SPEED KILLS - US Coast Guard Auxiliary

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Woodsy

However, the article you mentioned really has nothing to do with excessive speed as debated here in this forum or as it pertains to HB-162 and Lake Winnipesaukee. In this particular instance, the primary cause of the accident was striking a submerged object, not excessive speed.

I've been watching this statistic with interest for some time.

"Striking submerged object" seems to be the "Miscellaneous File" for boating accidents at high speed. Seldom is the object identified.

Certainly, in the rivers out West -- and particularly in the Pacific Northwest -- there are lots of submerged objects. I've seen a single piece of "driftwood" at the mouth of the Columbia River that you couldn't see over. (And it floated there). Light, small, boats could be affected by submerged objects even at slower speeds.

It is far more likely that these boats were simply "going too fast for conditions", and were upset by a wave or wake. Inattention to water conditions at high speed would account for "I musta hit a submerged log".

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