Gratton Family to File Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Super Boat International

[daveracerdsh]

Heat stoppage

Good arguments all around.....I understand Jack's concerns as to having to re-start the heat....nothing we do as an organization will be perfect...there are always scenarios involved that make rules difficult to make....but I just feel we should stop the heat of a driver goes in the water. As far as I know other forms of motor sports stop racing if there is an accident....look at Nascar and SCCA racing for example....but i do think dialog needs to be started in this area. Maybe our insurance carrier will look favorably on APBA if this rule is implemented? Just a random thought. 5 US.

[Rich Tower]

Safety and you.

For as many years as my brother and I have been associated with SO racing we have advocated safety. I would like to suggest that each region do a survey of its membership to see what type of EMS/Rescue/LPN/RN/Military/Respiratory Therapist etc trained individuals attend races, then utilize them. I know it may sound obvious but contact the local ambulance/fire company or better yet contact the county EMS organizations. As a volunteer I bet they would be happy to show up and help. Simply conducting training at a region meeting will be helpful, check the insurance people. But if by chance there is a certified instructor, then those trained would meet the insurance requirements. A First Responder is better than someone without training. And the number of hours is a lot less than an EMT or Paramedic. Look to the American Red Cross or Heart Association for CPR classes. Training is out there. JUST MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO TAKE THE TRAINING.

[Brew56]

We all take risks every day.....walking across the street in the medium size town I reside in is an accident waiting to happen....but I do assume a certain amount of risk when I put my D stock hydro into the water. I know what can happen to me at 80 mph...I understand the risks involved....I do not have a sponsor behind me telling me I HAVE to go out and race...that is why I decided quit a while ago not to pursue higher forms of racing...but that being said, we do need to keep looking forward as far as safety gear, rescue personel, and so on down the line. Insurance costs are gonna keep increasing....it's a fact....But one thing I would like to see as a stock racer is this...when a driver goes into the water....we stop the **** heat....I don't give a flying you know what if it holds the program up....a person has just crashed his C stock hydro at 65 mph...how is he/she in the next few seconds going to know for sure that they are ok? And what happens is on the next lap when a fellow driver does not see crashed boat? I understand there are flags to warn drivers, but come on.....how many times have we seen drivers run 2 or more laps under a black flag? It happens.. Just my two cents worth. David.

Dave, I agree with you 100%! We average about 1-2 flips per weekend at races. Stop the dang heat.

[daveracerdsh]

Heat stoppage

Thanx brew...I do understand that at most outboard races there are time constraints....but in all honesty does that really matter when there is the potential that there is a driver in the water that may be injured, and not know it? I have seen drivers crash (like we all have) and have boats use them as a turn bouy, sometimes going inside and out side of them....who is to say a driver is going to lose a turn fin or something and smack into the driver by accident? Honestly...we are not racing for big purses...last time I looked the prize money we get is zero....I sorta do have a dog in this fight though...I stuffed my DSH in a turn going on 2 years ago, and the boat came around and hit me pretty hard....I was not sure if I was ok or not (I was) but I did not signal...and there were D stocks coming within 4 or 5 feet of me in the turn..not something I want to go thru again. I have no idea why the turn judge did not stop the race..but he didn't. This scenario plays out all over the country, and it is just a matter of time before something very serious happens. Just my 2 cents worth. David

[Capt_Speed]

Alweiss is at it again??!!

Even though this particular supposed lawsuit is not against the APBA, I'm hoping the brass & legal team at the helm of the current APBA will still closely monitor this situation. Because if Allweiss wins & gets his payday, its then not an unreasonable assumption that if (more likely "when") this type of accident ever happens again, then we should fully expect more Allweiss-esque blood-sucking lawyers to come out of the woodwork with similar and more damaging & expensive lawsuits. And if that happens,,, well,, lets just say beach racing could have a new meaning to many of us...

While I do feel bad for the participants in the flipped boat and my prayers do go out to they're familys, I can't help but question Allweiss's motives behind bringing about yet "another" boat racing related lawsuit. I say "again" as it wasn't very long ago that this same ousted ex-Offshore president brought a very expensive damaging lawsuit against the APBA itself (in a failed veritable "Hostile Takeover" attempt of the APBA. Many thanks again to the Hearn family for getting that lawsuit overturned). He has also brought frivilous lawsuits against other members of the racing community, only in the end to then drop the lawsuits before it went to court (thereby causing the sued person to spend thousands of wasted dollars in legal fees).

Its pretty obvious that most lawsuits brought against a racing sport (especially a niche hobby/sport like Boat Racing) will usually not help nor rectify the supposed concerns/issues (within that sport). To the contrary, a lawsuit will usually do nothing but cause various forms of irrevocable harm to the sport. It will end up harming that sports reputation, cause potential loss of sponsorships & race sites, and inevitably cost that sport (and its racers) thousands of dollars (one way or another).

Filing a wrongful death lawsuit in boat racing?? Really?? Everyone knows this particular unfortunate accident scenario wasn't the first time this has happened, and it sadly & certainly will NOT be the last (no matter how many lawsuits are filed). All we can do is simply endeavor to keep trying to make the racing environment as efficiently safe as possible. But filing law suits is certainly NOT the way to go about addressing the issue!

Incredibly, it still looks like Allweiss simply "just doesn't get it". He still does not understand ANYTHING about boat racing, nor its culture, its unique challenges & aspects, nor its tightnit family community. If he did, he wouldn't have attempted any of his past trecherous arrogant deeds, nor launched this latest ambulance chasing lawsuit crusade. IMO, if Matador Mike TRULY cared about racing safety, properly trained crashboat personell and EMT response times, he would have offered a different approach/solution. One that wouldn't negatively impact the overall boat racing reputation & community (unless of course maybe that is/was his whole point in doing it in the first place,,, again).

[paul jillings]

"Wet driver rule"

Over here all Circuit races abide with this UIM rule. The race is stopped straight away. No arguments. It is a good rule........

[Rob D]

Did they have "full time air system in the boat" ?