Interesting but poorly researched story: No doubt the powerboat was speeding. That is admitted. Forty to sixty... that's fast and probably very negligent. However, I don't know their conditions. In SF Bay on the North Shore, near yuppyland (Sausalito) where everyone has too much money, it is common to see cigarette boats at 60 to 80 with open headers. That's nothing, the cargo and container ships as large as they are running in the Bay at over 20 knots. Often under the cover of darkness. A prudent sailor would not consider being out there at night, without radar. CA BAC law has been .08 for better than ten years. Commercial drivers .04. The article says a few years back he would have been legal at .12 Before .08 was .10. Far as I know or can recall at least to 15-16 years ago, the limit has never been at .12 At .12 you are hammered! You have no business being behind the wheel of anything. Was the Captain of the sailboat given a breathalizer and was he sober or wasted? If he was drunk too, that would make a heck of a pair. If the sailboat operator was .12 BAC, I can see an argument for partial blame on the Captain for letting the drunk drive. After all the Captain is in command and responsible. IF... this were an auto accident, the drunk is ALWAYS at fault! M.A.D.D. took great pains to make that happen (justifiably). I would imagine the decision makers are having a fit trying to assess blame. However, the story has lies. Maybe there is more to it than is so far told. Bill another way to look at the story... On 6/12/08, Tom Smith <openboatt@gmail.com> wrote:
This story has been run continuously on Lat. 38 almost since it occurred. How this has been handled by law enforcement and the courts is total bullshit. A travesty of justice. t
On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 6:03 PM, <GILASAILR@aol.com> wrote:
All boaters and especially California residents need to be heard here, Cronyism at its worst!
_Click here: Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine_ (
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GO. LB/GF! M-17 # 316a 'that ain't bad gelcoat -it's "patina"! Team Geezer Racing.....Old and in the Way Arizona Sailing Squadron
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