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BUIZILLA
07-17-2011, 08:55 AM
just read about this on OSO...

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Prayers needed. OSO member HIGH LIFE killed
Yesterday driving his beloved 27 Magnum sedan, Mike Spirito was killed in a boating accident off the Massachusetts coast. Mike was better known on OSO as HIGH LIFE.

Mike was an old school offshore racer from Massachusetts and competed in many Gloucester and Plymouth races over the years. He loved the 27 foot Magnum sedans and was driving one with twin 300 HP Merc outboards when the accident happened.

The police are still investigating, but in general terms here is what happened....Four boats were running together and were going over a large cruiser wake, Mikes boat either tripped on the wake and stuffed... or rolled on re-entry. The deck tore off and Mike was killed instantly and his passenger sustained massive chest injuries and is hospitalized. The hull with the engines sank and the deck was towed in to the Coast Guard station by the inlet.

Please remember Mike and his family in your prayers. Funeral arrangements are yet to be made. He was a really good guy who died doing what he loved so much, may God have mercy on him and may he rest in peace.

Greg Guimond
07-17-2011, 09:34 AM
Jim, my god my god, I spoke to Mike three days ago. Is there anyway this is false?

Greg Guimond
07-17-2011, 09:39 AM
I just read the whole thing........I can't believe this and am rattled. Mike was a great guy. May god have mercy on his family. Godspeed Mike....our family's prayers are with you.

Walt. H.
07-17-2011, 09:49 AM
This is certainly a heart ache when it's something many of us have come close to doing but for the grace of God came out with only a scary story to talk about.
I really hate to hear about these things, my thoughts and prayers go out to his family as well.:(

gcarter
07-17-2011, 09:58 AM
I'll pray for his family and friends.

But guys, this is why I don't like to go fast on water.
I'm the biggest chicken there is.

Greg Guimond
07-17-2011, 10:02 AM
He seemed like such a nice guy overall....we would talk about the little 16's and how much he loved that Mag.....once a ways back he was telling me he was thinking of going bigger then the Mag, I said Mike, you have that thing dialed in perfectly, why go bigger and start all over again....I can't believe the boat seperated....Mike has a lot of experience, a stuff would be hard to believe......why do bad things happen to good people. RIP Mike. Prayers for his passenger to pull through. Man this makes you think :(

BUIZILLA
07-17-2011, 10:17 AM
apparently, according to onsite witnesses in the boat next to him, he stuffed it in the backside trough of a wake... there is a news video clip showing only a small deck fore section being pulled up on shore, it separated cleanly at the hull joint... the hull remains will be retrieved today from 60' of water..

Conquistador_del_mar
07-17-2011, 11:13 AM
Michael was a fun guy to talk with - he was always laughing and full of excitement, which is contagious :yes:. We got along very well and I will really miss knowing he is only a phone call away. I used to tell him that he was an eggbeater pusher - lol. He was a real stand up guy and his death is very sad news - at least he was doing what he really enjoyed. Godspeed, Michael - your friend, Bill

mattyboy
07-17-2011, 11:29 AM
very sad news, him and his family will be in our thoughts and prayers

Offset
07-17-2011, 11:39 AM
Very sad news. RIP.

All the best to his family and friends.

JimG
07-17-2011, 12:07 PM
Horrible news... our prayers are with him and his..

Carl C
07-17-2011, 12:22 PM
Sad news indeed. Those cruiser wakes can really catch you by surprise. How old was he about?

Ed Donnelly
07-17-2011, 12:46 PM
Candles lit....Ed

Greg Guimond
07-17-2011, 12:52 PM
I'm still stunned ..........you guys have a lot of experience, is it possible that a Magnum with as heavy a lay up as they have would seperated from a stuff ? I just can't wrap my head around how Mike could have gotten caught in that with all his seat time and with the kind of power he had on that boat. Does glass get that muchmore brittle with age? to have the bow blow apart it must have been a massive trough like Jim said. I'm wondering if it might have been more of a hull failure at re-entry :(

Conquistador_del_mar
07-17-2011, 01:08 PM
Sad news indeed. Those cruiser wakes can really catch you by surprise. How old was he about?

I believe Michael was my same age - 58.


I'm still stunned ..........you guys have a lot of experience, is it possible that a Magnum with as heavy a lay up as they have would seperated from a stuff ? I just can't wrap my head around how Mike could have gotten caught in that with all his seat time and with the kind of power he had on that boat. Does glass get that muchmore brittle with age? to have the bow blow apart it must have been a massive trough like Jim said. I'm wondering if it might have been more of a hull failure at re-entry :(

I also have to think there must have been some hull problems to make the deck separate like it did. Bill

DONZI
07-17-2011, 01:22 PM
My heart & Prayers go out to the families and friends.
Mike was a great guy !
Here's a pic. i took of him and charlie not so long ago.
Mike on the left-

Donzi_Dude
07-17-2011, 01:28 PM
very sad news indeed. he was one of the good eggs.
:(

Donziweasel
07-17-2011, 01:45 PM
I always liked Mike. Good guy. Spoke with him a few times. RIP.

mphatc
07-17-2011, 02:36 PM
Friends,

I'm saddened and speechless . . .

Mike and I were going to run the Donzi Club Winni Poker run together in 2 weeks . . we just spoke recently . . .

May he rest in peace!

Mario L.

maddad
07-17-2011, 02:50 PM
I'm stunned and saddened to hear this. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

mphatc
07-17-2011, 02:53 PM
I believe Michael was my same age - 58.



I also have to think there must have been some hull problems to make the deck separate like it did. Bill

Please let's not discuss the boat here . . .it's too soon

I have seen Mike's boat . .and will keep my specualtions to myself. He had owned several Magnums and several were 27' Sedans. He was very experienced driver, and knows the waters he was operating in.

Hull to deck separations can easily happen on any boat that has a deck to hull joint that is a screwed or bolted joint. Water pressure forces are huge in this type of impact. We don't know the size of the cruiser wakes, and the speed.

Mario L.

1968 Magnum 27

Carl C
07-17-2011, 02:57 PM
My heart & Prayers go out to the families and friends.
Mike was a great guy !
Here's a pic. i took of him and charlie not so long ago.
Mike on the left-

Thanks for putting a face to the man who was so loved. There must be a dozen threads on OSO about this. Mario, you are right about cruiser wakes. I recently posted about a bad encounter with one on .org. This is one concern I have with running side by side too is that you cannot make a quick maneuver to try and jump the wake head on.

Donzi_Dude
07-17-2011, 03:21 PM
hull to deck separations can easily happen on any boat that has a deck to hull joint that is a screwed or bolted joint. Water pressure forces are huge in this type of impact. We don't know the size of the cruiser wakes, and the speed.
Mario l.
1968 magnum 27


10000%

joseph m. hahnl
07-17-2011, 05:58 PM
http://images.pictureshunt.com/pics/r/rest_in_peace-2371.gif

blackboat
07-17-2011, 06:28 PM
Prayers to the family, very sad news .

mrfixxall
07-17-2011, 06:44 PM
wow,, sad news,Prayers and condolences goes out to his family and friends..:angel:

Jraysray
07-17-2011, 09:17 PM
But I knew exactly who you were talking about. Stomach hurts now.The family lost one.

RockyS18
07-17-2011, 09:57 PM
My prayers go out to him and his family. It's a shame that as fun as boating can be, it is still very dangerous. Rest in peace Mike.


Sad news indeed. Those cruiser wakes can really catch you by surprise.

I have to agree, nothing against cruiser drivers or anyone, but I always hated having to go over their huge wake. The lake could be calm calm calm and then all of a sudden there is a huge cruiser wake you just did not see and it takes you buy surprise into evasive maneuvers. Even with all the experience I am sure Mike had, when you are going fast and there are boats next to you, trying to dodge a wake that big is near impossible.

axelkloehn
07-18-2011, 01:53 AM
oh my god, sad news....really makes me think about high speed boating and some who want to go >100mph... all the best to his family, rest in peace, Mike

Dakari
07-18-2011, 05:01 AM
Very sad to hear this. It's been all over the local news here just north of Boston. Although I never had a chance to meet him, Mike had offered me parts and advice on several occasions...and did he ever love performance boating!

Godspeed High Life!

Inferno
07-18-2011, 07:49 AM
Just heard the sad sad news that another racer has died.Then I realized after talking to Charlie that it was Mike. Mike, Charlie and I raced for years together and I'll never forget his red Bannana boat in Gloucester.What a fun and respectful guy. Rest in Peace my good friend...

hardcrab
07-18-2011, 08:43 AM
But I knew exactly who you were talking about. Stomach hurts now.The family lost one.
ditto ........:angel:

zelatore
07-18-2011, 09:17 AM
Very shocking news. I hadn't met Mike but he was well known by all of us here. Best wishes to his family.

Donzi Vol
07-18-2011, 09:19 AM
Hate to hear this. Family and friends are in my thoughts and prayers.

joseph m. hahnl
07-18-2011, 03:02 PM
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/07/16/boating-accident-in-boston-harbor-sends-two-to-hospital/


http://www.wmur.com/video/28576335/detail.html


Why is it when your out cruising with your buds, they call it racing?

zelatore
07-18-2011, 03:51 PM
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/07/16/boating-accident-in-boston-harbor-sends-two-to-hospital/


http://www.wmur.com/video/28576335/detail.html


Why is it when your out cruising with your buds, they call it racing?

Sensationalism. Pure and simple. A boating accident isn't enough of a tragedy; they have to add 'racing' or whatever other BS they can come up with to wind up the masses.:mad: You'll also notice it was a 'cigarette' boat - because that name get's the uneducated worked up.

this isn't the time or place for my rant...

tjags
07-20-2011, 05:56 PM
My condolences to his family and friends.

pipnit
07-21-2011, 08:28 AM
So sad. RIP...

Be safe boys...