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## Sea Rover (Jan 15, 2008)

I remember that this boat was the one that ran into a jeta in Orange Beach. But today I was in the ship yard and noticed it was fixed sitting on stands with Federal Marshell stickers on it. So its a piece of evidence for something, is John Harper in trouble? Anyone know if its going to be auctioned?


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## biggamefishr (Oct 26, 2007)

I'm not sure what the deal is with it. all i know is that the captain should be shot. if you get drunk and run a boat across the jetties you should goto jail...but if you get drunk and run possibly the prettiest boat of all time (61 weaver) across the jetties, you should be shot.


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## REEL STAMAS (Jan 27, 2008)

:withstupid

I talked to John recently & he didn't mention anything- other than his attnys arestill in court w/his Ins.Co.trying to get his $$$$$$$. I'm sure there are all kinds of lawsuits & investigations going on. John's back to fishinghis Cabo that he never sold...


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

I think it's tied up with insurance and salvage issues right now, that's why there's a sticker.


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## FLbeachbum (Jul 17, 2008)

Here's a link to another site about the incident.

http://www.boatered.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=104465


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

OK...I have a question...... I know he was familiar:doh with the area. BUT I always look at myGPS on the way back in...assuming I took that route out...and watch my outbound track. Even on the lakes here that I familiar with..especially sun down to sun up. Isn't that logical? Just a observation, don't flame, explain....


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## HaterAide (Nov 9, 2007)

> *Tuna Man (7/8/2009)*OK...I have a question...... I know he was familiar:doh with the area. BUT I always look at myGPS on the way back in...assuming I took that route out...and watch my outbound track. Even on the lakes here that I familiar with..especially sun down to sun up. Isn't that logical? Just a observation, don't flame, explain....


From what I understand, he was coming westbound from Panama City to Orange Beach. The whole problem was that the captain had Orange Beach Marina in the autopilot; NOT the farewell buoy. Thus, the vessel is going to steer a straight line, shortest distance to the desired waypoint. In this case, across the (submerged) east jettis.


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## wld1985 (Oct 2, 2007)

Is this the Green and white boat sitting across from Island Cove on bayou chico?


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *HaterAide (7/8/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *Tuna Man (7/8/2009)*OK...I have a question...... I know he was familiar:doh with the area. BUT I always look at myGPS on the way back in...assuming I took that route out...and watch my outbound track. Even on the lakes here that I familiar with..especially sun down to sun up. Isn't that logical? Just a observation, don't flame, explain....
> ...


If he was on autopilot I can definitely see the problem. Need those waypoints:banghead


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## bluffman2 (Nov 22, 2007)

I think the whole problem was the "Capt" wasnt at the wheel....the mate was.....they came in and was watching radar and seen the gap(thinking it was the pass) and took a run at it....then hit the jetty....


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## Fairwaterfishing (Mar 17, 2009)

I have not or do I even know the captain of this boat. Here is the story I heard. It may be true or false like I said its a story.

Boat leaves PC Captain partying it up real good, drinking big boy cocktails. Gets offshore sets autopilot and radar alarm, pushes boat up to full cruise 30 knots,tells mate to watch the wheel, when the alarm goes off to go wake him up. Captain goes down stairs and crashes, the mate does what hes told when they get close to the pass the alarm goes off he goes wakes up the captain. One major problem the alarm was set for 1 mile, they are doing 30 knots, by the time the captain wakes from drunken stuper and gets to the pass they are right up on it doing 30 knots. He looks sees the opening at that speed he has to make a move quick, his brain tells him everything is fine go strait ahead, oops wrong hole. Sunk boat.

If this was me and it wasn,t I think 10 knot cruise for 80 miles a little offshore with mate watching the wheel and have the GPS set for lets say 5 miles south of the pass would have been a little better move. Finding the sea bouy at a safe speed and making sureyou go though the pass straight between red and green is boat driving 101. Drunk as a skunk it probally would have worked out a little better.

I have ran boats for like 20 years private yachts and my own I can't say that I have never sipped on a cold one (one) while at sea over the years, but never have I run a vessel of this size Impaired.I make it a point that if Im working anywhere I dont drinkat all, theres plenty of time for that when theropes are on the pilons.I have never come close to hitting the underwater sea wall either, so its worked for me.I have turned down charters and have stayed overnight in destin before when the boss has wanted me to come back home with the boat because I have been drinking. I just tell them I can't I have had a few and I will not risk it. 

Like I said before this is onlya story I heard on the dock I have no real knowlege of what really happend that night


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## Sea Rover (Jan 15, 2008)

Its the large sportfish sittin with the rear towards the scrap yard. its at the edge of the storage yard. The bottom is all patched but now the boat needs fresh paint top and bottom. Its faded real bad, all the wood needs to be refinished. I would be beyound pissed if my boat was going to waste, even more so one that cost alot more to repaint than a regular sportfish. But what I dont get is why the Federal Marshells would have the boat under seizure? If the boat is tied up in civil court the marshells wouldn't have a thing to do with it. Theres something criminal going on. Maybe someone forgot there tax bill?

I remember a while back (late 90's)there was a very large sail boat that was mored out in front of Harbor View that was moved to Browns and it had Federal Marshell stickers on it, it was siezed for evidence againest a guy that skipped on his taxes then tried togo on his insurance saying the boat sank when it was in Pensacola. 

Here she is.


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## off route II (Sep 28, 2007)

> *HaterAide (7/8/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *Tuna Man (7/8/2009)*OK...I have a question...... I know he was familiar:doh with the area. BUT I always look at myGPS on the way back in...assuming I took that route out...and watch my outbound track. Even on the lakes here that I familiar with..especially sun down to sun up. Isn't that logical? Just a observation, don't flame, explain....
> ...


this is what happened. autopilot was working just like it was suppose to.


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

> *off route II (7/9/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *HaterAide (7/8/2009)*
> ...


Didn't know it was on autopilot...very familiar with them...in aircraft. Yup....trash in trash out...what a shame. Autopilot on a boat is more dangerous then that on aircraft:banghead:banghead


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## HaterAide (Nov 9, 2007)

> *bluffman2 (7/8/2009)*I think the whole problem was the "Capt" wasnt at the wheel....the mate was.....they came in and was watching radar and seen the gap(thinking it was the pass) and took a run at it....then hit the jetty....




Inaccurate. That boat had run Perdido Pass thousands of times. The problem was as I mentioned earlier.


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

> *HaterAide (7/17/2009)*
> 
> 
> > *bluffman2 (7/8/2009)*I think the whole problem was the "Capt" wasnt at the wheel....the mate was.....they came in and was watching radar and seen the gap(thinking it was the pass) and took a run at it....then hit the jetty....
> ...


The old ********, 47 Cabo...several times, this was the first time this boat had been to that pass. It was a alcohol related crash. Captain was passed out below, mate went to wake him and didn't pull the throttles. OBM was loaded into the GPS though. Boat was headed straight to it.


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