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Motorboat Rams Jetty near Vallejo

On Saturday, the Coast Guard rescued three people near the Carquinez Bridge in Vallejo after their 36-foot motorboat collided with the eastern jetty near the entrance of the Napa River. It’s not clear what caused the accident, other than something went terribly wrong.

“The boat crew arrived on scene, administered first aid and transferred the three people to Cal Maritime where Vallejo Fire Department personnel awaited,” a Coast Guard press release said, adding that the three people aboard had suffered head injuries.

The eastern jetty near the entrance of the Napa River and this motorboat had an unfortunate encounter with each other on Saturday evening.
© 2019 Petty Officer 2nd Class Jordan Akiyama/United States Coast Guard

The Coast Guard often draws “morals of the story” with these types of on-the-water accidents. We’re not sure what this one is, other than have a radar, use and check your radar, consult a chart, and consider doing the bulk — if not all — of your navigation in daylight hours.

Also, fenders up!

3 Comments

  1. ibs 5 years ago

    going at a reasonable speed, having bothered to actually look at a chart, keeping a lookout and, if it’s dark, wondering what a flashing red light might be trying to tell you probably helps too 😀

  2. Tim 5 years ago

    This is the third accident at this location I am aware of in the past 18 months. Unfortunately a passenger in one of the incidents lost his life. When leaving the Napa River and making a course for the Carquinez Strait, the jetty is not very visible. It seems that once the Carquinez Bridge is in site, some people make the mistake of heading for it and end up on the jetty.

  3. Joel McMinn 5 years ago

    I’m a regular paraglider flying the bluff north of Cal Maritime.
    Sunday AM, observed the boat 1/4 over the jetty, radar still rotating. Tuesday AM had slipped off the Jetty laying on her side in the silt. Thursday she was gone, presume salvaged.
    That’s a long low jetty, the lights of C&H and Carq. bridge surely hinder visibility, especially bow-high at speed.
    A single red beacon is at the seaward (west) end. channel entrance is marked by red/green lights west of the jetty’s end.
    Concrete at 30 or 40mph can’t be fun

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