There are members of this board who know the offending captains name, and that "this type of behavior is not isolated". I will leave it to them (or others with access to the appropriate public records) to post the name, as I can only consider my information to be second-hand. I am relieved to hear that the boat got a new skipper soon after the incident, but that decision was a no-brainer...
Regardless of whether he just graduated from the school or was a replacement, he should have known better.
It's official - the USCG is out of the picture, stating that "it's not in our jurisdiction". It would have been nice if they had said that on July 5th (two months ago). They say it should be handled by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. I'm not sure if the DNR ever got involved, so it looks like there will be no charges filed - the owner writes some pocket-change checks in exchange for being left alone and the operator gets off 100% scott-free. Nice. That's how the system works "in the real world". Thank you to those who reached out and tried to help. I've learned a valuable lesson here...
Let me get this straight. The owner is paying for all of the damage to all of the vessels that were effected, right? Which could very well have been an accident. But, YOU are not happy because the owner has not been charged with a crime? What is the problem???? In America, people are innocent until proven guilty. So maybe you should hire a lawyer, to prove that the owner was guilty of a crime such as wreckless endangerment, and have the owner arrested? If someone backs into your parked car, in the grocery store parking lot and writes you a check for the damage. Should he be arrested for an accident?
I think what you're dealing with here is the difference between someone accidentally backing into your car and a professional chauffeur crashing into you because he was doing 75 mph through the parking lot. DK if it would be a criminal offense, but I'd sure cause some misery in his life beyond just the price of the damage. IMHO an apology would have made a world of difference here.
I think the owner should pay ,having been a victim but I'm not sure the law is set-up to take account of this kind of thing. I took my Mom for a fishing trip and picnic with an old Dolphin 18, a bit like a Boston Whaler 18, new Evinrude 115 V4 and 2 new Penn rod and reels. A sodding great big Sportfisherman came roaring pass and the wake swamped over the transom . While at anchor, down went the sandwiches and Mom, new engine and 2 new Penns. Not happy. Who's to blame? The skipper was trying to get back for the weigh-in, fair enough but there must be somewhere in maritime law for 'collateral damage'?
Ah, but yeah but no, the skipper is a friend of mine and came and saved the boat. Ed, you are not going to take your nextdoor man to court, are you???????
My nextdoor man? No, I'd probably take him to the alley first. Don't think court would be needed after that.
You old coyote, I knew you NY guys were a bit tough Irishmen but it doesn't go down well in the Yacht Club.
Yeah, not big on the Y.C. scene. Never got into yellow or green pants. As a kid we'd use their boats for swamping practice and at the C.C. dances take their girls.
Yeah, but if you had bought a Boston Whaler, it wouldn't have sunk. So your buddy was teaching you to buy an unsinkable boat to take mom out on hehehehe