Fatal Accident On Lake St. Clair :(

[Carl C]

People running on plane at night........... :(

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/2-children-hurt-1-missing-after-boat-accident-on-lake-st.-clair-20100702-mr

[Sweet Cheekz]

That sucks
RIP

[zelatore]

In the Wellcraft owner's defense, there is a near-full moon currently and obviously visibility must have been fairly good (for the middle of the night) as the skipper they interviewed said he was able to see a red boat coming at him - you wouldn't be able to pick out a color if it was pitch black.

But that said, from the description of the accident given in the interview it sounds like the Wellcraft owner's fault. He was approaching from the port - meaning he was the give-way boat - at a high rate of speed in reduced visibility (excess speed for conditions?). Assuming the Wellcraft had it's lights on and wasn't doing anything beyond simply cruising along, he should be safely in the clear. Of course, what else would you expect him to say? They also seemed to imply that the other captain may have been drinking (I'm too lazy to go back and re-play the clip).

Bonus points to the reporter for actually giving year and make on the boats instead of saying something vague and inflammatory like say 'a Donzi-type boat'.

[Carl C]

In the Wellcraft owner's defense, there is a near-full moon currently and obviously visibility must have been fairly good (for the middle of the night) as the skipper they interviewed said he was able to see a red boat coming at him - you wouldn't be able to pick out a color if it was pitch black.

But that said, from the description of the accident given in the interview it sounds like the Wellcraft owner's fault. He was approaching from the port - meaning he was the give-way boat - at a high rate of speed in reduced visibility (excess speed for conditions?). Assuming the Wellcraft had it's lights on and wasn't doing anything beyond simply cruising along, he should be safely in the clear. Of course, what else would you expect him to say? They also seemed to imply that the other captain may have been drinking (I'm too lazy to go back and re-play the clip).

Bonus points to the reporter for actually giving year and make on the boats instead of saying something vague and inflammatory like say 'a Donzi-type boat'.

Yes, it was good reporting. That's why I posted the link that contains the mayday call and video. That new night vision is really something. This is tragic regardless of who was at fault. The 12 year old boy has severe head trauma. It just shakes me up because I boat on these waters. There was another horrific night time crash here 2 years ago. If I were going to run on plane on a moonlit night it would be at minimal planing speed and using extreme caution. Boat lights tend to blend into the shore lights. Just so sad...........

[Cuda]

The tox report for the Formula said he was clean. They said the tox report for the driver of the Wellcraft would take a few weeks. This doesn't bode well for the Wellcraft driver.

[Carl C]

The tox report for the Formula said he was clean. They said the tox report for the driver of the Wellcraft would take a few weeks. This doesn't bode well for the Wellcraft driver.

He's dead anyway........I feel so bad for the 12 year old boy. Maybe there will be a miracle, but severe head trauma.... :(

[realbold]

Lake St Clair is crazy, especially on weekends. I'm sure more than half the people out there dont know any rules of the road. The skipper of the Wellcraft (Nova or Scarab probably) was probably intoxicated. Skipper of the Formula kept his cool and knew what he was doing.
I had a very near miss years ago at dusk, almost got T-boned on the port side. If I didn't open the throttle it would have been ugly. I'm sure the other boat didn't know it till he hit my wake.

[Carl C]

Lake St Clair is crazy, especially on weekends. I'm sure more than half the people out there dont know any rules of the road. The skipper of the Wellcraft (Nova or Scarab probably) was probably intoxicated. Skipper of the Formula kept his cool and knew what he was doing.
I had a very near miss years ago at dusk, almost got T-boned on the port side. If I didn't open the throttle it would have been ugly. I'm sure the other boat didn't know it till he hit my wake.

It's down right lonely out there week-days! I'll take it though. I am working this week-end but will be on St. Clair Monday. I have never seen the lake on a week-end and don't think I care to!

[realbold]

Since most people have Monday off, you'll likely get a taste of weekend boating on St. Clair :wink:

[Carl C]

Since most people have Monday off, you'll likely get a taste of weekend boating on St. Clair :wink:

True that! We are set on a run to Detroit and on to Lake Erie but if it's too crazy we can run up the St. Clair River instead. Or maybe just deep into the Canadian side of the lake. There are lots of options on these waters. I am sitting at work now bored to death! Everyone is boating or at the beach to beat the heat. At least we have wi-fi to keep me entertained!

[Dr. David Fleming]

I have been on the lake most weekends this year and it is not particularly crowded. Ten years ago it was much more crowded, but the economy is so depressed that the marina's are standing empty - many folks just use their yachts as cottages to vacation on and never take them out. I would bet this accident was a case of the navigation lights blending into the city lights and or possibly alcohol use and speed for the condition.

In 1964, when I was a kid I remember seeing the British steamship "Montrose" sunk and on its side in the Detroit river. These were the days when the WWII Navy vets maned and captained most of the worlds merchant fleet. Seems the Brit captain got confused and mistook a lit cement barge and tug boat for the shoreline. The captain said the ship just blended into the wall of lights and it was too late to avoid the collision.

The lake is 16 by 20 miles which works out to 320 square miles aprox. The only real confusion is all of the boat traffic coming and going out of the marinas, bars, and restaurants in St. Clair Shores. In fact the accident happened directly in front of a major maned US Coast Guard Facility, and in an area regularly policed by Boarder Patrol, Homeland Security and County Sheriff. Water in Lake St. Clair is never more than 20 ft deep and must have been 15 so they have already salvaged the two hulls. Many is the night when have listened to the sound of the big off shore boats running wide open on the lake at night. If necessary they can run in Canadian water to get out of the USA and there really is nothing in Canada.

The lake can blow up and be quite rough - which the big off shore hulls like and it is also home to large sailboats that occasionally cruse the lake without running lights and fleets of them often race all night long.

Couple of years ago a County Sheriff was run down and killed by an intoxicated boater which caused a big "anti drinking while boating reform." In spite of all this its amazing to me that two boats can get onto each other the way they sometimes do, but I have seen it over the years.

Heavy shipping traffic keeps to the 30 foot deep channel dredged across the lake from north to south which causes unsuspected ship wakes to go rolling across the water unexpectedly. The lake is also filled with fishermen anchoring out in the evening and at night - one of the best fishing lakes in the world and some of the shoreline is extremely shallow and swampy.

Carl, will be cruising the Detroit River from SCS on Monday, will keep a lookout for the yellow 22, you watch for the red Donzi from the movie The Eliminator.

[Carl C]

Carl, will be cruising the Detroit River from SCS on Monday, will keep a lookout for the yellow 22, you watch for the red Donzi from the movie The Eliminator.

I am meeting up with another Donzi north of Metro Beach @ 10 AM. The more the merrier if you want to run with us. We will only go as fast as conditions permit. You can call me @ 248-330-0048. The tentative plan is to run to Lake Erie and back up and maybe a stop @ Brown's Bar to cap the day with a burger & brew.

[Dr. David Fleming]

Thanks for the invite, will call, my boat is at Island Harbor in SCS. Will be out with friend of mine who owns a machine shop in Troy - former drag racer built a lot of NASCAR parts from titanium. He wants to do Lake Erie but have never ventured out on the big lake. Where is Browns anyway?

[Carl C]

I have been on the lake most weekends this year and it is not particularly crowded. Ten years ago it was much more crowded, but the economy is so depressed that the marina's are standing empty - many folks just use their yachts as cottages to vacation on and never take them out. I would bet this accident was a case of the navigation lights blending into the city lights and or possibly alcohol use and speed for the condition.

In 1964, when I was a kid I remember seeing the British steamship "Montrose" sunk and on its side in the Detroit river. These were the days when the WWII Navy vets maned and captained most of the worlds merchant fleet. Seems the Brit captain got confused and mistook a lit cement barge and tug boat for the shoreline. The captain said the ship just blended into the wall of lights and it was too late to avoid the collision.

The lake is 16 by 20 miles which works out to 320 square miles aprox. The only real confusion is all of the boat traffic coming and going out of the marinas, bars, and restaurants in St. Clair Shores. In fact the accident happened directly in front of a major maned US Coast Guard Facility, and in an area regularly policed by Boarder Patrol, Homeland Security and County Sheriff. Water in Lake St. Clair is never more than 20 ft deep and must have been 15 so they have already salvaged the two hulls. Many is the night when have listened to the sound of the big off shore boats running wide open on the lake at night. If necessary they can run in Canadian water to get out of the USA and there really is nothing in Canada.

The lake can blow up and be quite rough - which the big off shore hulls like and it is also home to large sailboats that occasionally cruse the lake without running lights and fleets of them often race all night long.

Couple of years ago a County Sheriff was run down and killed by an intoxicated boater which caused a big "anti drinking while boating reform." In spite of all this its amazing to me that two boats can get onto each other the way they sometimes do, but I have seen it over the years.

Heavy shipping traffic keeps to the 30 foot deep channel dredged across the lake from north to south which causes unsuspected ship wakes to go rolling across the water unexpectedly. The lake is also filled with fishermen anchoring out in the evening and at night - one of the best fishing lakes in the world and some of the shoreline is extremely shallow and swampy.

Carl, will be cruising the Detroit River from SCS on Monday, will keep a lookout for the yellow 22, you watch for the red Donzi from the movie The Eliminator.

Thanks for the invite, will call, my boat is at Island Harbor in SCS. Will be out with friend of mine who owns a machine shop in Troy - former drag racer built a lot of NASCAR parts from titanium. He wants to do Lake Erie but have never ventured out on the big lake. Where is Browns anyway?

Brown's is on Harsen's Island and obviously caters to boaters. Great atmosphere. They even have a Donzi banner that would look great in my garage.............

[larry9901]

My friend had to do the salvage work on this accident. They had to pull the boats from the bottom of the lake on to shore.

IT was terrible. We took lots of pictures of the carnage of the boats. They were ripped to shreds:frown:

So very sad:frown:

[G-MAN]

Lake St Clair is crazy, especially on weekends. I'm sure more than half the people out there dont know any rules of the road. The skipper of the Wellcraft (Nova or Scarab probably) was probably intoxicated. Skipper of the Formula kept his cool and knew what he was doing.
I had a very near miss years ago at dusk, almost got T-boned on the port side. If I didn't open the throttle it would have been ugly. I'm sure the other boat didn't know it till he hit my wake.

Most places you go most people don't know the ruls of the road, so don't count on any body doing the right thing, worst offenders-pwc's , pontoon boats and old guys in fishing boats. We have a 30 MPH night time speed limit at LOTO and you are still taking your life in your own hands if you go out at night.

[Carl C]

Lake St. Clair was nuts today! It was 94* F and humid and we have a heat advisory. The lake and channels were crazy........but there was still plenty of room to avoid close calls. After running to Detroit and back we toured the Harsen's Island channels and got gas and went to the far end of the Lake to the Thames River in Ontario. No one goes over there and the water was awesome. :):boat:

On a sad note though, former Red Wing Bob Probert died of an apparent heart attack on a boat on the lake today :( RIP. He was much loved in Detroit.

[wannabe]

Lake St. Clair was nuts today! It was 94* F and humid and we have a heat advisory. The lake and channels were crazy........but there was still plenty of room to avoid close calls. After running to Detroit and back we toured the Harsen's Island channels and got gas and went to the far end of the Lake to the Thames River in Ontario. No one goes over there and the water was awesome. :):boat:

On a sad note though, former Red Wing Bob Probert died of an apparent heart attack on a boat on the lake today :( RIP. He was much loved in Detroit.
A friend mine cruised from Sandusky to Port Huron today. He said it beautiful and busy by downtown Detriot. I hope Probie didn,t die because of his past drug demons.