit may be derived thru licensing.  It would
      require that the prospective boater invest some of HIS OWN TIME, not
      just his money, prior to taking out the new "toy".  Maybe if you had
      to invest a month or two in a formal educational program some of 
      the "less serious" may find it not worth their while. Again, there is 
      no guarantee that the investment of an individuals time results in law 
      abiding boating, but at least some level of  personal commitment has 
      been made.


      I'd be more than willing to accept licensing with educational
      prerequsites. Education never guarantees that what is learned will
      be used, but it sure eliminates the excuse of ignorance! In addition
      the fees could be used towards better enforcement, improved access and 
      maybe even getting rid of the &^*%  N.H. fresh-water usage fee so we 
      could get reciprocity with the rest of the world :-).


                              now getting off the soapbox,  Tom Urban

      I think there is a possible alternative to licensing that would
    still get some of the vital information out to boaters. With each
    new boat sold, the dealer should issue a pamphlet put out by the
    state (CG approved) of the "do's and don'ts of safe boating. In
    the case of a private sale the pamphlet could be issued at the time
    of registration. If you do not read the pamphlet and violate the
    rules of the waterway you are on, you would be subject to fine or
    loss of registration. I think licensing is acceptable only as a
    last resort, there are thousands and thousands of safe boat operators
    and it would be a nuisance and needless expense for the majority
    of boaters to have to go through classes. Most of the rules are
    common sense and the others can be explained in print very easily.
    Why license a guy who has just paid for a fishing license,
    registration, sales taxes, excise taxes and more so that he can
    troll down a peaceful pond in his little fishing boat. 
      I too have seen some wild stuff on the water and understand the
    frustration of those who are on very crowded lakes. All of my boating
    is on Long Lake and Sebago in Maine and the vast majority of boaters
    are courteous and cautious. I'm not in favor of licensing unless
    there is absolutely no other alternative. Mandatory booklets carried
    on the boat make more sense to me. You would have no excuse for
    not knowing the rules and the price would be minimal.
    
    Paul
    

re .5

This seems like a good opportunity to add this comment. As the author of
.5, I am also a sailor. When I am sailing a smaller boat, especially a boat
capable of planing, I constantly observe that powerboats do not seem to know
how to pass behind me. I'm not sure of the reason; but, even in open water, 
powerboats always seem to pass in front of me, speeding up as necessary.

Why is this a safety problem? Because speed and direction in small planning
hull boats is very variable. In gusts, small boats typically bear off and
rapidly gain speed - and its not always easy to hold back. Unless it's obvious
that the sailboat will have to tack almost immediately, it is almost always
safer to steer a course to pass behind the sailboat. 

I had this same conversation with a NH marine safety officer a couple years 
ago and it came as a complete revelation to him. He was going to take the 
comments back as an idea for the boating safety course.

- Bob 

    Re -0
    
        Further information was obtained from a reliable source, indicating
    that the victim was one of two skiers being pulled by her husband
    and that one of them had fallen and the husband had gone to pick
    up the other skier and this was when the wife was struck. The victim
    also had dark hair and was wearing a black or very dark colored
    vest. I also chanced to go by whalom lake in Lunenburg last night
    @ approximately 8:35 P.M. This lake is only 99 acres and there were
    17 boats out there. Of the 17, 14 boats had there lights on as
    visibility was rapidly decreasing. I was a real zoo. The scene was
    scary though to see them zipping around the way they were.

re          <<< Note 447.19 by MONGUS::DUFFY "I'm the NRA LIFE MEMBER" >>>
>                   -< Shirley info  and Whalom may be next >-

>    Re -0
    
>        Further information was obtained from a reliable source, indicating
>    that the victim was one of two skiers being pulled by her husband
>    and that one of them had fallen and the husband had gone to pick
>    up the other skier and this was when the wife was struck. The victim
>    also had dark hair and was wearing a black or very dark colored
>    vest. I also chanced to go by whalom lake in Lunenburg last night
>    @ approximately 8:35 P.M. This lake is only 99 acres and there were
>    17 boats out there. Of the 17, 14 boats had there lights on as
>    visibility was rapidly decreasing. I was a real zoo. The scene was
>    scary though to see them zipping around the way they were.


	TIP:	Whenever we pull doubles and one of them falls our SOP 
is to circle around with the other skier still up and let them down into 
the water close to the fallen skier.  It would take a diagram, I 
guess, but the objectives are to provide boat coverage for the fallen 
skier, get back to them as quickly as possible (standard..) and to be 
in position ready to bring them both up together again.  I can't see 
the  "gone to pick up the other skier"  arguement, You don't dump an  
"UP"  skier to go and get a  "DOWN"  one  (Well,  WE  don't).


	MESSAGE TO THE DRIVER OF THE BOAT THAT WAS RIDING OUR WAKE 
ABOUT 100FT BEHIND OUR SKIER LAST NIGHT ON FT. MEADOW POND:

	Please contact me off line; I would like to explain my hand 
signals and shouted message to you in more explicit detail, you seemed 
confused by my waving and pointing.  I assume that you were trying to 
use the edge of our wake to evaluate your boat's handling 
characteristics, I would be happy to help you with that task at some 
time when I am NOT pulling a skier.

	Reg

    Ref. 447.19
        Was she skiing when she got struck- while her husband was
    retrieving the other skier?  Or had she let go also?  Did her 
    husband hit her or another boat?
    
        What an terrible thing to happen.  I always think about that
    when I'm retrieving my husband after a fall.  I try to get there
    as fast as possible- but safely at the same time.
    
    Sonia

    I was out on Fort Pond in Lancaster on Sunday afternoon.  The pond is 
    only 33 acres and there was over 10 powerboats out 1 skijet out on it.
    There was so much traffic that a canoe swamped trying cross the pond.
    I was pulling my daughter on a ski bob and stopped to help the canoers.
    I had her on one side of the canoe and my boat on the other side of the
    canoe while we tried to right it so that no one would run into the
    swamped canoe.  As it was, a boat pulling a skier almost ran into my
    daughter sitting still on the ski bob (probably trying to see what was
    going on).  Because of the turbulence we finally ended up towing the
    swamped canoe into shore.  But there were a lot of boats out on the
    small pond pulling skiers and sleds passing close by other boats that 
    were sitting still either watching the sights or fishing. I was surprised
    that there were no major accidents.  My wife wanted me to ski and I
    said that there was no way that I was going to ski with all those
    other boats out there.  I waited till later in the day when it wasn't
    so crowded. Lake Shirley I try to stay away from because of the crowds
    especilly around shady point. You can tell when there are a lot of
    people out on the pond who don't know the boating rules and tend to
    break many of them.
    
    								Rob.

    
        It's too bad the victim didn't hold her ski up out of 
    the water while she was waiting for her husband to get back
    to her.....
    

        Another lake that is getting out of control at times, is lake Potanipo
in Brookline N.H.. Same problems as listed in some of the previous notes:
    
    20 boats going around at full speed with or without skiers, 2 or
    three jetski's, bass fisherman, canoes, kid's on tubes, and even
    one large swimming and diving platform with an outboard on that
    sometimes cruises the lake.
    
    The N.H. Safety Dept, Marine Div. has been patrolling the lake on
    weekends, for a couple of hours at a time, which keeps everything
    under control for those couple of hours.....but the minute the Patrol
    boat leaves.................
    
    I just hope that some of the people that use Lake Potanipo learn
    something from the accident at Lake Shirley, before someone else
    gets hurt or killed.......It also probably would not take much effort
    to get a movement going to ban such activities as water skiing on
    weekends, jetski's in general etc, if an accident did occur.,
    
    
    So PLEASE FOLKS be careful, obey the rules, or we may find ourselves
    with fewer and fewer lakes on which to persue these activities.
    w
    
        

    Moved by moderator
    
                  <<< VICKI::SIE$DATA0:[NOTES$LIBRARY]BOATS.NOTE;1 >>>
                           -< Spring is in the air! >-
================================================================================
Note 453.0               UPDATE ON LAKE SHIRLEY ACCIDENT              No replies
HPSTEK::BHOVEY                                       16 lines  31-JUL-1989 06:52
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    
    
    		I SPOKE TO MY COUSIN SUNDAY WHO WORKS AT THE HOSPITAL
    		WHERE THEY TOOK THE WOMAN THAT WAS KILLED LAST WEEK.
    		IT SEEMS THAT SHE WAS VISITING SOME FRIENDS AND THEY
    		DECIDED TO GO SKIING RATHER LATE. SHE FELL AND WHILE
    		GOING AROUND TO GET HER THE FELLOW DRIVING THE BOAT
    		THAT WAS PULLING HER HIT HER. ONE OF THE PEOPLE WE
    		KNOW ON THE LAKE WAS GIVING HER CPR AND MOUTH TO
    		MOUTH BUT TO NO AVAIL. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW SAID IT WAS
    		AFTER 9:30 WHEN HE SAW ALL THE RESCUE EFFORTS GOING
    		ON AND HEARD ALL THE SIREENS. I CANT SWEAR ON IT BUT
    		THE INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE IS THAT
    		DRINKING WAS INVOLVED. 
    
    

    A person was killed over last weekend in Goffstown, NH. The driver
    of the boat was drunk and ran the boat aground. He is facing a possible
    7 1/2 years in prison. ( some justice served!)
                
                                    Jeff

    She was skiing at night! Isn't that against the law? If it isn't, it
    should be.
    
    Guy

    The law says "Sunrise 'til sunset"
    
    DW

    This message is in reply to note 447.24.  
    
    You called it well.  Someone died at Lake Potanipo over the weekend.
    The driver of a speed boat got thrown out of his boat when he hit
    another wake.  The speedboat went quite a distance before it struck
    a 21' sailboat with 4 people on board.  One person died.  The driver
    of the speed boat was allegedly under the influence.  They'll probably
    close Lake Potanipo to motor boats or at least put a horsepower
    limit.
    Wayne

                            
    
    
    	The incedent did not come as much of a surprise, the situation
    on the lake has been even worse than last year so far and the season
    was just getting started. The boaters and jetskiers were even starting
    to use the town beach for a place to hang out at. This beach is
    a members only beach without facilities for boats even if you are
    a member. Of which I am. My wife has fearful of letting the kids
    near the water because of the boats coming in and out beaching
    themselves on the town beach.                                         
    
    	
    	Just last week I was talking with the Fish and Game warden for
    the area while I was out on Potanipo fishing with my kids. I mentioned
    that they should be patrolling the lake more frequently because
    while they were not around the lake was becoming a dangerous place
    to be even if you were off to the side fishing. He said that now
    that he was living in Brookline he would be on the lake alot more.
    I would be willing to bet that enforcement will be a lot tougher
    now. Too bad someone had to killed for it to happen.
    	
    	
    
    

    	I don't know about hp limits but it sounds like a good arguement
    for dead-man or auto-shutdown type controls. I know alot of new boats 
    are coming out with them now, especially the high hp bass boats.
    
    	I'm kind of surprised that the boat didn't do circles from the
    force created by the prop. 
    
    	A long time ago I had the chance to try a 17' speedboat with a 115
    hp merc. At close to the top speed you really had to keep a VERY strong
    grip on the wheel to keep the boat in a straight line. If you ever let
    go of the wheel the boat would most definitely take a very hard left
    which would most likely throw you from the boat. 
    
    	Ray

 >    	I'm kind of surprised that the boat didn't do circles from the
 >   force created by the prop. 

  The boat did circle first before hitting the sailboat.  A
co-worker of mine was supposed to be on that sailboat....luckily
she changed her mind.  Four passengers were able to jump off
the sides, but the fellow sitting in the middle wasn't able
to get out of the way fast enough.  The boat landed on top
of the sailboat, it was the ropes from the sails that tangled
in the prop and finally shut down the boat.  

  His body wasn't found until the next day, an autopsy was
done to determine if the impact killed him, or if he drowned.
If the impact killed him, the driver will be charged with
manslaughter.

jd/

re .32:

>>> His body wasn't found until the next day, an autopsy was
>>> done to determine if the impact killed him, or if he drowned.
>>> If the impact killed him, the driver will be charged with
>>>> manslaughter.

Seems like it ought to be manslaughter either way.