Brad,
One of the NW gang took a nasty ass spill and I want to make sure my buds down south read about it and take all necessary precautions so they don't have the same (or worse) happen to them and I don't know where the best place is to post this. Please put it where you think it will have the most exposure and thanks.

A buddy up here had just dropped his friend off at the boat launch to go get the truck and trailer and thought he'd make one last run while waiting.  He was running a touch over 90 in his 21 TPR when the loader broke and sent the boat into a hard turn.  He ended up getting pitched out of the boat (through the windshield) and skipping through the water before coming to a nasty stop. Thank whoever you want that he was wearing his life jacket (which we as a group have been really pushing)  He ended up with a number of painful but for the most part minor injuries (separated his collar bone from his shoulder, cuts, bruised from head to toe).

If he hadnt had the jacket on......the injurys from the impact would have been significantly higher and our pal might not be here today as there was no way he was gonna be able to swim.

We as a group have now added a quick check of loaders to all the other stuff that needs a good look before setting out.  Also further spells out the need for all of us to wear our jackets.  This is the 3rd loader failure this year. 

Please guys, be careful and check this stuff over well.  I genuinely don't want to hear any of you hurt............Take care.....john

best wishes to your pal

John Glad your buddy is OK , one thing I remember from someone saying at Bakersfield  after watching Little Rick  get tossed is "theres them that have been wet and them that are going to" (or something to that effect)  It brought back that grim realization that the majority of the boats we have and deal with were not designed to go as fast as we all wish and theres not much seperating a "bad hop" and a disaster. Last weekend my buddy tossed me the keys to a 10 sec 100+ mph and said take it for a ride (at the lake) My first inclination was to be conservative but that lasted 10 seconds (3 times)  These Hot Rods are very cool stuff lots of fun ,easy to get hurt (or worse) Vest up ! get a kill switch ,check your saftey gear, be aware of you surroundings and passengers and try to be safe. Every time I go out and make a hard pass I get a thrill and a foot "shake" ,never quite sure if its adrenaline or a little fear mixed in ?  Tommy

BTW if your going to buy a vest buy a good one (remember the old $2 helmet for a $2 head)

 

If that little bit of fear ever goes away get out of the boat !!  Its there to save you. 

Maybe I shouldn't be driving, I have not yet had the thought that I should back out of it because of fear. 

Now riding with somebody else driving, that's another story.

Sorry to hear about your friend, glad that he isnt " to " banged up.  As for me I have never been the one to want to wear the vest but every year it seems like there is more and more of these incidents....

Be safe all!

thanks for sharing this story.....im glad he walked away.

I watched a guy hook and barrel roll his CP last month at about 85-90mph....no jacket or helmet....and amazingly swam away untouched. There was a LIST of things that he did wrong that added up in the situation, and I would say on the top of the list he wasnt wearing any safty equiptment while running.

i have had a few mishaps in the last year while driving/riding that continue to make me respect boats and never get too cocky driving one....but if you do, suit up. it takes 5 seconds that can save you years of pain and even your life.