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Sea Esta
07-07-2003, 03:23 PM
Here is the article from today's paper at LOTO...
Woman drowns when boat goes down in Glaize with boat, drowns
Cruiser swamped by wakes on Grand Glaize Arm, passenger trapped in cabin
By Joyce L. Miller
LAKE OF THE OZARKS - A 35-year-old woman drowned when the cruiser she was on sank on the Grand Glaize Arm of Lake of the Ozarks.
According to the Missouri Water Patrol, the body of Wendy Gott of Barnhart, Mo., was recovered inside the cabin of the 31-foot Chris Craft about three hours after it sank near the 3-mile marker of the Glaize Friday.
The boat was outside the no-wake zone that stretches from the mouth of the Grand Glaize Arm to near the Moorings Yacht Club.
A Water Patrol spokesman said the boat was stopped in the main channel of the Grand Glaize when it was hit by a series of large wakes. The first wakes to hit the boat filled the engine compartment. The second round of wakes breaking over the boat caused it to sink stern first. Witnesses said the bow was pointing straight up as the boat sank.
A diver from a private company was brought in to help with recovery efforts. He said he found the stern resting in mud in about 70 feet of water. The bow was still pointing up.
Water Patrol officers said the description matched the sequence of events provided by seven people thrown from the boat when it started sinking.
The Water Patrol said the seven survivors were picked up by boaters who stopped to help.
Witnesses said the boat was idling when it started to take on water. They said waves rolling over the boat were over six feet high.
Efforts to re-start the engine failed as the compartment filled up. The passengers said there wasn't a lot of time between the first and second round of waves. Gott was apparently in the cabin and didn't get out in time.
The Water Patrol said the boat was coming from Party Cove headed toward the Grand Glaize Bridge.
Gott's is the third boating-related drowning of the season at Lake of the Ozarks.

jlnorthrup122
07-07-2003, 04:37 PM
That is terrable. there was a 4 year old girl who drowned up here in the coravile lake next to the damn. Here perents should have kept a better eye on her.
but anyhow how yah doin sea esta?

Sea Esta
07-07-2003, 05:19 PM
not bad jln, How you been. Went up to partycove over the 4th. I'll post a few pics here tomorrow. I've got to meet a friend for a drink here in a few. She's getting married Thursday. But it was a wild time and some good times were had. How's your boating season been? We went from cool weather to down right hot!!!!
Well got to run....Will post some pics tomorrow or you can check out a few of the pics I posted at www.partyboating.com. (http://www.partyboating.com.) Just go to the message boards and look under rooster tails. I pretty sure that is where I put them. Plus there are other pics of the poker run under throttle this from last weekend. Check it out. Some good pics.
later

572Daytona
07-07-2003, 06:00 PM
Very sad :( I want to know what type of boat can make 6 foot wakes? That is huge unless you have barges running on the lake.

Wild Horses
07-07-2003, 06:14 PM
Does anybody know why the Cat boat came blazing into Party Cove (July 4 about 2 to 3 PM)lights and sirens going and went up the Gauntlet and then came blazing back out with more people on the Boat. (Hope it wasn't to serious)
Clint

jlnorthrup122
07-07-2003, 06:25 PM
I want to know what type of boat can make 6 foot wakes? That is huge unless you have barges running on the lake.
It could have been cojestion in that area or wind or both you get a large # of boats running all different directions and you can get some very seriouse wake not tomention that the Lake of the Ozarks is a really big lake!

Winfab
07-07-2003, 07:37 PM
My wife was told today about the drowning/accident at LOTO, by her father. He was quite disturbed by it and he's no stranger to water. Doesn't help that we just bought a Sanger flatbottom.
We have a place at the Lake, on the main channel. We don't even go there on holiday weekends anymore since the Lake is all but un-useable, as evidenced now that even a 31' Chris Craft can be swamped. No doubt there is a lot of information that's lacking to explain the accident and the fatality.
I hate to think of any "solution" that may be implimented, but I have grown tired of having large, fast boats come charging up behind me, only to swerve at the last second. Passing at a distance of 30', producing a 4-5' wake is irresponsable, at best. No Wake zones? HA! What a joke!
Now we have the flatbottom (it will be muffled). Early morning rides and put her back on the trailer by 7:00 AM, different lakes, sell it and sit on the deck? I don't know. You can bet that the MO legislature will at some point get involved and the resulting legislation will not be a "happy place" for boaters. The quest for bigger and faster boats and the "right" to party with a few thousand of your closest friends may at some point be in jeopardy. Where will it end? Who knows! I'll bet my money that the actions of an irresponsible, careless few will bring about changes we'd rather not see.
Big boats are cool, fast boats are even better, but when operated by show-off morons, they're weapons.
May Wendy Gott rest in peace!

Jake W
07-07-2003, 08:36 PM
The question about what kind of boats make 6 foot wakes is answered by the people at that end of the lake buy the biggest fastest boats posible.I have a friend that at one time his dad (last name Fields)owned the procharger 42 foot Fountian and a 38 ft Skater cat both over 100 mph boats that tells you what kind of money and size boats are down there.It is amazing to go over the bridge down there and it is not unusual to see 20 to 30 boats over 30 foot long in the chanel.Makes you want to go through rocks at your boat.It is pretty crazy out there on big week ends.
Jake

Seadog
07-08-2003, 05:12 AM
On weekends, Grand Lake sees 4-6 ft wakes all the time on the main body. There is no solution because any solution affects all boaters, not just the rich ones. The biggest wakes are produced by the big displacement hulls doing about 15 knots, but after hundreds of boats zip along, it doesn't matter.
How the wakes affect the boat is the duty of the pilot. Too many people panic and slow down too much for the big wakes, or try to take them with the stern. Unfortunately, boating is a skill that few try to learn.

572Daytona
07-08-2003, 05:47 AM
The lake I boat on (Lanier) is pretty big and has its share of 50'+ cruisers too that can make some pretty big ass wakes. I've had them break over the bow of my 17' fish and ski but I would put them more in the 4' range than 6'. I can't imagine anything big enough to swamp my 26' cruiser unless it was floundering already.

dorC
07-08-2003, 09:26 AM
I've been on LOTO, and have seen washing machine water well over 6'. I've seen 30' boats fit into the holes between crests. As to a cruiser being swamped...yea I could see it. If the stern was pointed twords the lake...if it was off plane...if the transom was low...

spectras only
07-08-2003, 09:50 AM
As Seadog mentioned ,there's no solution as big wakes concerned other than be aware of the water conditions where you boat. I've been boating here in b.c for decades with big and small [14'-47'] boats dealing with huge wakes and swells all the time.The biggest wakers are the ever present displacement hulled tugboats [ they're making a living boating and wouldn't slow down for us ,recreational boaters like it or not].Same goes for the bigger ships in the shipping lanes of vancouver.Sailboaters getting cought in those lanes occasionally when there's a lull in the wind,hence the law requires an auxiliary power for sailboats navigating in international waterways. My 20.10 spectra jet handled the swells in the fraser river or ocean pretty well ,occasionally doused by water coming over the bow .Following seas and wind also a problem if you have engine failure ,and a bucket [sea anchor] with a long rope tied to the bow helps keeping the boat heading into the swells . Sinking a 31' craft in a 6' swell created by a pleasure craft going by ,had to do something with mechanical failure or human error by the captain of that vessel :( It's sad that so many people get killed by inexperience .
[ July 08, 2003, 10:55 AM: Message edited by: spectras only ]

Sea Esta
07-09-2003, 09:19 AM
I sent an e-mail to the water Patrol asking for more information as to year and model of the Cris Craft. So far I haven't heard back. A friend had reead that there was failure in one of the engines. It still doesn't make sense to be adrift. YOu can still get out of the area with one engine running till you make it to calmer waters. For those of you not familiar with the area where this accident took place. It happened just outside of the no-wake zone in front of Party Cove. This area is where people just pull back on the throttle at the last second and at the same time you have those coming out of the no-wake zone who hammer the throttle. I've seen many 30+ foot boats with bows pointed straight up coming out of the cove. At the same time I have seen numerous 40 foot Sea Rays come barreling towards the cove and pull back in front of the no-wake zone. I remember one such incident coming out of the cove, where I was still in the no-wake portion. I saw the Sea Ray barreling towards us and told everyone to hold on. When the Sea Ray pulled back and the bow dipped into the water, this 6/7 foot wall of water came flying into the cove. I couldn't get out of the path fast enough. I rode the first wave up but the second wave came crashing over the bow and made it half way into our 24 footer. Good thing I have a self bailing hull. I was so pissed at this guy and all he did was laugh as he went by.
Last night on KMOX they were talking with Cpl Humphries,MO Water Patrol, and he indicated that they would be taking a hard look at the stretch between the Morings and party cove. It probably wont be long and it will be a long no-wake zone from Salty dog to party cove. For those of you not knowing that will be close to a 4 mile no-wake zone. Get we'll wait and see....

Winfab
07-09-2003, 09:57 AM
Sea Esta.....without quoting half of your first paragraph, what you described is exactly the sort of "disregard for others and safety" actions that are too regular at LOTO. I can't comment on the party cove in particular, since I've never been there and am not compelled to go, but it's all over the place. LOTO is probably not unique to inconsiderate boaters. I would give an example of a few years ago working on the roof of my dock at LOTO and having boats pick up the throttle at the end of a no wake area just in time to pass me bow high. Hot as could be, but I wouldn't have thought of working on the dock without a life jacket. Just a little common courtesy would be good.
4 mile no wake area??!!.....like I said in my first post to this thread, regulations won't be a "happy place" for boaters!

spectras only
07-09-2003, 10:04 AM
Sea Esta, check out the short video clip of our last year pokerrun at www.vancouverpokerrun.com (http://www.vancouverpokerrun.com) . There you see Randy's 22 searay pachanga catching air [changing underwear later :D ] while coming in under the Lions Gate bridge .Those waves were no bigger than 6' at the time [I was the other side of that freighter and didn't have any problem at all] and it's normal there during the tide change.Local guys know the conditions there so more careful entering all the time.I haven't heard one sinking from that area yet. Lots of rocks around b.c and it's more common to hit those eek! [read charts if you're not familiar with the area] ,almost every cove has a favorite pet rock :D

Sea Esta
07-10-2003, 04:34 AM
Spectras, Thanks for the video!!! Pretty Cool!!!
The stretch of water where this incident took place is maybe 1/4 wide and 60 foot deep. Shore drops off dramatically. There's no place for the waves to be absorbed. As your video shows, the waves are evenly spaced and timed. We don't have that at the Lake. They come from all directions with some waves at 2 foot intervals from one direction and waves hitting you from another direction at 3 foot intervals and 4 foot tall. And to top that you may have waves bouncing off the shore hitting you from the stren again. It's a mess!!!! It would scare a non-boater and make them think about ever boating out there. Like numerous posts.....All comes to judgement and common sense.
I have heard there was more to this than rough water. As the info filters down I'll keep you all posted

spectras only
07-10-2003, 10:57 AM
Sea Esta, The wake you see on the video is spaced as you say because was induced by the freighter not mother nature.Further out from the bridge around Lighthouse Park we have the three directional waves where I experienced bouncing around like a cork in a 72' Monk McQeen , and felt like tipping over in my friend's 47' Cheoy Lee trawler eek! .People have to realize lakes can be more dangerous than the ocean during a storm ,especially where it's shallower and the ground effect creates huge rollers and caps.The okanagan lake [80 miles long few miles wide ] is a good example .Last year a few dozen boats sunk during a freak storm that started in the evening.I've been on 31 Bertram moppie that has a very low gunwale and those boats are the preffered rough water kings.Wonder what kind of Chris Craft was the one involved in the mishap.They usually have higher freeboards than the tournament fisherman's .

Daytona30
07-10-2003, 11:11 AM
The waves can easily be over 6' 2001 shoot out we nearly lost our boat racing the dirty duck. Its like the water disapears. They call them holes. The waves are coming in so many different directions that they make monsters and sometimes they literaly suck the water away.

mbrown2
07-10-2003, 01:24 PM
And we thought Havasu and Parker got rough....6' water does not seem like much fun...Sad to hear about the folks in boat that went down.

mbrown2
07-10-2003, 02:37 PM
Yeah I watched, and I would not want to be launching off waves like that in a 22'....When they talk of 6' washing machine water is what scares me...it is one thing to hit a couple big wakes, but with big wakes coming from every direction, well hell you need a pretty big boat...and balls.

Badboat1
07-10-2003, 06:18 PM
I went to LOTO first time last year and that lake is a bitch to deal with.My prayers are for the family of the woman that was killed in this tragic happining.
BB1

Sea Esta
07-11-2003, 04:25 AM
Here is what was in the paper as the backlash is starting about the size of boats on the Lake....
Traffic going up, boats going down
Water Patrol flooded with calls for boat-size regulation. Job for the state legislature, agency spokesman says
By Joyce L. Miller
LAKE OF THE OZARKS - The swamping of a number of boats by huge wakes on Lake of the Ozarks has unleashed a flood of frantic calls from boaters who want to know what can be done.
That, according to the Water Patrol, is a job for the state legislature.
Any move to limit boat size on the lake would have to come from the Missouri General Assembly, according to Water Patrol Sgt. Paul Kennedy.
Larger, deeper boats are increasingly popular on the lake and create dramatic wakes at some speeds. The increase in boat traffic in general also generates more and larger wakes in some parts of the lake.
Kennedy says the Water Patrol is responding to as many as 20 calls a day from people asking the Water Patrol to take some type of action to regulate the size of boats on the lake.
"We understand people are concerned but we are the enforcement agency on the water. That type of regulation would have to be handled legislatively," Kennedy said Thursday. "We certainly feel for them and we understand that for many smaller boat owners, they don't feel they can take smaller boats out on Lake of the Ozarks on weekends anymore. They want to know what we are going to do."
Kennedy says the issue has been on everyone's mind since the recent Fourth of July holiday when a record number of boaters hit the lake.
Diver and boat-recovery specialist Tim McNitt says that in the last seven days he has raised six swamped boats. Terry Hart, who also owns a recovery company and often works with McNitt, said he is also raising more and bigger boats.
"Most of the time when people hear about a boat swamping, they think of a small fishing boat or something, but we are seeing larger boats over 25 feet," McNitt said. "And, we get a lot of boats that swamp in dock wells just from the constant pounding of the water."
For some boat owners, like Cathi Rhodes who lives at the 46-mile marker, weekend rides on the lake are becoming a thing of the past. She says someone needs to start drawing the line somewhere on the size of boats.
"I have had this dream for more than 25 years to live here and now here I am but can't enjoy the lake on weekends," Rhodes said. "We have a nice boat over 26-feet (long) but stay close to home on weekends."
The head of the Missouri Water Patrol says his agency is looking at solutions to ease the congestion and rough water on the Grand Glaize Arm of Lake of the Ozarks.
Colonel Jerry Adam's comments came on the heels of what was described by Water Patrol officers as a "brutal" Fourth of July holiday.
Boat traffic hit record numbers lakewide over the three-day holiday with the Grand Glaize Arm becoming particularly congested as thousands of boaters traveled to and from Party Cove.
There were a number of incidents in the Glaize Arm including the sinking of one boat which resulted in a woman's drowning.
Although the no-wake zone from the mouth of the Grand Glaize Arm to about the 1.7-mile marker near the Moorings Yacht Club and the safety corridor for smaller boats that extends to Temple's Resort at the 2-mile marker helped, Water Patrol officials say the roughest water and the biggest wakes were in a stretch from the 2-mile marker to Anderson Hollow Cove at the 4-mile marker. Anderson Hollow Cove is the location of Party Cove.
"We have discussed some additional safety-measure issues and will be taking a closer look," Adams said. "Obviously the wakes are getting bigger. Especially in that area where the larger boats are coming off plane as they come out of the no-wake zone."

Seadog
07-11-2003, 08:30 AM
I have to wonder what variables make LOTO any different than Grand. We have much the same type of wakes here, but does not seem to cause near the problems. It will be interesting to see what is done.

spectras only
07-11-2003, 12:53 PM
The lakes here are also rough when windy [ minus boats on the lake] and because of it a lot of boat owners have hoists. My friend has a lakeside residence and he's been holding back with the installation of one.His neighbor has a lift and takes the boat out when not using it for a few hours.Last summer my friend's boat sunk by the storm that created 6' waves.These storms can happen in there in the matter of minutes.At one time I didn't even have time to pull into the marina with my 20 footer on skaha lake and rode the storm out rather than risking of beating the hull trying to dock it.Spectras are built like a brick and can take the pounding ,just had to manage to keep it afloat with the relatively low freeboard. I love my 24 footer anyday on those nasty waters wink

Thunderbutt
07-11-2003, 02:12 PM
I live on LOTO and I watch these 42 foot + boats skirt the 100 foot buoys @ 1500 rpm and push 6 foot+ swells into the docks and laugh there ass of while the docks and boats,rock&roll. Another thing here, there isn't any direction control, these boats go anyway they want to, they even tailgate just like they do on the highways. thats how you get these wakes coming in different directions. I asked one of the water patrol about that and he said it was too hard to control. I think they're too busy looking for boaters who are drinking. Very few people know the rules of boating. I live close to Sea Esta which was called the quiet side, not any more the big boats got tired of fighting there own wakes so now they come to the quiet side. Even though this lake has 1100 miles of shore line it is too small for these large boats. It is too narrow, in most places it is like a wide river.

spectras only
07-11-2003, 04:33 PM
posted by Thunderbutt:
Even though this lake has 1100 miles of shore line it is too small for these large boats. It is too narrow, in most places it is like a wide river. , Jim , LOTO is similar to Shuswap [ only 50 miles from the OK lakes, 1200miles shore line,narrow and branching off all directions] which is much calmer than the okanagan lakes. There are more smaller boats on shuswap and lots of 40+ rental barges with waterslides .LOTO looks beautiful and one day I'd like to go there :cool: .Are you going to Brent's regatta ?

Infomaniac
07-11-2003, 07:14 PM
I will stick to the drag boat freindly lakes around here.
Gripe about the lake lice wakes.

Thunderbutt
07-12-2003, 08:10 AM
spectras only:
posted by Thunderbutt:
Even though this lake has 1100 miles of shore line it is too small for these large boats. It is too narrow, in most places it is like a wide river. , Jim , LOTO is similar to Shuswap [ only 50 miles from the OK lakes, 1200miles shore line,narrow and branching off all directions] which is much calmer than the okanagan lakes. There are more smaller boats on shuswap and lots of 40+ rental barges with waterslides .LOTO looks beautiful and one day I'd like to go there :cool: .Are you going to Brent's regatta ? Atti, They should have had a boat size restriction years ago, now it is too late, too much money. We use the lake during the week,Thunderbutt takes the wakes pretty good considering its only 20.83 feet long, once in awhile we get wet. We use the pontoon boat on week-ins. If you ever come to LOTO let me know we have a guest house you can use. I wanted to go to the Spectra regatta, but I don't think we'll make it, my Wife hasn't been feeling so good. I did tell Brent if he talked you into going I'd be there. Are you going?

spectras only
07-12-2003, 07:12 PM
Jim , thanks for the offer :cool: . May take you up on that in the future.I'd like to go to the spectra regatta too ,but have too many commitments for this year :rolleyes: . Hope your wife will feel better , so maybe next year will be the time for a get together wink
[ July 12, 2003, 08:13 PM: Message edited by: spectras only ]

Winfab
07-21-2003, 07:40 PM
Sea Esta and Thunderbutt, Any more regulations rumblings talk at LOTO now that a few weeks have past since the 4th of July weekend drowning? We haven't been out for a couple weeks and wondered. Are you on the Niangua? We're at 8.5 MM, by the Twin Islands if you ever frequent that part of the lake.

Thunderbutt
07-22-2003, 03:47 PM
Winfab:
Sea Esta and Thunderbutt, Any more regulations rumblings talk at LOTO now that a few weeks have past since the 4th of July weekend drowning? We haven't been out for a couple weeks and wondered. Are you on the Niangua? We're at 8.5 MM, by the Twin Islands if you ever frequent that part of the lake. Winfab, The water patrol has been flooded with calls about the boat size but they can't do anything about it. Yes I am at the 2-mile marker of the Niangua. Yes I've been at the twin Islands up to Big Thunder. I think I have been over the entire lake, it is big, but to small for 40'+ boats. Last week two of the big boats colided and a bunch of people was thrown in the water, and we alwayes have our PWC wreaks,like three or four a week-in. But we haven't had anyone up on the gulf course lately. Reading the monday paper here is laughable with some of the things that go on the water. I still like it though.

steve0123
07-23-2003, 09:10 AM
Wow,
now after reading this thread I'm getting pretty nervous about taking my family out there...We have a week long trip planned (first time, new boat) for the first weekend in August, but I don't want it or us getting trashed in the slip or something.
Steve

OLDRAT
07-23-2003, 10:44 AM
I, like SeaDog, want to know what exactly happened.
Grand Lake in Oklahoma seems to be wider in some spots than LOTO, but we still have the steep,
rock banks and cliffs that send the waves back
and forth without much dissipation.
Again, what do you do, everyones has the right to use the lake, and we sure do not need anymore
idle zones.
OldRat

Sea Esta
07-24-2003, 04:38 AM
Thunderbutt...How's it going. I need to make it over to your place. I'll be back down next weekend. Maybe we can get together for a cold one.
I read that there was another life lost last weekend up around the Salty Dog. A 21 or 24 year old jumped off a boat and never surfaced. We have been having some deaths on the Lake this year.
I don't know what was going on last weekend but the waves were terrible!!! I was out Friday afternoon and once I turned into the Osage, the water really was churning. Sat was the pits out there so we headed towards Big Dicks. Got past the Hwy5 Bridge and the waters were quite a bit smoother.
I'm heading up to Mark Twain Lake this weekend. Haven't been up there in years. I'll let you know how it is.

Thunderbutt
07-25-2003, 04:07 PM
Sea Esta:
Thunderbutt...How's it going. I need to make it over to your place. I'll be back down next weekend. Maybe we can get together for a cold one.
I read that there was another life lost last weekend up around the Salty Dog. A 21 or 24 year old jumped off a boat and never surfaced. We have been having some deaths on the Lake this year.
I don't know what was going on last weekend but the waves were terrible!!! I was out Friday afternoon and once I turned into the Osage, the water really was churning. Sat was the pits out there so we headed towards Big Dicks. Got past the Hwy5 Bridge and the waters were quite a bit smoother.
I'm heading up to Mark Twain Lake this weekend. Haven't been up there in years. I'll let you know how it is. Sea Esta We'll be here, Beauty cove 5th house from the end on left side coming in. I fly an American and Marine flag, you can't miss it. See ya