Boat Hits Conical Rocks Yeppoon

[Qlder1]

Went out today. Over the radio just after daylight we heard reports that a boat had hit Conical Island and overturned. On the way home we pulled up to have a look. Rescuers had picked up the 2 guys and dragged the boat onto Conical Beach. It looked like a 19-21 ft alloy ,maybe a barcrusher , hard to tell with only the underside out of the water. I took a couple of pics which I will post tomorrow. From the dent in the front they nust have hit pretty hard, skeg was damaged as well. I hope they were OK..

Not sure if it is related but as we were heading out we had to take evasive action to avoid a collision with a very similar looking boat(white w- blue stripe) The fools were heading directly for conical from the Five Rocks direction. As they crossed in front of us (@ 30 metres or so in front) we could see 2 poeple inside having a great time WITH THERE INTERIER LIGHT ON...they didn't even know we were there. They were probly doing 25 knots as it was pretty good weather, but it was pitch black .

Some people should not be allowed to own a boat ...

[jtpython]

HEard on news at work this morning Not good
JT

[Tovo64]

30 metres! That's far too close for comfort mate. I really think a lot of people underestimate the concentration required to be out before first light (or after sunset). Sure, really well equipped boats with radar have a huge advantage but even then you need to be on the ball. 25 knots and not paying attention in darkness is a receipe for disaster. Perhaps it was indeed the same boat you saw overturned.

[feral cat]

Not sure if it is related but as we were heading out we had to take evasive action to avoid a collision with a very similar looking boat(white w- blue stripe) The fools were heading directly for conical from the Five Rocks direction. As they crossed in front of us (@ 30 metres or so in front) we could see 2 poeple inside having a great time WITH THERE INTERIER LIGHT ON...they didn't even know we were there. They were probly doing 25 knots as it was pretty good weather, but it was pitch black .

Some people should not be allowed to own a boat ...

I have radar on a noosacat and i dont do 25knts in the pitch black.
These germs are the main reason why i invested in a radar to start with.
Doing overnighters and travelling through tin can straights in pitch black,its amazing how many boats dont have lights.(germs)

[johncar]

Glad you are OK Qlder1,
Nearly got run over myself one early morning heading out, first light and was in the little 4.3m centre console and was just cruising along steady about 15 kts doing my usual checks and logging on and so forth, just before going under the Bribie Bridge. Heard a boat slap the water close by, looked out to my rear starboard quarter to see a large half cab doing about 25kts, within only a few metres of me, their cab half fogged up, must have roared out of Spinnaker Marina, and only a hare's breath of them landing on top of me. Don't know what they were doing but obviously not watching the water ahead of them.

My little boat had plenty of get up and go being fairly light with good reliable Johnno on the back, I just gunned it, full throttle and literally leaped out of the way and didn't slow down until I was a few hundred metres from the clowns. One time I was so glad to have the bit of extra power.
Anyway from a safe distance I watched them roar by none the wiser I am sure and certainly no acknowledgement from them all.

Luckily for me I heard that slap sound, otherwise I would have been peeling fibre glass out of my head.

So you gotta have eyes everywhere and I don't assume I wont get run over from behind anymore, I tend to look back regularly while travelling these days especially around in busy areas.

I have Radar too on the boat these days and it does take a lot of the stress out of travelling in low visibility. I just don't understand how these guys think it's OK to be flying along at the speeds they are at night or in poor vis. Even with the Radar I limit my speed to sub 20 kts at night.

[Qlder1]

I actually have a radar, and saw them from 1.5nm away, but they were weaving a bit and coming at us from @ 120 degrees, we were doing 20kts, they were certainly going faster than us, so they were closing at a great rate. If we had not slowed and turned my deckie was sure they would have hit us.

http://ultrahobbies.com.au/images/sunkboat1.jpg
http://ultrahobbies.com.au/images/sunkboat2.jpghttp://ultrahobbies.com.au/images/sunkboat3.jpg

as I said in 1st post not sure if it was the same boat, but sure looks like it. I reckon these guys were possibly heading wide , maybe ran along the coast and then turned to avoid Conical, however looks to me like the turned too far east and actually were heading straight for it .

Has anyone heard if they are OK?

[CT]

The news said that they were both ok.