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Bell vs. Mastercraft; 31 Million $ verdict

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by dsharp, Jul 27, 2011.

  1. dsharp, Jul 27, 2011
    #1
    dsharp

    dsharp Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2009
    Messages:
    240
    Location:
    lake jackson, tx
    I recently received a letter from the ATA Associates company advertising their services in forensic engineering. Apparently several people were thrown from a boat and then struck by the propeller. The nose of the boat swamped while making a tight turn. I believe that 12 people were sitting in the bow. I don't know if I disagree with the verdict after looking at the Mastercraft website and noticed that they advertise that you can "welcome 18 of your most beautiful friends" out on a 24' ski boat. I don't run boats on any lakes but is this a common practice to put this many people on a boat this size? I am curious about where the responsibility should lie.
  2. wscott52, Jul 27, 2011
    #2
    wscott52

    wscott52 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2007
    Messages:
    298
    Location:
    SE Florida
    I don't think even a 24' pontoon boat is rated to carry 18 people.
  3. NYCAP123, Jul 28, 2011
    #3
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2008
    Messages:
    11,210
    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    The other day I was at a place where idiots tend to gather when a MasterCraft, which looked to be about 20', rolled in with 15 people aboard. It's bow was about 5" from the water. This is an area where 50' to 140' yachts routinely cruise through against a 5 kt. current throwing big wakes. Any idiot who can't figure out the result gets what they deserve. Seating capacity does not equal safe cruising ability under all conditions. What I believe was my own deck boat was dragged under a barge after I'd sold it. It had a seating capacity of 13, but putting most of them in the bow with a following current cost 11 lives. That's operator error. That's the one who should be sued. Hope the appeals court gets it right.
  4. m2m, Jul 28, 2011
    #4
    m2m

    m2m Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2006
    Messages:
    108
    Location:
    newport ri
    It's always a sad thing when accidents like this happen. having spent my life on the water I have seen these accidents happen more times than I care to think about. 2 with very close friends. The majority are with younger people and involved booze. Overloading a boat with young kids happens all the time but in the same sentence it is just as common with older people that don't have a clue about capacities or regulations. I may upset alot of people but I think a basic boating course should be mandatory for all operators. I did a lot of stupid and crazy things in my younger days(including going out to check out a grounded tanker in a 20' boat with 18 people aboard 1 mile offshore and it was choppy, granted I did have 4 inches of freeboard)