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Daughter of Blue Jays coach killed while tubing

rrrr

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I probably shouldn't jump to conclusions about this situation, but it's difficult not to pass judgement on the driver of the boat that killed Julia Budzinski on Saturday. It's a horrible situation and so sad that a young life was snuffed out by what appears to be negligent operation.

I've never boated on the James River. It's about 250' wide at Richmond, and discharges into Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. The river is navigable to small ships at Richmond and points downstream, and the channel is dredged to a depth of 25'. There's mostly recreational traffic on weekends. These are relevant points because the boat was supposedly pushed over the girl by a passing wave as it manuevered to retrieve her from the water after she fell off a towable.

The 17-year-old daughter of Toronto Blue Jays first base coach Mark Budzinski died in a boating accident in Virginia over the weekend, authorities said Monday.

Julia Budzinski was one of two girls who fell off a tube being pulled behind a boat on the James River in Richmond on Saturday, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources spokesperson Paige Pearson said.

As the boat operator returned to get the girls out of the water, the boat hit a wave, causing it to be pushed on top of Budzinski and striking her with the propeller, Pearson said. The boat driver and the operator of another passing boat jumped into the water to try to rescue Budzinski, who was pronounced dead at a hospital.


At first glance, the description of how she died points to negligent operation by the driver. If there were waves large enough to move a boat over the top of someone in the water, extreme caution would be required. If I was driving the boat, I would have approached her from upstream and positioned the boat so river current carried it close to her.

Then I would put the drive in neutral and shut off the engine. In the thousands of times I've picked up a downed skier or towable rider, I've never kept the boat under power when closer than a boat length and moving in the direction of the rider. I'm also ready to shut off the engine or pull the E stop lanyard if things go awry.

If I miscalculate and drift past the rider, I wait until well clear of the them and then engage power to make another run. It's no big deal. I'm confident those of you reading this know exactly what I'm describing and would manuever the boat in the same manner.

As in every fatal boating accident, we as responsible operators must examine these incidents and place ourselves at the helm. Was the boat operated in a conservative manner? What would we do differently?

It is terribly sad these things occur. The loss of a young person, the gut wrenching effect on the parents and family, and the void left by the death leave deep scars.

I pray the soul of Julia Budzinski will rest easy. So young.

:(
 

SBMech

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Heartbreaking.

That's exactly how I was taught to retrieve skiers/tubers, line up slow down make your last correction and shut it down about 10 feet away, if you miss, wait till clear, yell out an audible (Starting! Clear!) and circle around again....aggressively waving off other boats etc. I do this with every type of propulsion as well, don't care.

Some people have complained I'm uptight about sitting down while the boat is moving and my rigidness about following MY RULES when people are in and being towed by ME.

I've never even come close to an accident however, and I plan to keep it that way.

Well..unless you count the times people I let drive almost run me over...then there are a few close calls lol...people have to learn somehow, and you can't always drive!

RIP young woman.
 

havasuhusker

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Heartbreaking.

line up slow down make your last correction and shut it down about 10 feet away, if you miss, wait till clear, yell out an audible (Starting! Clear!) and circle around again....aggressively waving off other boats etc. I do this with every type of propulsion as well, don't care.

I do the same. I get very weary getting too close to people in the water with the boat running.
 

oldboatsrule

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RIP. Horrible for everyone involved.

If it's rough ,windy, and you have limited skills. Just circle the downed person while dragging the ski rope as you would if they wanted to get up again. Once the person has the rope in hand. Shut the boat off and pull em in.
Safe , simple and everybody get aboard safely.

Not my usual routine... but it's how I have friends pick me up while they are operating my shit.
 
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