Paddle boarder struck by pontoon boat
 

There is not much information in the article on WMUR. Neither the town where it occurred or the hospital she was taken is listed.

https://www.wmur.com/article/lake-wi...board/37137516

i dont have a link but was on marine patrol's site.
no substances/booze were involved. those on boat rendered assistance, Don't understand how something like this could happen in a no wake zone, either one or both were not paying attention

NH State Police-Marine Patrol twitter has a press release on it which says it happened on Monday, July 26 at about 2-pm off of Church Landing in Meredith. The paddleboarder is a 51-year old woman from Chappaqua NY, and the pontoon boat driver is a 51-year old woman from Franklin, Mass.

Marine Patrol, Meredith Police, and Stewart's Ambulance responded and the paddleboarder was transported to Concord Hospital in Laconia for evaluation.

Experience Winnipesaukee: www.ekalactivitycenter.com is a paddleboard rental business that is very very close to this location so maybe it was a rental Pelican paddleboard, not that it makes any too big a difference with regard to anything? ..... :eek2:

Like ..... who knows ...... but maybe both the pontoon and the paddleboard were rentals ..... is possible?

The boat driver is screwed, doesn't matter who was not paying attention.

Hit while the pontoon boat was trying to dock. Could be she reversed and hit her going backwards, I see a fair number of people reverse and not look behind them.

Sounds like the boat driver went up over the dock- if I had to guess, panic mode, hit the throttle too fast.

If anyone has a link to more details than that WMUR bit, please share. I paddle board quite a bit and am very interested in learning what happened.

WOW, that sounds like chaos and tragedy.

I see so many unsafe actions on the water its actually surprising we dont have so many more accidents.

On the rise of late are people playing with cell phones while driving boats. No idea what on earth could be so important that you need to look at your phone while piloting a boat,,,

Why would it be any different for some visitors to abandon their phones? They drive anything with a motor and don't care. New rules need to be put in place for the lakes... not restricting rights, but just common sense regulations that need to be enforced. just my opinion.

Video on Instagram
 

Don't know how to link the Instagram video here. It's not too hard to find.

Clearly shows both victims are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Both are not showing good judgment. Can't tell if either is renters but shows inexperience.

My 2 cents.

Agreed!

If you need to check you phone or want to take a picture, then stop the boat or have someone else take the helm. Its not rocket science,,,

Now what all that said, I have also see other people (not the boat operator) doing really dangerous things and they need to be held just as responsible for their actions. Best intentions I have seen complete strangers attempting to help boaters dock and in doing so place themselves at great risk of harm, I personally do not believe the boat operator should be held responsible for someone sticking their foot/leg out to stop a boat at the dock and then suffering an injury. I have seen boat operators saying no and attempting to stop the docking procedure, but in some cases it may be too late,,, I have also seen people swimming and paddle-boarding around active docks and thats just stupid and an accident waiting to happen. Its also frightening seeing people attempting to retrieve items dropped between boats and docks,,,

Common sense must be practiced by all who use boat dock areas.

Kinda wondered if that would end up being the case.

Either way it very unfortunate for all involved.

I'm searching instagram and not seeing it. Could you or anyone else give me a link or what to use for a search string?

Same here,,,

XCR, if only we had someone below the age of 20 to search for us, I'm guessing they would find it in 7 seconds!

You are soooo right!

I dont have an instagram account so maybe thats part of the problem, but in truth I will never have one as I usually have little use for their nonsense,,,

Third failure to find on the IG page.


Sent from my iPad using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

Town code?
 

Paddle boarding is only a (mis)step away from swimming. I remeber coming into the Meredith docks and a group of PB renters went in a line across the docks. Boats entering could see them, perhpas, but difficult for someone backing a boat out. The same town rules that prohibit swimming from public docks should apply to those on PB too. In many towns the authority is already in place for Selectmen to add or modify rules; this is a much better process in terms of speed and addressing local issues than trying to craft a state law to address many many different situations. Unfortunately, towns would normally post signs on land where PB's can't see them, but at least PB renters and dealers would know. Nothing is easy when you try to legislate what, to you and me, might be common sense and never occurs to the uninitiated.

I don't agree. It's simple, and has always been the way it works .... powered boats have to yield to non-powered. Yield to sail boats, yield to kayaks and canoes and rowboats and pedal boats and .... paddle boards. No rules needed to keep them away from public docks, power boats at public docks have to be aware enough and not distracted. It is not hard to see a kayak, or paddle board, or canoe, or rowboat behind you or in front of you when entering or leaving a slip. And I don't equate a swimmer with any of the above non powered craft.

Just my take, and I'm an avid power boater and paddle boarder and kayaker.

A paddle boarder who falls is a swimmer and may be distanced from the PB. At that point s/he may be swimming near docks, where, beyond common sense, it is just not allowed. It's like going hiking on a NH mountain; if ill-prepared, you are libel to the state for rescue expenses. Right of way for non-powered vessels notwithstanding, if you're stupid and get hurt, it doesn't matter who is paying the hospital bills, you were still stupid.
Years after the accident, while you are still waiting for the court settlement I hope you will be saying to yourself. "Boy, was I stupid. Bad place to be paddle boarding."

Should kayaks be banned from docking areas as well? People fall in from them quite often, I saw one 2 weeks ago. Canoes?

I realize people fall off paddle boards. Rarely are you separated from the board by more than one swimming stroke. A kayak is much harder to get back into, with a paddle board you simply climb on.

Is it possible for me to have an opinion, and disagree with you, without being stupid?

I think you mean liable... and not quite.
You have to be grossly negligent, and only are subject to billing for the State portion of the rescue.

In your comparison, the PBer would need to be ill equipped, and require state expenditure due to their actions.

Yes I totally support banning paddle boards from public docks, it is a common sense recipe for disaster. I see no reason to intentionally intermix the two activities of paddle boarding and powerboating in the close and very difficult confines of a public dock area. NOTHING good can come from this interaction, only potential tragedy.

I really dont think so with todays society, I honestly think they will be saying I cant wait to get my settlement, I'm going to be on "My Lottery Dream Home" show. And I have seen it, there was a guy who got a huge settlement in FLA that was on the show after he had been in a horrible jet ski accident.

Its not the world we grew up in, people live for today and if a horrible accident elevates your financial status to higher level than you could have ever earned by working, its worth a lifetime of pain and suffering (to most,,,)

I would rather be dirt poor than suffer one broken bone, or take a risk knowing there was a potential significant danger. Not todays generations, they fear no impact, they simply have faith that there will be a BIG payout for their sufferings.

Well thats what I am seeing,,,

So if we used Meredith as the example. Say I pull my truck up to the public launch ramp, drop the paddle boards on the side, go park the truck, and then we head out on the boards. If we are heading south, how far out do we need to paddle before we are clear of the proposed "no paddle board zone" surrounding the docks?

I find it interesting that open carry is a right, never to be infringed on, but paddle boarders should be banned at a public dock because they get in the way of motorboats.

Really not looking to spark debate, just find it interesting.

By necessity you will need to start there but I would think common sense would tell you to head out away from a busy boating area.

Using a paddle board or a kayak in a busy area does not make sense to me. I think of that every time I see a kayak or paddle board go through the Weirs Channel on a busy day.

It makes about as much sense as going out for exercise and walking down the breakdown lane on Route 93. Why? There are much better places, for both activities.

Yes, liable. Thank you. Autocorrect beat me.
I agree with your clarification. The main point was that new RSA's are not necessarily needed when towns have the ability to control local swim areas. Paddle boards, to me are not any safer around public docks than swimming.

Why, a gun in a holster has no impact on anyone, but an unpowered vessel trying to navigate in close quarters sharing the same space with much larger powered vessels presents a very real danger of being unable to avoid a potential impact when you throw in the challenges of other boats wakes, wind, current, etc.

These are simple mechanical matters, not personal fears.

Its not a matter of preference, its hard facts, which is what we should be basing risk on.

Now if you are taking about so reasonable standards that should be applied to open carry, such as the need for the gun to have a retention strap if it is carried in any other position than upright, or when not in a fitted holster, we might have a middle ground here. I'll be the first to say we cannot have guns falling our of holsters hitting the ground. We can also discuss handling of firearms in crowded areas, clearly racking a slide or rotating a cylinder in Market Basket is bad for everyone! Factual details are where we need to focus, not on fantasy or fear mongering.

Does that help to change your perspective on either matter at all?

If not, all I can say is you are entitled to your opinion, you will get no personal attack from me.

ATB :)

I agree that I don't really want to be close to the docks. But in the case I mentioned I can either stay maybe 50 ft. clear of them, head past on my way to get further south, do the same on the way back, but I'd certainly be in a high boat traffic area with people lining up to dock. Or, I can go a few hundred yards out, which is a relatively long detour on a paddle board.

I chose Meredith because the docks are right next to the launch, and are substantial in length, so it's not like I can just avoid them without a big alteration of course. No, my intended goal is not to spend a lot of time paddling around the docks, but I don't think it's unreasonable or unsafe to paddle through the area.

Descant, so a person standing on a paddle board with a life jacket on is no safer than a swimmer in the water with an above-water profile of like 8 inches, without a flotation device? Strange logic to me.

You raise a very legitimate point and at the same time reinforce a great concern.

Why launch a paddle board at a boat ramp? This makes no sense to me at all, its dangerous and challenging place and activity for boaters, and for paddle boarders it looks like an accident waiting to happen.

Now the answer to my first questions is, because where else will you launch them, and the answer to that is, the town should be assessing this matter to ensure the safety of all, and adding an additional and different paddle board launch site. Such a site would not cost a fortune as you should not need ramps, a dock, etc.

There should be a reasonable solution to this that works for everyone and minimizes actual to both groups so we can all use the lake and enjoy a reasonable level of safety from actual risk.

Its not rocket science and its not that hard, we make it all unnecessarily difficult. Why, god only knows, human nature,,,

ATB

You are right XCR, if there was an alternative place for paddle boards and kayaks to launch it would be better for all.

We have launched them on a variety of lakes and ponds in NH, on Champlain, on Lake Placid, among others. Most of the time it is at a public boat launch because there is parking and it is allowed. Ironically, most places with public swimming access will not allow you to launch, they tell you it's for swimmers only and you need to go to a boat launch.

We are competent boarders and very low impact at a launch. I realize not everyone fits those categories. We put the boards on the side somewhere so it doesn't prevent anyone from launching a boat, we get on them and are gone, literally doesn't affect the boat ramp in any way beyond the 90 seconds it takes me to take them out of the truck bed and put them on the ground.

I'm guessing every person on this thread can boat their entire lifetime without hitting, or even endangering, a paddle board or kayak. Unfortunately stuff happens, as did to the person who was hit. But, I'm not sure an incident requires a need to put rules in place. I'd rather see some thoughtful people take a look at the incident and the situation and decide if action is needed or if it's just a case of stuff happening. You can add 20 pages of rules to boating and swimming and paddling on the lake and somehow stuff will still happen occasionally.

I find it amazing that every time an accident happens there are those that immediately call for new rules....

It doesn't matter how many rules you add, accidents will happen! This event is a rarity... no need to go down the path of more rules & regulations.

Woodsy

Are there any more details available?

All I have so far is a pontoon and a paddle boarder collided and the paddle boarder went to a hospital.

Very well said, nothing more I can add and no disputes here. Thanks.

As a general rule I agree, but in this case we are talking about more than the one accident, we are talking about a change in use that was not conceived of when the docks were built. At that time no one could have imagined 30'+ power boats would be fighting for space on those docks and that anyone would be using something like a paddle board in the same exact space at the same exact time. Its not a well considered plan. I suspect town tax dollars could be diverted from some pet project that only benefits the few insiders could be diverted to providing a safer location for the paddle boarders to launch, AND not some obscure place that they dont want to be. Meredith Bay looks like an almost perfect location to paddle board (as said by someone who has never been on one) BUT NOT in and directly around the boat docks. It looks frightening, especially with all the new and unskilled boaters I see struggling at the docks. I cringe to see paddle boarders in that space.

People need to know how to drive their boats. If this person ended up on a dock, it is even more their fault. The paddle board has the right of way, period. The boater should have stopped and waited. If the boater is unable to do so, they shouldn't be at a public dock.

People need to know how to drive their cars, but scenic walks on interstate highways are prohibited.

And so it should be around docks, just way too much risk. It may not be the paddle boarders fault they got run over, but they will suffer the impact.

Its not about responsibility its about likelihood of a problem and risk if it were to occur, and both are high for impacts between paddle boards and boats in the confines and conditions of boat docks.

Or do you believe you should be able to just walk down the interstate highway and then hold drivers responsible should they run you over,,,

We also are not allowed to bicycle or ride a horse on the interstate.

Though maybe someone will come up with a reasonable idea, I doubt you will see Meredith restricted its town docks in the manner you suggest.

Again, simply providing paddle boarders a different safer and maybe more applicable launch location might fix the problem by getting the paddle boarders away from the risk.

And Im sure brighter people than me can come up with even better ideas.