Fatal Boat Wreck at Barkley last week

[Duayne]

I'm not really for a bunch of regulations either, but I also know that the busier lakes get, the less you can rely on common sense. I personally have known three people who have died on the water. Two of those were in separate boat to boat hits. In both cases, the person I knew was a very experienced boater. In both cases, the reports say that both boats corrected the same way, then they both corrected again at least one time, always both correcting into each other. There is a proper way to correct so that means in both cases, one boat initially did the right thing and the other did not. I don't know if the people I knew were the ones that acted correctly or not. The person who acted properly then felt the need to go the other way, as did the other boat. In both cases, two people I know might still be alive today if all four boaters knew the protocol. Saying we should rely on common sense simply doesn't make sense. Saying that all boaters shouldn't be required to at least review proper boating protocol doesn't make sense. If it doesn't make sense than you can throw common sense out the window.

[flyfish]

"One quiz, one time, and that's it.......what's the big deal?"

Exactly! We have to have a drivers license to drive a car, a pilots license to fly a plane, so what can it hurt to have a boating license? Let's also think about the possible revenue stream for the state that could assist with enforcement on the water. The test will cost a few nickles, and then perhaps a few quarters every 4 years for a license renewal. That's a bit tongue in cheek, but you see what I'm getting at. Personally, I'd cough up $50 every few years if I knew there would be more enforcement on the water.

[ResidentCombo]

Lets require everyone to take a boater safety coarse. Sure lets add some more cost to everyone out there.

The Class is FREE! There is only a cost if you want to do it online..

If you have a group of people, they willcome and do it for you. After I took the class at the marina, we got the CO to come to our rescue squad meeting and did a class for the rescue squad. He said if you can get a group of a dozen or so people he would come teach it.

[fishincreek]

Lets require everyone to take a boater safety coarse. Sure lets add some more cost to everyone out there. Thats what we need. No matter how you take a boater test or try to regulate some new license its going to cost money to do this. Who will pay that bill?

Lets start policing ourselves and use some common sense on the water. I don't need the government or someone else out there running more of my life. I pay plenty of money to the government already for nothing, I don't need to pay more.

Charlie

Agree 100%!!!

[roadrunner]

If these boaters were first year boaters it might be an education problem however looking at there age I would bet they were both experienced boaters. I think the problem was probably carelessness of maybe impaired vision from sun or fog watching the electronics or a combination of circumstances. I do think we need educated boaters but I do not think this accident was from being uneducated boaters. When you drive a boat you can be easily distracted and I think the non boater can help by being another set of eyes and alert the boater when they see another boat.

[Duayne]

I would say a vast majority of people who have boated all their lives in KY still do not know which is Starboard and which is Port. Something that simple could make a huge difference, especially if a non-boater DID know, used a term in split second situation and the driver didn't know which was which. What happens when an experienced boater who doesn't know he's in a situation where he is to show his red light reacts differently than another boater who is expecting the proper reaction? The boats could turn into each other (and usually do). How many of you know what you are supposed to do if you are entering a main waterway from a tributary?

Tournament fishermen do lead the way in proactive actions by requiring life vests and safety checks, etc. There is nothing that says clubs and organizations can't be further proactive and require their members to be water certified. Nothing says they can't lead the way even if it isn't a state or federal requirement.

There is nothing that says fishermen, in general, can't lead the way in being proactive even if it isn't required.

I don't really fish tournaments and even though I read the regs, I haven't been certified. I plan to change that and I plan to get mine.

[Grumpy]

Not one of these suggestions is worth the time it took you to post it, unless you, and I mean all of you, also make the suggestions in writing and send them to the Kentucky Governor, your state Senator, state Representative, the KY Department of Fish and Wildlife, and maybe also the US Army Corps of Engineers. Then on top of you sending in your suggestion(s) you will need to get MANY THOUSANDS more people to also make the same suggestion(s). It would also help if you and the other thousands of people can show how your suggestion(s) can also make money for the state, otherwise I doubt seriously if you will be listened to. These posts may make you feel good but without a groundswell of citizens demanding something be done to improve safety on the water, nothing will change.

Grumpy

[dc chopper]

Look, I am 40 and have only had my bassboat for 3 years. No offense to people I have talked to but how do I knpow they told me right? I have no idea how to follow channels, which is really the safe side to overtake or pass- when meeting someone. There is alot of things I dont know that I do, age has nothing to do with it. I wasnt raised around bassboats nothing but jonboats so this is still new to me. When I fished the crusade with tholt99 a few weeks ago at rough, I let him take us out.. no way was I going to try to figure out how to handle all that traffic but I need to. I will look into a class for sure and Im not embarrassed to say it either.

[TR21Bassin]

Look, I am 40 and have only had my bassboat for 3 years. No offense to people I have talked to but how do I knpow they told me right? I have no idea how to follow channels, which is really the safe side to overtake or pass- when meeting someone. There is alot of things I dont know that I do, age has nothing to do with it. I wasnt raised around bassboats nothing but jonboats so this is still new to me. When I fished the crusade with tholt99 a few weeks ago at rough, I let him take us out.. no way was I going to try to figure out how to handle all that traffic but I need to. I will look into a class for sure and Im not embarrassed to say it either.

This is exactly what I mean and I applaud you for recognizing that you don't know everything you think you should and taking the time to learn. People need to be responsible for their own education and learning how to operate properly. We shouldn't have to have government regulation to make people us commong sense.

What's next, government regulation on the proper way to use toilet paper?

Charlie

[HURRICANEBOB]

Here's my boating bible, and it has kept me out of trouble (with the boat...not the cops) for years. At $18 bucks, its a cheap education, and tells you all about everything from channel markers, running in fog, docking, anchoring,electronics, power systems, water systems, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Piloti.../dp/0688168906

[Fishin is life]

First off I have a 70+mph boat and taking a class isn't going to help me stay out of an accident....the only thing that will keep you out of an accident is common sense and good judgement, not only on your part, but on the part of the people you're meeting.....I was on KY/Barkley the week of the accident fishing a tournament and I can guarantee you my boat was never above 50mph...when there's that many boats on the water it's not safe or sane to run any faster...proper boating knowledge shouldn't have to be taught....if you want to be on the water it's something you should take upon yourself to learn....we all know we take our life in our own hands everytime we fire up the engine, in a new bass boat with a 250, or in a johnboat with a 15....more people die playing tennis every year than die from a boating accident....no matter what the circumstances crap will happen....my thoughts and prayers go out to the man who died's family and friends

[elnutsmalljaws]

First off I have a 70+mph boat and taking a class isn't going to help me stay out of an accident....the only thing that will keep you out of an accident is common sense and good judgement, not only on your part, but on the part of the people you're meeting.....I was on KY/Barkley the week of the accident fishing a tournament and I can guarantee you my boat was never above 50mph...when there's that many boats on the water it's not safe or sane to run any faster...proper boating knowledge shouldn't have to be taught....if you want to be on the water it's something you should take upon yourself to learn....we all know we take our life in our own hands everytime we fire up the engine, in a new bass boat with a 250, or in a johnboat with a 15....more people die playing tennis every year than die from a boating accident....no matter what the circumstances crap will happen....my thoughts and prayers go out to the man who died's family and friends

I bought my 2003 Tracker Deep V with a 90 Mercury New from Bass Pro Shops in Cincinnati and picked up the boat at the end of May 2003. I was not raised around boats, had never driven a boat, and only been in a boat a couple of times in my 35 years of living at that time. I had never pulled a boat or any other trailer for that matter except the occasional flatbed with tobacco on it with a tractor at my grandfathers. I show up in Cincy on a Wednesday late afternoon. The guy literally gives me a crash course on starting the boat, walks around and shows me some features and buttons. I am overwhelmed as it is because now I have to drive back thru Cincy during rush hour pulling my boat back to Frankfort. After turning some coal into diamonds with my butt cheeks on the scary drive back to the house it is now time to back it into the driveway. Dodge the mailboxes across the street, my mail box and other stuff and it took almost 45 minutes to jack-knife the boat into the driveway and get it situated. Cussing and Fussing all the way, embarrassed as the neighbors I know are looking and laughing the whole time - looking back at it I would have laughed at me too. Thursday late afternoon and my brother in law meets my wife and I at Guist Creek for the maiden voyage. He helps me a lot in backing and operating the boat but really how much running can you do at Guist Creek. After a couple of hours we took out and headed back home for another adventurous parking ordeal. The next day my wife and I both took off work and headed back to Guist Creek by ourselves. This is the day where my wife had stored her purse and camera in the back bait livewell and as I was playing with all the buttons filled the livewell and did not know it until it was time for her to get the camera out and take some pictures. The livewell works and it holds water PERFECTLY. New camera, cell phone, purse and all the trimmings is what that cost me. The next day and my brother in law wants to take me to Cumberland night fishing for Smallies and Stripers. With the massive experience of pulling my boat from Cincy to Frankfort in rush hour and 2 trips to Guist Creek from Frankfort under my belt, now it it time to head down 127 to hit the lake. We don't launch until almost 10pm, after dark on a lake that I have NEVER been on, and I idle out past the bouys (old ramp at the dam) and he says to turn left and head for the red light tower in the distance. I am idleing because I can see hardly anything, eyes have not adjusted to the darkness, new lake, new boat, new boat owner, hardly no experience behind the wheel, and he says "hit it". I said I can't see anything and he says we have 6 miles to go and you are wide open left and right. I say ok and off we go. 38mph, can't see, driving towards a light in the distance, lake I had never been on, driving at night, basically no boating experience at all, going full tilt boogie hoping to not hit anything - WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? No state regulations or laws that I broke on any part of this story. No law that requires me to take a towing class, no law that requires me to take a boater safety course, no law that requires me to do anything to prevent me from doing everything that I did above. My boat goes 38mph and DOES NOT have any brakes on it. My Explorer goes 38mph and DOES have brakes on it. My boat does not have a roof or seat belts or anything else to keep me confined to the inside of the boat or seat as does my Explorer. 27 years ago when I wanted to operate a motor vehicle, I had to pass a written test, get a Drivers Permit which required a Liscensed Driver to be in the vehicle with me as I operated it for 30 days then pass a Driving Test before I was given a Liscense. But anyone can take $50,000 and buy a high performance boat that will travel 75mph+, pull it to the lake, launch, run and gun with no test of any kind given for any part of the equation. Something is wrong with this picture