www.iFourWinns.com :: View topic - Is 20mph too fast after dark?

Five hurt as boat hits breakwall

By Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: July 27, 2009 11:14 a.m.

Members of the U.S. Coast Guard late Sunday rescued five people from a 26-foot pleasure boat after the vessel collided with the Milwaukee breakwall just south of the north gap.

All five were taken to area hospitals. Their conditions were not immediately known.

According to Coast Guard officials, the vessel was heading north when the boat hit the wall at about 20 miles an hour at roughly 10:45 p.m. Sunday night.

Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Christopher Rohrbaugh said in a news release that the breakwall is hard to see from that vantage point.

Rohrbaugh was aboard a Coast Guard boat that arrived a few minutes after the collision. The crew brought on board one male and three females clinging to the bow of their boat.

In addition to the Coast Guard rescues, the Milwaukee Police Department also rescued an unconscious person who was found about 10 feet from the boat.

According to the Coast Guard, one man was taken to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital and one male and three females were taken to Columbia St. Mary's Hospital.

The five were not wearing life jackets.

Author:	robbo3 [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:46 pm ]
Post subject:	Is 20mph too fast after dark?
From: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/51792277.html Quote: Five hurt as boat hits breakwall By Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel Posted: July 27, 2009 11:14 a.m. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard late Sunday rescued five people from a 26-foot pleasure boat after the vessel collided with the Milwaukee breakwall just south of the north gap. All five were taken to area hospitals. Their conditions were not immediately known. According to Coast Guard officials, the vessel was heading north when the boat hit the wall at about 20 miles an hour at roughly 10:45 p.m. Sunday night. Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Christopher Rohrbaugh said in a news release that the breakwall is hard to see from that vantage point. Rohrbaugh was aboard a Coast Guard boat that arrived a few minutes after the collision. The crew brought on board one male and three females clinging to the bow of their boat. In addition to the Coast Guard rescues, the Milwaukee Police Department also rescued an unconscious person who was found about 10 feet from the boat. According to the Coast Guard, one man was taken to Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital and one male and three females were taken to Columbia St. Mary's Hospital. The five were not wearing life jackets.

Author:	Wet Doggg [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:51 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
Hear about that happening every year. I think some of those breakwalls need to be marked better. But boaters also need to know the water they are in better. We have cruised at night a few times and even with a chartplotter I always cruised at least 3 miles off shore for this reason mainly.

Author:	ChicagoTC [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:38 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
I think 20 is pretty fast at night especially close to shore. We have a lot of breakwalls around Chicago and even with my chartplotter you can't make them out until you're right on top of them.

Author:	jsimon [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
To me anything above "no wake" is too fast without radar.

Author:	Walt [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
We have no break-walls on my area waterways, and I am very familiar with the places I choose to boat at night. Having said that, I will go up to the speed limit (30 mph) at night with good visibility and a good spotlight.

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Author:	Graham R [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:36 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
Personally, I would not go that fast at night in UK waters due to there being so many lobster pot markers in difficult navigation areas here. Difficult enough to see a black or weed covered one in the daylight in a tide race, let alone in the dark. There is either non or poorly policed legislation here as far as the pot markers are concerned. Totally wrong in my opinion, but I am only a tax paying voter after all. The authorities don't seem to care; they are more concerned with introducing drink boating regulations for kayakers, bodyboarders and windsurfers if the most recent press reports are to be believed !!!! Graham

Author:	JustBreathe [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:48 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
Too fast...even on our small lake, which we know well, there's always someone less aware that is out in the dark on a canoe or other such craft......it's not worth the risk. Ernie

Author:	aguyindallas [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 6:03 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
This is one of those things that will certainly get you a VERY broad base of opinions. There are a few places of my lake where I have and will do about 20mph at night. Areas I know very well, smooth water and a good moon MUST ALL BE IN PLACE though. Other than that...probably not.

Author:	MichaelB [ Mon Jul 27, 2009 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
I'd be worried as much for other boaters doing 20 without radar let alone feel comfortable myself doing that fast at night.

Author:	Brett248Vista [ Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:30 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is 20mph too fast after dark?
Slow no wake for me.... It's too dangerous even if you are familiar.. things change on the water and at night even the best can get confused without radar or flir.

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