# Boat accident today (8/25/12) at Manistee harbor



## Blueump (Aug 20, 2005)

It appears, from the eye witness accounts, this boat became impatient with the long line of slow boats heading out of the harbor and tried to "get around" them.


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## Davelobi (Feb 14, 2012)

He got around them all right. I agree with operator error. No excuse. Know your harbor and fishing waters. 

just a thought on the "no wake" ..
I don't remember seeing a no wake sign out at the mouth of the harbor. There IS one at the end of the stub pier. Is this where the no wake zone ends in the channel? Maybe the harbor is not a no wake zone. 
Still does not excuse this grave judgment error however.


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## JB85 (Nov 2, 2010)

Think it happened just like lobi said....word has it the punched in waypoint and hit the gas as they rounded the short pier. We must have just missed it as we left the harbor about 6 didnt find out about it until we got back.

As for the fishing we did well....we found them where we have been but had to scrape the bottom for them.


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## Blueump (Aug 20, 2005)

Davelobi said:


> He got around them all right. I agree with operator error. No excuse. Know your harbor and fishing waters.
> 
> just a thought on the "no wake" ..
> I don't remember seeing a no wake sign out at the mouth of the harbor. There IS one at the end of the stub pier. Is this where the no wake zone ends in the channel? Maybe the harbor is not a no wake zone.
> Still does not excuse this grave judgment error however.


Technically, i believe, the "no wake" ends at the river mouth. Still stupid and careless to try to cut around all the other boats. I've seen them come out of the harbor going full tilt, 6 boats wide! There's a whole lotta lake out there: getting there 2 minutes early isn't gonna save a life, but it sure could cost one!


Posted from my cell phone - "I don't text and drive. Trust me, when I'm texting I completely ignore my driving!"


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## hmdomn (Sep 22, 2008)

Fineline said:


> I'm surprised it hasn't happened here in Ludington with all the boat traffic this year. I'm also surprised that nobody has hit a little boat yet. These guy's have poor lighting on their boats and want to troll across the front of the harbor in the dark. There has been hundreds of boats going out an hour and these guy's cut right in front of everybody. Then yell at you they have lines down get out of their way. Hope all on the boat recovers.


We were a "little" boat leaving the harbor over the weekend. It's a 17 ft. Lund. My rig is fully lit with 2 floodlights and was pushed over by a 30 ft'r. in the channel. The name of the boat was Hatrick (spelling?) . It appeared there were about 4-5 on the boat and 2 of them were monkeying with something and not paying attention, slowly edging our boat towards the rockwall.:rant: I guess we were going too slow for them.
Honestly, if you hit a boat (or rockwall) which has visible lights on it in a no-wake channel--you're probably going too fast or not paying attention.


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## Threefish (Jan 20, 2009)

I hope everyone that was on the boat is ok . I wish the best to everyone and all there family's involved. But the safety of everyone is in the hands of the operator whether on the road or any other means of transportation. I don't know about you but I feel responsible for anyone I take out. There is a lot at stake. Not only there safety but others around you. You are not the only one on the water. Common sense goes along way. How many other people are endangered because of careless actions by others. My guess is plenty. So go slow be safe and live to fish another day and use common sense.


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## RIVER LADY (Jun 13, 2005)

That was a messed up scene. 2 were transported for treatment, including the driver. He looked pretty much in shock as I was walking by. I spoke to one of the gentlemen on the boat but, I didn't want to ask too many questions. I just inquired about the well being of the passengers. 

My daughter took a bunch of pics, I will post more later when I can get them off her phone. Basically just an angle from standing on the pier head. 

Really glad no one was seriously injured. Well, as far as we know.


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## RIVER LADY (Jun 13, 2005)




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## Chairman (Aug 18, 2009)

I haven't seen an update on this accident, but heard the 1st mate passed. I hope not.


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## hehibrits (Mar 10, 2007)

I read an article a few days back that of the two men hospitalized, one had been released and the other was upgraded to stable condition.

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## Davelobi (Feb 14, 2012)

http://news.pioneergroup.com/manist...ident-update-both-injured-passengers-improve/

A week and a half old article had the 71 year old released but the 40 something was still in but moved off critical to stable.
He must have been hurt bad to be in that long.


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## Coldwater Charters (Sep 17, 2000)

Salmon fever can be hazardous to your health. One pet peeve I have is the yahoos who have there spreader lights on going down the channel or river. The boat behind you can't see squat because the spreader lights blind you. So if there happens to be a badly lit boat between you and them you couldn't see them at all. Get your rigging done before you leave the dock or while your setting lines. And just have navigation lights on only when underway in the river or channel. If you have to use your speader lights make it brief and remember, the boat behind you are now navigating blind while your lights are on.


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