Napa River Boat Collision

[Benthic2]

"I did not read any comments where someone said hitting something was OK" -dhays

I would assume it was the following comment that was the genesis for the above statement:

"There should be NO DOUBT about an unlighted boat anchored in a channel being totally at fault" -SeeVee

If the anchored boat was "totaly at fault" the speedy boat is totally without fault...in other words....his behavior was "OK".

 

[psneeld]

Right on up to the point where he hit something it was.....sorta....fine...

This thread has 2 points being discussed in my mind.

One that the accident should not have happened for various reasons.

Two...that speed at night is by nature dangerous or inappropriate.

One I really can't comment on because I don't have all the facts.

The other I believe is nothing more than opinion and personal experience. It certainly is not law and plenty of boat drivers do it all the time without hitting things.

Keeping the two separated is confusing in some posts.

 

[Benthic2]

True....."plenty of boat drivers do it all the time without hitting things"....and if this were a hypothetical question that would make for great debate...but in this instance...the guy DID hit something..... I don't know how anyone can justify the actions of a guy with a dented boat as safe !?!?!!?!

Are there times when its ok to do 25 knots at night ?? Sure....but the dents in this guys hull prove that this was absolutely, unequivocally NOT one of those times !!

 

[psneeld]

Thus my last post where some ventured off course and said speed at night is never really safe...that's where the tangle started...a discussion within one.

Sure the accident happened...but some tried to blame it on just speed...which we really can't say without all the facts.

FlyWright gave a good description...but as in all accidents, there is more to the story.

You clearly stated that one issue is not necessarily the other.

My one post clearly separated the two if you go back and read through.

 

[Art]

In our tow behind Crestliner runabout we quite often end the evening coming back in the dark [at relatively slow speed BTW ] to our anchored boat. She's well outlined with white lights... nearly impossible to miss.


Following is how we work our anchor lighting... easy and effective!




We always keep anchor light on at top of center positioned mast. As well, we have five [5] solar lights shining. One solar on burgee mast at forward peek of bow rail, one solar on U.S flag post above transom, one mellow spotlight on sun deck shining to rear, two amidships on port and starboard to rear of flybridge on the bridge railing.

 

[Xsbank]

Maybe if the speedy boat was doing 80 or 100 knots, would there be less disagreement? Drawing the line is the issue with speed, it's debatable. Anchoring without an anchor light is wrong on many levels, it was not a trivial action to not flick that switch. I would venture to say that anchoring in a seaway with no lights is foolhardy and negligent at best; it does serve to remind us that we are Captains, responsible for our vessels and our passengers, therefore our actions should be carefully considered and our vessels are not just party barges.

I would say the squashed vessel was lucky that a tug and barge or a small freighter didn't find him, he would not have survived (I am unfamiliar with this waterway).

 

[markpierce]

Commercial traffic on the Napa is occasional, consisting of a tug with or without a barge.

 

[markpierce]

With the semi-lowering of the Brazos lift bridge on the defunct Southern Pacific Railroad branch, don't see much commercial traffic on the Napa now. Last week, turned around there as it didn't look like my 32-foot height would clear.