Nasty Boat Collision Vid - All OK

[Carl C]

I don't like to post too many vid links because we all know where to watch videos but this is a nasty high speed boat collision that was caused by the the Coasties getting reckless. The guys were real lucky to have survived. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=590_1206082695

[joel3078]

WOW!
Ok for my own education, which of the 3 boats had the right of way in that situation? I'm guessing the speed boat was paying attention to the large boat he is passing and never saw the coast guard boat. The two boats are to the right of the coastie - they have right of way, no? The little speed boat was passing on the left and no doubt thought he had right of way. As Carl said, lucky!.

[McGary911]

I think the larger tourist boat wasn't moving. Between the coasties and the small boat, the small boat was the stand on vessel (had the right of way) and the coastie was the give way vessel.
Good way to remember it with all else being equal is to think of a stop light. If you're the boat who can see the other's green (go) nav light, you're the stand on. If you can see the red (stop) nav light, you're the give way vessel.

Wonder how the investigation turned out, cuz I believe the coasties messed up here.

Of course the little boat should have seen that the coastie wasn't going to stop. Being right and having others obey the rules is nice, but not crashing is even nicer.

[Sweet little 16]

the main rule for any capt is to avoid the collision the CG boat was warning the speed boat by bull horn but judging by the roostertail of the 75hp chrysler they didn't hear it and also look at the video at the people in the speed boat all you see is dark like the back of their heads they were looking at the cruise boat and they said they didn't know what hit them so they never saw the CG boat at the angle of the collision the CG boat should have been in their line of sight if they were looking fwd
both capts are culpable in this but the CG capt should know above all avoid the collision unless there are some naval or gov't rules of engagement for securing the perimeter of a search area?? which was the mission of the CG boat according to the video

[zelatore]

As stated above, my first thought was that the small boat was the stand on vessel due to crossing angles.

However, I'm sure the CG will get away with it by claiming they were 'on a mission' and running their lights and siren. I'd have to look at my rules book, but I don't think that actually gives them any special right of way. Still, I'm sure that will be the outcome.

The really annoying thing is why did the CG captain feel he had to intercept this guy in such a hurry? Just to keep him out of a search zone? Couldn't they have done that from a little (say 50') further away or 10 seconds later?

Having had some run-ins with CG boats (typically the small 25' RIBs) on the bay, I know plenty of them are run by little more than 18 year old's with guns and logical actions are not always first and foremost in their minds. This boat looks like a 47' MLB - I'd hope the captain of the larger vessel would be a little more senior than the kids I often see on the RIBs.

[mjw930]

You guys keep calling it the CG but it wasn't a CG vessel or Coasties, it was the CG Auxiliary. i.e. civilian boaters that put on uniforms and do inspections and assist in search and rescue using their own boats (notice the railing and fender, that's not the CG boat in the film).

They were at fault 100% as they were the give way vessel regardless of the "mission" they were on. If they would have had lights and sirens like a real CG vessel would it might have been a different story since the oncoming boat would have seen them earlier but even then they have the obligation to avoid an accident unless there is intentional harm posed by the oncoming vessel (such as an attack).

Don't get me wrong, the captain of the small boat was stupid and careless for not paying attention and I'm the first one to say stupidity should hurt but in this situation they did have the right of way.

[zelatore]

You're right. I watched the video again. The first time I didn't pay much attention; I just saw the footage of the CG boats shown at the begining. They do say they were on an Aux. vessel, and it's clearly something smaller than the CG boats shown in the earlier part of the tape.

In that case, maybe they won't get away with it. It also explains a bit more why the collision occured as often these aux. guys are a little too gung-ho for their own good.

[WingWing]

boat on the right has the right of way (little speed boat) between 2 powerboats.

[Morgan's Cloud]

How that ever happened in broad daylight is mind boggling . Regardless of who had right of way someone should have seen what was about to occur and taken some serious evasive action.
I can't get over how lucky those two guys in the pleasure boat are.
I can think of a few people who were in far less serious accidents than that who are no longer here :angel:

[need for speed]

The CG Auxiliary are at fault... they usaly are nothing but old guys who think they are saving the world.. they should have slowed down ! The CG Auxiliary are a pain down here every time at the boat ramp they have this 85 year old guy telling me he wants to see pfd's ....I have n't showed them to him yet :). If someone's going to stop me they better have lights and guns.

[joel3078]

Pretty much what I thought - thanks guys.
What really suprised me is how fast both boats closed in on each other. Doesn't take more than a few seconds for the chit to hit the fan.

[chappy]

How that ever happened in broad daylight is mind boggling . Regardless of who had right of way someone should have seen what was about to occur and taken some serious evasive action.
This sums it up perfectly. We've all been in situations where we had the right of way and had to throttle back. I never bank on other boats knowing the law, much less obeying them. Glad everyone was ok. Thanks for posting the vid Carl.

[Carl C]

It wasn't my intention to badmouth the Coast Guard but I do think these guys should be fired. I see at least 3 things that bother me.

They continued on a collision course at high speed even though they clearly saw the other boat.

They expected the other driver to hear a loudspeaker while driving at fairly high speed.

No one jumped in the water after the collision in case one of the men needed help, the civillians did not have vests on.

[yeller]

Don't care who had the right of way, the CG saw the potential for collision and didn't slow down. In all honesty, if I was the other guy, I'd try and lay charges for attempted murder. I'm serious about that...he could have easily killed everyone.

[mjw930]

It wasn't my intention to badmouth the Coast Guard but I do think these guys should be fired. I see at least 3 things that bother me.

They continued on a collision course at high speed even though they clearly saw the other boat.

They expected the other driver to hear a loudspeaker while driving at fairly high speed.

No one jumped in the water after the collision in case one of the men needed help, the civillians did not have vests on.

Carl,

It's next to impossible to fire a volunteer and that's what was piloting this boat, a civilian CG auxiliary volunteer.

What would be worse than firing would be to drum him out of the Auxiliary. The embarrassment would destroy him since so many of these "volunteers" identity is wrapped up in their participation.

Personally, I have yet to allow them to come along side or board one of my boats. The only ones that are allowed that privilege are the ones carrying guns.

[Sweet little 16]

everyone thinks that the capt of the CG aux vessel clearly saw the boat, who knows what the capt was looking at the we see was the camera sees not what the capt saw, all the points brought up here all are valid, the bottom line avoid the collision, right of way to a point then it is he is not doing anything I must do something then regardless of who is stand on or give way, the big thing is thinking here if you are hailing him over a loud speaker and not getting anywhere chances are what one he doesn't see or hear you or he is running from you well look at the boat and look at his course so he is not running so he doesn't see or hear you so you approach him with that in mind, plus step into the shoes of the speed boat driver with a passenger would any of you not notice a 20 something foot cruiser flanking you like that they might not have had lights i bet they were flying the AUX colors though??? I am a passenger more than a driver and well my seat in the 16 helps for that I always give a heads up on someone or thing coming up on us where the driver might not see, yeah the AUXie should have avoided it he is supposed to know better, but the world is full of idiots in every walk of life even the go fast boater has their moments like getting a half a million dollar boat stuck 40 feet up in a tree, take it for what it is worth every situation has different circustances, my father in law use to ask my kids a question
why do you have 2 ears 2 eyes and one mouth?????
he said the answer will help you in alot