Trojan Boat Forum

It was a VERY foggy day yesterday on the west side of Lake Michigan. I took my vessel down from Kenosha WI to Waukegan IL in the thick pea soup. No radar, but I have a good chart plotter. I stayed well away from shore and took her in slow.

Unfortunately, two others were not as lucky as I... After I got in, I spent the rest of the day setting up my lines. Another Capt. and I saw an F-32 heading out with two beer drinkers standing on the bow. He even remarked.... "They'll end up on the rocks..."

Sure enough, about an hour later, 6 of them came climbing over the breaker wall soaking wet. They went aground on rocky shoals and from what I know, the boat is now on the bottom with just the bimini sticking out. Visibility was only about 100 yards and I could not see the boat from the wall. As the conversations continued, I learned that a 10 meter went aground the day before and it a total loss.

There were no injuries in either incident; thank goodness for that...

Hmmmm Looks to me like a radar dome hanging off the front of the flybridge

What a shame

Oh man, that's just sad.

I would not go out in pea soup fog. I have great radar and know how to use it. 3 chart good plotters . I been caught in some bad fog .But I don't leave the dock in it . With the exception to assist .

My new to me F32 has a chart plotter and radar dome and stuff not connected, I'm clueless but determined to figure it out this year

agree with Prowlersfish. Getting caught in fog is one thing leaving in fog is not to bright, pun intended.

That's unfortunate. I never leave if it's not clear. I don't have a radar or the experience to take chances.

Yea... That will buff right out...

Captain Francesco Schettino at it again?

I am puzzled by the duck tape on the hull.

Duck tape is good but it aint that good!

Look on the bright side, they now have unlimited anchor rode storage.....

I watched some of the recovery. They lifted it with air bags and towed it over to the crane. The crane would not lift it, and I have seen this crane lift 60+ foot yachts!

Then they backed up a Semi-Truck trailer and got is settled. The truck could not haul it out and they had to call a heavy-duty tow truck to winch it out.

That's not duct tape - its a lifting strap. I'm a little boggled by their placement, but I'm guessing it was one of those situations where it really didn't matter. My cousin is living in Florida these days, and she (and I ) are baffled by all the people running around down there in boats, not using any navigation/ depth/ radar etc type electronics. Either they don't have them, or they've never blown the dust off 'em.
I have a radar, two GPS units and a compass - and I avoid fog like the plague. I've been caught in it twice, and it is flat out scary - I can't imagine running fast enough to do that kind of damage to your boat when there's next to no visibility. I suppose it was bound to happen to them at some point - natural consequences and all that......

MTurvey wrote:That's not duct tape - its a lifting strap. I'm a little boggled by their placement, but I'm guessing it was one of those situations where it really didn't matter. My cousin is living in Florida these days, and she (and I ) are baffled by all the people running around down there in boats, not using any navigation/ depth/ radar etc type electronics. Either they don't have them, or they've never blown the dust off 'em.
I have a radar, two GPS units and a compass - and I avoid fog like the plague. I've been caught in it twice, and it is flat out scary - I can't imagine running fast enough to do that kind of damage to your boat when there's next to no visibility. I suppose it was bound to happen to them at some point - natural consequences and all that......

Short form : A CRAP LOAD (maybe 30 - 70% of boaters) don't have a frickin' clue what they are getting in to. Impacts of current???? wake??? wave action??? wind??? I have seen hundreds of people drive $20K - $100K+ boats into the dock because they didn't know any better. At my marina this year, there are a lot of new boaters.

They have money, but no brains. And their action put our lives at risk.