Four hurt in boating accident

[Puck]

From the Laconia Citizen Monday, July 31, 2006

Four hurt in boating accident

[LIforrelaxin]

Not sure why things like that have to happen but they do from time to time...the Big question I have is was any alcohol involved? If it is I would say it is the problem and reason....but if not then who knows?

Of course the possibilty of that happening is why I won't do things like that when it is busy, and also why whether or not the rider is having a blast or not if I feel space around me is getting to confined I pull back on the throttle....

[Joanna16]

Has anyone bought or even just seen those new tubes that on purpose lift the rider out of the water? They're an accident waiting to happen.

[NightWing]

Originally Posted by Joanna16

Has anyone bought or even just seen those new tubes that on purpose lift the rider out of the water? They're an accident waiting to happen.

http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ead.php?t=3324

[Waterbaby]

Originally Posted by Puck

From the Laconia Citizen Monday, July 31, 2006

Four hurt in boating accident

I work in Hampton Falls, about 1/2 mile from where Solomon lives...... will check out what anybody has heard about this. The store I work in is kind of like info central, lol.

[jetskier]

I saw one of the flying towables when I was out on Paugus Bay this past Sunday. There appeared to be a person of about 10 to 12 years of age on the thing. It was completely unstable when it became airborne and I was fairly sure that the person had fallen off. In this case, he had not. These things look like an accident waiting to happen. I can imagine that the could crash uncontrolled into the water or anything in the radius of the tow rope.

Jetskier

PS: To the Formula the blew by me at about 50 Mph and 50 feet...you need to take a safe boating course

[Woodsy]

Was that the guy in the yellow Crownline towing the flying tube? He needs an SBC class! He drove on plane across my bow less than 25' away when I had right of way! While towing his kid on that tube! What a BONEHEAD!

Woodsy

[secondcurve]

Jetskier:

That Formula must have been the same one that motored between my boat and another at 30-40 MPH while we both anchored off of Farm Island Saturday afternoon. The two boats were anchored roughly 125 feet apart and my boat had swimmers in the water. The driver of the formula stared me down as he blew by. The amazing thing is that we were hugging the island so there was plenty of open water behind us, in the direction of Pier 19, but he wanted to hug Farm Island. I can understand violating the 150 foot rule by accident on occasion, but to split two anchored boats that are just off an island blows my mind.

[Skipper of the Sea Que]

How could this happen?

The boat and the tube should be at least 150 feet away from shore and docks unless at headway speed. My ski tow line is 75 feet long and my tube tow line is 50 feet long. Even if someone misunderstood the rules and thought that just the boat (not the towed skier or tube) had to observe the 150' rule this should not have happened.

In the "old days" my brother would do a dock start and when he was done he would do a dock stop. As he approached the stationary raft he would toss the tow line and glide to the raft where he would sit down before sinking. The dock start is still allowed but the dock stop we used to do would violate the rules today. By the way, we had a spotter on the raft to alert us to any swimmers or snorkeler just in case we didn't see them as we approached the dock. My brother wouldn't drop a ski he would take it off and hold it then place it on the raft as we went by.

I can not understand how this "accident" happened. Was the tow line over 150 feet long? I doubt it. The boat should have been minimum 150 feet from the dock. With a standard length tow line the tube should not have been close to the dock. Even if the boater misjudged the length of the tow line he has no excuse for misjudging the distance from the boat to the dock. I would be interested in how the boater explains all this.

I do hope all involved recover quickly and without discomfort.

[WakeUp]

It's the classic 'Catch 22!!!' Follow my thinking....The lake is such a wonderful place to engage in so many activities, it seems many people try to squeeze a "summers worth" of activity into a few short hours or days. By doing this, common sense takes a back seat. The operator becomes less aware of the reality around him. I see this ALL THE TIME. A lot of us have. I'ts like you can smell them a mile away! Wierd but true. I avoid them at all cost.
I hope this makes a bit of sense.....

[MAXUM]

Interesting that the article stops short of reporting what happened to the driver of the boat, IE what kind of summons was issued.

[Bear Islander]

You need a special permit from the Marine Patrol to use a Kit Glider or a Parasail. Seems to me that would include a tube that was designed to fly.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

You need a special permit from the Marine Patrol to use a Kit Glider or a Parasail. Seems to me that would include a tube that was designed to fly.

No, the tubes in question do not meet the description of "parasail" as defined by the State, therefore no permit is required.

The parasailing rules and definitions are reprinted below for the readers perusal, with the applicable passages highlighted in red.

Skip


PART Saf-C 413 WATER EVENT AND SLALOM COURSE PERMITS

Saf-C 413.01 Permits, When Necessary.

(a) Pursuant to RSA 270-D:4, any individual who undertakes the following activities shall obtain a permit from the commissioner:

(1) Waterski slalom;

(2) Waterski jump;

(3) Fishing tournament or derby;

(4) Waterski show;

(5) Boat races;

(6) Boat parade;

(7) Parasailing; or

(8) Other water event.


Parasailing defined:

Saf-C 401.19 "Parasail" means a parachute type device to which an individual attaches himself or herself and is then towed by a motorboat.

[WakeUp]

Skip - thanks, you've always provided valuable information to all of us on the forum. However, one could argue this type tube DOES meet the requirements of a parasail. Here's my thinking: Because the surface area is so large and creates so much lift to go airborne, then the opposite must be true when the tube comes back onto the water, i.e. can be a 'soft' landing. Seems to me the parameters one would classify a parachute is total surface area? Just a thought, interested in your opinion.

[Skip]

Hi Wakeup....

I can see your point. But the legislative intent was clearly to regulate airborne devices that fill with air and "fly" with some degree of user control.

While the tubes in question can get airborne for short periods of uncontrollable flight under ideal circumstances, they in no way represent the professional parachute devices we see occasionally on the lake. The key phrase in the definition is "attaches himself or herself". In a true parachute type device, you are securely attached via a safety harness. On the towables in question, one merely sits astride the device and hangs on, quite literally, for dear life!

A simple additional phrase, such as "and any device advertised or designed to fly above the surface of the water" would suffice in clearly including the devices in question.

Just my .02, but you raise a very good point!

Skip

[WakeUp]

Skip - you hit it on the head. The term "user control" is the key term I did not consider in my thinking. There is ZERO control on those flying tubes! Thanks

[Hallnit]

The Kite tube has been recalled due to serious injury and deaths. Reported on the manufacturers web site and Overtons site.

[Bear Islander]

Skip

OK it's not a Parasail. But the on line regulations also say you need a permit for a Kit Glider. However that is not listed in your quote.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

...OK it's not a Parasail. But the on line regulations also say you need a permit for a Kit Glider. However that is not listed in your quote...

My "quote" is not a quote per se, but the actual Safety Department Administrative regulation covering parasailing and other special activities.

As in many cases, a State RSA mirrors the Administrative Rule in question.

The RSA in this particular case is (with applicable passages in red):

TITLE XXII
NAVIGATION; HARBORS; COAST SURVEY
CHAPTER 270-D
BOATING AND WATER SAFETY ON NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC WATERS
Section 270-D:4
270-D:4 Permit for Water Events. – Any person who undertakes any of the following activities on the public waters of the state shall first obtain a permit from the commissioner, subject to such conditions as he shall establish by rule:
I. Sponsor a water event, including but not limited to, a carnival or exhibition.
II. Place a water ski jump.
III. Tow a kit glider or parasail.
IV. Tow more than 2 skiers.
Source. 1990, 171:1, eff. June 26, 1990.

The application you speak of takes it wording from both the RSA and the Administrative Rule. However, the form you may be referring to may be outdated, as the current DSSS 57 application as available on-line only contains the word parasail. I'll speculate that someone at MPHQ penciled in kit-glider to refect the RSA requirement.

In either case, the tubes in question are not parasails nor are they kit gliders, hence no permit is required to use one.

And as I recommend in each and every case, please contact the New Hampshire Marine Patrol direct for the answer to this or any other of your boating safety questions!

Hope this clears up any confusion,

Skip

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Skipper of the Sea Que

In the "old days" my brother would do a dock start and when he was done he would do a dock stop. As he approached the stationary raft he would toss the tow line and glide to the raft where he would sit down before sinking. The dock start is still allowed but the dock stop we used to do would violate the rules today. By the way, we had a spotter on the raft to alert us to any swimmers or snorkeler just in case we didn't see them as we approached the dock. My brother wouldn't drop a ski he would take it off and hold it then place it on the raft as we went by. {snip}

We used to do the same thing for raft starts and stops. The tricky bit was to get your cut and speed just right and then release so you got to zero velocity right at the raft's edge. A little excess speed could be scrubbed off with a quick cut just before impact but many a time I had the alternate scenario - too little speed. Very embarrasing to have the raft mere inches from your outstretched hand as you slowly sink into the lake. Of course there were always a few sitting closeby to add insult to injury. The really good skiers (I was not one of them) would get a wild cut and be able to glide the length of the Brookhurst docks and do a beach landing. That was a no no then as well as today I don't ever recall a skier T-boning a boat so they must have been lucky. It was fun to watch, and even more fun to see the law of conservation of momentum in action when someone came into the beach with too much speed ... the ski stopping at the waterline; the skier, not.

[RumGuy]

I remember once slaloming up to the dock (with an audience) a bit too quickly. I drew the ski nearly vertical and hit the dock (fortunately gently) with the bottom of the ski, cushioning the blow with my knees. My guests were impressed at how good a skier I was; what they didn't know is THAT I'M NOT, and they nearly got to see Lakes Region General!

I'll drop beyond the raft and swim in thanks....

[jkjoshuatree]

The dock start is still allowed but the dock stop we used to do would violate the rules today.




I had friends up a few weeks ago that couldn't get up on a kneeboard for the life of them and a raft start would definitely increase their chances.

If this is indeed still allowed, could someone give me a link or info stating it as such.

Thank you!!

[Skip]

Originally Posted by jkjoshuatree

...The dock start is still allowed but the dock stop we used to do would violate the rules today....if this is indeed still allowed, could someone give me a link or info stating it as such...

Yes, starting a skier from dock or shore is still conditionally allowed, the appropriate passage is highlighted in red below:


TITLE XXII
NAVIGATION; HARBORS; COAST SURVEY
CHAPTER 270-D
BOATING AND WATER SAFETY ON NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC WATERS
Section 270-D:2
270-D:2 General Rules for Vessels Operating on Water. –
I. Vessels shall be operated at headway speed only, while passing under all bridges.
II. (a) It shall be the duty of each vessel to keep to the right when vessels are approaching each other head on.
(b) When the courses of vessels are so far to the starboard of each other as not to be considered as approaching head on, they shall keep to the left.
III. When vessels are crossing courses or approaching each other in an oblique direction which may involve risk of collision, the vessel which has the other on its starboard side shall keep out of the way of the other, allowing the latter vessel to keep its course and speed.
IV. When vessels are running in the same direction and the vessel which is astern desires to pass the other, it shall do so only when sufficient distance between the vessels is available to avoid danger of collision, and at such a speed that its wake will not endanger the boat being passed or its occupants. No person operating a vessel shall abruptly change its course without first determining that it can safely be done without crossing immediately ahead of another vessel.
V. If, when vessels are approaching each other, either vessel fails to understand the course or intention of the other from any cause, such vessel or vessels shall immediately slow to a speed barely sufficient for steerage until the vessels have safely passed each other. If it appears the danger of collision is imminent both vessels shall stop or reverse and not proceed until such danger has been averted.
VI. (a) To provide full visibility and control and to prevent their wake from being thrown into or causing excessive rocking to other boats, barges, water skiers, aquaplanes or other boats, rafts or floats, all vessels shall maintain headway speed when within 150 feet from:
(1) Rafts, floats, swimmers.
(2) Permitted swimming areas.
(3) Shore.
(4) Docks.
(5) Mooring fields.
(6) Other vessels.
(b) These requirements shall not apply when:
(1) Starting skiers from shore, docks or floats, as long as neither the boat nor the skier is endangering the life or safety of any person.
(2) A vessel is in the federal deepwater shipping channel of the Piscataqua River between navigation buoys R2, Wood Island at the mouth of the river and R12, opposite the Sprague Terminal.
(c) The operator of a towing boat shall be responsible for compliance with this paragraph.
(d) The requirements of RSA 270-D:2, VI(a)(3) shall not apply to a vessel in the waters of the Androscoggin River from the Errol Dam to Umbagog Lake or in the waters of the Magalloway River within the state of New Hampshire.
VI-a. [Repealed.]
VII. When a vessel is given the right-of-way, such vessel shall hold its course and maintain such speed as the circumstances prudently permit.
VIII. When a vessel is required to keep out of the way of another, it shall, if necessary, slacken its speed, stop, or reverse, and avoid crossing ahead of any other vessel.
IX. Canoes, rowboats and sailboats shall be given the right-of-way. This requirement shall not be construed to allow deliberate impediment of motorboats by canoes, rowboats or sailboats.
Source. 1990, 171:1. 1994, 78:1. 1995, 191:2, eff. June 1, 1997; 191:3, eff. Dec. 31, 1998. 2002, 272:13, eff. May 18, 2002.

[Commodore]

Originally Posted by Skip

And as I recommend in each and every case, please contact the New Hampshire Marine Patrol direct for the answer to this or any other of your boating safety questions! Skip

I have called MP HQ with questions over the years as Skip suggests. In my experience Skip's explanations backed up by the RSAs are always accurate. The average summer MP or dispatcher does not have Skip's level of expertise. The MPs do an excellent job but Skip knows and understands the rules and regulations.

Thank you Skip for all the great information you bring to the forum.