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Miami drawbridge crashes down on MY Rockstar

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Pascal, Dec 2, 2014.

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  1. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Well, Weiner wasted no time before blasting the city. He devoted five words to "Thank God nobody got hurt" which would and should be anyone's first thought. But the next 14 were "Could have been a tragedy due to the city not maintaining this bridge correctly." While those words may be right considering major maintenance was already scheduled, the reality was that the cause of the accident hasn't yet been determined. Could be many parts of the equipment, the controls, the operator. We don't know yet. I just found it odd. Maybe he's already preparing for litigation. Or just the politician in him coming through.

    I go back to the important part, the first five words, "Thank God nobody got hurt."
  2. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    I just saw a Ch 4 I think it was video, looks like the damage part is all fibreglass so maybe not as bad as first thought just think of it was a the marine equivalent of a crumple zone in a car.
  3. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    It's aluminum, the Awl Fair' snaggeld edge makes it kinda look like GRP. I think the bridge's big Green center Span marker light amongst the rubble is perfect for the insurance adjusters forensic inspection.between the video and physical evidence it should a open and closed case! No pun intended.
  4. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Determining that the bridge hit the boat is simple. Determining why is probably not going to be that difficult. Resolving responsibility and damages is going to be complex and take a very long time.
  5. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    Mr. Weiner's legal eagles will just suponae all entities involved and see what sticks to the wall. Yes, it'll take time to wind it's way through the system but it'll be interesting to watch and maybe learn from. I'm positive the underwriters are sharpening their pencils as we write these posts for new riders to be attached to existing policies just as the terrorism riders came about after 911.
  6. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Well, assuming it takes two years to resolve and then repair the boat, how much value would you estimate it will have lost as a result of the accident? After all, he's trying to sell it. I would think quite a few million dollars. And loss of value isn't insured.
  7. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

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    The maritime claims that I've been involved with were Lloyds underwritten and the vessels deductibles were so high that the owners initiated the repairs and Lloyds provided progress payments that coincided with their surveyors assessments and the actual repair yard invoices. As far as this vessel losing millions due to the damage and the subsequent press and the yachting communities knowledge of same, I would think it will be affected but it's all how it's repaired and managed. Send it back to the Trinity yard in New Orleans and have a top notch company like Patton Marine consult and document the repairs. That seems like a reasonable path to assure the resale value of this vessel.
  8. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    It would be far more likely to go to someone like Rybovich than back to the Trinity yard. They've done a lot of major work on Trinity's.
  9. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    I find all of this somewhat comical. You pay all this money for insurance.. assuming that someone has your back...but when the flit hit's the shan, everybody runs for cover while pointing fingers at the other guy. Bottom line the Owner, will have to cover the expenses UNTIL they get any compensation. I sincerely doubt that the Owner want's to take to boat off the market for two or three years, until the dust settles. This is clearly the fault of the bridge operator (not the guy in the booth,) but the entity responsible for the operation of the bridge. It's the old "It ain't my Bear, but it's in my trap." I realize that I'm echoing Captholli's opinions, but the "system" has gotten so convoluted, it just want's to make you throw up your hands.
  10. SeaEric

    SeaEric YF Historian

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  11. TeKeela

    TeKeela Member

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    What is the point of the various operators only opening one half of a bridge? They both go up and down together, one slightly before the other of course, but both spans are definitely safer, takes slightly more time. I have argued with many an operator that wont open the 2nd span leaving only a few feet of clearance or them thinking our boat got shorter and the bridge got taller and we could fit under a bridge that we have gone thru the last 10 years and it was still too short and we too tall. Or telling us climb the tower in a lightning storm to lower antennas and riggers. Do they get docked pay for the amount of time the bridge is opened? Or bonuses for time closed or reduced cycles on a span? I have yet to see any of them have to hand crank the bridge up, just push a sequence of buttons and make sure no one drives off while it's up.
  12. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The only time I ve seen operators opening one span is when maintenance wa being performed and usually it was well advertised in the LNTM or byUSCG on 16
    I always lower my antennas if that means being able to go under, now obviously I may be reluctant to do that in the middle of a TS and I've often sneaked under bridges with less thana foot clearance, the point being to avoid backing up traffic with unnecessary clearance. I see to many guys asking for openings even they could easily clear the bridge. The more un essay openings, the more chances restrictions will be imposed
  13. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    I understand all of that SeaEric, I have encountered "quick draw" bridge operators. And you're right Feces occurs. But to further my point, I've been known to pull over to the nearest place, tie up and walk to the operators shed, and call his supervisor while having him cornered in his booth to advise the operators hi jinx, and get his word that he was to be fired that day.(He probably wasn't just reassigned another booth.) But I did put the fear of God into him while I was there. I can understand a brake failing. But trying to get money from a Municipal or Government entity is like pulling eye teeth. It's the old saying "you can't fight city hall." I feel for the Owner who has to foot the bill until the "scales of justice" prevail. It's a *****ty system.
  14. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    30 seconds or less and the boat would've been through quick enough that the bridge would've missed it.
  15. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    Had she not been under tow (which is something I'm still wondering) a quick burst of throttle would have avoided any mishap. I'm sure that's going to be a "legal" point, why a perfectly good boat was under tow...
  16. Kevin

    Kevin YF Moderator

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    Do you really think a 161' yacht could have accelerated quickly enough to avoid a falling bridge?

    And that is assuming that whoever was on the bridge was able to see up enough to even notice that the slab was coming down. If you look at the surveillance video clip it looks like the bridge was far enough forward / already under the falling span to not even know it was coming.
  17. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I thnk they could had either accelerated or most likely stopped and backed off. Drinks would have been spilled.

    I always look at the spans when passing under an open bridge, you don't have to look up, you can just look on each side and see the gears or rams
  18. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    I doubt it. It is common practice to tow a large yacht in confined quarters because the tow boats are able to more handily maneuver the vessel than the skipper could.
  19. CaptPKilbride

    CaptPKilbride Senior Member

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    A "quick burst of throttle" ??? This is a big boat. Once you get it going you gotta get it stopped again. While keeping it under control in narrow confines.
    Yeahhhh.
  20. chesapeake46

    chesapeake46 Senior Member

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    Don't forget the hapless tow boat tied to your bow