Smith Lake Accident 3 People died .

[rjvana37]

If this is true, that he hit bottom on a no marked area, and lost control then we have a whole other story. May I ask how you know this?? You’re the first I have heard say this.

Hell of a paint job on that motor as I seen not a scratch on it.

[On top]

I was here when the lake was built. The Point has a nickname name Calvert's foot, so many lower units !

[On top]

The buoy was the wrong type buoy ! The bass boat wrecked on point went out of control and hit Stripper boat . The buoy should be green on one side and red on the other ! I called the state troopers on May 23 2023 and I have a picture on my phone of the buoy missing it was gone. The buoy they palce is the wrong type . I dont know any of these folks and I dont have a dog in this fight . The State the Army corps and Alabama power are at fault not the men operating the boats . The government is the ones to be sued !!

[Redngoo]

The buoy was the wrong type buoy ! The bass boat wrecked on point went out of control and hit Stripper boat . The buoy should be green on one side and red on the other ! I called the state troopers on May 23 2023 and I have a picture on my phone of the buoy missing it was gone. The buoy they palce is the wrong type . I dont know any of these folks and I dont have a dog in this fight . The State the Army corps and Alabama power are at fault not the men operating the boats . The government is the ones to be sued !!

I live in Jasper. I know the area and I some what agree with this post ...... it's sad and a accident.... it happen who are we to make assumptions.

[ECobb91]

The buoy was the wrong type buoy ! The bass boat wrecked on point went out of control and hit Stripper boat . The buoy should be green on one side and red on the other ! I called the state troopers on May 23 2023 and I have a picture on my phone of the buoy missing it was gone. The buoy they palce is the wrong type . I dont know any of these folks and I dont have a dog in this fight . The State the Army corps and Alabama power are at fault not the men operating the boats . The government is the ones to be sued !!

A wrong buoy doesn’t release the liability for operating with common sense. And I’d argue that if he hit a shoal which caused him to lose control then he was way too close to the charter boat and didn’t give enough leeway.

real story: my sister in law was in a very bad car accident during a snow storm that required her to have multiple surgeries and totaled a jeep at an intersection. Some moron was videoing himself drifting around corners, without glasses, and speeding in excess of 20mph through the town. The light was malfunctioning because of the storm. He ran the light and T boned her.

so according to you, it doesn’t matter how he was driving, he’s not at fault because the light wasn’t working and all liability is now on the town. Even though common sense and basic traffic law prevails.

[AMSDJS]

ECobb - so sorry that your SIL had that happen to her.
I agree with you that it is mind-boggling how so many people are always quick to blame someone or something else for their lack of common sense or refusal to operate a vehicle or boat so as not to potentially kill/injure other innocent people. No one wants to accept personal responsibility any more. Unless the other (striper guide's) boat somehow intentionally drove directly into the path of Flint Davis' bass boat, the fact is he killed 3 innocent fishermen because of his poor judgement/decisions/boat handling/etc. Of course the defense will use every argument to try and release liability from the person(s)/entities responsible for this tragedy. But my heart goes out to the victims' families and loved ones who will have to forever suffer through this entire ordeal...

[Chizler62]

The buoy was the wrong type buoy ! The bass boat wrecked on point went out of control and hit Stripper boat . The buoy should be green on one side and red on the other ! I called the state troopers on May 23 2023 and I have a picture on my phone of the buoy missing it was gone. The buoy they palce is the wrong type . I dont know any of these folks and I dont have a dog in this fight . The State the Army corps and Alabama power are at fault not the men operating the boats . The government is the ones to be sued !!

i wouldn’t be shocked if the lawyers will go this route coupled with not informing the other boats of a tournament which makes the lake much more dangerous than typical. As with marathons and other activities on public spaces there is liability to inform the public of the event and it dangers etc think of the Boston marathon and its liability for the city and organizers from rerouting traffic to a sidewalk crack

[JYarb]

The bass boat motor hit the ground and threw the bass boat out of control into the stripper boat if the channel had the proper buoy green he would have went right in safe side . Yes army Corps is at fault and the state this was reported on may 2023 to the State of Alabama !!
I don't have a dog in this fight ! This point has a nick name Calverts Foot because of wrecks !

Don't believe that happened. The lake is at full pond and at that level there should be several feet of water on top of the island. The buoy on the island is a hazard buoy, not a navigation buoy. I don't think Smith has any navigation buoys. I do agree he should not have cut the corner and should have gone around the island. In the Anderson Tournament, the world's largest night tournament (had over 900 boats a couple of years}, the water safety patrol would sit in the gap between the island and the point with their blue lights flashing during take off to warn boats not to try cutting thru. The water level was lower at that tournament time. Have had several people tell me that there is GoPro video from the angler's boat that should end all the speculation.

[Panama]

I would like to see his dash setup with his screen size and location. It could easily be that he never saw the striper boat.....or saw it too late to stop or avoid the boat. Some boats have two huge screens set at just about eye level......definition -- accident looking for a place to happen. Pretty dumb to put something that blocks your field of vision in a boat going 80 MPH. I saw a YouTube video of the area just about the time the accident happened...no fog. No way they would allow those screens in a car ... AND a car has brakes.

Also, there is no sane reason to allow more than a 150 on tournament boats. It is a tournament for the best fisherman....not the fastest boat. It is just dangerous in my opinion.

MLF or their rules committee people would not want me on the jury.

[inspired fisherman]

With all the graphs and electronics on his boat . Would he not have known he was running in 2 ft shallow water . I dont know if he hit anything or not but he should know how deep he was running . How did all the other boats make it through there .

[Sirkayakalot]

It’s a shame it took such a tragedy to make people think having a whole fkn billboard mounted on the dash blocking the view ahead is a bad idea

[BayouBoogie]

At some point one has to take account for his own actions and not point fingers at bouys or maps.

[inspired fisherman]

the NPFL Tournament at Lake Norman had an accident also . A tournament angler hit a non tournament boat . Rammed it in the side . Check it out .

[dean c]

One graph is missing at the dash but the remaining one doesn’t look abnormally high.

[marshman]

It’s a shame it took such a tragedy to make people think having a whole fkn billboard mounted on the dash blocking the view ahead is a bad idea

I’ve said this years ago when all these big graphs started going on consoles…. I’m 5-8 and sat in a buddy’s boat a while back… I couldn’t see the front of the boat because of his 2 graphs…. He’s only 2” taller than me at 5-10..

[PatriotAW4]

I would like to see his dash setup with his screen size and location. It could easily be that he never saw the striper boat.....or saw it too late to stop or avoid the boat. Some boats have two huge screens set at just about eye level......definition -- accident looking for a place to happen. Pretty dumb to put something that blocks your field of vision in a boat going 80 MPH. I saw a YouTube video of the area just about the time the accident happened...no fog. No way they would allow those screens in a car ... AND a car has brakes.

Also, there is no sane reason to allow more than a 150 on tournament boats. It is a tournament for the best fisherman....not the fastest boat. It is just dangerous in my opinion.

MLF or their rules committee people would not want me on the jury.

Limit it to a 150hp then all of the 17 footers come back. I would argue that a Nitro Z21 with a 250hp is safer than a Stratos 273 with a 150hp.

[Idaho Sandman]

the NPFL Tournament at Lake Norman had an accident also . A tournament angler hit a non tournament boat . Rammed it in the side . Check it out .

There is a thread already…

[hulapopr]

Limit it to a 150hp then all of the 17 footers come back. I would argue that a Nitro Z21 with a 250hp is safer than a Stratos 273 with a 150hp.

The boats themselves have nothing to do with safety,
It's what's setting in the seat holding the wheel and
mashing the hotfoot controls that.

[PatriotAW4]

The boats themselves have nothing to do with safety,
It's what's setting in the seat holding the wheel and
mashing the hotfoot controls that.

I agree

[Highcentered]

Limit it to a 150hp then all of the 17 footers come back. I would argue that a Nitro Z21 with a 250hp is safer than a Stratos 273 with a 150hp.

They were putting a 150 on the 20' Javelin/Stratos back when 150 was the limit. Still ran good for a boat rated for a 225. I do agree it's the nut setting up and driving the boat that's the big problem though. I'm one of those that won't even mount front graphs higher than the trolling motor is when stowed and nothing right in my face at the console. For a short guy it's just the right thing to do.