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Author Topic:   Whaler boating accident in Ct.

striper swiper posted 09-04-2009 07:52 AM ET (US)
I hate these stories , but they serve as a reminder to us
.http://www.lohud.com/article/20090904/NEWS/909040369/1%20dead+ ,%203%20injured%20in%20LI%20Sound%20boat%20crash%20in%20Conn.

macfam posted 09-04-2009 08:09 AM ET (US)
Try this link:
http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909040369
R T M posted 09-04-2009 08:55 AM ET (US)
It seems that alot of these boating crashes involve Boston Whalers. I always assumed people who owned them were knowledgeable boaters, with some experience. I don`t recall any active members of this forum that have suddenly disappeared though.
rich/Binkie
Tohsgib posted 09-04-2009 10:50 AM ET (US)
Whaler owners were/are usually more carefull than the rest. Problem these days is the SeaRay/Bayliner buyer is now moving up to Whaler because they look alike and are sold at the same dealer with the same engines.
andygere posted 09-04-2009 10:51 AM ET (US)
Sounds like they may have been night boating in the Thimble Islands and hit some sort of wall out there. There are a lot of little sea walls, private marinas, etc. on many of those small islands built by the cottage owners. What a tragedy.
andygere posted 09-04-2009 10:52 AM ET (US)
Incidentally, I'd venture to guess that 90% or more of the cottage owners in the Thimbles use a Boston Whaler to go to and from the mainland. It's not really surprising that the boat was a Whaler.
jimp posted 09-04-2009 10:56 AM ET (US)
Whether it was a Whaler or not can only be revealed by the owner or a photo. The more newspaper articles you read the more you realize that many reporters know not what they are reporting and write things down to get information out FAST, regardless if it is correct or not.
That said, Whalers have just as many knucklehead owners as non-Whalers.
JimP
Phil T posted 09-04-2009 11:28 AM ET (US)
The fact it was dark is telling. Many accidents of late occur at night.
Kingsteven18 posted 09-04-2009 11:59 AM ET (US)
Owning a good boat doesn't make you a good boater.
Buckda posted 09-04-2009 01:08 PM ET (US)
Many tragic accidents happen in broad daylight.
The only reasons boating at night is any "more dangerous" than the day is similar for the reasons that driving an automobile at night is more dangerous than during the day.
Most of your risk is tied to two factors: unseen objects (Roadkill on the road, obstructions on the water) and alcohol (yours, if you've been drinking, theirs if THEY have been drinking).
In this case, it will be interesting to see if alcohol was a primary factor in the accident.
Some of the most horrific accidents I've read about occur during daylight hours (prop damage to swimmers, collisions, etc.)
When boating at night, if your aren't 100% beyond-a-doubt positive of where you are, you should slow down and figure it out. Alcohol and women (in the case of male operators) can inhibit that common sense approach.
Brian7son posted 09-04-2009 03:55 PM ET (US)
Dave,
You gotta problem with "Alcohol and women" on your boat?
R T M posted 09-04-2009 05:20 PM ET (US)
It would be a fantasy for sure if a women asked a guy "Lets go out in my boat and get drunk."
rich/Binkie
If your not an experienced boat you should go out at night, at least in waterways that you don`t know like the back of your hand. Add Boooze and some on plane running and disaster waits.
rich/Binkie
R T M posted 09-04-2009 05:21 PM ET (US)
It would be a fantasy for sure if a women asked a guy "Lets go out in my boat and get drunk."
rich/Binkie
If your not an experienced boat you should go out at night, at least in waterways that you don`t know like the back of your hand. Add Boooze and some on plane running and disaster waits.
rich/Binkie
20dauntless posted 09-04-2009 06:47 PM ET (US)
Boating at night certainly heightens the risk of an accident. Not only is it harder to see everything, but response time in an accident can also be slower. I still end up going out a lot at night, but I'm extra careful. Using RADAR also significantly improves night boating safety, IMO.
macfam posted 09-05-2009 08:02 AM ET (US)
About 2 weeks ago I brought 7 co-workers back to homeport from Martha's Vineyard around 10pm. There was just a sliver of a moon, clear skies, and light wind.
I did have wine with dinner, but kept it minimal (or reasonable). Many of the passengers had significantly more wine, but were still within bounds.
Being pitch black did make several of my guests uneasy, and they asked if we'd be OK, and I assured them we'd be fine. I offered PFD's and had several wear the belt pak type.
I need to consentrate about 500% more when boating in the dark. GPS, radar, compass, and a powerful motorized spot light on the hardtop makes it far more comforting, however its the visual navigation that can be really disorientating. A red or green flashing bouy can look far away, and in actuality be VERY close, and vice versa.
Hitting those objects with a spot light can really get you back to real depth perception. What's even more disorienting if you are not familiar with the surroundings is the angle in which you are approaching any point. It is vital to SLOW DOWNat night, spot with a light, to give ample time to visualize and adjust.
Anything dark, (sea wall, bridge support) is virtually invisable to the eye at night. I can understand how someone with alcohol and running fast can slam into something without ever seeing it in time. It is far too common with bridge structures.
Night boating can be beautiful, but Whaler or not, extra caution, and knowing how to use your navigation equipment are key to doing it safely.
acseatsri posted 09-05-2009 08:17 PM ET (US)
I was out striper fishing Thursday night when I heard the USCG calls about being on the lookout for 3 people in the water off Guilford (I was fishing around Niantic). The amazing thing was how clear and bright a night it was with the full moon, we could see everythig clear across LI sound. I would be surprised if alcohol WASN'T a contributing factor.
Friday I was out and overheard a call to the USCG about a collision between 2 boats, no one hurt but lots of topside damage to at least 1 boat. Again, it was an amazing sunny and clear day.
And a few weeks ago I witnessed a BRAND NEW 32' Sea Ray (owner took possession 3 days before) trying to pick up a mooring by motoring WITH the current to pick it up, ended up backing over my friend's mooring and tearing up the line and ball. After backing over it, he GUNNED THE ENGINES to get himself free, ended up bending the shafts and struts, then insisted on motoring 20 miles home with water leaking into the boat. At least the driver/diver on the SeaTow vessel talked him out of it.
Of course, all this happened while trying to stop at a local watering hole on the beach.
DeeVee posted 09-05-2009 08:51 PM ET (US)
For some reason, I continue to be amazed by the high percentage of idiots on earth. I think its getting worse all the time.
Its not that I have never done anything stupid, because I have many times. No one has ever been injured (OK, maybe the toboggan crash one snowy winter 30 years ago) or killed in any of my stupid moments.
Watch out for the idiots and stay safe yourself.
Doug Vazquez
Buckda posted 09-06-2009 08:52 AM ET (US)
Water on the water. Beer on the pier. A woman who doesn't understand that pilosophy new agree doesn't belong in my boat.
My point though was that the combination of both has probably led to more acts of stupidity in the history of man than any other factor.
Night boating requires skill and vigilance but the most dangerous object put there after dark is a dumbass who is tanked up on alcohol and trying to impress the ladies.
Newtauk1 posted 09-06-2009 09:57 AM ET (US)
Most boating accidents are NOT alcohol related.
Rank States Amount
# 1 Missouri: 65
# 2 Florida: 53
# 3 California: 44
# 4 Wisconsin: 29
# 5 Michigan: 28
# 6 Louisiana: 26
# 7 Washington: 25
= 8 New York: 24
= 8 North Carolina: 24
= 10 Virginia: 20
= 10 Illinois: 20
= 10 Georgia: 20
= 13 Oklahoma: 19
= 13 Maryland: 19
= 15 Nevada: 16
= 15 Idaho: 16
= 17 Tennessee: 14
= 17 Minnesota: 14
# 19 Arizona: 13
# 20 Ohio: 12
# 21 South Carolina: 11
= 22 Alabama: 10
= 22 Texas: 10
# 24 Alaska: 9
= 25 Indiana: 7
= 25 Oregon: 7
= 27 Maine: 6
= 27 Kansas: 6
= 27 Pennsylvania: 6
= 27 Rhode Island: 6
= 27 Colorado: 6
= 32 New Mexico: 5
= 32 Kentucky: 5
= 32 Nebraska: 5
= 32 Iowa: 5
= 36 Arkansas: 4
= 36 Massachusetts: 4
= 36 Mississippi: 4
# 39 North Dakota: 3
= 40 South Dakota: 2
= 40 Montana: 2
= 42 Wyoming: 1
= 42 Connecticut: 1
= 42 Utah: 1
= 42 New Hampshire: 1
= 42 West Virginia: 1
= 42 Vermont: 1
= 48 Hawaii: 0
= 48 District of Columbia: 0
= 48 Delaware: 0
= 48 New Jersey: 0
Total: 630
Weighted average: 12.4
DEFINITION: Boating accidents where alcohol was a contributing factor. NOTES: Alcohol involvement in a boating accident includes any accident in which alcoholic beverages are consumed in the boat and the investigating official has determined that the operator was impaired or affected while operating the boat.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Boating Statistics 2003, Washington, DC: 2004
See also
Related links:
* Subscribe to our Transportation feeds (stats: RSS / Atom, factoids: RSS / Atom)
* Save this page to del.icio.us / furl / your bookmarks

DeeVee posted 09-06-2009 09:34 PM ET (US)
An idiot is an idiot.
They don't need alcohol to have their fun. That is not to say that alcohol can't be added to the mix, its just not required to drink alcohol to be an idiot.
Again, watch out for the idiots, they are NOT watching out for you.
Doug Vazquez
norm posted 09-15-2009 03:59 PM ET (US)
"Whaler owners were/are usually more carefull than the rest. Problem these days is the SeaRay/Bayliner buyer is now moving up to Whaler because they look alike and are sold at the same dealer with the same engines."
Well, that's a flattering (and self serving) statement of us, and while there may be an element of truth I think overall it's misleading. It implies SeaRay/Bayliner owners are lacking in seamanship/judgement skills en masse, and that's clearly false. If anyting, I find there's a thread of arrogance and sense of invinceability among a subset of Whaler owners who seem to think that since the brand is seemingly indestructable, they are too. Boston Whalers boats don't sink, drown, or die of hypothermia, Boston Whaler owners and passengers can and do.
lizard posted 09-15-2009 08:59 PM ET (US)
This occurred in an area known as Leete's Island, an exclusive sort of area on the Branford/Guilford line, a stone's throw from the Thimbles. Local talk has it that they were residents of Guilford and that alcohol was a factor. I was out at Leete's Island this past weekend (sort of house shopping) and no one there was talking about it.
This is a VERY rocky area, with many submerged rocks that can be problematic even at the highest of tides. Locals can point them out readily. Out of towners (NY'ers) tend to have a lot of bottom damage to their vessels. It is a very dicey area.
Newtauk's data on alcohol related accidents appears to be about 6 years old. I'd like to see current data. I suspect the numbers are higher.
Finally, Birbarie Marine, reportedly the oldest Whaler dealer in the U.S., family-owned and operated, has lost the Whaler dealership. They could not pony up enough money to order the requisite number and Whaler yanked it.
The franchise is now with some East Haven Dealer, Diamond Marine, who sell a lot of bow riders, wakeboard boats and a lesser number of offshore/fishing rigs. I realize that it is a business, but in tough times, Whaler let go of the rope attached to a many-decades long dealer.
andygere posted 09-16-2009 08:03 PM ET (US)
My wife grew up in Branford and we visit the area every year. I've done a fair amount of kayaking in that region and Lizard has it exactly right: there's more rock than water in a lot of that area. The place is ripe for tragedy for the unknowing or careless.
As far a Birbarie losing the dealership, I am shocked. My wife and her siblings grew up with that family (just a few doors down) and I've met several of them--a first class group of people with a well known reputation for really terrific customer service. It's hard to imagine a better dealer/service provider for Boston Whaler, and if you count the number of Whalers just in Branford harbor alone, I'd say they've have all but dominated the market for many years. I guess that shows you how little Brunswick really knows about their customers and what they value. When all the family-owned dealers are gone and Whalers are only sold by outfits like Marine Max and Diamond, I'm afraid the brand will become irreparably diluted, and will eventually be gone.
jimh posted 09-16-2009 11:11 PM ET (US)
The notice that a long-time Boston Whaler dealer Birbarie has been displaced by a newcomer (who probably sells more Brunswick brands) is completely in conflict with the testimony of the the CEO of Brunswick, Dustin McCoy. In an interview on television, McCoy said that Brusnwick's first reaction to the economic downturn was to take steps "to protect [our dealers]." He told Fox News recently:
"... in the fourth quarter of 2005, following the hurricanes and the rise in oil prices, we began to see a downward trend in demand. We took immediate action to get costs down to preserve our liquity and to begin to think about our dealers and how we were going to protect them."
At the time he said this, I though it was a bizarre statement, and hardly representative of the real motives of Brunswick management. Protecting the dealers apparently did not apply to long-time Boston Whaler dealers like Birbarie.
Cf.: http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/018161.html
Bo Neato posted 09-17-2009 10:40 AM ET (US)
That's awful. I've dealt with both, and Diamond was great, but I get a "bottom line" feel from them where with Birbarie I always felt that their main focus was keeping people happy - to the point where they steered me to Diamond to save money on a trailer!
I don't have anything bad to say about Diamond, but the loss of Birbarie as a Whaler dealer is absolutely tragic. A very shortsighted move, IMO, and a trend that really hurts local boaters in the long run..
lizard posted 09-17-2009 10:21 PM ET (US)
Andygere- Had I not heard it from a Birbarie myself, I would have not believed the rumor circulating. Skip and Mindy assumed the business after their dad had run it for decades. They know the product line and they are a hometown, family owned and run, know your neighbor business. I was up there last week looking for a clamp that secures the hinged center console on our 19.
From a local perspective, I think it will be the nail in the coffin for Whaler in So. CT. There is a long-standing rivalry between East Haven (Diamond) and Branford (ask your wife, it is equal to the animosity at the annual Yale/Harvard game). Most of the coastal folk will not touch East Haven, it runs that deep. Additionally, there is a lot of sentiment about Brunswick's treatment of Birbarie.
I don't think Diamond is known for many Brunswick brands, but I may be wrong.
WT posted 09-17-2009 10:46 PM ET (US)
That's too bad about Birbarie.
It might be a sign of the times, not unlike the automobile dealership closures throughout the United States. The higher volume dealers survive and the smaller ones are terminated.
I would not be surprised if a few more Boston Whaler dealerships are terminated. Replaced by dealerships that move more Brunswick related products.
The Boston Whaler dealer (Cope & McPheters) in my area has been terminated/gone out of business.
Warren
WT posted 09-18-2009 01:54 AM ET (US)
Diamond Marine isn't listed as a Boston Whaler Master or Gold Dealer.
http://www.whaler.com/mastergolddealers/
WT posted 09-18-2009 11:20 AM ET (US)
I just called Birbarie and spoke to a woman who I won't name.
She said Boston Whaler has been wonderful and the president of the company tried to help. She says there is no animosity between Birbarie and Boston Whaler.
Birbarie's problem is what many business owners are witnessing. Their source of financing/flooring (GE) pulled the plug.
I'm in the commercial real estate business and it is almost impossible to get financing unless it is government back loans (Fannie or Freddie). If you own an office, industrial or retail property and need to refinance, you are going to have a very difficult time in obtaining a loan unless it is for less than 50% of the value.
Imagine being a business owner that has to face decreased revenues from sales/service and then your source of working capital dries up.
I'm just wondering why Boston Whaler didn't float Birbarie for a while. Maybe Boston Whaler is against the ropes too?
Best of luck for Birbarie.

Warren
Narragansett Outrage posted 09-18-2009 12:44 PM ET (US)
[Changed TOPIC to something completely new. Then later decided to start a separate discussion on this topic. After ten minutes of seaching, I found this article and removed it--jimh]
lizard posted 09-18-2009 11:36 PM ET (US)
WT- that is an interesting response. There are only 2 women @ Birbarie, Mindy and her mother. I am honestly surprised that either would discuss this situation with such candor, long distance, with a complete stranger, though I have no doubt about your call and your account.
The men @ Birbarie seemed to have a different take.
Perhaps it is "paying it foward damage control" in the hopes of one day regaining the franchise.
In either case, had Brunswick wanted it to "be", it would have "been". Just my 2 cents.

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Author	Topic: Whaler boating accident in Ct.
striper swiper	posted 09-04-2009 07:52 AM ET (US) I hate these stories , but they serve as a reminder to us .http://www.lohud.com/article/20090904/NEWS/909040369/1%20dead+ ,%203%20injured%20in%20LI%20Sound%20boat%20crash%20in%20Conn.
macfam	posted 09-04-2009 08:09 AM ET (US) Try this link: http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909040369
R T M	posted 09-04-2009 08:55 AM ET (US) It seems that alot of these boating crashes involve Boston Whalers. I always assumed people who owned them were knowledgeable boaters, with some experience. I don`t recall any active members of this forum that have suddenly disappeared though. rich/Binkie
Tohsgib	posted 09-04-2009 10:50 AM ET (US) Whaler owners were/are usually more carefull than the rest. Problem these days is the SeaRay/Bayliner buyer is now moving up to Whaler because they look alike and are sold at the same dealer with the same engines.
andygere	posted 09-04-2009 10:51 AM ET (US) Sounds like they may have been night boating in the Thimble Islands and hit some sort of wall out there. There are a lot of little sea walls, private marinas, etc. on many of those small islands built by the cottage owners. What a tragedy.
andygere	posted 09-04-2009 10:52 AM ET (US) Incidentally, I'd venture to guess that 90% or more of the cottage owners in the Thimbles use a Boston Whaler to go to and from the mainland. It's not really surprising that the boat was a Whaler.
jimp	posted 09-04-2009 10:56 AM ET (US) Whether it was a Whaler or not can only be revealed by the owner or a photo. The more newspaper articles you read the more you realize that many reporters know not what they are reporting and write things down to get information out FAST, regardless if it is correct or not. That said, Whalers have just as many knucklehead owners as non-Whalers. JimP
Phil T	posted 09-04-2009 11:28 AM ET (US) The fact it was dark is telling. Many accidents of late occur at night.
Kingsteven18	posted 09-04-2009 11:59 AM ET (US) Owning a good boat doesn't make you a good boater.
Buckda	posted 09-04-2009 01:08 PM ET (US) Many tragic accidents happen in broad daylight. The only reasons boating at night is any "more dangerous" than the day is similar for the reasons that driving an automobile at night is more dangerous than during the day. Most of your risk is tied to two factors: unseen objects (Roadkill on the road, obstructions on the water) and alcohol (yours, if you've been drinking, theirs if THEY have been drinking). In this case, it will be interesting to see if alcohol was a primary factor in the accident. Some of the most horrific accidents I've read about occur during daylight hours (prop damage to swimmers, collisions, etc.) When boating at night, if your aren't 100% beyond-a-doubt positive of where you are, you should slow down and figure it out. Alcohol and women (in the case of male operators) can inhibit that common sense approach.
Brian7son	posted 09-04-2009 03:55 PM ET (US) Dave, You gotta problem with "Alcohol and women" on your boat?
R T M	posted 09-04-2009 05:20 PM ET (US) It would be a fantasy for sure if a women asked a guy "Lets go out in my boat and get drunk." rich/Binkie If your not an experienced boat you should go out at night, at least in waterways that you don`t know like the back of your hand. Add Boooze and some on plane running and disaster waits. rich/Binkie
R T M	posted 09-04-2009 05:21 PM ET (US) It would be a fantasy for sure if a women asked a guy "Lets go out in my boat and get drunk." rich/Binkie If your not an experienced boat you should go out at night, at least in waterways that you don`t know like the back of your hand. Add Boooze and some on plane running and disaster waits. rich/Binkie
20dauntless	posted 09-04-2009 06:47 PM ET (US) Boating at night certainly heightens the risk of an accident. Not only is it harder to see everything, but response time in an accident can also be slower. I still end up going out a lot at night, but I'm extra careful. Using RADAR also significantly improves night boating safety, IMO.
macfam	posted 09-05-2009 08:02 AM ET (US) About 2 weeks ago I brought 7 co-workers back to homeport from Martha's Vineyard around 10pm. There was just a sliver of a moon, clear skies, and light wind. I did have wine with dinner, but kept it minimal (or reasonable). Many of the passengers had significantly more wine, but were still within bounds. Being pitch black did make several of my guests uneasy, and they asked if we'd be OK, and I assured them we'd be fine. I offered PFD's and had several wear the belt pak type. I need to consentrate about 500% more when boating in the dark. GPS, radar, compass, and a powerful motorized spot light on the hardtop makes it far more comforting, however its the visual navigation that can be really disorientating. A red or green flashing bouy can look far away, and in actuality be VERY close, and vice versa. Hitting those objects with a spot light can really get you back to real depth perception. What's even more disorienting if you are not familiar with the surroundings is the angle in which you are approaching any point. It is vital to SLOW DOWNat night, spot with a light, to give ample time to visualize and adjust. Anything dark, (sea wall, bridge support) is virtually invisable to the eye at night. I can understand how someone with alcohol and running fast can slam into something without ever seeing it in time. It is far too common with bridge structures. Night boating can be beautiful, but Whaler or not, extra caution, and knowing how to use your navigation equipment are key to doing it safely.
acseatsri	posted 09-05-2009 08:17 PM ET (US) I was out striper fishing Thursday night when I heard the USCG calls about being on the lookout for 3 people in the water off Guilford (I was fishing around Niantic). The amazing thing was how clear and bright a night it was with the full moon, we could see everythig clear across LI sound. I would be surprised if alcohol WASN'T a contributing factor. Friday I was out and overheard a call to the USCG about a collision between 2 boats, no one hurt but lots of topside damage to at least 1 boat. Again, it was an amazing sunny and clear day. And a few weeks ago I witnessed a BRAND NEW 32' Sea Ray (owner took possession 3 days before) trying to pick up a mooring by motoring WITH the current to pick it up, ended up backing over my friend's mooring and tearing up the line and ball. After backing over it, he GUNNED THE ENGINES to get himself free, ended up bending the shafts and struts, then insisted on motoring 20 miles home with water leaking into the boat. At least the driver/diver on the SeaTow vessel talked him out of it. Of course, all this happened while trying to stop at a local watering hole on the beach.
DeeVee	posted 09-05-2009 08:51 PM ET (US) For some reason, I continue to be amazed by the high percentage of idiots on earth. I think its getting worse all the time. Its not that I have never done anything stupid, because I have many times. No one has ever been injured (OK, maybe the toboggan crash one snowy winter 30 years ago) or killed in any of my stupid moments. Watch out for the idiots and stay safe yourself. Doug Vazquez
Buckda	posted 09-06-2009 08:52 AM ET (US) Water on the water. Beer on the pier. A woman who doesn't understand that pilosophy new agree doesn't belong in my boat. My point though was that the combination of both has probably led to more acts of stupidity in the history of man than any other factor. Night boating requires skill and vigilance but the most dangerous object put there after dark is a dumbass who is tanked up on alcohol and trying to impress the ladies.
Newtauk1	posted 09-06-2009 09:57 AM ET (US) Most boating accidents are NOT alcohol related. Rank States Amount # 1 Missouri: 65 # 2 Florida: 53 # 3 California: 44 # 4 Wisconsin: 29 # 5 Michigan: 28 # 6 Louisiana: 26 # 7 Washington: 25 = 8 New York: 24 = 8 North Carolina: 24 = 10 Virginia: 20 = 10 Illinois: 20 = 10 Georgia: 20 = 13 Oklahoma: 19 = 13 Maryland: 19 = 15 Nevada: 16 = 15 Idaho: 16 = 17 Tennessee: 14 = 17 Minnesota: 14 # 19 Arizona: 13 # 20 Ohio: 12 # 21 South Carolina: 11 = 22 Alabama: 10 = 22 Texas: 10 # 24 Alaska: 9 = 25 Indiana: 7 = 25 Oregon: 7 = 27 Maine: 6 = 27 Kansas: 6 = 27 Pennsylvania: 6 = 27 Rhode Island: 6 = 27 Colorado: 6 = 32 New Mexico: 5 = 32 Kentucky: 5 = 32 Nebraska: 5 = 32 Iowa: 5 = 36 Arkansas: 4 = 36 Massachusetts: 4 = 36 Mississippi: 4 # 39 North Dakota: 3 = 40 South Dakota: 2 = 40 Montana: 2 = 42 Wyoming: 1 = 42 Connecticut: 1 = 42 Utah: 1 = 42 New Hampshire: 1 = 42 West Virginia: 1 = 42 Vermont: 1 = 48 Hawaii: 0 = 48 District of Columbia: 0 = 48 Delaware: 0 = 48 New Jersey: 0 Total: 630 Weighted average: 12.4 DEFINITION: Boating accidents where alcohol was a contributing factor. NOTES: Alcohol involvement in a boating accident includes any accident in which alcoholic beverages are consumed in the boat and the investigating official has determined that the operator was impaired or affected while operating the boat. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Boating Statistics 2003, Washington, DC: 2004 See also Related links: * Subscribe to our Transportation feeds (stats: RSS / Atom, factoids: RSS / Atom) * Save this page to del.icio.us / furl / your bookmarks
DeeVee	posted 09-06-2009 09:34 PM ET (US) An idiot is an idiot. They don't need alcohol to have their fun. That is not to say that alcohol can't be added to the mix, its just not required to drink alcohol to be an idiot. Again, watch out for the idiots, they are NOT watching out for you. Doug Vazquez
norm	posted 09-15-2009 03:59 PM ET (US) "Whaler owners were/are usually more carefull than the rest. Problem these days is the SeaRay/Bayliner buyer is now moving up to Whaler because they look alike and are sold at the same dealer with the same engines." Well, that's a flattering (and self serving) statement of us, and while there may be an element of truth I think overall it's misleading. It implies SeaRay/Bayliner owners are lacking in seamanship/judgement skills en masse, and that's clearly false. If anyting, I find there's a thread of arrogance and sense of invinceability among a subset of Whaler owners who seem to think that since the brand is seemingly indestructable, they are too. Boston Whalers boats don't sink, drown, or die of hypothermia, Boston Whaler owners and passengers can and do.
lizard	posted 09-15-2009 08:59 PM ET (US) This occurred in an area known as Leete's Island, an exclusive sort of area on the Branford/Guilford line, a stone's throw from the Thimbles. Local talk has it that they were residents of Guilford and that alcohol was a factor. I was out at Leete's Island this past weekend (sort of house shopping) and no one there was talking about it. This is a VERY rocky area, with many submerged rocks that can be problematic even at the highest of tides. Locals can point them out readily. Out of towners (NY'ers) tend to have a lot of bottom damage to their vessels. It is a very dicey area. Newtauk's data on alcohol related accidents appears to be about 6 years old. I'd like to see current data. I suspect the numbers are higher. Finally, Birbarie Marine, reportedly the oldest Whaler dealer in the U.S., family-owned and operated, has lost the Whaler dealership. They could not pony up enough money to order the requisite number and Whaler yanked it. The franchise is now with some East Haven Dealer, Diamond Marine, who sell a lot of bow riders, wakeboard boats and a lesser number of offshore/fishing rigs. I realize that it is a business, but in tough times, Whaler let go of the rope attached to a many-decades long dealer.
andygere	posted 09-16-2009 08:03 PM ET (US) My wife grew up in Branford and we visit the area every year. I've done a fair amount of kayaking in that region and Lizard has it exactly right: there's more rock than water in a lot of that area. The place is ripe for tragedy for the unknowing or careless. As far a Birbarie losing the dealership, I am shocked. My wife and her siblings grew up with that family (just a few doors down) and I've met several of them--a first class group of people with a well known reputation for really terrific customer service. It's hard to imagine a better dealer/service provider for Boston Whaler, and if you count the number of Whalers just in Branford harbor alone, I'd say they've have all but dominated the market for many years. I guess that shows you how little Brunswick really knows about their customers and what they value. When all the family-owned dealers are gone and Whalers are only sold by outfits like Marine Max and Diamond, I'm afraid the brand will become irreparably diluted, and will eventually be gone.
jimh	posted 09-16-2009 11:11 PM ET (US) The notice that a long-time Boston Whaler dealer Birbarie has been displaced by a newcomer (who probably sells more Brunswick brands) is completely in conflict with the testimony of the the CEO of Brunswick, Dustin McCoy. In an interview on television, McCoy said that Brusnwick's first reaction to the economic downturn was to take steps "to protect [our dealers]." He told Fox News recently: "... in the fourth quarter of 2005, following the hurricanes and the rise in oil prices, we began to see a downward trend in demand. We took immediate action to get costs down to preserve our liquity and to begin to think about our dealers and how we were going to protect them." At the time he said this, I though it was a bizarre statement, and hardly representative of the real motives of Brunswick management. Protecting the dealers apparently did not apply to long-time Boston Whaler dealers like Birbarie. Cf.: http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/018161.html
Bo Neato	posted 09-17-2009 10:40 AM ET (US) That's awful. I've dealt with both, and Diamond was great, but I get a "bottom line" feel from them where with Birbarie I always felt that their main focus was keeping people happy - to the point where they steered me to Diamond to save money on a trailer! I don't have anything bad to say about Diamond, but the loss of Birbarie as a Whaler dealer is absolutely tragic. A very shortsighted move, IMO, and a trend that really hurts local boaters in the long run..
lizard	posted 09-17-2009 10:21 PM ET (US) Andygere- Had I not heard it from a Birbarie myself, I would have not believed the rumor circulating. Skip and Mindy assumed the business after their dad had run it for decades. They know the product line and they are a hometown, family owned and run, know your neighbor business. I was up there last week looking for a clamp that secures the hinged center console on our 19. From a local perspective, I think it will be the nail in the coffin for Whaler in So. CT. There is a long-standing rivalry between East Haven (Diamond) and Branford (ask your wife, it is equal to the animosity at the annual Yale/Harvard game). Most of the coastal folk will not touch East Haven, it runs that deep. Additionally, there is a lot of sentiment about Brunswick's treatment of Birbarie. I don't think Diamond is known for many Brunswick brands, but I may be wrong.
WT	posted 09-17-2009 10:46 PM ET (US) That's too bad about Birbarie. It might be a sign of the times, not unlike the automobile dealership closures throughout the United States. The higher volume dealers survive and the smaller ones are terminated. I would not be surprised if a few more Boston Whaler dealerships are terminated. Replaced by dealerships that move more Brunswick related products. The Boston Whaler dealer (Cope & McPheters) in my area has been terminated/gone out of business. Warren
WT	posted 09-18-2009 01:54 AM ET (US) Diamond Marine isn't listed as a Boston Whaler Master or Gold Dealer. http://www.whaler.com/mastergolddealers/
WT	posted 09-18-2009 11:20 AM ET (US) I just called Birbarie and spoke to a woman who I won't name. She said Boston Whaler has been wonderful and the president of the company tried to help. She says there is no animosity between Birbarie and Boston Whaler. Birbarie's problem is what many business owners are witnessing. Their source of financing/flooring (GE) pulled the plug. I'm in the commercial real estate business and it is almost impossible to get financing unless it is government back loans (Fannie or Freddie). If you own an office, industrial or retail property and need to refinance, you are going to have a very difficult time in obtaining a loan unless it is for less than 50% of the value. Imagine being a business owner that has to face decreased revenues from sales/service and then your source of working capital dries up. I'm just wondering why Boston Whaler didn't float Birbarie for a while. Maybe Boston Whaler is against the ropes too? Best of luck for Birbarie. Warren
Narragansett Outrage	posted 09-18-2009 12:44 PM ET (US) [Changed TOPIC to something completely new. Then later decided to start a separate discussion on this topic. After ten minutes of seaching, I found this article and removed it--jimh]
lizard	posted 09-18-2009 11:36 PM ET (US) WT- that is an interesting response. There are only 2 women @ Birbarie, Mindy and her mother. I am honestly surprised that either would discuss this situation with such candor, long distance, with a complete stranger, though I have no doubt about your call and your account. The men @ Birbarie seemed to have a different take. Perhaps it is "paying it foward damage control" in the hopes of one day regaining the franchise. In either case, had Brunswick wanted it to "be", it would have "been". Just my 2 cents.