What kind of parents whould let there 9 year old doughter operate a high powered PWC unsupervised. Another reason why PWC have a bad rap. AHH it makes me mad. Parents should be CHARGED!



Waterloo girl, 9, fights for life after Jet Ski accident
Cambridge man has leg and hip crushed in separate mishap
Dan Nolan
TORSTAR NEWS SERVICE; WITH FILES FROM CANADIAN PRESS
July 13, 1999

A nine-year-old Waterloo girl is fighting for her life in a Toronto hospital after a collision involving two personal watercraft on a Muskoka lake.

It was one of two weekend accidents involving Waterloo Region residents using the high-powered machines.

In the second accident, a 25-year-old Cambridge man had his leg and hip crushed when his personal watercraft was struck by a second one near Pottahawk Point in Long Point Bay, just south of Turkey Point, during a large annual boating event.

Both accidents occurred Sunday afternoon and have led provincial police to issue a safety reminder about the operation of the small craft on Ontario's lakes and waterways.

Under new federal regulations which came into force April 1, it is illegal for anyone under 16 to operate a personal watercraft.

The Muskoka accident occurred about 3 p.m. Sunday on Six Mile Lake, about 40 kilometres west of Gravenhurst.

Police say one personal watercraft was being driven by the nine-year-old girl and she was carrying an 11-year-old passenger.

A second machine was being operated by a 14-year-old girl who was carrying a girlfriend the same age. Names are not being released, but all four are from Waterloo.

The two craft collided after "driving side by side in the same direction," but Const. Greg Chinn of the Midland OPP detachment say investigators are still trying to determine how the collision occurred.

The girl, who suffered serious head injuries in the crash, narrowly escaped drowning after she was knocked unconscious.

Two 14-year-olds who were riding on the other Jet Ski kept the younger girl's head above water.

"They saved a life,'' said Const. Greg Chinn of the Midland OPP detachment. "They jumped into the water and held this girl's head out,'' he said. Their calls for help were answered by a vacationing doctor, who treated the girl on shore.

The girl was airlifted to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children from Huronia District Hospital in Midland, leaving behind her 11-year-old passenger, who was treated for arm injuries.

The girl's parents have been holding a vigil at a Toronto hospital since Sunday's accident.

Charges can't be laid against the girl because she is under 12, but police are attempting to determine who owned the Jet Ski and allowed her to drive it.

The fine for letting a minor use a personal watercraft is $250, Chinn said, adding that the 14-year-old driver of the other Jet Ski could be fined $100.

Chinn said the family had been vacationing at a cottage on Echo Bay when the accident occurred on the nearby lake.

The second accident occurred at about 5 p.m. on Long Point Bay, amid the annual Pottahawk Point boating party, which usually attracts 1,000 boaters from both sides of the border.

Sgt. Bernie Restivo, in charge of the Haldimand-Norfolk OPP marine unit, said it appears the two operators of the watercraft were "clowning around" by spinning the machines around and causing large sprays of water.

One operator lost sight of the second one and "ran into the other operator's leg," he said.

A Canadian Coast Guard vessel was nearby and transported the injured man to Turkey Point, where he was taken by ambulance to Norfolk General Hospital.

Police who patrol Lakes Ontario and Erie say they're being deluged with complaints from swimmers and boaters about the operation of personal watercraft.

They say complaints range from the watercraft coming in too close to shore, near swimming areas, to speeding close to powerboats and sailboats.

Restivo said the complaints about the machines seem to multiply every year, especially near popular swimming areas between Port Dover and Long Point.

Const. Bill Sorley of the Hamilton-Halton Marine Unit, which patrols the shoreline between Oakville and Fifty Point in Stoney Creek, also said, "We're getting a tonne of complaints about them speeding around the marinas.

"You'll get someone blowing through a marina and then all of the other boats are left rocking back and forth. We're suggesting to people to go somewhere where they're not interfering with other people."

Police caution that marine units are on patrol, and operators could face charges under other boating regulations and the Criminal Code if they're caught operating the vessel in a dangerous manner.



...2004 GTX SC...

I feel sorry for the girl. That being said, riders that are too young or too inexperienced have no business piloting and kind of craft on the water. The above story is the inevitable result.

Craig
2003 GP1300R

I think whoever let the minors operate the PWC should get at least a $1,000 fine. Pure stupidity. People don't realize how dangerous they can be. I'm sure they wouldn't have allowed them to drive a motorcycle!

It's morons like those mentioned above that give PWC a bad reputation.

GP1300R
Waveeater powervalve clips/couplers
Riva PPK
sealed pump
87mm pump nozzle
solas 14/20 depitched to 11/18
billet impeller cone
R&D GP800R intake grate
R&D 1200 rideplate w/ skegs removed & angle mod by IR
GPS'ed @ 71.4mph

readon thingslike this really tick me off. I feel bad for those hurt or injured...and am thankful that they are all right, but like many said, thses stories are whats giving us a bad rep.

quote:

---

Police who patrol Lakes Ontario and Erie say they're being deluged with complaints from swimmers and boaters about the operation of personal watercraft.

They say complaints range from the watercraft coming in too close to shore, near swimming areas, to speeding close to powerboats and sailboats.

Restivo said the complaints about the machines seem to multiply every year, especially near popular swimming areas between Port Dover and Long Point.

Const. Bill Sorley of the Hamilton-Halton Marine Unit, which patrols the shoreline between Oakville and Fifty Point in Stoney Creek, also said, "We're getting a tonne of complaints about them speeding around the marinas.

"You'll get someone blowing through a marina and then all of the other boats are left rocking back and forth. We're suggesting to people to go somewhere where they're not interfering with other people."

---

especially that..nice target for people against PWC.
Letting a 9 year old inexperienced rider..and again...9 years old, is absolutely the most irresponsible thing one could think of...unsupervised makes it even worse...

I feel for them, but...

Where were the parents during this?
Who owned the machines?
This is wrong, wrong, wrong.



mark c
http://www.hydrotoys.com
02 GP1200R
96 XP
01 FZ-1
00 Sportsman 500
02 Bombbardier DS650 Baja
04 SXR 800

Yes this is sad but the date of the article is july of 1999!

I think that there is more awareness in the last 5 years.

Dang! Good eye man. I didn't even notice the date. That still doesn't change my comments. I can tell you one thing, I'd be willing to wager that the 9-year old's parents wound up being dragged into civil court on that one.

Craig
2003 GP1300R

My question while reading the article and before I saw Marks words is:

What the **** are you doing digging up the past? Not just a few months past, but 5 years past? If a few of the regulars on here thought it was recent, what do you think the blue water network folks will do with this reminder?

Enjoy all,

Ray

1995 SS Sea Doo XP
2001 Not Quite Stock 1200 GPR
2002 Not Quite Stock Super Jet
2002 Not Quite Stock Kawi STX-R
2002 SS GPR

mark c
http://www.hydrotoys.com
02 GP1200R
96 XP
01 FZ-1
00 Sportsman 500
02 Bombbardier DS650 Baja
04 SXR 800

I missed the date aswell. Doesn't defeat the fact that someone let there 9yr old ride a PWC, and what did they think was going to happen. 9yr olds can't drive so unless they own waterfront and stole the PWC lanyard they must have been accompanied by an adult to launch it.



...2004 GTX SC...

That's lame

Building :
2003 S/S triple STXR (95% completed)
2003 ltd SXR (95% completed)
2001/02 ltd XP (0% completed)