Cindy Tate Accident

[Webjammin]

I know this is a month old tragic story but I think it is worth a mention here.

http://www.nwcn.com/video/index.html?nvid=386241

[Stray Cat]

I remember the Mirage boat and the women and her husband that pretty much got a total lemon from him. The story says he is working for a Canadian company (Sidewinder I think). How is this guy still doing business? Don't people do any kind of backround check before they hire him?

[The Peddler]

Regardless the boat, there's still something wrong with 10 people in a 20' boat, none with or wearing life jackets...

[Stray Cat]

Agreed. The report said she was an experienced boater. That sounds like a rookie mistake to me. Or very poor judgment.

[The Peddler]

I hate to speculate, so I won't. Anytime someone loses their life, it's tragic. I believe this death could have been prevented.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Isn't there a requirement by the state or at national level to ensure a boat builder builds a safe boat? Doesn't it need to be USCG approved? If so and it was placarded, then the builder may not be liable for this inferior product.

Tragic... yes... some blame is in the operators hands too...

[SomeSailor]

I think the jist of the complaints stem from their use of open-cell foam in the boat. Over time a ski boat can be expected to take on lots of water through rainwater and splashing and wet swimmers. Open-cell foam just soaks it up and gets heavier and heavier.

While it's arguable that the boat was heavily loaded, I've heard nothing that says it was overloaded. Even if it was a rookie mistake the stability of the boat shouldn't be in question. It is in this case.

[Randygh]

I wonder if there were 10 PFDs onboard? I've been boating all my life and I'd never have 10 adults onboard a 20' boat. I don't care if the boat placard says the boat could handle that much weight, I'd never have more than 5 or 6 adults onboard. It is going to be interesting to see what litigation will come from this trajic, unfortunate incident.

[Webjammin]

A few years back I had to remove our hot tub from the 2nd story deck, and during the salvage operation to remove the cabinet from around it I remember cutting that waterlogged open cell foam that the mfg had used, off and it had the consistancy of cutting thru a watermellon.

And (9) adults passengers scurrying to get off the side of a boat after it torpedoed thru a wake or took a wake over the gunnel or stern of that boat, that probably only had a few inches of freeboard does'nt paint a good seaworthy picture.

[SomeSailor]

Yeah... and I'm thinkin' good judgment or not... she didn't have much time to react. Really a shame that a boat like that would head for the bottom and not at least float around belly-up for awhile.

It went all the way to the bottom before anyone could have helped.