This is the exact reason I bought a jetboat

[Thermobrett]

Accidents happen, and this is EXACTLY why I went with a jetboat and not a boat with a prop. I want to limit the risk of injury.

6-year-old girl dies after mother accidentally struck her with a boat propeller in Arizona

A 6-year-old girl died in Arizona in a horrific boating accident Friday after her mother accidentally struck the child with a boat propeller on Friday, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

www.aol.com

 

[Weeb]

Sad. I agree with ya.

 

[Ronnie]

Wow, very tragic. I feel for the Mother, she must be beside herself and possibly suicidal. I hope Dad is supporting her instead of being critical of her. Any boat that hits you can injure or kill you but lack of an exposed propeller offers me some peace of mind. At least I will be whole or a whole corpse anyway.

 

[anmut]

Props are no joke. My uncle lost a leg from the knee down about three years ago because he fell out of a jon boat while the motor was running. It came around in a circle and he thought he would grab the side of the boat and climb back on... unfortunately the boat dragged him horizontal and under the boat enough to catch his foot in the prop.

He ended up getting on the boat and driving it up the boat ramp, then crawling out from the ramp to the road where someone found him and helped him. Nearly cost him his life.

 

[Ronnie]

Props are no joke. My uncle lost a leg from the knee down about three years ago because he fell out of a jon boat while the motor was running. It came around in a circle and he thought he would grab the side of the boat and climb back on... unfortunately the boat dragged him horizontal and under the boat enough to catch his foot in the prop.

I remember when that happened, didn’t know the details until now though. I read about similar stories a few times a year. Worst is when someone rides the bow of a pontoon, falls off and is funneled through the prop(s). Worse still is when both the rescuee and rescuer are injured or killed.

 

[anmut]

I remember when that happened, didn’t know the details until now though. I read about similar stories a few times a year. Worst is when someone rides the bow of a pontoon, falls off and is funneled through the prop(s). Worse still is when both the rescuee and rescuer are injured or killed.

Yeah, bow riding is a pet peeve of mine and my wife's. So much so that she's not afraid to be Sandbar Karen if she see's some idiots coming in or going out with people riding beyond the gates on a toon. I recently read something like "a boat at no-wake will cross 8' in 1 second, so a 24' boat will run a bowrider over in 3 seconds. There is no time to slow down or reverse in 3 seconds.

Two years ago we saw a boat full of drunk guys leave the sandbar as we were coming in. They're going out at no wake and had no idea that the knucklehead that pushed them off the sandbar was too drunk to get back on the boat. They're motoring out and he's being dragged underneath the toons, and they had no idea. Finally someone from the sandbar got through and they stopped and pulled him in. I was already mentally preparing for myself for a trauma and walking through a tourniquet, life threating lacerations, and speedy ride to the nearest dock. Thankfully, it wasn't the case, but he was... maybe 15-30 seconds from having a really rough day.

 

[biffdotorg]

Horrible accident, but something also very wrong with that story. They show a photo of a late model centurion. Which has a capacity of like 18 people or so. So the folks in the comments saying it was overloaded is wrong.

But when they say a 6 year old had a leg amputated by the prop, and then died shortly after.... How does a six year old physically get close to that prop with a swimdeck that big? The only possible way, would be if they were run over, or backed into.

So the quantity on the boat could have been an issue if they lost head count, but that just seems impossible. As far as that boat being any less safe, this was not due to the boat, this had to be a bad count on the part of the captain/mother

 

[AZMark]

They ran her over while starting to pull a wakeboarder. She was forgotten in the water with all the people on the boat.

 

[Acard7]

This is a good wake up call for those that don’t have tourniquets on their boat already; not in any way saying that’s what would’ve saved the kid. Can’t imagine what the mother is going through, very sad situation.

 

[AZMark]

6-year-old girl dead after being struck by family's boat at lake

A 6-year-old girl has died after being struck by her family's boat. She was found by her father. The mother was operating the boat.

www.usatoday.com

Slightly more detailed article.

I don’t think either mentions that they were at the far end of the lake and didn’t have cell service so it took them a while to get help. @Acard7 torniquet may have helped, sadly.

 

[Acard7]

6-year-old girl dead after being struck by family's boat at lake

A 6-year-old girl has died after being struck by her family's boat. She was found by her father. The mother was operating the boat.

www.usatoday.com

Slightly more detailed article.

I don’t think either mentions that they were at the far end of the lake and didn’t have cell service so it took them a while to get help. @Acard7 torniquet may have helped, sadly.

I’m hoping that they had a TQ, because if they didn’t there’s going to be someone always wondering “what if..” That’s why I carry 2 TQs plus quikclot gauze for wound packing. I hope I never have to use them on my passengers, but always ready for fellow boaters.

 

[AZMark]

I’m hoping that they had a TQ, because if they didn’t there’s going to be someone always wondering “what if..” That’s why I carry 2 TQs plus quikclot gauze for wound packing. I hope I never have to use them on my passengers, but always ready for fellow boaters.

I carry quicklot when mountain or dirt biking but honestly this stuff would have never crossed my mind for a boat. Such a horrible reminder.

 

[anmut]

Adding to "things you may consider carrying on a boat" in my med pack is an EpiPen for allergic reactions.

 

[drewkaree]

Horrible accident, but something also very wrong with that story. They show a photo of a late model centurion. Which has a capacity of like 18 people or so. So the folks in the comments saying it was overloaded is wrong.

Editors may not exist for "journalism" anymore - that pic doesn't say what kind of boat it was, or any of the other stories I've seen. This could have been a pontoon, for all we know, and to post a pic like that with no information is careless. It doesn't change what happened, nor justify any certain type of boat, but it's getting to the point of not really wanting to even look at stories like this until several days go by, and in a case like this, to wait until a reporter can write a decent story and have it edited/posted with actual info is something that could save someone's life in the meantime. Really is an example of what journalism SHOULD be doing, rather than just being a glorified "trusted" version of Facebook.

We were talking about this story last night at a party, and two of us there had Yamaha's. I dunno what the reasoning was for their purchase, but this really was one of the reasons we bought ours. It's important to note though, that we're NOT immune from things like this, folks here need to consider the point I saw brought up around here - we're stopped by a rope in the impeller, what if it's someone's hair, if we're not paying attention, and they get too close - keep in mind, there's ALWAYS danger on the water.

New folks get this from me: My first goal is to get everyone back to the dock safely and unharmed. My second goal is for everyone to have fun. I don't give two shits if the second goal is never met, as long as the first one is accomplished every time. Pay attention and help everyone have a safe time, which should get us closer to the second goal.

 

[Dornbox]

A large part of why I also purchased a jet boat. I’ve had many prop boats but as soon as I went out on a buddies Yamaha with the swim deck and no prop, it just removed one more potential accident especially with crazy kids. Like @drewkaree said though, regardless of boat type etc, safety is always the main goal and removing the prop from a boat doesn’t remove the potential danger of a serious accident.

 

[Coult45]

A large part of why I also purchased a jet boat. I’ve had many prop boats but as soon as I went out on a buddies Yamaha with the swim deck and no prop, it just removed one more potential accident especially with crazy kids. Like @drewkaree said though, regardless of boat type etc, safety is always the main goal and removing the prop from a boat doesn’t remove the potential danger of a serious accident.

Case in point...we were cruising down the river on the way home yesterday, when a Yamaha passed us headed the other way. They were about 50 feet from docks and boats, rolling along at about 10 mph and pushing up a healthy little wake, with two young ladies relaxing on the swim platform, enjoying some CO fumes with their cocktails. If you put just a little effort into it, you can always find ways to make your boating unsafe for yourself and your passengers.

 

[AZMark]

@drewkaree I believe the boat in the picture is the actual boat after it occurred. It was on the local news too.

 

[Dornbox]

Case in point...we were cruising down the river on the way home yesterday, when a Yamaha passed us headed the other way. They were about 50 feet from docks and boats, rolling along at about 10 mph and pushing up a healthy little wake, with two young ladies relaxing on the swim platform, enjoying some CO fumes with their cocktails. If you put just a little effort into it, you can always find ways to make your boating unsafe for yourself and your passengers.

Every adult whose been on my boat rolls there eyes at me when I tell them to get off the swim deck when underway.

 

[drewkaree]

@drewkaree I believe the boat in the picture is the actual boat after it occurred. It was on the local news too.

I really wish they'd dedicate a few words in the printed stories to that effect, not just this, but other stories. GOOD info helps someone else assess risks, and also gives merit to the point we try to make to others when speaking to the uninitiated about dangers on the water.

My neighbors saved a guy from drowning Thursday, because his a-hole buddies weren't paying attention and then ignored his pleas, then Saturday, the neighbors a-hole friend of another relative almost sent him backwards into his prop because he thought it was jokey time. My neighbor's kid likely saved his dad from amputation or death, and it's because people don't consider how much different things are on the water, so vague information, to me, is dangerous and has the potential to cause/create even more harm.

Be better, journalists. I know, I'm tilting at windmills with that.

Thanks for some clarification @AZMark every little bit helps

 

[drewkaree]

Every adult whose been on my boat rolls there eyes at me when I tell them to get off the swim deck when underway.

"You can roll your eyes at me, or you can roll your stuff off my boat. Your family will hold me responsible, and I will have to live with your death. If you think so little of MY well being, maybe you just might be better off on another boat"

As much as I love to joke around, I'm dead serious about making people understand I'm not playing around with their safety on my boat, nor will I tolerate it from my passengers.

I have stories, and have met people who were at functions we went to that got hurt there. I gained a buttload of perspective in a hurry, and it's sobering, to say the least