Boating Accident - Treasure Island

MisheMokwa · 10-13-2009, 08:18 AM

I own the property that this boat hit. From the marks on the rocks, it appears that this could have been much much worse. The rocks that they hit are just at the end of a small peninsula off the east side of Treasure. There is a black buoy just off the point and a flashing red about 100 yds further out. From the marks that I could see it actually looked like the boat was almost heading diagonally away from the island which means they were at risk of hitting the island proper. You can actually see a big white splotch on the rock just off the end of the point if you approach from the south side of the point. Had they been 10 feet to the left they would have hit a large boulder instead of "ramping up" onto the rocks at the they end of the point. Sounds like liquor was a factor according to folks I talked to. Yes it was dark out but the fact that a flashing buoy was close by is pretty damming in my estimation. Assuming that you have a map of the lake in your boat you can always just go headway to the buoy and figure out where you are. Not sure how fast they were going but it was clearly too fast if they were lost. Glad to hear we didn't have another Diamond Island incident.

MisheMokwa

ishoot308 · 10-13-2009, 08:53 AM

Thanks for the update! Nice to hear from someone who lives there!

Sure sounds like it could have been much worse. They are very lucky!

Dan

BroadHopper · 10-13-2009, 11:28 AM

I was thinking about the flashing light bouy. Was it active and bright? I use that bouy to navigate from Diamond Island or from Alton Bay. There been years the light is very weak. Is that the case that night?

MisheMokwa · 10-13-2009, 12:54 PM

I was there this weekend and it was active and strong. I come back from Wolfeboro frequently at night and can usually spot it just after coming around Sewall Point.

VtSteve · 10-13-2009, 10:54 PM

"Those onboard apparently became disoriented in the dark and spent several hours trying to find the marina. At about 8:15 p.m., the boat traveled inside a buoy and became grounded on the rocks it hit. Sapier and and Panella were thrown forward at impact, when the sustained their non-life threatening injuries. The Alton Fire Boat responded to a subsequent 911 call and transported everyone to shore. Treasure Island — also known as Redhead Island— is a small island located just east of Sleepers Island."

These boaters "spent several hours trying to find a marina", and were "disoriented" in the dark at 8:15 PM, which is, generously, 2 hours after dark.

This generated less than 15 posts about the accident, and I've not read anywhere anything about the boat or subsequent followups. It sounds innocent enough, but there's nothing more than the original article, which was very weird.

Airwaves · 10-14-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

This generated less than 15 posts about the accident, and I've not read anywhere anything about the boat or subsequent followups. It sounds innocent enough, but there's nothing more than the original article, which was very weird.

Don't worry, this time next year it will be counted as a high speed accident with multiple serious injuries that could have been prevented....if only....

MisheMokwa · 10-15-2009, 04:13 PM

If only what? If only there was a speed limit? If only people didn't drink while driving on the lake at night? What point are you trying to make?

ApS · 10-22-2009, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisheMokwa

"...Had they been 10 feet to the left they would have hit a large boulder instead of "ramping up" onto the rocks at the they end of the point...Glad to hear we didn't have another Diamond Island incident..."

Apparently, very few here want to be reminded of that one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEJ

Acres, I also cannot find the website for West Alton Marina, could you please provide that link? Thank you.

Normally, I'd check History to find it, but I'm at a different computer, and it's possible that Google lead me astray with this page. There, Google only hints at a WAM website, but this link indicates that WAM will rent boats.

But it's not my copyrighted page—so please don't shoot the messenger.

Quote:

Originally Posted by codeman671

"...someone does not run aground because their GPS didn't work. The GPS is not what is driving the boat. It is the drivers responsibility to maintain a safe course, proper lookout, etc...if the visibility is too bad to proceed safely you should not go anywhere, especially fast enough to launch a boat like that..."

Yours is the same viewpoint I've maintained for a long time. Blame will be shifted to some failure or another, but we all know who the responsible individual ultimately is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakepilot

Please don't quote me out of context. I posted that link (not the picture) in response to someone wondering about using a GPS for navigation. It was an example of someone on Flathead lake in Montana (not on Winni) that said they ran aground because their GPS didn't work.

Their granite outcroppings do seem different than ours.

I shall endeavor to avert my eyes when possibly seeing pictures that might appear in all future links.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VtSteve

"...Marinas cannot be responsible for what a boater does after they rent something if operator error was the cause..."

Now that I think about it, I had a marina refuse to rent their 14' Boston Whaler to me.

This occurred after a few seasons of renting from those same folks as a sub-adult—splitting the rental with a friend.

The refusal followed their question, "Where are you going fishing?"

We were definitely out of sight of land where we fished, but we could still see the tops of transmission towers!

I don't know why adults have problems: adult beverages, perhaps?

10-13-2009, 08:18 AM	#1
MisheMokwa Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Treasure Island Accident I own the property that this boat hit. From the marks on the rocks, it appears that this could have been much much worse. The rocks that they hit are just at the end of a small peninsula off the east side of Treasure. There is a black buoy just off the point and a flashing red about 100 yds further out. From the marks that I could see it actually looked like the boat was almost heading diagonally away from the island which means they were at risk of hitting the island proper. You can actually see a big white splotch on the rock just off the end of the point if you approach from the south side of the point. Had they been 10 feet to the left they would have hit a large boulder instead of "ramping up" onto the rocks at the they end of the point. Sounds like liquor was a factor according to folks I talked to. Yes it was dark out but the fact that a flashing buoy was close by is pretty damming in my estimation. Assuming that you have a map of the lake in your boat you can always just go headway to the buoy and figure out where you are. Not sure how fast they were going but it was clearly too fast if they were lost. Glad to hear we didn't have another Diamond Island incident. MisheMokwa

10-13-2009, 11:28 AM	#3
BroadHopper Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 5,669 Thanks: 3,282 Thanked 1,132 Times in 814 Posts	Flashing Light I was thinking about the flashing light bouy. Was it active and bright? I use that bouy to navigate from Diamond Island or from Alton Bay. There been years the light is very weak. Is that the case that night? __________________ Someday may never be an actual day.

10-13-2009, 12:54 PM	#4
MisheMokwa Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	flashing buoy I was there this weekend and it was active and strong. I come back from Wolfeboro frequently at night and can usually spot it just after coming around Sewall Point.

10-13-2009, 10:54 PM	#5
VtSteve Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,320 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 230 Thanked 361 Times in 169 Posts	What a difference "Those onboard apparently became disoriented in the dark and spent several hours trying to find the marina. At about 8:15 p.m., the boat traveled inside a buoy and became grounded on the rocks it hit. Sapier and and Panella were thrown forward at impact, when the sustained their non-life threatening injuries. The Alton Fire Boat responded to a subsequent 911 call and transported everyone to shore. Treasure Island — also known as Redhead Island— is a small island located just east of Sleepers Island." These boaters "spent several hours trying to find a marina", and were "disoriented" in the dark at 8:15 PM, which is, generously, 2 hours after dark. This generated less than 15 posts about the accident, and I've not read anywhere anything about the boat or subsequent followups. It sounds innocent enough, but there's nothing more than the original article, which was very weird.

10-15-2009, 04:13 PM	#7
MisheMokwa Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	If only.... If only what? If only there was a speed limit? If only people didn't drink while driving on the lake at night? What point are you trying to make?

10-13-2009, 08:53 AM	#2
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,537 Thanks: 2,455 Thanked 5,468 Times in 2,143 Posts	Thanks for the update! Nice to hear from someone who lives there! Sure sounds like it could have been much worse. They are very lucky! Dan

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