We had a very serious incident out at the GSL marina this last weekend.  If you choose to raise your mast in the parking lot before trailer launching your boat, please do so in the northwest parking lot.

One of the sailors raised his mast in unsecured storage (by the cell tower).  He then began towing his boat out of storage when his mast hit an overhead powerline.  The connection with the power line caused an electrical explosion that blew his has apart and damaged his standing rigging.  Luckily no one was hurt but the damage to his boat is extensive.

A similar situation happened to me in the mid 1970’s and we weren’t so lucky.  I was talking to some people who were raising their mast on the beach near the cabins that used to be at the north beach at Deer Creek.  My had was on the side stay and my knees were against the trailer with my feet on the ground.  One of the other sailors was standing on the trampoline of the Hobie 16 while another sailor was standing, barefoot, on the tongue of the trailer waiting to hook the forestay up when the mast and forestay made contact with the power line.  The sailor standing on the tongue of the trailer and myself were both electrocuted.  The sailor on the trampoline, raising the mast, was not electrocuted but realized what was happening and pulled the mast away from the power line.  I was thrown backward unconscious as was the sailor standing on the tongue of the trailer.  Luckily I survived but the sailor on the tongue of the trailer was not so lucky and succumbed to electrocution.

Another friend of mine was killed in nearly the same fashion down in Mexico when she pushed her boat, mast up, into a power line.

In another incident here, a sailor pulled his boat from the lake and trailered it down the road.  He forgot to take his mast down and struck a power line near Saltair.

Please be very careful raising your mast or rigging your boats.  It is best to use the mast crane in the marina.  Always look up before you raise your mast.

Also, we do not allow boats to be stored in the marina storage or parking lot with the mast up.  Strong winds will likely tip your boat over potentially causing damage or injury.

Please be safe.

Thanks

Dave