When Duck Boats are outlawed only outlaws will have Duck Boats
 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/11-killed-missouri-duck-boat-115542892.html

You won't get me on one of those things. Can't the NTSB, DOT, FAA, USCG or somebody sink all these things?

Some of our relatives died in a previous capsizing on that same lake in a duck boat about 15 years ago.

These things have been operating for 70 years with few issues. It should not have been taken out on the lake that day. It's kind of like operating a crane in high wind. Bad judgement on part of the operator.

How many pontoon party barges capsize every year on crappy days? I'd worry more about those things. -WW

Photos from a hotel room balcony on the lake.....Anyone with any sense, the operator and the passengers, should have not even thought of going out in this.

The basic design of the enclosed top is a death trap.

We lived on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs AR for 7 years and saw this happen more than once.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1532098745.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1532098765.jpg

Portland OR and Boston to name a few (and I would not hesitate to ride either of those boats), I have not heard of those locations having any problems.


I thought this thread was going to be about boats made for duck hunting. ;)

Our family went on one of those back in the early 1970's, antiques back then.

It was awesome, first the sand dunes, then Lake Michigan, and we went up one of the rivers for a while.

However, these craft should have been retired decades ago.

As one poster the comments section post said:

Would appear that there was more than one on the lake at that time.They used to be doing tours in VA.Beach years ago,looked like they were in need of some upkeep than!

These are not all "WWII Relics"

They have been building new ones for the past few years but apparently not under fed regs and safety codes. I remember reading not long ago that one was on the road full of passengers but the brakes were way inadequate for the weight and several people were killed when it crashed.

The news this morning went through about 10 crashes/sinking/accidents in the past 15 years

My understanding is the drive shaft seals on these things are normally the culprit - boat takes on water, etc... The canopy causes confusion and can trap folks trying to escape under water.

Recalling Arkansas Duck-boat tragedy from 1999, and the NTSB report - Philly

We had a big one a couple years back here in Seattle:

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/ride-the-ducks-to-pay-up-to-1-million-in-penalties-for-deadly-crash/

Two years ago a duck boat in Boston flattened a woman on a scooter.

This led to requirements that drivers could no longer narrate the tour as well the installation of cameras and proximity sensors.

I remember when that happened. The pilot of the tugboat was on his cell phone. He ended up in prison.

A few years later a woman crossing the street was hit and killed by a duck boat here. She may have been on a cell phone at the time. Either way, the duck boats were shut down after that.

I can't comment on Duck Boats since I have never seen one.

I can tell you that thunderstorms and frontal passages this time of year change the sea state of lakes dramatically...RKT's photos are a perfect illustration.

Here on the Potomac it can go from Lake Placid to the Bering Sea in a heart beat.

We had a 20 ft Party Barge when we lived on Lake Hamilton and would take visiting friends out for a cruise for an hour or two. My wife and I would constantly be doing a 360 check on the horizon for pop up thunder clouds.
One time we saw a big one forming fast and I turned the boat around and gunned it for home. Our friends were.... what's wrong, why are we in a hurry to go home? Just as we docked at our house lightening was striking close and pouring rain.
When on a boat you have to watch the weather.....and other boaters that are idiots!

9 family members among the 17 dead in Missouri duck boat accident

We actually rode this exact same Duck Boat experience during a family trip to Branson about 8 years ago. Fun but in hindsight considering the issues, probably wouldn’t do it again. It’s super sad because most of the victims were families on summer vacation.

As has already been stated numerous times, pretty horrible. It came up first thing on my news feed.
We've never done one (duck boat), but travel quit a bit with our kids and see them in many of our destinations. I dunno, maybe it seemed a bit too corny, although everyone looked to be having fun. Just lucky I guess, but we've certainly taken other risks, where you ASS-U-ME the folks running the excursion know what they're doing?!?!?.

That water looks like the stuff that sank the Edmund Fitzgerald!!!

My wife stepkids and grandkids and were on board,all 9 survived.

They were there at this accident?? :eek::eek:

Which boat, the one that made it back or the one the capsized??

and just WOW!! Thank your lucky stars!!

How did a boat hit someone on a motor scooter? :confused:

They were 9 of the 11 survivors, we are unbelievably fortunate. Wife has some injuries with heart damage but will get out of the hospital in a day or two we hope

Unbelievable!!!!

I remember seeing exWW2 Dukes operating off the beach at La Panne Belgium in the mid1950s
Carrying people for trips a little way out to sea My father who had seen them operating on D-Day forbade me and my mum from using one
An old one sank a few years ago on the river Mersey with casualties .Miracle that our fellow Pelicans family all survived recent accident,thank heavensy

I may be wrong but based on news/internet the water was smooth and sunny when they went out but at some point a very fast storm hit and caught them out . The captain has 16 years running these types of boats so inexperience is not a factor . Having said that I am very surprised that the captain did not instruct all passengers to grab the life vests . In hindsight they also should have raised the side windows , yes that would have allowed more water to come in but would have helped people to escape when she started going down .

As a parent and an avid boater for many years our kids were NEVER allowed on the boat without life jackets , to us it was not different than a seat belt in the car . My guess is some that drowned did not know how to swim making it even worse . I can't imagine the horror these folks went through it's very sad . Was this just a bad accident or is the tour operator at fault ? Time will tell but that doesn't help all that perished :(

Wow, just wow. Someone up above was watching out for your family that day.

WOW, very lucky. Glad your family is OK.

In Philly and Boston the ducks gave a driving tour of part of the city before going into the water.

Of course it was...the Duck Boat operator isn't interested in launching into the water in sea state 5 with an amphib rated for 2 any more than the passengers are.

I have been caught out on the Potomac in a boat built for handling seas when a storm overtook us. Dead calm to roiled seas in minutes. Any loss of power would have doomed us in terms of maneuvering. It would have been swim call.

I have almost three years underway on Navy ships and the basic rules remain the same: Turn into the sea, do not get broadside and secure all hatches. Rig for heavy seas.

Looking at some of the videos of this incident, the folks driving the DB's were doing their best.

gwmac: Amazing.

You have to respect the strength of that woman survivor being interviewed on TV who lost her three kids (ages 7, 9 and 1), her husband and five more relatives.

It was truly heartbreaking. She had such grace and poise. Unimagineable to me.

I watched her also. Felt so bad for her.

I read from a prior accident with a Duck Boat, that the life vests were recommended not to be worn (by the NTSB?) as they would interfere with the canopy trying to get out of a sinking.

Looking at pictures of Duck Boats, egress looks to be a problem. One exit up front and windows or curtains in the way of egress on the sides.

Is there an emergency exit in the back or on one side? I haven’t seen one.

Man just a horrible accident. Nothing about those things seems safe to me.

Agree in summer you can get caught in very nasty weather with no real fault of your own.

God bless the woman that lost everything.


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Sorry but I have never understood why some people in their most tragic time want to be interviewed and seek some sort of celebrity or "look-at-me-I'm-on-TV" mentality. I'm sure a link is on her FB page.

I understand your sentiment, Paul. But in this case, the woman is looking at at least four funerals for her immediate family plus 5 other relatives. There will be some costs involved so she was probably advised to put herself out there for fundraising.

As composed as she was for the interview I watched made me think she hadn't come to grips with her new reality.

That same woman also stated the captain stated NOT to grab a life vest as it won't be needed , if that is an accurate statement backed up by other survivors this tour boat company will be sued to extinction . Will be interesting what all the facts are as this tragedy unfolds . Regardless it is so sad for all involved . I can't imagine going from vacation mode to planning multiple funerals for family members :(