Randygh
07-10-2007, 09:50 PM
One of our close family friends bought a new go-fast boat this spring. 24' that will hit 60 mph +. He and two friends were participating in a poker run on Lake Chelan last weekend. They were about 40 miles uplake near Lucerne on smooth water when he hit the Lady Of The Lake's wake at an angle. I don't know how fast he was going but fortunately he had the kill switch attached to his body because he buried the bow and he and one of his passengers (73 yr old lady) were thrown out of the boat. They broke a side window as they were being ejected into the drink. The lady's husband stayed onboard. The lady and our friend got back on the boat with help of nearby boaters. The lady was airlifted to Wenatchee's hospital. No serious injuries and was discharged. Our friend and the lady's husband brought the boat back down lake to where it is moored. Our friend was really feeling ****tty when they got back so he went to the Lake Chelan hospital--four broken ribs and a punctured lung. Fortunately he didn't develop a pneumothorax on the side of the injured lung. He spent the night in the hospital and is home now. One sore hombre. Darn lucky he didn't develop a pneumothorax after puncturing a lung--could have been bad kimshee. They were all very lucky.
He is an experienced boater, but must not have been paying close attention to the Lady's wake. The accident was totally avoidable but does show how even experienced boaters make mistakes.
He is an experienced boater, but must not have been paying close attention to the Lady's wake. The accident was totally avoidable but does show how even experienced boaters make mistakes.