MLF Boat Crash

[northgeorgiasportsman]

I would say we know plenty enough of them. And can recognize simple, repeating patterns.

Oh, I agree if what we think we know is the truth, the tournament fisherman was completely at fault. "IF" the center console was stationary, all blame falls on the tournament fisherman.

And what I'm about to say is in no way an attempt to cast blame upon the charter captain, but apparently (from eyewitness accounts) he was sitting in a dangerous spot. As a boat captain charged with the safety of your occupants, you've got to be aware that you're placing yourself in a potential hazard area.
I know better than to sit in the middle of lake in heavy fog.

It's like I tell my daughter when I'm teaching her to drive, "you may have the legal right of way, but you don't know what the other guy is going to do. Just because you know you're right, doesn't mean you can't get killed.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Oh, I agree if what we think we know is the truth, the tournament fisherman was completely at fault. "IF" the center console was stationary, all blame falls on the tournament fisherman.

And what I'm about to say is in no way an attempt to cast blame upon the charter captain, but apparently (from eyewitness accounts) he was sitting in a dangerous spot. As a boat captain charged with the safety of your occupants, you've got to be aware that you're placing yourself in a potential hazard area.
I know better than to sit in the middle of lake in heavy fog.

It's like I tell my daughter when I'm teaching her to drive, "you may have the legal right of way, but you don't know what the other guy is going to do. Just because you know you're right, doesn't mean you can't get killed.

True, but there wouldn't be a problem with him fishing anywhere if there weren't a hundred people who think they're special and own the lake running around at 70-80 mph. It wasn't him who created the danger. It's the folks who think they should never have to slow down for anything. I have about been hit by a couple of those idiots over the years myself, and they tend to get mad at the person they almost hit just because he's got the gall to be fishing on the (public) lake while they're having their tournament, which is the most important thing that ever happened in the world since Jesus was born, apparently. I don't think joining a fishing tournament automatically exempts you from using common sense, being cordial and mindful of other fishermen, and slowing your self down if needed.

I also know better than to run wide open on plane down the lake in a heavy fog if I can't see what's in front of me.

 

[JustUs4All]

Does the law in Alabama have anything to say about the speed of a boat under power within say 100 feet of a stationary boat? If I remember correctly Georgia allows idle speed only in that case.

 

[Whitefeather]

Does the law in Alabama have anything to say about the speed of a boat under power within say 100 feet of a stationary boat? If I remember correctly Georgia allows idle speed only in that case.

You are correct. I don’t think he saw the other boat. But Ga does also have speed limits for shoreline and permanent objects. I heard fog was not the determining factor.

Sounds like someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time

 

[notnksnemor]

You are correct. I don’t think he saw the other boat. But Ga does also have speed limits for shoreline and permanent objects. I heard fog was not the determining factor.

Sounds like someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time

If he didn't see the other boat and fog wasn't a factor, I have to think he wasn't even looking ahead while driving. A center console has a pretty big profile.

Looking at his electronics, maybe?

 

[Dustin Pate]

If he didn't see the other boat and fog wasn't a factor, I have to think he wasn't even looking ahead while driving. A center console has a pretty big profile.

Looking at his electronics, maybe?

I'd say that would be very possible. I had a guy at West Point almost come in my boat coming out of a no wake zone last month. Had it not been for me making a last second move, he would have done the same thing as this accident. Scared the absolute daylights out of me. He was still looking at his graph as he went by the back of my boat.

There is a video out from another tournament angler that morning. He had a Go Pro running during take off and in his video you can clearly see the center console off the point. No fog to speak of and every other boat was taking a wide, outside lane away from the point. No idea why this guy chose that inside line.

 

[notnksnemor]

I'd say that would be very possible. I had a guy at West Point almost come in my boat coming out of a no wake zone last month. Had it not been for me making a last second move, he would have done the same thing as this accident. Scared the absolute daylights out of me. He was still looking at his graph as he went by the back of my boat.

There is a video out from another tournament angler that morning. He had a Go Pro running during take off and in his video you can clearly see the center console off the point. No fog to speak of and every other boat was taking a wide, outside lane away from the point. No idea why this guy chose that inside line.

The aquatic equivalent of texting while driving.

 

[SkeeterZX225]

Does anyone know if the guide boat had his anchor lights on? I know I have been running down a lake in low light and have seen people anchored in the channel with no lights on.

You would think a guide would be running his lights..unless he was trying to hide from other guides or people that follow guides to fish their spots.

I was on a lake one time at night and this guy was in the middle of the lake with NO lights! He had a little underwater light, but you could not see it until you were right on him. I swerved and went back and told him he needed to get some lights before he got someone killed.

May not be all the anglers fault if this is the case. All those guys run go pros so I am sure there is video.

 

[notnksnemor]

Does anyone know if the guide boat had his anchor lights on? I know I have been running down a lake in low light and have seen people anchored in the channel with no lights on.

You would think a guide would be running his lights..unless he was trying to hide from other guides or people that follow guides to fish their spots.

I was on a lake one time at night and this guy was in the middle of the lake with NO lights! He had a little underwater light, but you could not see it until you were right on him. I swerved and went back and told him he needed to get some lights before he got someone killed.

May not be all the anglers fault if this is the case. All those guys run go pros so I am sure there is video.

Sunrise was at 6:10 am that morning.
The crash happened around 7:00 am.
If fog was not a factor, no anchor lights would be required.
I think something that comes more into play is the bass anglers age.

22 years old.

 

[antharper]

Anymore news about this ?

 

[across the river]

Anymore news about this ?

Haven’t seen any charges or anything but the lawyers have gotten involved on the civil front. I wonder how much insurance MLF had, since that will be the target no doubt. They will probably try to drag the Outdoor Channel in as well I would assume.

Fatal MLF Boat Crash Survivors Hire Lawyer, Plan Lawsuit

The families of the two men who survived the boat crash last week that killed three have hired an attorney who says a lawsuit is imminent.

www.wired2fish.com

 

[Dustin Pate]

Does anyone know if the guide boat had his anchor lights on? I know I have been running down a lake in low light and have seen people anchored in the channel with no lights on.

You would think a guide would be running his lights..unless he was trying to hide from other guides or people that follow guides to fish their spots.

I was on a lake one time at night and this guy was in the middle of the lake with NO lights! He had a little underwater light, but you could not see it until you were right on him. I swerved and went back and told him he needed to get some lights before he got someone killed.

May not be all the anglers fault if this is the case. All those guys run go pros so I am sure there is video.

In the video the other angler posted, you could clearly see the boat sitting off the point way away. It was not even close to low light at the time.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

In the video the other angler posted, you could clearly see the boat sitting off the point way away. It was not even close to low light at the time.

link to vid?

 

[Dustin Pate]

link to vid?

 

[across the river]

link to video

Allegedly this is the boat, but others have said that wasn’t the one that was hit. It is the internet, so take it for what it’s worth.

 

[Gut_Pile]

If that is the correct boat, I don't see any way MLF could be held liable

 

[notnksnemor]

Helm looks like an airplane cockpit.

 

[J12]

Horrible, tragic accident.

 

[antharper]

If that is the correct boat, I don't see any way MLF could be held liable

Why ?

 

[across the river]

Why ?

The fishermen are not “employees” of MLF, BASS, NPFL, etc…. They would be “independent contractors”. It essentially would be no different than an independent truck driver, real estate agent, or woman selling Mary Kay speeding, running a red light and T-boning a family in a mini-van. Unless the freight broker, real-estate company, or Mary Kay could somehow be proven to be negligent to somehow contribute to or cause the accident, they wouldn’t be held responsible for the contractor’s actions, nor should they. Now, I would be willing to bet a suit gets filed against MLF, because that is where the money is at, which is what the lawyers want. However, from a liability standpoint, you can’t really hold a company legally responsible for something their contractor did. If you hire a guy to move your car and he kills someone while hauling it, should you be responsible?