Disaster on Lake Anna

[Sam]

A Spotsylvania, Virginia sheriff's deputy was killed on Lake Anna when his boat was hit with a large wake from another boat this past weekend.

The deputy was thrown from the watercraft, hitting his head on the side of the boat as he went into the water.

The second deputy was OK.

This highlights the importance of always wearing your PFD as you can never tell when another boat will roar by delivering a big wake that could throw you out of your boat.

Tragic ending to two guys trying to make One Fish Anna a safer place for everyone to enjoy.  :'(

[fishfordollars]

Sad story. Prayers to the family.

[Grey Wolf]

Sad , prayers for the family.

[Syppy]

Very sad to hear.

[brushhoggin]

usually you have be turning for those wakes to mess you up, if you're driving straight though you should be ok. wish i knew how this happened

[skunked_again]

usually you have be turning for those wakes to mess you up, if you're driving straight though you should be ok. wish i knew how this happened

from what i read, the cause of death was a blow to the head. water played no to little part.

[cart7t]

Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, is well known for it's rather violent water conditions on a summer weekend. I've seen folks go out in 30' day cruisers for a day jaunt on the lake and come back in with passengers suffering everything from dislocated joints, bruised up faces & ribs to concussions after they were thrown around in the seating area of the boat running really bad water.

[Sam]

Skunked, the small boat was hit by a big wake throwing both officers into the water.

The other officer cleared the boat while the second officer hit his head on the way out of the boat.

Proximate cause? Big wake hitting the officers smaller watercraft.  :'(

[Bigs]

I have a house on the private side of lake anna so I dont know much bout the public side but Im sure it gets ugly out there. I was out on the potomac yesterday and it was a 3 ring circus. I had jet skis roaring by me 30-40 feet away in what was already a nasty chop.

Here is what needs to be done- have cops at all the major ramps checking for boat safety certificates. If the owner of the boat doesnt have it then they are not allowed to launch. Just checking for registration is not enough. I got checked last night and all they wanted to see was my registration. They didnt seem to care bout everything else Im supposed to have. Seems like the people enforcing the law are lazy about it.

What a shame that someone tryin to help others lost his lfe cuz some idiot is oblivious to the world around him. I hope he didnt leave young kids and a wife behind.

[Dan:]

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/education/boating-safety-education-requirement.asp

They aren't enforcing it because it's not a legal requirement yet.

The only Virginians that are required to have taken a boating safety course as of now are PWC operators aged 20 or under. PWC operators 30 and under will also need the certificate at the beginning of July.

[skunked_again]

Skunked, the small boat was hit by a big wake throwing both officers into the water.

The other officer cleared the boat while the second officer hit his head on the way out of the boat.

Proximate cause? Big wake hitting the officers smaller watercraft. :'(

my point was, from what i read, death was not from drowning. i could be wrong.

[Sam]

Right. I think the blow to the head killed him.

We stand in the boat facing the shore and not watching behind us until the waves from the wake arrive.

We then hold onto the seat.

If there was a big wake and we were not paying attention we could be thrown from the boat.

I did a test last year and tried to get back into the bass boat from the water. Very difficult.

You would have to swim back to the engine and grab on when you push the "up" button to raise the engine so you could crawl back in the boat.

Thanks so much for your feedback. It is great to take as story and expand it. 

[Long Mike]

Realizing that I'm not a young man anymore, I mounted a fold-down ladder on the stern of my boat.  I must confess that I do not wear my PFD when the big motor isn't running.  If a big wave hits me and I get tossed out of the boat, I'll simply swim around to the stern and climb back on.  If a big wave hits me and I fall out of the boat and hit my head ... well, you are all invited to my funeral.

[gobig]

Here is what needs to be done- have cops at all the major ramps checking for boat safety certificates. If the owner of the boat doesnt have it then they are not allowed to launch. Just checking for registration is not enough. I got checked last night and all they wanted to see was my registration. They didnt seem to care bout everything else Im supposed to have. Seems like the people enforcing the law are lazy about it.

Yes that's it. A total police state. Maybe they could add some more taxes to go along with it. After all they know what is best for us.

[Sam]

Hey gobig, you have hit on something that is not out of the question in Virginia.

I have been stopped two times this year by Virginia conservation officers and one local bass club was checked at their weigh-in by two conservation officers.

If the Virginia DG&IF decides to crack down and raise some money by checking boaters coming and going at the ramps, especially those operating jet skis, it could generate a fortune in revenue.

Add the National Saltwater Angler Registration that will be enforced starting in 2011 and you will have to carry a separate wallet with the required paperwork.