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Texas party boat capsizes with 53 on board, leaving 1 dead
Fox News ^ | y Danielle Wallace |

Posted on 08/15/2021 12:08:16 PM PDT by BenLurkin

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To: BenLurkin

Interesting.

My band played last night between Lufkin & Nacogdoches, I drove through that storm getting there about 20 till 5. Conroe is 85 miles southwest. Storm was moving southwest, according to other guitar player’s weather app. Circling clockwise, actually, and generally moving southwest. About the right time frame for the front of it, south of us, to hit Conroe 3 hours later.

People were stopped on the side of the road, Hwy 59, 4 lane, because they couldn’t see. I almost stopped, slowed down to 30 in a 75mph zone. Wind was pretty tough, sky before I drove into it black dark 4 hours before sundown. Looked just like the sky that coughed up a tornado 10 minutes later 20 years ago. Hwy 59 goes through Conroe, or close.

Rain stopped, sky cleared up and we played, outside, till 10pm. Under a big carport, so we did have some cover...

Had to be the same storm.

Conroe is a shallow lake, not much of it deeper than 6 or 7 feet at most. Boat that size can’t handle that lake with a draft of more than about 3 feet, it would hit bottom all night. Can’t get close enough to a shore to load unless it sits light in the water. Or you ferry people out in small boats.

Being a commercial boat that has done this before, they probably turned broadside to the wind trying to turn around and head for cover.

But why wasn’t someone watching the weather? Boats and storms are not good buddies. For a commercial boat like that, a good weather report should be top priority.

That said, I’ve been caught in sudden storms on Rayburn, in a 12 foot flat bottom, but Rayburn is a lot bigger lake with a reputation for sudden no warning squalls. It’s also 100 yards from where I sit. I’ve been put on the bank to wait it out under my poncho more than a dozen times...but this was a really big storm, at least 30 miles across, and not a squall that popped up without warning. I only drove through a 5 or 6 mile section of it, on the leading southeast edge. A large section south of us and a much bigger one northwest, according to the radar we watched.


21 posted on 08/15/2021 2:19:03 PM PDT by Paleo Pete (The slave does not dream of freedom, the slave dreams of being master.)
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To: DannyTN

Happens when every one runs over to one side of the boat to look at something.


22 posted on 08/15/2021 2:31:23 PM PDT by dblshot
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To: SES1066

Yep, flat bottom and top heavy


23 posted on 08/15/2021 2:43:55 PM PDT by deport ( )
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To: Organic Panic

Hey there. I’ve married a couple of em.


24 posted on 08/15/2021 3:20:37 PM PDT by MisterArtery
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To: Steely Tom

“I’m guessing the concept of “center of gravity” is something the builder of that boat wasn’t burdened with any knowledge of.”

yep ... boat looks just a wee bit top heavy when all the passengers are sight-seeing on the upper deck ...


25 posted on 08/15/2021 4:24:26 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: Tailback
I'm going to compile the most logical guesses as to how this could happen. I work on a cable guided river ferry with a 100 ton masters license. That and $3.50 can get me a mocha at starbucks so take it for what it's worth.

My guess is the crew tried to get to shore but instead of keeping the bow straight on to the swells they panicked and turned broadside.

Got a feelin’ the wind grabbed the overhead while broadside. Not sure letter of stability would take that into account.

they probably turned broadside to the wind trying to turn around and head for cover.


26 posted on 08/15/2021 6:12:22 PM PDT by Tailback
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To: dblshot
Happens when every one runs over to one side of the boat to look at something.

Or away from wind-driven rain.

27 posted on 08/15/2021 9:59:16 PM PDT by corkoman
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