Reply With QuoteHope everyone comes out okay.................
BULLHEAD CITY, AZ / LAUGHLIN, NV - Things have been overall quiet on the waterways during the long July 4th holiday, but that changed late Sunday afternoon just south of Laughlin and Bullhead City. Two rental watercraft collided, one of them a waverunner operated by Raymond Joe OÂ’Connel of Hemet, California. He ran into a boat driven by 36-year-old Victor Kardos from Irvine, California with five passengers on board. Police say Kardos was traveling southbound on the Nevada side of the river and they say OÂ’Connel was northbound on the same side of the river.
The teenÂ’s waverunner struck the bow of the boat and caused severe damage to both craft. He was airlifted from the boat dock at the Bullhead Chamber of Commerce to Las Vegas with life threatening head trauma,arriving there in critical condition. Two passengers were ejected from the larger boat, but neither required medical assistance. The case is still under investigation by the Bullhead City Police Department.
Hope everyone comes out okay.................
Rental insurance must be astronomical.
The general public just doesn't respect what it trakes to operate watercraft safely and these incidents will continue to happen. I hate to see more regulations and laws put in effect as we have what seems too many now, but something has to be done about inexperienced operators gaining access to things they don't understand.
The boating industry needs to step up and help government with an educational plan / process to get safety and skill training for those wanting to enter into the boating world.
Very sad news indeed.... :frown:
I was just looking at an on-line article/video about Lake Travis and the accident yesterday. They interviewed the owner of Just For Fun Rentals, and he says, "most of these people have never operated a watercraft before, and all we can do is give them a 15min-30min overview of the safety equip. and operating instructions....what they do on the lake is their business..."
I think the rental companies need to step up and get better information to their customers...mandatory video instruction prior to renting would be a start...
Yes, i was right up by the damn, i saw this accident on my way down the river. Very sad.. and this was something that could have been avoided if infact that ski rider was paying attention....
I saw a couple more accidents on the river this weeked. One happend right under the brige from Laughlin to Bullhead, not sure exactly what happend but some ski was sunk and a few people were being pulled outa the water.
another one accured when a jetski carring 2 passangers was neer the shorline and try to outrun my Tahiti boat (which they didnt have a chance), they must have hit a rock or something under the water becuase they where tossed off the ski at about 45-50mph, on my way back up the river, there was a whole army of people searching in the water for somthing, i assume it had to be something from the ski... but im unsure.
lastly, there was a ski renter that had rented a ski to a father and son, the people next to me also had a ski, somehow, im not sure, they collided right out in front of us, ripping the rearview mirror off one, and scaring the hull of the other.
People should really be more causious about these things. And i know its a hard thing to comprehind, but drinking and boating dont belong together, especialy when your on the river with 400 other boats/ski's.
I see it there all the time, thats where I launch.
The renters dont have a clue how to ride these things and dont realize that no throttle means to turn. I feel bad for the kid and his family.
Mandatory Classes for personal watercraft
I think that the rental part of this equation is where the problem lays. I watched as a rental pontoon was being launched yesterday at Windsor. The four young guys had no clue, couldnt start it, couldnt get it in gear, but had plenty of beer. The rental person had to do everything and after getting them off the trailer sent them on thier way, so as far as any instructions, I call BS. Jet ski's are more dangerous because of the speeds they now travel. I agree, I dont want more regulations but something has to be done, it is becoming very dangerous, ESPECIALLY on a narrow river or even around a dock!! A valid operating or safety certificate renewed yearly would I think reduce the problem of renting to people who are first timers, its bad enough with people that "know what they are doing". I wouldnt mind it at all, taking and renewing a certificate of a safety boating class. JMO NSF
Very sad news indeed.... :frown:
I was just looking at an on-line article/video about Lake Travis and the accident yesterday. They interviewed the owner of Just For Fun Rentals, and he says, "most of these people have never operated a watercraft before, and all we can do is give them a 15min-30min overview of the safety equip. and operating instructions....what they do on the lake is their business..."
I think the rental companies need to step up and get better information to their customers...mandatory video instruction prior to renting would be a start...
You can tell that the owner of "Just for Fun Rentals" he is an asshole. What an incrediblely stupid thing to say. IT"S THE BUSINESS OF EVER PERSON ON THE WATER what these jerks do. What a jackoff, exactly the problem IMONSF
it wouldn't hurt my feelings if "they" put a stop to all rentals.. except for maybe the paddle boats or kayaks
Of all vessels involved in accidents, 44% were being used by someone other than the registered owner; 34% of all vessels involved in accidents were borrowed and 10% were rented.
You can tell that the owner of "Just for Fun Rentals" he is an asshole. What an incrediblely stupid thing to say. IT"S THE BUSINESS OF EVER PERSON ON THE WATER what these jerks do. What a jackoff, exactly the problem IMO
Here's the link to the on-line story and video....
Lake Travis Article / Video (http://www.news8austin.com/content/t...sp?ArID=165777)
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