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Old 06-24-2008, 10:45 PM   #47
jrc
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Yes, safety first but be careful out there.

Under normal conditions you are at least ten times more likely to be killed in a boating accident than you are to be killed by lightning. In the USA about 70 people a year are killed by lightning and about 700 are killed in boating accidents.

It makes no sense to be carelessly blasting through traffic to avoid getting stuck in a storm. Glove talked about going through a No Wake Zone where I assume there was no other traffic. Basically he commited a minor property crime to enhance the safety of his family. That's an easy decision.

If instead you want to break the 150' no wake zone to other boats, in a crowded channel, I'm not so sure. At that point you're possibly causing more danger. This means that you have to trade off relative dangers. The fine is still $55, but your chance of causing an accident hurting your family or others is much more likely than the chance of being hit by lightning.

Be really careful, being stuck in a boat in a thunderstorm is frightening, don't let that fear make you careless and unsafe.
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