Updated at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday with a photo of the damaged boat.
Three people received minor injuries after two boats collided near the Edmonds waterfront Monday night.
According to South County Fire spokeswoman Leslie Hynes, a crew was deployed on South County Fire’s Marine 16 boat from the Port of Edmonds after the collision between two recreational power boats around 8:40 p.m.
One of the boats left the scene while the other boat was “dead in the water,” Hynes said. Marine 16 crews retrieved two people on board the disabled boat and brought them to shore at the marina. The two were taken to Swedish Edmonds with minor injuries, she said.
The single occupant in the second boat was able to get that vessel to shore and was also evaluated for minor injuries, Hynes said. It was unclear how far off shore the collision occurred, she added.
The Washington State Ferries’ MV Puyallup also launched a rescue boat, and the Coast Guard also responded, Hynes said.
The collision ripped the motor off the boat remaining in the water, Hynes said. Although the vessel did not appear to be taking on water, Marine 16 was standing by until a tow vessel arrived, to make sure no other boats collided with it.
WHY?!? is there a picture of a WS Ferry for this story?!?
The ferry launched a rescue boat. This is a photo of that happening, as the caption notes.
The M/V Puyallup waits off shore while ferry crews deploy a rescue craft following a boat collision Monday night near the Edmonds waterfront.
I’m amazed there isn’t more of this sort of thing happening in our area with the proliferation of more and more powerful pleasure craft with many of their pilots having little or no real knowledge of seamanship and small boat operation. I recently sold my boat, but used one for years out of the Edmond’s Marina and many times had to slow or reverse course to avoid larger boats leaving or returning at too high a rate of speed. The Coast Guard course in small boat seamanship should be required of all who pilot small boats in WA. State now and a license established for operation of all boats over 15 ft. in length.
Unless these people were born before January 1,1955, they were required to take a basic boating class: https://boat.wa.gov/BoatersCard.asp
Nonetheless, I agree that the basic boating class is not enough. I strongly recommend that boaters take the seamanship class from either the Coast Guard Auxilliary or the organization where I teach, the U.S. Power Squadron, also known as America’s Boating Club.
There are many ways that a collision like this can happen, so I do not intend to judge the boaters involved without a lot more facts. I am just relieved to hear everyone was OK.
The Edmonds Coast Guard Auxillary is offering a Boating Saftey & Seamanship and Weekend Navigator courses, starting this month. My husband and I have taken both classes and cannot say enough about how much we learned from these classes. Can sign up here: https://edmondscoastguardaux.com/
They call it a basic boating class, but its really not that basic. It was actually pretty tough for folks that don’t regularly use all of the boating etiquette or safety signals, etc. Most people out there on the Sound are courteous and safe.
The Seattle Sail & Power Squadron is offering a one-day basic boating class this Saturday, September 7. For more information, click here: https://www.usps.org/cgi-bin-nat/eddept/800/getregformx.cgi?C-19407
We watched the boat leave the Marina with 4 adult men not one, as reported. I made the comment of how stupid to be going out this late at night. They men put the boat at full throttled, shortly before we heard the hit. The boat came right back to the marina going fast still, tied up to the fuel dock. At least one Edmonds Port worker came down to the boat. The 4 men stepped onto the dock swearing and seemed panicked . Phones were brought out and 3 of the male passengers ran up the dock, never to returned. After the police left the one remaining boater called for a ride and when she arrived they moved the boat into the main marina. I reported this to Edmonds Port and called the police, no one has yet to contact us.
So much for not judging these people’s actions. Also on Monday a boat was found off Mercer Island with two people missing. Too much money and not enough brains.