Boston Whaler 24-footer in Tragic Accident

[CTJackC]

[A UNION LEADER newspaper account linked below describes a] tragic [boating accident with two fatalities involving the allision of a 24-foot Boston Whaler boat with a floating aid to navigation in the Piscataqua River in the Maine-New Hampshire border area near Eliot, Maine, on Saturday, May 5, 2018 about 8:15 p.m. local time].

http://www.unionleader.com/public-safety/7-year-old-girl-one-of-two-dead-after-boat-crashes-into-buoy-on-piscataqua-river-20180506

I'm almost ready to launch. Be careful out there.

[Dutchman]

Sad truly sad for all parties involved. It shows again how important lookout is. It sounds like the pilot hit the buoy and the woman and boy were thrown overboard from the impact and badly hurt because of it.

[jimh]

I believe the account mentions only the adult woman being thrown into the water after the allision. Unless she was sitting in a unsafe position, I would infer the boat must have been travelling fairly fast to cause a passenger to be ejected. A 24-foot Boston Whaler is a big boat.

In the past few years we are seldom underway in our boat after sunset or in darkness. We just don't do much night boating, if any. Travel at high speed in any sort of darkness can be very dangerous, even if the local area is well-known and familiar to you.

Boating on rivers in the Spring is particularly hazardous due to high water levels and snow melt run off bringing debris into the river.

[Phil T]

A second passenger, a seven-year-old female also did not survive.
cf: http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180507/eliot-first-grader-local-woman-killed-in-boat-crash

I have frequented this river many times with the Piscat River Whaler group.

The accident occurred just adjacent to the Eliot, Maine, boat ramp.

Here is a google photo of the area (Note the tanker docks)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dead+duck+boat+ramp/@43.1098755,-70.7911988,2925m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89e2be3ba9856c4d:0xb5475695d484cf8a!8m2!3d43.1114965!4d-70.7969854

Here is a photo looking upriver just off the ramp (tanker dock in the distance). I am on the left with Russell on the right waiting for others launching. Note the large bouy upriver shown between the boats. This may be the buoy that was hit.

CIMG1846.jpg (44.12 KiB) Viewed 3452 times

The Piscatisqua River is tidal, with a currents of around 4-knots (7.4-km/h; 4.6-MPH at max ebb or flood. It takes skill to navigate the bridges, narrow and changing channel with large marine traffic (barges/bulk carriers and oil tankers). Launching and retrieving is also challenging.

The water has mini currents and you get pushed around alot. The bouys are sometimes angled sharply due to the current pushing or pulling on them.

During four gatherings I almost crashed into a bridge fender, crashed into the boat dock attempting to land, and broke a guide roller while launching.

While incredibly beautiful, the Piscatisqua River requires respect and attention day or night.

More photos of the River gatherings here: https://get.google.com/albumarchive/110044231333731607664?source=pwa