Fatal Accident ~ Bound To Happen

[Razzman]

This happened in the Sacramento River Delta not far from my house and home to a few on the forum. We've all seen this and while it's illegal to do i knew someday it would happen ...

Delta jet ski accident kills one (9:49 a.m.)

June 08, 2009 12:50 PM
A man was pronounced dead after a collision between two jet skis Sunday afternoon on Middle River about one mile north of Union Point, the San Joaquin County Sheriff's office said.

Sheriff's spokesman Les Garcia said two jet skis were jumping a boat's wake at about 3:50 p.m. when they collided in mid-air. The driver of one of the jet skis suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene.

His name and other details about the accident have yet to be released. Officials also have not released information about the condition of the driver of the second jet ski.

Read Tuesday’s Record for more on this story by staff writer Keith Reid.

[kaneboats]

Next there will be a helmet law proposed for jet skiers.

[mmandley]

Thats really sad to hear. I see jet ski's jump wakes all the time up here. Im sure its real fun but when you get two jet ski's both doing it, and at opposite directions, its a recipe for disaster.

[wolfeman131]

I know it's fun (done it myself), but I always wave the jet skis off. Mostly b/c they always get too dang close to my kids for me to feel safe.

[insanepolack]

I can relate. A long time ago there was an accident where a jetskier ran over a tuber who had fallen off and was bobbing in the water, Tuber suffered brain damage.

[mmandley]

I can relate. A long time ago there was an accident where a jetskier ran over a tuber who had fallen off and was bobbing in the water, Tuber suffered brain damage.


WOW

I dont mind the jet ski people when we are cruising to a location to hang out in. I will even slow down to wake speed to give them a nice wake.

Once were ready to board and tube though yea, i get pretty agitated if they hang out and try to play in the wave we make.

[tprkolbas]

i don't have much use for the jet skiers when i'm trying to board. they keep screwing up my water. we call them lake rats.

[Razzman]

As stupid as some of them are recklessly ripping around they should be forced to wear helmets! Besides it's illegal in all 50 states to wakejump a jetski per the USCG. I can understand jet skiing can be boring just ripping around wasting gas, but c'mon have some common sense! It pisses me off when they following a rider or the kids on the tube and i've chased down and reamed more than one.

Last year a mom (driving) & son (13 or 14) on a jetski slammed the side of a wakeboat in Discovery Bay here, killed her and seriously injured her son. Literally cut her in half and the divers had to recover her body, bad thing was it was in plain view of homes as well. Those things are way to powerful for the uninitiated yet they rent them and sell them to anyone!

Last outing i saw a lady teaching a 10-12 year old girl to ride one. Know where? The freaking ramp of all places! Needless to say i gave her a piece of my mind! Mind you the lady wasn't all that versed in it either!

[TSC]

This weekend first time ever tubing with the new boat I twice had to wave off the same 3 person jet boat that was jumping our wake behind the tuber.

[gcombe74]

I have to say to me its a matter of respect and common sense. If I see someone is boarding and kind of own a section of lake.. I stay clear. (mind you this is in my boat) Why because that is thier claim so to say. I just go find my own little piece of heaven and go on my way.

What drives me a little insane is most Jet\wave runners dont give a damn. they just run up in your space, dis-regard your safty for some fun. I mean I used to own a wave runner.. and uh yeah they get old after a bit. But to me there is not excuse for being stupid when someones life is a stake.

Then again some of the lakes around here people have been known to drive their boats between the boarder and the tow-boat, thus cutting the the tow rope.... :confused:

[ian ashton]

That is a sad story. I can't say I'm suprised, it seems that every time we go out there is someone on a jet-ski doing something stupid.

[mmandley]

Yea i don't think i want to deal with people threatening my boarders or tubers. I can have a pretty nasty mouth and a very short temper about the safety of my crew.

My nickname is Malo for nothing. LOL

Malo = mean one

[jester]

This is sad to hear. Growing up my parents would always make sure we knew to respect the water because of the dangers it and the other people on the water can cause. People need to learn to always know the area around them and what can happen. I hate it when I am pulling someone and a boat appears behind my rider out of nowhere. You see these people on the shore line one second and the next they are full power right for you. I am a person that feels like anyone on the water under power should have to take a boat driving test. You have too before you get into a car so why not before you get into a boat? A boat is a lot more dangerous then driving down the street.

[jester]

Yea i don't think i want to deal with people threatening my boarders or tubers. I can have a pretty nasty mouth and a very short temper about the safety of my crew.

My nickname is Malo for nothing. LOL

Malo = mean one

Mike,

One thing you should learn is how to get back to your fallen rider a quick and safely as you can and use your boat to block for them. I hate to say this but some people are stupid and do not watchout for fallen people or the orange flag.

[yearround]

One thing you should learn is how to get back to your fallen rider a quick and safely as you can and use your boat to block for them. I hate to say this but some people are stupid and do not watchout for fallen people or the orange flag.

ya, don't power turn, they take longer and other boats don't know where you are going.

still sorry to hear about the accident and the loss of life.

[mmandley]

Mike,

One thing you should learn is how to get back to your fallen rider a quick and safely as you can and use your boat to block for them. I hate to say this but some people are stupid and do not watchout for fallen people or the orange flag.

Ok caught me in left field on this one.

I dont even know what to say as a reply LOL.

When we are pulling people and they fall we slow it down and make a sharp turn into a 180 and head back and always bring the person up on the Driver side of the boat. If there is any boat close to us when we are about to ride we wait till they leave or go else ware. As for boarding we haven't had a problem with people being around until we got invaded by the fishing boats, then the Sheriff made me move anyhow.

[Kelsey]

On several occasions I have killed the engine while pulling someone to scream at the jet skiers. I'm o.k. with them if just cruising, but if I'm pulling I will go off on them.

It's common sense and respect. A lesson I learned from my father at 12 years old. I was slalom skiing behind his I/O and cut outside the wake close to another boat. At the last second I cut back towards the wake, forcing a wall of water into their boat. My father proceeded to cut the engine, turn around and retrieve my ski. He then powered away and told me to swim to shore and walk home. True Story.

[Razzman]

On several occasions I have killed the engine while pulling someone to scream at the jet skiers. I'm o.k. with them if just cruising, but if I'm pulling I will go off on them.

It's common sense and respect. A lesson I learned from my father at 12 years old. I was slalom skiing behind his I/O and cut outside the wake close to another boat. At the last second I cut back towards the wake, forcing a wall of water into their boat. My father proceeded to cut the engine, turn around and retrieve my ski. He then powered away and told me to swim to shore and walk home. True Story.

So you do marathons now? :p

[jester]

Mike,

Some boats will just come up on you after you have a wakeboarder up. When that wakeboarder falls they do not see them in the water. Sometimes you will have to but your boat in between your fallen rider and the oncomming boat. They are more likely to see a big boat then a little person floating in the water. Yuo will have to watch the willammette in the summer time during the weekend since there are a lot of boats in a small area and most should not be allowed to drive a boat.

Kelsey,

I take it you did not do that one again?

[kaneboats]

I hadn't thought about that in a long time but we used to try to douse the gals laying out on their docks or floating swim platforms. But, these were people we knew out on the river when I was a teenager. I wouldn't allow anyone to ski that close to the shore now that I'm old enough to have some sense.

[zabooda]

I just call the sheriff and they come and give tickets out. Not because of the actions as they weren't there but this State now requires boating licenses to be on the person and they also do an equipment check. Between the two, they usually cite them for one of those. They end up going somewhere else and that is a good thing.

[sandm]

funny that our sheriffs here use jetskis as the primary mode of issuing tickets in the summer. they have 3 black/white 3person seadoos with lights. if we see one too close, we just stop. most around here keep out of the way of boats towing people and look for ones just cruising along. there are always the idiots in every bunch though..

I commute to work every day on an '08 zx6ninja and kind of see a lot of parallels in sportbikes and jetskis. a small few give a bad perception of the vehicle to everyone else and the ones that choose to fit the perception are the ones that eventually make it a reality. sad that lives are usually what pay the price..

[mmandley]

funny that our sheriffs here use jetskis as the primary mode of issuing tickets in the summer. they have 3 black/white 3person seadoos with lights. if we see one too close, we just stop. most around here keep out of the way of boats towing people and look for ones just cruising along. there are always the idiots in every bunch though..

I commute to work every day on an '08 zx6ninja and kind of see a lot of parallels in sportbikes and jetskis. a small few give a bad perception of the vehicle to everyone else and the ones that choose to fit the perception are the ones that eventually make it a reality. sad that lives are usually what pay the price..

Im with ya here Sandm. I used to ride a 95 Suzuki Katana 600 to work back in the mid 90s when i worked 60 miles from my house. I didnt pay as much attention to bikes on the road till i started ridding one. Even now when i dont ride i still pay attention to them and give them a little extra room and respect. Every one wants to have fun and ride what they can whether its land or water. It does only take a few people or 1 person to do something stupid to make a lot of others hate that whole group.

Take wake boarding boats vs. fishermen.

A few a-holes get to close to the fishing boats and rock the hell out of them with there wakes and thats what started the hole hate relationship with the two groups. Kayakers too.

[byronkoz]

The guy who died in this accedent was a guy who worked at Union Point they called Welder. He did the flag pole and alot of the other welding jobs around Union Point. I didnt know or ever meet him but people I know said he was a great guy that would go out of his way to help you out. My prayer fo out to his family.

When I was a kid my family owned a place called Lost Isle, not far from Union Point. I got REALLY board at times just hanging around doing nothing on the island, except getting on everyones nerves LOL. So they bought me a 440 jet ski and then bought another for my cousin a short time later. Well we were only 9 or 10 years old so of course we did stupid crap. One day jumping wakes we collided right in front of the island. Luckily neither of us were hurt real bad but one of the skis ended up on the bottom with a big whole in it. My family never fixed it and it just sat until they sold the Island and the other was sold right away. I've never and will never own or allow my kids on a PWC.

[delta_shark]

I was out on the water with a friend about a mile north of this accident when it happened. We heard the sirens and the sheriff's call over the radio at a local marina.

I was hoping the news rapidly spreading amongst delta boaters was less severe than what we were hearing. Unfortunately, now that I found this post, I know that the stories were true.

Having recently moved to Discovery Bay (not far from Union Point), and being an avid stand-up jet skier, I am always looking for news regarding incidents on the water as well as the rules and safety regulations in this area. I've read about the woman who was killed near Disco Bay (Heart wrenching) and the other person who hit the bridge piling on a jetski. I'm out on the water all the time and I've seen too many close-calls myself in the short amount of time I've been here.

While the accident information is ready available, it's troubling I can't find more information on the rules around here. Many of them seem to be "unwritten". The delta is a unique body of water because it's composed of a series of channels (many very narrow) versus a single large body of water like a lake. This immediately raises a red flag for me as visibility is shortened.

To the person who started this post, are you sure that wakejumping is illegal? From what I've gathered, it's legal if you are using good judgment. For me, good judgment means that neither the boat, the wake, or a nearby turn is blocking my visibility. If I'm clear, I'm jumpin' that sucker!

With all that said, let me just say I don't think it should be a boater versus jet skier thing. EVERYONE needs to exercise caution, demonstrate good judgment, and respect one another on the water. I like the post from the folks who related jetskis to streetbikes. I don't ride streetbikes but I know people who do..and they have heightened respect for the road because they are more vulnerable. On the same token, I know a lot of people who drive their cars recklessly. Just like on the road, there are a large number of dumbs**ts out there both on boats and on jetskis...and I don't care if you are a weekender or live on the water...we Are all guilty of poor judgment at least once. The important thing is that you learn from the mistake. Suck it up and take responsibility!

Ego talking: I say put every boater and waverunner enthusiast on a stand-up jetski for a few days. I guarantee 80% will come out with a new found respect for the waters and those in them. And oh yeah...they won't get bored either!

Okay long and boring post; but if I managed to make one person think differently, then this is priceless.

[mmandley]

Welcome tot he forum Delta.

I really like you thoughts and point of view. It is everyone responsibility and actions that make us all safe and or unsafe.

I know as a new boat owner already i have done things that were a bit stupid, or let someone driving my boat do something they shouldnt have done, its all learning and teaching others. One thing i can say about Jet skiers is i see them and treat them like a biker on the road. I love to see them out there jumping and having fun, as long as they respect my space when i have people behind my boat, i respect there's by not getting my boat to close eighter.

Its all give and take and mutual respect for one another on the water.

[08LSV]

Even if there are some idiots out there in boats or jet skis or whatever you still have to feel sorry for the families they leave behind. I have worked in the emergency room of various trauma centers for the last ten years and seen firsthand some of the craziest things imaginable. Most of the circumstances whether auto, bike, boat, ATV or jet ski are similar to the incidents in this thread. I think it is much easier to teach your family to be responsible with all things they participate in than it is to live with them on life support for the next 20+ years. You wanna see something tear a family apart visit your local long term intensive care hospital (especially the pediatric ventilator units). Sorry that was probably a little dark for some but people seem to forget about the long term consequences when they make these choices. :(





Take wake boarding boats vs. fishermen.

A few a-holes get to close to the fishing boats and rock the hell out of them with there wakes and thats what started the hole hate relationship with the two groups. Kayakers too.


Hope I don't offend anyone..... But..... While I am newer to boating and wakeboarding I have spent a large portion of my life hunting and fishing. I still cannot understand why fishermen (or fisherwomen) would even want to fish on the delta in the largest and most populated or busiest channels. There are so many great places with no one around because they are not good spots to board or ski. I mean it is kinda like hunting for deer on the shoulder of the highway and then getting mad at the cars passing because they are scarring away the animals.. Sorry just had to get that out. I feel better now.:p

[Razzman]

Delta, yup i'm sure. Read your USCG rules and you'll find it. Get caught by the water cops and you will get a ticket. Personally i hate lake lice due to their attitudes and total lack of common sense. Jumping wakes, cutting in front of me at high speed, churning up the water at the harbor or cove entrance, blah, blah, blah. I catch them doing it near my boat and the sherrif will hear about it along with their reg numbers.

Accicdents happen, but none happen more anywhere in Cali than in Disco and the Delta. Why, it's a very large body of water that covers hundreds of miles (see map) that's used by everything from kayaks to ocean freighters. It's also used by a very large population of stupid people.

Last year 12 drunk hispanics in a 12' aluminum boat capsized and sank (ya think?) in the middle of the night, most drowned. A wakeboat traveling well over 10mph at 2AM hits a dumba** in a paddleboat, dead paddleboat dude. What the! Last Memorial weekend, friday afternoon to be exact, drunk kid runs Sanger V215 wakeboat on the rocks (see pic), dumba**!

Every weekend something happens out there to some extent or another. A few Boats will sink every year as well. I remember one a couple years ago, wakeboat pulls out into the deepwater channel (dumb), stops and starts to setup a rider, large boat comes by and swamps boat, boat sinks. Dumba**!

We have a couple on the forum that live there and i'm sure they know the waters, it's the ones that don't that get into trouble. Personally i don't boat there for many reasons. I like large open water where i can see idiots coming.

[mmandley]

Sorry Razz i know these arnt meant to be funny, but the 12 Hispanics is dam funny, and the drunk kids on the rocks is dam funny.

I have seen plenty of youngsters, college kids out in there big money boats this year already, parting and having a good ole time. I hope they stay safe because nothing is sadder then leaving the water with less people, or equipment then you came to the water with.

[sandm]

see the same thing. one cove we have on our home lake is the "party spot". usually 7-9 high$$ wake machines, mostly mastercraft/nautique, tied together and tunes blasting, beer flowing and overall a party atmosphere. sheriffs spend a lot of time up there.
ahhhh.... to be 25, irresponsible, and the offspring of wealthy parents... jk.. :)

back on topic. I would suspect that delta_shark fits the mold of the people that we absolutely hate on the lake. thinking it's all clear, then before you know it, something happens. it is my understanding it is illegal to be within 100ft of any boat or person getting towed or downed in the water. I don't think most on seadoo's and standups really have an understanding of how far 100ft is. in delta's partial defense, it is mostly the seadoo's on our lake that are the real nuisance. standups don't have enough of a tank to get very far from the marina launch and don't really go that fast, so most boaters head a mile or so away and the standups are gone. rarely ever see one more than 1/4 mile from the launch.

[mmandley]

Never really paid attention about the see do's not fare from the launches but now that i think about it your right, the place i see them the most is Hagg here and its a small lake.

I guess so if they run out of fuel its not to fare to swim LOL.

100ft i knew about if your driving and someone is skiing or other sport, If im just floating, engines off i can be closer no? I routinely will see people doing there sports, pull over close enough to watch, fare enough out of there way then just float around for a bit.

I love to watch others doing there thing too.

[sandm]

we stay 100ft minimum away from anyone that is recreating. I try to keep as wide a berth as possible and feel more comfortable at 2-300ft. now when just floating, we have idled up to others to chat, and I assume if no one is in the water, you are ok, but we always approach at idle, and never to another boat that is moving at any speed other than idle..
a good wakeboarder or def. someone on an airchair, we will park for a while and spectate, but again, we always try to park 2-300ft away, just as a courtesy.

[Razzman]

Sorry Razz i know these arnt meant to be funny, but the 12 Hispanics is dam funny, and the drunk kids on the rocks is dam funny.

I have seen plenty of youngsters, college kids out in there big money boats this year already, parting and having a good ole time. I hope they stay safe because nothing is sadder then leaving the water with less people, or equipment then you came to the water with.

Ok, Ok, I have to admit when i heard that one i kinda laughed to. C'mon 10 drunk peeps in a 12' boat! I laughed because i was trying to envision that one! The water must have been to the top! What were they thinking!

[mmandley]

last weekend I saw a group of about 12 jet skiers playing a game that I never saw before and looked like a lot of fun...

They took a ball out onto the lake that was approximately 3 feet in diameter. They actually played soccer with the thing! They would hit the ball with the nose of the jet ski and that ball would fly about 8 feet above the water and for a distance of about 40 feet.

The stand-up jet ski's seemed to do the best.

It made me want to go flying over there and hit the ball with my boat.

If only we could edumacate the jet skiers about this game, it might make them think that chasing boat wakes is rather boring.

LOL that made my laugh out loud. I can just see you flying in there with Martha and punting that ball about 40 ft high and 100 feet down the lake.

[moombadaze]

I think these guys were trying the game but both missed the ball

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wdaAq2kRk0&feature=related

[sandm]

sounds like fun, but I bet it's really a recipe for disaster. having too many watertoys in a small space is not good for anyone..

[mmandley]

Aww man dam. I was just writing my reply to the person claiming to be a sibling

=(

Man i was putting a lot of work into my reply..

[Waynes345]

sorry.

Person was a one hit wonder who also has made one other post under another user name.

got to keep it civil like you all like and want it :)

Ed - We can appreciate that. I don't think it hurt to bring a little perspective to the situation either.

[Razzman]

Hence my responce, or should i say lack of it now.

[SafeBoater]

Lets start educating ourselves today about the importance of safe boating instead of waiting until another accident like this one occurs. It is sad to know that someone did not survive because people are not following the rules of the water. Personal Watercrafts such as jet skis and wave runners account for 25% of all boating accidents and I bet most of them could have been avoided. Take a minute out of your day and read up on safe boating. A really good website is http://www.BoatResponsibly.com. Jet skiers or boaters, it makes no difference, we all share the same waterway rules. Lets learn to have fun and be safe at the same time.