Wow! Lots going on since I visited this thread last. This is my first post on this entire subject matter so I will get my nickles worth.
First of all to those that hold up their right to free speech as allowing them to say anything they care to on a message board or a chat room for that matter.
BS!! The Supreme Court has upheld the rights of the Webmaster to determine what he sees fit for his site. He does own the "Domain" and as such you agree to give up your personal rights and freedoms to enter his domain PERIOD!! If you don't like his rules you are "Free" not to come back. Those are the freedoms some of us have fought for! This is not America it is the World Wide Web!
***boat and ***boat alone will decide what belongs here and what does not!
As to the tragedy at Castaic. I think I agree with some respect to almost every post here. Something like this will affect everyone of us in a very personal but differant way.
Some of us will have a feeling that we must protect others from something as this happening to them.
Some of us will rethink some of the behaviour we have displayed on the lakes in times past. Perhaps some of the stunts we have pulled and gotten away with.
Some are going to worry that this tragedy will will lose them some of their hard fought for personal freedoms. It can do that no doubt.
I can't speak for Steve, Ken, Nelson, or MrPumps but I can say that if it were me that had been involved in an accident such as this I would hope others would learn from it.
Was it equipment failure? Or Conditions? Lack of safety equipment or lack of responsible actions? Right now there is not even one of you that have a clue! If the boat is not brought up we may never have one.
Speculation is all that is available at this time. This can be of use to some and can cause hurt to others. I just hope we are all adult enough to use disgression on how we post our feelings to minimize causing more grief to the loved ones we know are reading this thread.
The petty arguements that continue on serves no purpose but to cause further harm. I say let the man or woman get their personal feelings out and leave it at that!
No one has asked you to agree with them just hear what they have to say! It is not their right but it is their way of dealing with thier own personal grief.