GL: Sunken yacht in ICW

[Ralph Yost (home)]

I am relatively amazed at all the chatter from this email list about this, 
especially the condemnation of the skipper.

 The statement below is pretty much correct. The boat running at 22 kts was 
not doing excessive speed. It was about right for a planing hull. Normal 
cruise speed. It was not a no-wake zone. I've been through that part of the 
ICW and there is nothing wrong with being at that speed in that location.

The fact that they hit a submerge piling doesnt imply any negligence on 
their part. They WERE in the channel, even if over on the side. The deep 
water is fairly wide there so there was no cause to have to be right in the 
middle. And we dont know if any other boats were heading in the opposite 
direction, warranting their position on the side of the channel.
How can we assign blame to anyone for not seeing a submerged object?

John Gill was correct to place the blame on the boat that knocked down the 
piling.

Is there a lesson for us Loopers? Yes, there is always more to the story.
R.

> There is no spped limit in the ICW, they have every right
> to travel at their chosen speed. Respect for slower boats
> and easy passes are a must. There is a few idiots out there
> and I appreciate a safe place to travel also if it is
> lunmpy outside. Maybe you should try being on a job instead
> of an adventure at a snails pace. The waterways are for
> all. CaptMimi