Paducah-Our Oopsie

Launcing at Paducah ramp into the barge traffic and downstream current was a challange but we did it on the second it was way too strssful to take video!

https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…

We ended up paying $500 for a taxi from Paducah to Nashville for a flight to Buffalo, Uber to the storage lot to pick up the rig and a Hampton Inn overnight before returning to Paducah. There is a large country boat ramp in walking distance from the city docks. We were loaded by noon and planned a stop at Athens, AL for the night.

North of Nashville where I-24 and I-65 converge (locally known as ‘crash alley’ we were told later) we crested a hill at 50 MPH and encountered 5 lanes going 0-5 MPH. Eileen called out ‘brake lights!’ (that’s her job) as I stomped the brakes. We skidded into the back of a tractor-trailer. All the air bags exploded, then there was another massive impact from behind us that sent the truck into the median barrier wall. That was the boat, which broke two 5,000# transom straps, mowed down the bow barrier bar, steps and winch stand, and the nacelle smashed the tailgate. I only had three cuts/bruises and Eileen had a palm size 2nd degree burn on her arm from the airbags, but we are alive. The EMT’s bundled us into an ambulance for the inevitable ER chest CT contrast CT etc etc. We’re at a nearby hotel pending insurer decisions. The truck is a total loss with moderate trailer damage and minimal boat fiberglass damage. There is minor skeg drag damage where the lower units slid down the bunks. The cabin door won’t close. We have to remove ALL personal items from the truck before it’s towed to a USAA inspection. Since rental SUV’s run over $300/day if not round trip we got a U-Haul box truck to return to Pensacola and plan to have the boat and trailer (not road worthy) loaded onto a lowboy for transport home and get all repairs done there. Wish us luck (as if we’re not lucky enough already!) Czytaj więcej