Watch out for Ducks!

[RedDog]

For those Classic owners w/o windshields - beware:

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A man dashing across a lake on a customized personal watercraft at about 55 mph was killed in an apparent collision with a flying duck.
Leon Resnick, an employee of Riva Yamaha, was testing the water jet-propelled craft Thursday on a lake about 20 miles north of Fort Lauderdale, investigators said Monday.

A co-worker who was watching turned to pick up a radar gun to check Resnick's speed, and when he turned back Resnick was no longer aboard the craft.

Resnick, 31, of Hollywood, died of a blow to his head, the Broward County medical examiner's office said.

"Our theory is that the bird was airborne and clocked him in the head," said David Bamdas, an owner of the dealership.

At the speed Resnick was traveling, the 10- to 15-pound duck "might as well have been a cinder block," Bamdas said.

The bird's carcass was found nearby and there were feathers on the water bike's handlebars, said Broward County sheriff's spokesman Hugh Graf.

:eek:

[mattyboy]

scary story, I tell you what I don't think the low profile of a classic windsheild would be much protection, still better then sunglasses! wasn't there a post awhile back about a guy getting a fish in the face,but was not seriously hurt. I think I stop cahsing seagulls and ducks!

Matt

[Blewbyu]

Man-if they have 10-15 lb ducks down there,I'm goin'hunting!!!!! :eek: :eek:

[alljet]

No injuries, but here's a good duck tale:

A couple of summers ago I was running at WOT in my Wahoo in about 80 feet of water when it felt like I'd hit a sandbar or something. The outboard kicked up and then started cavitating. When I raised the motor there was a diving duck of some sort wrapped around the lower unit just below the cavitation plate!

[Dvo]

Apparently, hitting ducks on your performance water craft has severe consequences - just like cars hitting deer.

A few summers back I had a 24' Sonic (24 Donzi hull) powered with full race Johnson GT 2.6 outboards on Gil brackets. My son and I were cranking at WOT (80+MPH) back through Sue Creek to our marina. We approached a couple ducks slightly off to our starboard. They spooked, tried to get off the water, and flew in the direct path of our boat. They just cleared the deck and the windshield frame, as my son and I quickly dropped. One duck barely missed my head according to my son - a real close call.

So, this can also be a real problem with the Donzi Classics, too. Since they have a low profile in the water, less windshield frame protection, and very little area for you to drop your head to avoid being hit.

Maybe we need a Duck Whistle on the bow.

[Formula Jr]

Whats the last thing to go thru a Duck's mind, when it hits the windshield of a Jumbo Jet?


Its butt hole!

Yuck, Yuck, Yuck.............. :D