Ouch! - Boating & Fishing Information and Reports Forum

Capt. Fred · #1 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 08:15 PM

Did anybody post this yet?

Vessel allides with Bonner Bridge

TunaTeaser1 · #2 (**permalink**) 06-28-2009, 11:38 PM

Nope not that article. I saw that the other day though. What a sad deal for the rig, she;s one of the newer ones that Ricky has built. I went over to Wanchese today to take a peek and the damage is pretty unreal.

I don't like how the Coast Guard insinuates that the Inger was in the wrong by going through a different span since the main span is shoaled up! Do you run aground to stay in the "marked" channel/span or go through safer water?

Capt. Fred · #3 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009, 07:16 AM

You know, I was thinking the same thing. And the fact that the Coast Guard has been ticketing folks for not maintaining a "no wake" speed when going under the bridge.

Since the main span is too shoal then you've got to go through another area that is narrower than the main span and offers no protection to the pilings. With the damn cross current it is hard enough to run my 25 footer through there let alone a 70 footer. If I were running a boat that big (fat chance!) I'd give her enough speed to maintain steerage and not be too concerned about whether it leaves a wake or not.

I hope that's not why it happened but I wonder.

TunaTeaser1 · #4 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009, 08:14 AM

Yeah it's been a conversation piece around the marina here the past few days. The problem is, you have people working on the barge doing bridge maintenance right there also. With a 70 footer, you risk waking that barge pretty hard against the bridge and possibly injuring someone. Everyone I've talked to, myself included, agrees that it's one of those deals that could happen to anyone.

Blue Magic · #5 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009, 04:49 PM

That current is a bitch..........I almost kissed the bridge last year.

Capt. Fred · #6 (**permalink**) 06-29-2009, 05:03 PM

Yup Fernando, even in my little rig I felt like it was tight with that cross current. Anybody know why they can't keep the main span dredged? Seems like they used to be able to keep up. Have they cut funds?

FairWeather · #7 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 09:12 AM

That's no good!! I would say that boat has seen better days!

TunaTeaser1 · #8 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 07:31 PM

Take a look at what I just dug up....

http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/nav/in...ET/oi_spit.pdf

Seems that even the corps of engineers is recommending the south span? At least that's the way I interpret the waypoint positioning. Any thoughts on this?

offshore · #9 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 09:39 PM

Alex The line from the way point writing to the first waypoint is not the track it just points to the way point. Find the sounding chart for the west side of the bridge then put the two together....Mark

blueh20pc · #10 (**permalink**) 06-30-2009, 10:22 PM

We fish at night there during october for stripers. Many times we pull up in little boats and tie off to the pilings and hop on top of them to vertically jig eels. Lots of times I bump my rig in and out of gear against the current to fish with the kids near the structure. It gets pretty rough at the high points of the tides. Feel sorry for the Capt, he got demoralized being drug and alcohol tested, and you know this will stay on his reputation forever.