# Collision at the Floaters - Dec 5 12



## bjd76

Just got back from the floaters this afternoon and a disappointing trip for us - no yft. A couple of boats did get some, primarily on the chunk from what I've heard.

I don't know all the folks involved and if I did I wouldn't reveal their names, they're working things out. But there was a collision between 2 boats at the Floaters last night. Thank God no one was injured but there was damage done and the ending could have turned out differently. I'm posting about the situation so we can all think about how to manage situations like this if they happen and increase our safety awareness.

Lights and depth perception on the water at night can be a problem. We hear about folks running into things at night with lights on them quite often. Something to think about when you see lights on the water on a dark night...

The vessel was struck in the port stern area and fiberglass on the gunwale busted away to reveal wood/hull interior. All damage visible was above the water line and no water taken in. If striking vessel had been traveling at a faster rate it could have gone over gunwale further and hit port engine, possibly damaging or tearing off transom. Folks that got hit said they originally thought that vessel approaching was my boat coming over to talk. Thank God they realized they were going to be hit at the last second and manuvered thereby reducing the effects of the impact.

Some things for all of us to consider:
First Aid kit? and nothing in it outdated?
Have you checked your ditch bag/PFDs/life raft recently?
Epirb, spare gps and vhf batteries are good? Stuff works?
All electronics, lights and bilge operating properly?
Radio check before leaving?
Pen and paper to record info? Offshore charts (if electronics go out)
Boat registration and insurance information readily available?
Float plan (someone knows where you are heading)?
Tools to give you a fighting chance to fix some problems yourself
Do you assign crew members to do specific things in event of an emergency on each trip? (We assign helm, ditch bag, and PFD responsibilities)
Is it time to revisit CG requirements, Rules of the Road, and TPWD requirements/procedures?

What else should we think about from a safety/preparedness standpoint?

Be safe out there and tight lines.


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## mredman1

*Collision*

Scary situation. It is hard to believe that the entire crew did not see the other boat. Good thing it is not another Titanic story.

Mike


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## SailFishCostaRica

Radar, Lights, Drive slower at night...

Thank God nobody got hurt.


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## Empty Pockets CC

Radar proximity alarm with the beeper turned all the way up. 
Keep your vessel lit up when moving or making drifts. For me it is much easier to judge distance when the other guys boat is lit up nicely (spreader lights, cockpit lights, underwater lights). With running lights or anchor lights on only it can be very difficult to judge distance/direction of travel, especially when that object is bobbing around in a sea.


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## TOM WEBER

Might be good to kepp a handheld air horn on deck to blow if see someone coming. A thought ..may or may not help. Hard to get all lights on quickly. May be a life jacket strobe??TW


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## donaken

*ok ok...*

OK...Got our attention....specifics? c/c's, sportfishes, crew boats....was it like 10' seas and blowin rain sideways? thats insane...floatin around a floater at night w/o a watch?? were they fishin or sleepin? got a boat name? would like to make sure they have plenty of room when I'm around.....now thats some expensive tuna.....

kp


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## Joe_S

Bruce,

Looks like at least it was a decent weather window, at least judging from what I see logged for Boomvang, GA-424, 42019 stations. Sorry I didn't reply to your text message, but couldn't go anyway. I just got home last night from Brussels and had my iPhone text off and only used Wifi while I was there.

Were the cudas around and factoring into the difficult fishing?

Joe S.


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## Capt. Billy

I heard something going on with a Contender out of Freeport yesterday evening. Were they related?

We are adding personal locater beacons (plb's) to our required equipment on board. They are small enough to keep in your pocket or attached to a vest.


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## mad marlin

TOM WEBER said:


> Might be good to kepp a handheld air horn on deck to blow if see someone coming. A thought ..may or may not help. Hard to get all lights on quickly. May be a life jacket strobe??TW


question , dont you ( must ) leave a position light on at all times when fishing at dark ? I think its placed on the T top correct.
Glad nobody was injured


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## mstrelectricman

Sounds like the other boat was under way to cause that much damage. I just can't see how folks can be motoring without at least one person on watch. Crazy!


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## prokat

Crown Royal?


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## mad marlin

gom1 said:


> Crown Royal?


Guess there is no search a thing like offshore BUI ! Or CUI


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## Trouthappy

Were they both center consoles? Size? How did they return to port?


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## dfw fisherman

Any updates ?


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## luna sea II

how the hell did this happen?? I wonder if both boats involved had their lights on?? 

FWIW if you are drifting around boomvang jigging for blackfins you are considered to be underway and must display sidelights, stern light, and a masthead light if you have one just like you would if you were making way.


Scott


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## offshorefanatic

if its manufactured or controlled by humans there is an "error factor". In all honesty could happen to anyone. Your lights go out and your under the console trying to fix it... say with a tired or sleeping crew( mistake not waking them up on watch). Night time all parties are tired and there are several boats (lights all merge) boom there you go another human mistake ( underay too fast while not sure). There are a lot of things that can happen. We may never know.


But it could happen to all of the greatest and seasoned veterans. Thats why they call them accidents. You learn from your mistakes and others. If no one made mistakes then where would I learn?

If the story is known and the parties invloved want to share that would be a good learning tool for all and anyone that goes out in the pond.

I was on a buddys boat years ago. He was pulling up to a bouy, threw it in reverse, motors died. BOOM nailed the bouy and punched a hole in the side of the boat. Guess what he learned and I learned from his mistake. Dont approach so fast, depending on your motors to slow you in time. They are mechanical and never know when they may giive up the goose.


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## makoclay

Is it a fact that if you are drifting then you should have your side lights on? I understand that when drifting, your boat is moving but the purpose of side lights is twofold. 1. To signal you are moving (underway??) and 2. The color of the lights that are visible communicate which direction you are moving. If you are drifting, you may be drifting backwards so the red/green lights would give the opposite indication of the true direction the boat is moving.


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## luna sea II

makoclay said:


> Is it a fact that if you are drifting then you should have your side lights on? I understand that when drifting, your boat is moving but the purpose of side lights is twofold. 1. To signal you are moving (underway??) and 2. The color of the lights that are visible communicate which direction you are moving. If you are drifting, you may be drifting backwards so the red/green lights would give the opposite indication of the true direction the boat is moving.


from the coast guard: (vessels under 12m only have to display a stern light and side lights)

a) A power-driven vessel underway shall exhibit (click on icon to see picture  
(i) a masthead light forward;
(ii) a second masthead light abaft of and higher than the forward one; except that a vessel of less than 50 meters in length shall not be obliged to exhibit such a light but may do so;
(iii) sidelights: and
(iv) a sternlight.

*Rule 3*​
h/i. The word "underway" means that a vessel is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.​


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## bjd76

Several folks have picked up on the theme here: accidents can and do happen, even to responsible operators. We should try to be prepared for them in a prudent and reasonable way - notably so given the distance/time involved for outside help to arrive. To my knowledge excessive speed was not involved, both vessels had lights on (although bow R/G lights on the struck vessel were out after accident), and the one party thought the other vessel was coming over to talk (thought it was my boat) hence not as wary.

My impression is that the captain that struck the other vessel operated in a concerned and courteous manner after the incident: ensuring no one was hurt, that the vessel was seaworthy, and escorting the other boat back to shore in the morning.

Without some other knowledge of impropriety on that captain's part, I would not go out of my way to avoid him. I don't know his name, or the vessel's, nor is it necessary for the point I was trying to make- Be as prepared as you can because sh$t does and can happen to any of us.

That said, I have been out there wherein a captain purposely turns off his engines and all nav lights??! I presume it was to increase his stealth factor and fish will approach closer. I know I had trouble seeing him and hope he reconsiders his tactic in light of this incident.


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## donaken

*hmmm...*

not to stir the pot, but personally, I would consider this an incident, not an accident....I can assure you it would never happen on my boat...lack of experience maybe, know that if I'm underway and under my console working on a lighting issue, I would be well out of the traffic scheme and everyone in proximity know my circumstance....trust me, I know sh!t happens out there, but if a little common sense is applied, most incidents can be avoided....a little forethought to a situation is key...."what would I do if "....should be on your mind from the time you pull out, til the time your backing in....dont know of a trip that I didn't pull out without butterflies...just my .02...glad its only ego's and boats that got bruised....

ken


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## Swells

I have to say I'm not familiar with nighttime maneuvering at the floaters when you got a parade out there. Sounds scary enough just because nighttime can mess with your depth perception. Heck I get nervous is a potlicker gets within a mile of our fishing spot, drift, or troll.

My ******* friend dipped some smokeless and said "Whelp Thammie, mebbe yo ain't got no _*death paception*_." Can't disagree with that! 

Thank the Lord nobody was hurt and everything worked out OK.


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## donaken

*haha....*

^^^......fochenly only bad habit I got :redface: haha....in hindsight, if I was a capt tellin my owner about it ....it most certainly would have been an "accident".....angelsm

ken


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