Utah Windriders Association

Got to the beach a little before noon. There was very little wind in the launch area but promising whitecaps on the far side. By the time I got my 7.5 unrolled, it was apparent that it was going to be too big for the rapidly improving conditions, so on went the 6.6. Excellent session (remarkably steady wind, very few powerboats) for about half an hour. But then --- I had just jibed on the far side and was getting back up to speed on starboard when a white wall appeared directly in my path at very close range. No time to react! Bam!! They came back, asked if I was OK, offered to help, and, to their credit, did not try to blame me for the collision. Meanwhile, I was assessing the damage: Hypersonic even shorter than before, right ankle very sore, but probably not broken. Once I persuaded them to stay downwind of me, I was able to waterstart and sail back to the beach. Take home lesson: you can't be too alert for powerboats because you can't count on them to notice you!

Ouch, I hope you are ok.
You are very lucky to be alive.

Just a sprained ankle. And you're right about my being lucky; if he had been going just a little slower or I had been going slightly faster, he'd have run right over me, and the outcome would have been a lot different.

Jim I'm so sorry that happened, but glad that you are in one piece. The ankle and board are a bummer, but I know you are tough as nails, not so sure about the hyper! I bet you can fix r up. good luck Sarah

And it wasn't even crowded.

Glad you are Ok Jim.

Hey Jim...Just got on line to see what Grantsville was doing and noticed your post........HOLY S#*!! Glad to see you`re OK! Bet those boaters will be looking for your "Stealth like rig" from now on. Your like a "skeeter bug on the water", there one minute...gone the next! You`ve probably logged more time on the water at Deer Creek than any other human since the dam was built. Glad the "Grim Reaper" didn`t catch you...but then no one else can either!!!! PS This incident again raises the question of how we get our message across about Right of Way, Proper Look Out and other issues that boaters should know but don`t.

Great to hear that you are ok! And that was a week day! Can't wait to hear what Angela said.....

Maybe its time for an article (or letter) in the local paper. Maybe it could include the fact the even though kind Dr Jim will let you smash him with your white power pig, bro DaveO will sue your sorry ass for fines, legal fees, pain and suffering, property damage, medical bills, etc. for your remaining days.

Sarah: The ankle is still pretty swollen, but at least it isn't hurting as much. Damage to the Hyper was less than I would have expected considering how fragile it seems. I should be able to get it patched up, but it's going to be even uglier than before. Very glad to hear that Linda was able to enjoy a day of sailing the other day!

Shawn: The fact that there were so few powerboats out may have been part of the problem. Both parties were way too relaxed! From now on I'm planning to be much more vigilant/paranoid!!

Grant: I wish I knew how to get through to the powerboat community. The crew on the boat I collided with seemed like nice folks, just careless and distracted.

Dave: Angela was not happy! I like your idea of a letter to the editor of The Wave. I'll see what I can do.

I hope you made the ranger aware of what happened.


Maybe something like this could help?

Jim, I am glad you are okay (relatively speaking). I am sure the boaters were nice people. Still, ignorant people who are nice can do great harms to other people. I wonder if the boaters will have to take a license test in order to operate their boat? If they do, do they have the right of way questions in there? I would pursue legal actions against the operator of the boat, regardless how nice they had been to me, if that happened to me. The only way to stop stupid people from doing stupid things is to make sure they pay for the stupid things they do. This is very much like a car hitting a biker. I am sure it happens a lot in Utah. But it doesn't make it okay. At the very least, they should pay for your new board.

I think some sort of warning letter to those operating their power machine in Utah lakes is needed before any real serious harm is done to us.

Josh: Love it! where can I get one? In the meantime, I've cobbled up my own version using a marine strobe.


Leo As far as I'm aware, it is not necessary to have any sort of license to operate a powerboat in Utah (please correct me if I'm wrong about that, anyone.) Clearly it should be, and clearly powerboaters need to be given safety education. I probably should have taken some action against the guy who was driving the boat, but right after the collision I was preoccupied with trying to waterstart and get back to shore. And once I got back, my ankle was hurting enough that all I wanted to do was derig and get home to an ice pack and a handful of ibuprofen. As you say, this episode is a sort of aquatic version of a cyclist getting hit by a car whose driver somehow didn't notice him. How to make sure boaters see us? I wish I knew. Josh's idea may have merit! Saw a great t-shirt on a (motor) biker in Port Orford; the t-shirt was bright orange and said on the back in large black letters, "Can you see me now, assh__?"

Jim,

Glad to hear that you are recovering reasonably well. Getting hit by a wall of Fiberglass and Metal is not cool. I

I used to ride road bikes a bunch and we always had to assume that we were invisible to cars and people. That mindset has helped me a bunch, and while I'm kiting, I continue to ride like other kiters can't see me as well, unless it's Billy coming in hot for a high five. On a road bike these days I'm super leery of cars with all the texting and internet surfing going on.

So, I guess that's my little piece of advice for anyone reading, pretend like you're invisible.

pretend like you're invisible.

wait, did you hear something? who said that?

pretend like you're invisible.

Excellent advice! In a prefect world, powerboaters would always be paying attention, but I just don't see that happening. The fact that there are so many fewer windsurfers on the lake than there used to be may be part of the problem; boat drivers just aren't expecting to encounter small vessels traveling at high speeds on courses perpendicular to theirs. Kind of like the early days of snowboarding at resorts, when skiers heading straight down the fall line had trouble dealing with boarders who were taking a much less direct line down the hill.

That's not good!

Are they going to cast you up?

-Craig

Update on "sprained" ankle: