Boaters Beware of Boating IFR's... While Night Fishing or During Heavy Fogs.

I am somewhat guilty of this myself: Using Boating Electronics to Drive by at Night or During Low Visibility Conditions. In the Airline Business, they term this as Flying (IFR) Instrument Flight Rules... and they usually use this when visibility is low such as during night flights, excess cloud cover, blinding rains, or foggy conditions.

Today there was a boating accident on Shearon Harris Lake (fifteen minutes from my house) involving night fishermen who hit a cement power line abutment (apparently) while running IFR... and (apparently) at fairly high speeds. Here is the story listed by our local news channel:

"Boater Killed, Another Rescued from Harris Lake after Boat Crashes into Cement Pole

One man was rescued and another died Friday at Harris Lake after a boat crashed into a cement pole, officials say.
A boater was found dead Friday in Harris Lake following a five-hour search after his boat crashed into a cement pole, officials say. A second boater was rescued.

According to the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, around 6 a.m. deputies responded to a water rescue involving a boat at the Holleman's Crossing boating access point at Harris Lake County Park. "2 am this
morning boat collided with cement piling at lake," Captain Bill Harding, Wake County Sheriff's Office said.

The lake is located minutes from the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant in New Hill.
A spokesperson told WRAL News two men who were night fishing crashed into a cement pylon in the water and were thrown from the boat. "We know at least one was thrown from boat, the other was
recovered in the boat," Chief Tony Godwin, Wake County Sheriff's Office said. When the boat crashed, witnesses heard their cries and called 911. "A witness here at the lake said they could hear someone
yelling for help from lake," Harding said. One man was found alive in the boat and transported to a hospital. The body of the other boater was pulled from the water five hours later after a multi-agency search
that included K-9s, drones, sonar and mapping software.

Earlier on Friday, WRAL News crews were on scene as the first boater was pulled from a rescue boat, strapped to a gurney and put in an ambulance.
Wake deputies and EMS, the Holly Springs Fire Department, the Cary Fire Department, the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, the Nash County Sheriff's Office, Lee County Emergency Services, the Durham
County Sheriff's Office Dive Team and Wake County Emergency Management all assisted with the search. A WRAL News crew witnessed 60 first responders at the scene at the peak of the search.
The crash is under investigation by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission."

Please be careful everyone. This is a very unsafe practice... as such cement abutments are not seen on most lake mapping softwares... just "powerline".
If anyone has any further details, please share.

Prayers and condolences are sent to family and friends.

Wow so sad. Thank you for sharing this. I cannot imagine running strictly by electronics in freshwater.

Not only are some structures not shown on maps, but boats, logs, or anything else that could be out in the water. Was fishing a dock in the fog one morning, heard a boat coming in my direction saw the nav lights as he went by fast about 10 foot off the dock. I had moved around the back side. Had I not I would have been right where he went through

Good word. Heed this warning. I’ve totalled two aluminum boats night fishing. The first one I hit a partially submerged paddle boat floating in the middle of the lake . Dark night no moon overcast no stars out. It was a center console. Had four of my sons friends on boat running 25 mph. One of the kids was on the seat in front of console over livewell shot him three foot up in air. Scared me to death. Others were sitting behind me they weee not affected as bad. Lifted me up a bit and bent the boats frame Badly. Very scarey situation at 3 am we limped back to cabin. Second time I believe I hit a submerged stump it was a more solid hit, it was 2:30 am full moon could see just fine. Never saw what I hit some body ask if I went back to see what I hit. NOT!!!!! I was very fortunate to make it to boat ramp and get loaded by myself. Both times I had flotation devices on my person. I didn’t have to use them but if I had been thrown from boat they would have found the body floating. Both times were in thirties. No way I could have survived the temps of water. I say all this to tell you guys there are dangers that the electronics cannot detect. I’ve witnessed first hand these dangers. I still night fish but prefer a boat that will stay on plane under 20. Not many will my ranger liked 30 to keep it on plane. Center consoles do better at lower speeds. Be safe stay at speeds that give you time to react to danger.

Thanks for this post. Maybe my wife’s fear and refusal to night fish is a good thing. As an old Army Soldier Iffn I was going to go I would prolly recon the body of water during daylight hours.

I have done a good amount of boating at night. I have a light on the bow of the boat and a handheld spotlight. I also slow down a lot. Try not to venture too far either. I floated with the catfish jugs downriver. I ended up about 12 miles below the dam. Took a long time to get back to the launch. Battery on the spotlight died. That reminds me. I need to upgrade the light on the bow of the boat

It’s illegal to run a spotlight here. People do but you can get a ticket.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BAMA S

It’s illegal to run a spotlight here. People do but you can get a ticket.

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I do not know if it is legal here or not. I see those river tugs running them. I will have to look into it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

I do not know if it is legal here or not. I see those river tugs running them. I will have to look into it

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I’ve got 2 leds I run on the front of my boat at night


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I attended a high-quality safety meeting one time, (among many others), (in my working career), that was more industrial-based than it was everyday-life based, but the keynote takeaway that I thought very interesting, and certainly most applicable to everyday life, was when the instructor said, "There is no such thing as an accident... but it's (instead) typically a place where unpreparedness meets with co-incidental circumstances." I think there is a lot of sage wisdom in that statement. What do you think???