07-05-2014, 11:02 AM
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 500
|
|
Close call at JPP on July 4th!
I was out early on JPP on July 4th hybrid fishing and had a good day. Will post info and video of trip later. About 11:00 am, I headed back to the boat ramp at Stewarts Creek. I had been fishing the lower end of the lake all morning.
Just after I passed under Hobson Pike bridge, I noticed a boat to my left running almost parallel to my path and a good distance away. The boat was a Bass Tracker and appeared to have a driver and a passenger. It was fairly windy and I was cruising down the lake at about 35 MPH. In what seemed like a few seconds, I saw the driver of the other boat lunge across his boat to grab a life jacket that was about to blow out of his boat. He let go of the steering wheel and when he did this and the boat made a sharp turn at fairly high speed and the passenger was thrown out of the boat. The driver tried to get control of the boat and the next thing I knew, he was headed to me, still at a fairly fast speed and was going to T-bone my boat. The driver of the other boat finally got control of his boat then realized that we were going to collide. He tried to veer the boat to the right. I slammed the throttle to wide open and basically outran the collision. The other boat passed right behind me no further than 10 feet behind my boat.
I turned the boat around and went back to see if everyone was OK. Fortunately the passenger was wearing a life jacket and was thrown clear of the boat. The outcome of this could have been tragic. When this whole thing started, I was a safe distance from the other boat. I was running about 35 mph and the other boat was probably going at the same speed or even a little faster. When the other boat went out of control and headed for my boat, that safe distance evaporated very quickly!
|
07-05-2014, 12:10 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Conyers, Ga
Posts: 134
|
|
Wow, glad that worked out ok. Way too close for comfort.
|
07-05-2014, 01:00 PM
|
 |
nashvillefishingguides.co
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Goodlettsville, TN
Posts: 2,588
|
|
And that's just how fast accidents and/or disasters happen.
I'm glad for these things...
1. That you were were vigilant and saw the other boat's action.....
2. That you had the presence of mind to make a snap decision......
3. And that you made the decision that you did.....
4. And that you had the horsepower to give you that ten foot cushion.
Glad you are safe and avoided the collision.
LET'S GO FISHING!!
|
07-05-2014, 01:31 PM
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 2,592
|
|
Wow, glad you are safe!
Mike
__________________
Keep Livin' the Dream!
Mike
|
07-05-2014, 04:28 PM
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Murfreesboro
Age: 58
Posts: 734
|
|
Welcome to Percy Priest....... Glad you and the others are safe.
Roy
|
07-05-2014, 04:52 PM
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 500
|
|
Hydraulic steering would have prevented the problem in the first place. Think how often we become distracted by depth finders, other boats,etc.
Going back to hammer the hybrids early in the morning!
|
07-05-2014, 06:05 PM
|
 |
TN Transplant
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Nashville
Posts: 288
|
|
Dang! Glad you and everyone else were alright. I've tried to steer clear of the lake this weekend.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|
07-05-2014, 06:23 PM
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Hermitage
Posts: 901
|
|
Yep Sounds like God Speed to me.
|
07-05-2014, 09:15 PM
|
|
rookie
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Bedford County TN
Posts: 742
|
|
Glad to hear you are all right Aero just way too many yahoos out there, i knew i needed to stay clear from any major body of water on the holidays just way to many stupid and careless people, throw in a few drunks and you have a recipe for disaster, i hit a local creek for first time with the ultra light and had fun catching a few fish, good luck and be careful out there!
|
07-05-2014, 09:50 PM
|
 |
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 430
|
|
Operating a boat is just as intense as operating an automobile. Not only do you have to pay attention to what you are doing, but just as in defensive driving, you have to pay attention to the other boaters. So far this weekend alone, one drowned at OH, two drowned on the Duck River, and now they are dragging Center Hill for a possible drowning.
Not reported but seen at Rock Harbor today, a boat with 3 occupants capsized inside the marina. All three were wearing life jackets and no one was injured. Only 18" of the bow was sticking out of the water.
Glad you avoided the collision. Way to stay awake and be cognizant of what was going on around you. July 4th weekend, you may as well let the drunks and fools have the water.
Last edited by Pookie; 07-07-2014 at 01:30 PM.
|
07-05-2014, 10:48 PM
|
 |
Owner and Administrator
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lebanon, Tennessee
Posts: 2,925
|
|
You don't need hydraulic Steering ..<'TK><
Quote:
Originally Posted by aero320
Hydraulic steering would have prevented the problem in the first place. Think how often we become distracted by depth finders, other boats,etc.
Going back to hammer the hybrids early in the morning!
|
Rack steering has done as well as Hydraulic ... They both have to be set up with correct tension ... You need to adjust your steering Where you can let go of the wheel and it holds fast ,,, Boating 101 ... <'TK><
|
|
|
