Did weather really cause these and similar accidents?

Two boats sank on Lake Wylie. Why law enforcement says both could’ve been prevented. | Charlotte Observer

Was it really weather that caused these accidents (and others like it)? I mean, there are tons of ways to check weather easily - I even check the weather directly through my Navionics app (Menu then click Weather and Tides). What can we do to help ourselves and other boaters to be safer and to prevent needless accidents like this?

Education. Both were the result of inexperience/ stupidity/ lack of knowledge about conditions.

Well as mentioned the first boat sinking was a result of nothing much... a plug came out.
For the second I do not know the condition at that time but for sure things are fast to get bad on a lake and I recently experienced this when we get caught by a severe storm during a long leg of cruise on a lake. But as severe it was, with strong winds, white caps and heavy rainfall, I never felt we were in danger of sinking. I was more concerned by the lightning strikes all over the place around us. But I guess that a wakeboarding boat is far less secure in waves than a trawler.

L.

It's an inland lake. People don't have Navionics, don't look at marine forecasts. They typically are aware of weather reports.

Boat #1 happens all the time. People launch boats from their trailers, forget to put the drain plug in.

Boat #2 very unusual, but possible. A wakeboarding boat might sit low but still it's hard for me to imagine sinking quickly from those conditions. I keep thinking perhaps there is something else playing a role. Maybe ballast was full. Maybe a waterspout. Perhaps they were plowing through the water at just the wrong speed and it was a bowrider and just put the bow under the water. Hard to explain but it did happen. The lakes can get very rough quickly. There are boats there that would have difficulty with 4' waves but you'd have to do things just right to cause one to sink and apparently they did.

I'd love to know what the boat was. I'd read an article just a few days ago too about all the drownings on Charlotte area lakes. 15+ a yer.

The first issue has nothing to do with weather. An innocent oversight. How many times have you gotten to your car only to realize you forgot your keys? It doesn't make you an irresponsible or inexperienced driver. It happens.

The second incident stated that there was no water in the ballast tanks. However, I have seen many, many bow riders come up to the sandbar improperly trimmed (bow down) due to uneven loading of passengers. Too many people up front and the boat runs bow down. Those low freeboard boats can easily stuff a bow, especially if bow down. Most of those boats are not self-bailing. It only needs to bury the bow a few times to swamp her.

One of the reasons I never got a pilot's license is that I knew I would forget something one day and kill myself.

Group9 said:

One of the reasons I never got a pilot's license is that I knew I would forget something one day and kill myself.

Click to expand...

Group,

You could use that logic for boating, too.

But that's what checklists and flows are for. But we still forget stuff, and we learn how to deal with it... it doesn't have to be life threatening.

One of my worst piloting mistakes was forgetting the charts. It was with my pilot buddy and we shared co-captaining the plane.... we each thought the other had the charts. After a hour out realized out mistake, turned around and went home and cancelled the trip. Another lesson, there cannot be two captains in charge on one plane (or vessel).

Now, go get that pilots license, you'll be surprise how much money you save on boating.

Group9 said:

One of the reasons I never got a pilot's license is that I knew I would forget something one day and kill myself.

Click to expand...

Ah, something I could copy and paste for myself!!

"Now, go get that pilots license, you'll be surprise how much money you save on boating."

LMAO!!

sbu22 said:

"Now, go get that pilots license, you'll be surprise how much money you save on boating."



LMAO!!

Click to expand...

Hole in the water, hole in the air......

Flying sucks as a hobby. Expensive, stressful, and your passengers worry about safety. And, even when you arrive at the paradise destination, now what? Sit in the plane and stare out the window? No, you need to find a boat to rent.. That's why so many ex pilots on THIS forum.

diver dave said:

Flying sucks as a hobby. Expensive, stressful, and your passengers worry about safety. And, even when you arrive at the paradise destination, now what? Sit in the plane and stare out the window? No, you need to find a boat to rent.. That's why so many ex pilots on THIS forum.

Click to expand...

I used to fly. Now I boat.

That’s not why. Most of us lost our medical certificates. Now we are old farts on boats. [emoji38] Gotta keep movin’.

Yeah. I know. But i wrote words we could more easily accept[emoji3]

diver dave said:

Flying sucks as a hobby. Expensive, stressful, and your passengers worry about safety. And, even when you arrive at the paradise destination, now what? Sit in the plane and stare out the window? No, you need to find a boat to rent.. That's why so many ex pilots on THIS forum.

Click to expand...

Diver Dave,

There's still a LOT of us that do boat. I'm not giving up flying or boating. Gotta have more than one thing to complain about. They serve way different purposes and missions. It's really to fly to boating.

As for safety, they both have their risks, but agreed, the risk of flying is MUCH higher and does take a higher level of safety standards.

And both can be expensive or relative cheap. If I run out of money, there's always an ultralight and a row boat.....

Seevee said:

Group,

You could use that logic for boating, too.

But that's what checklists and flows are for. But we still forget stuff, and we learn how to deal with it... it doesn't have to be life threatening.

One of my worst piloting mistakes was forgetting the charts. It was with my pilot buddy and we shared co-captaining the plane.... we each thought the other had the charts. After a hour out realized out mistake, turned around and went home and cancelled the trip. Another lesson, there cannot be two captains in charge on one plane (or vessel).

Now, go get that pilots license, you'll be surprise how much money you save on boating.

Click to expand...

The difference is, I have been running boats since I was six years old. Like airplanes, I imagine, in boats, there is no substitute for experience.

The only good reason to own an airplane? To get to your boat faster.

Bill (who just sold his fourth, and last, airplane and now has to drive nine hours.)

Share.garmin.com/williambutler3.

I've flown a few times with a boat, motor, and gas in the back. Luv that 2 piece cargo door on the Cher. 6. Others have flown with a boat underneath. Does that count?