Michigan city turn vid

[phragle]

think this is the one people have been waiting for.....

[DAREDEVIL]

Wow,,,they both ( Geico & Aqua Mania ) ran in to the swim erea if u look at the white booye.

mhhhhh,,they should change that a tat for next year.

[GENERAL LEE]

Those kids were lucky that Darwin seemed to be nursing a hangover while enjoying the races that day.

[Wrinkleface]

Holy Crap is right!!!!!!!

[MahopacMarine]

It would have definitely been a good idea to move the course out a bit and move the spectators in a bit.

[Trim'd Up]

Wow! That is a little too close for comfort!

[rainmn]

Talk about a recipe for disaster.

Reminds me of the dimwit rally spectators that stand right at the apex of a turn.

[Ratickle]

Thanks, you guys were right, I was wrong. I thought they stayed outside the buoy barely.

Their original line was wider, I thought they did a tremendous job slowing and turning tighter than I thought the boat could.

Kudos guys.

[Ratickle]

Really odd that they let them stay in the water after that happened too.

I'm sure it will be remembered for next time.

[Geronimo36]

As much as we talk about darwins theory and spectators standing at the apex of a corner, it's up to the race organizers and more importantly the coast guard to make the course safe for the spectators and the racers.

Even though I'd have the common sense to stand further away it's really not the specators fault. For instance, last year at the Pt. Pleasant race my sister wanted me to get closer to the course so she could get better shots. Even though I was a sweep boat, I refused to get any closer than I felt comfortable with.

The fact the spectators moved in afterwards just goes to show they didn't realize they were in danger until it was too late....

[redhotsommer]

Moving that turn out a bit certainly wouldn't have hurt...I mean...there is definately ROOM out there!

[GENERAL LEE]

As much as we talk about darwins theory and spectators standing at the apex of a corner, it's up to the race organizers and more importantly the coast guard to make the course safe for the spectators and the racers.

Even though I'd have the common sense to stand further away it's really not the specators fault. For instance, last year at the Pt. Pleasant race my sister wanted me to get closer to the course so she could get better shots. Even though I was a sweep boat, I refused to get any closer than I felt comfortable with.

The fact the spectators moved in afterwards just goes to show they didn't realize they were in danger until it was too late....

That's all correct, but common sense just isn't so common for those kids it seems. The CG & course officials can only do so much to prevent the ignorant from getting themselves hurt & everyone sued. They shouldn't have to have a brick wall there to keep those morons from trying to swim under a 200mph raceboat. They probably shouldn't be allowed in the water AT ALL just in case one gets off course during the race, but it's their dumbass decision to push the limits by trying to show off how close they can get to death.

[phragle]

as a spectator, I believe, should have a reasonable sense of safety and security from watching anything in an approved veiwing area. it's the racers the spectators have come to watch take risks. the average spectator is not a racer, is not an offshore boater and has zero idea of the physics involved. he just knows that boat racing is exciting and want's to watch. he gets told he can watch from a certain spot and expects he should be safe

[Ratickle]

he gets told he can watch from a certain spot and expects he should be safe

Probably a lot of truth there.

[Scotty B]

I was in the Miss GEICO boat, the turn was tight. In the thirty years John Carbonell has been doing this there has never been a fan incident unlike almost every other motorsport. Whats done is done andthank god nobody was hurt. I know the situation will be rectified in the future because thats is what a professional org does. They had an issue, thank god nobody got hurt and although I cannot speak for them myself, I am confident they will correct it in the future.

[Ratickle]

I was in the Miss GEICO boat, the turn was tight. In the thirty years John Carbonell has been doing this there has never been a fan incident unlike almost every other motorsport. Whats done is done andthank god nobody was hurt. I know the situation will be rectified in the future because thats is what a professional org does. They had an issue, thank god nobody got hurt and although I cannot speak for them myself, I am confident they will correct it in the future.

Exactly......

[sellsman11]

I was in the Miss GEICO boat, the turn was tight. In the thirty years John Carbonell has been doing this there has never been a fan incident unlike almost every other motorsport. Whats done is done andthank god nobody was hurt. I know the situation will be rectified in the future because thats is what a professional org does. They had an issue, thank god nobody got hurt and although I cannot speak for them myself, I am confident they will correct it in the future.

As a side note.....those MTI's sure carve a turn well....HUH?!!

[Geronimo36]

That's all correct, but common sense just isn't so common for those kids it seems. The CG & course officials can only do so much to prevent the ignorant from getting themselves hurt & everyone sued.

If they were told to move back I could see our point, if not they have had no idea they were in danger.

as a spectator, I believe, should have a reasonable sense of safety and security from watching anything in an approved veiwing area. it's the racers the spectators have come to watch take risks. the average spectator is not a racer, is not an offshore boater and has zero idea of the physics involved. he just knows that boat racing is exciting and want's to watch. he gets told he can watch from a certain spot and expects he should be safe

I agree with phragle. We all know the dangers because most of us are educated on it but Joe Public does not.

As ScottB said, it'll be taken care of.

[Scotty B]

As a side note.....those MTI's sure carve a turn well....HUH?!!

Better than any boat I have every driven

[ApachePete]

Since I was the first to report on this, I've got to say that I'm dimayed by all of those denying and/or defending what happened.

I was on the pier-head, looking directly East down the line of swim-buoys.

It was painfully clear to me and those standing around me that at least one (it turns out two) boats ran into the swim area, within feet of dozens of people.

Now we see the video, and that's exactly what hapened.

Many have been saying it never happened.

Others say it wasn't really so bad.

Others complain that those of us reporting what we saw are nay sayers or bad sports.

Still others say it's impossible to tell what the distances really were (I guess the pictures lied).

Defend.

Deny.

Defame.

Amamzing.

Back in the day, any boat traveling on-plane through a spectator area was immedialtey DQ'd.

Today, they're declared the winners.

I love this sport, but this kind of brainless defense of the indefensible is further contributing to the death of the sport.

Thank goodness there wasn't a disaster. But there well could have been, thanks to the negligence of many. and it could have ended Offshore Racing forever.

Let's make sure this kind of thing never happens again. Step one is for those responsible to admit that serious mistakes were made. That has yet to happen.