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Head on at Topoc?

Singleton

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Good family friend was on the boat and still missing. Not looking good. Her family is on the way out there. Surreal.

Thoughts are with you and your family friends during this time. Speak up if they need anything.
 

JSquared

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We’re out here, and the word around the park is that one of the boats was sitting just outside the channel without lights, and the other was coming into the channel but didn’t see them.
 

JSquared

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A80E366A-0057-44AE-8FF4-393B9DE06400.jpeg
 

Hallett Dave

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We’re out here, and the word around the park is that one of the boats was sitting just outside the channel without lights, and the other was coming into the channel but didn’t see them.

So it is the word around the Park?
Refresh my memory but entering Pirate channel is still a NO WAKE ZONE is it not?
All boats should be off the throttle entering the channel.
I'm not getting it.:confused:
So who was at fault?
A boat not under power with no running lights and possibly another boat coming into the channel too hot.
We may never know.
 
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RiverDave

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Remarkably small amount of information about this accident on this forum considering the intensity of concentration of people frequenting here and the location of the accident but seems to be the trend with recent fatal accidents. Very curious why there has not been a responsible, productive conversation about the M35 accident Desert Storm, but nothing....not a word... Very sad deal but perhaps something to learn for the future?

As for the matter at hand if I understand it correctly.. 16 people on 2 boats (don't care about brand or size of boats) sounds like both boats on plane, in the river, at 8PM at night (totally dark or getting dark) on what is arguably the busiest weekend of the year..... sounds like a whole lot of "deck stacked against" a good outcome...

Hope the final outcome end up being better than it sounds like its going to be. I have seen threads here over the years about Holiday Weekends, dialing it back, extra careful or opting out entirely... sure reinforces those ideas....

It happened last night, way up river past Topock.. I'm not sure how much information could be had yet?

On the M35 front, I'm not sure how you can have a conversation about that, that is productive or even responsible? At best all anyone can do is theorize, and guess, because none of us were there?

RD
 

wallnutz

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Sorry to hear Tank, that’s rough not knowing.
Sad deal all around.
 

RiverDave

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I'm really hoping for the best outcome here.

I have always said, Anyone that drives fast at night is asking for it.. Because there's always some dumbass out there with no lights on, or there lights barely work. I was watching boats in the channel last night up until the party ended and I swear 50% of the boats that went by after 10 pm had something wrong with their nav lights..

RD
 

LargeOrangeFont

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So it is the word around the Park?
Refresh my memory but entering Pirate channel is still a NO WAKE ZONE is it not?
All boats should be off the throttle entering the channel.
I'm not getting it.:confused:
So who was at fault?
A boat not under power with no running lights and possibly another boat coming into the channel too hot.
We may never know.

It’s not no wake until you get into it.

It is a blind corner to the south as you exit and enter. Having no wake to that point is dumb.
 

DC-88

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So sad....
I've seen an increasing number of boats heading North cutting over early at speed to the "wrong" side of the river to be ready to enter the channel at Moabi . Just like the stupid shit that happens daily with boaters heading South into Havasu white knuckled with their feet up . It's easy to spot the drivers with bad eyesight too based on their terrible reaction times as things develop in traffic when the sun is low or at dusk. If you can't see, slow the fuck down . RIP to the lost and glad I stayed home--
 

Hallett Dave

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It’s not no wake until you get into it.

It is a blind corner to the south as you exit and enter. Having no wake to that point is dumb.

I know the area well. That was not the point I was trying to make.

Blind corner at night possibly coming in too hot.

We will probably never know what really happened.

I'm done with this.

As I posted before, Prayers for all involved.
 

LargeOrangeFont

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I know the area well. That was not the point I was trying to make.

Blind corner at night possibly coming in too hot.

We will probably never know what really happened.

I'm done with this.

As I posted before, Prayers for all involved.


Correct. There is no point in speculation. We don’t even know where exactly this happened. One or both boats were likely doing something questionable at the time otherwise it would not have happened.
 

sirbob

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Got up this morning and put this shirt on before I heard the news.

Kind of weird for me because I rarely wear a black shirt in the summer.

RIP fellow boaters...


IMG_5679.JPG
 

Ouderkirk

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How the fuck do you have a head on collision?
Too fast to avoid and being inattentive by both of the drivers and the passengers?
No one needs to experience this situation.
I don't boat on big weekends.
Big money, big fast boats and big egos in a narrow section of the river are a recipe for disaster.
That is my opinion and I will stick to it.
Just because people have big money and big powered boats does not mean they have cart blanche on the water ways.
Wake the fuck up folks.

As my dad used to say....

They've got more money than brains.

Hope the best for everyone, though presumed submerged doesn't sound good.
 

HBCraig

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It made to channel 7 ABC news here in socal as well.

Prayers to all involved.
 

boatpi

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There's one word that will come to mind when negotiating Devils elbow in the river right around the gas pipeline , "inattention", this can be a deadly word.
 

thmterry

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What a terrible deal. Thoughts and prayers to everyone involved.

I read on FB they closed down the river south of Moabi. That sucks for Topoc too, last big weekend of the season and this happens. Does anyone know how far they shut it down?
 

FreeBird236

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Very sad, sorry it had to directly effect RDP members.:( Prayers.
 

2Driver

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FFDA2A05-CEC9-4474-AAD8-240944A97306.jpeg
There are a number of things to get confused with between land and boat lights that you really have to be on your game, and even then. Ive lost all peripheral vison of the banks and its eery.

One thing I hated about my Ultra is that the gauges were on with Nav lights, which is a night blinding recipe for a disaster IMO. We never drove more than a short float from the house. Sad deal for sure
 

OldSchoolBoats

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What a terrible deal. Thoughts and prayers to everyone involved.

I read on FB they closed down the river south of Moabi. That sucks for Topoc too, last big weekend of the season and this happens. Does anyone know how far they shut it down?
Yeah man......they are definitely losing out on a big $$$ day today. I seems petty to think about money during a time of tragedy like this, but definitely sucks for them and all the employees.

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OldSchoolBoats

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Well we now know the driver of that sheriff truck doesn't back a trailer much...
Was thinking the same thing......like...WTF.... someone has to know what they are doing...lol.

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wallnutz

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View attachment 679035 There are a number of things to get confused with between land and boat lights that you really have to be on your game, and even then. Ive lost all peripheral vison of the banks and its eery.

One thing I hated about my Ultra is that the gauges were on with Nav lights, which is a night blinding recipe for a disaster IMO. We never drove more than a short float from the house. Sad deal for sure
I used to put a towel over my gauges the few times I drove at night.
 

OfftheGrid

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My old river boat (Shockwave) had separate nav and dash lights...with that said we did very few night rides through the years. I always took a high powered flashlight to spot if I heard another boat coming. Better to blind them for a second than collide. Seems hard to tell how close they are at night by engine noise, or maybe the fear of the unknown. Sad deal, none the less
 

DrHW

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Very sad news. Prayers out to all involved. We don't go on the Holiday Weekends. God bless.
 

TITTIES AND BEER

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Looks like hit a left rear can’t realy see ?
 

riverholic88

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As of 3:00pm the 285 Hallett was still upside down in the middle of the river and they were dragging the Sleekcraft towards Topock 66. the owner of the 285 is/was a great guy, had known him through Hallett for a number of years, always a sad situation to see and hear things like this. spoke with a gentleman who was one of a few boats cruising up river with the 285 when the accident after having lunch earlier today at Topock .
 

Magic34

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I have always said, Anyone that drives fast at night is asking for it.. Because there's always some dumbass out there with no lights on, or there lights barely work. I was watching boats in the channel last night up until the party ended and I swear 50% of the boats that went by after 10 pm had something wrong with their nav lights..

RD


There are people running on the lake without lights nor do they show up on radar. I almost hit someone with my Formula one night. We were cruising about 25 MPH and all the sudden a spotlight hit me dead ahead, 75 yards away, I turned hard left and looked my screen... nothing. No wake buoys, rock markers, shoreline.. everything shows up on radar except this one sailboat. Freaked the heck out of me.

Boating on San Diego Bay... there are so many city lights, you can barely tell whats actually a boat at night, I'd cruise at night all the time, 8.5-9 knots at most.

You can take all the safety measures you want.... I had full radar, full screen GPS marine chart plotting navigation... and that didn't help a potential accident with a black boat at night with no lights.
 

Magic34

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Here's a view of the bay at night... the glare helps see the water, but nav lights gets mixed all in with the background.

SD2.jpg


SD1.jpg
 

Slats

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Very sad in all respects to the accident. But just a thought. If your floating at night. Why not keep your lights on. Not saying that’s the problem. Just wondering going on current info.
 

Wayn-o

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View attachment 679035 There are a number of things to get confused with between land and boat lights that you really have to be on your game, and even then. Ive lost all peripheral vison of the banks and its eery.

One thing I hated about my Ultra is that the gauges were on with Nav lights, which is a night blinding recipe for a disaster IMO. We never drove more than a short float from the house. Sad deal for sure
I used to have white backed gauges in my old Ultimate. I replaced all the gauge lights with red bulbs as red doesnt dialate the pupils and doesnt look look like a hand full of mag lights pointed at you.
 

stephenkatsea

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Navigation light are a necessary requirement after sunset. But, put them against some back lights and they become very difficult to distinguish. BTW - The USCG definition of sunset is, "When you can no longer see the sun". Therefore when the sun drops behind a hill or mountain, it is "Sunset".

Tragic accident. Let's wait for the facts to come forth. But, IMHO, boating on a major holiday weekend and boating after sunset, bring on substantial increased potential hazards.
 
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