pics of boat accident on KY lake

[MarkW]

Anybody know who that was or what exactly happened. The forum thread said something about him being life flighted to Louisville. Hope everybody is ok.

[bullrdr6]

This was my post made on the other board. Kenny and I came up right after it happened.

Any of you folks that are going down to KY or Barkley for the rest of the year need to make sure and be careful. Last week while Kenny and I were down there we came into a Marina and a boat that we knew was setting there with no motor. Evidentally the guys got out of the secondary channel and the motor hit a stump at about 50mph. You could tell it was wood because the water intakes were stuffed full of it. The motor sheered off and came onto the back deck of the boat and landed in the drivers seat. The driver had to be taken to the hospital and is ok but has some major surgery coming up on his arm and will probably never get complete movement back in it. They are both lucky the rear pedestal seat was in the boat because it appears the motor came up and hit the pedestal and then turned and the prop ate up some of the back deck. Then landed in the drivers seat.
If the rear pedestal had not been in then neither of them guys would probably be around to talk about it. This was one of the ugliest things I've ever seen. We came into the marina only minutes after it happened on the KY Lake main lake and the paramedics were loading the driver onto a stretcher.

This is just a reminder of how nasty it can get out there and to make sure you stay inside the markers. Kenny will probably have pictures posted within the next couple of days.

Charlie

[apextrail]

Wish those guys the best of luck. I know that area of the lake very well. I have a camper in the resort where these pics were taken. It is a dangerous area filled with stumps if you get out of either channel. Some of these stumps will be exposed or very near exposed when the lake is at winter pool. This time of the year they are 1-2 feet under the surface. Be careful anywhere on the lake this time of year.

[roadrunner]

Wow this is scary, I am familiar with Kentucky Lake and how dangerous it can be. I was running the secondary channel out of Moors and was watching depth finder when all of a sudden I was in 5ft of water at summer pool. The reason I was going slow and watching depth gauge I was trying to pick up the next red buoy. I slowed to an idle then I spotted the red buoy It was way to my left I kept heading to the buoy knowing if I got to the buoy I would have deep water however when I got to the buoy I hit the big stump that the buoy had caught on after it had broke away.

I have told several boaters that this is a dangerous lake and don't stray from the channels and if they are visitors they don't have a clue. I don't think there is enough awareness to first time boaters to stay in the channels.

I had a guide tell me years ago at summer Pool you can run anywhere between Moor's and the dam but he told me to always stay in the channels because some day you will forget or not know the lake is low and it will get you.

[CTFSHWHISKER]

i have always wondered why they dont make some sort of a stainless steel safety cable bolted to the engine and the hull to prevent this from happening,with steering cables it would help but hydraulic steering hose have too much slack.

[elnutsmalljaws]

How easy it is to remember that they start pulling the lake down to winter pool in JULY. I have had some pretty knowledgeable fishermen not know this, much less a joy boater. This was obviously a fisherman but I really don't see how there aren't more accidents like this than there are, especially during the labor day last holiday weekend getaway. The lake is 2 foot below summer pool by then and the dangerous spots at summer pool are really dangerous now.

Is there anyway to make the river channel bouys larger? I find myself trying to find them and can't at times. I also wonder if they are positioned right on the channel. Can these markers drift off or are they securely anchored? Again, by my GPS, they are off a bit and even idleing close by a couple they are not exactly in the channel. I split the difference and have not had any problems but get a little concerned when I am sharing the crossing channel with a boat coming at me and have to hug one side or the other.

[trentonc2000]

i did this 2 years ago in my old boat. I was headed into a creek that i had fished the week prior and ended up beaching my boat. It was my first summer here and I had no clue the water came down that quickly. Luckily, all i did was clog up my water pump with sand and have to push my boat into navigable water.

I find myself idling into the creeks this time of the year unless its a creek that i spend a lot of time in and know it well.

[artcarney_agr]

I was wondering the same thing. I wonder if there would be such a way to anchor the lower unit to the hull when an event like this occurs. I picture it being something like the cable used on NASCAR cars that keep the hood on the car during a wreck. Even a big metal hoop that goes around the motor would work (Ky Dam Marina has rental fishing boats that have one). Just about anything to keep the motor to the back of the boat would work.

I think a letter with the pictures should be sent to Triton Boats. I would like to know how they respond to this incident and if they plan to research possible safety improvements. Judging from this thread, it's a common occurrence.

[Dave Stewart]

The advice about staying in the bouys was good advice...the advice about running anywhere from the Moor's to the dam wasn't...don't bet your life or boat on it.

[bullrdr6]

This accident was no fault of Triton or Mercury. This was due to the driver getting out of the channel and hitting a stump. Yes boat manufacturers could come up with some safety improvement but do all of us really want to pay more for these additional improvements because others have had accidents?

Charlie

[charlie1]

What about floaters out in the middle of the channel? I don't see why boat manufacturers couldn't at least engineer a cable system for their boats and offer it as an option. Then only people that wanted the extra expense would bear it.

[artcarney_agr]

Yes, I know it was not the fault of Triton or Mercury...DUH!!! I mean seriously dude...

Since it was a Trion boat, they should get some feedback on how their boats are performing. It is a possibilty that they have no idea that this kind of accident could happen. I'd say if it has happened more than once, it should be looked at for some possible research and development.