THE HARBOR COLUMN:

Did you know that this week is Air Quality Awareness Week? Well, neither did I, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency are urging Americans to “Be Air Aware” through these air quality awareness days.

What do we do or celebrate on this festive occasion? I have no idea, but it would seem that you would try to reduce air pollution in your daily activities.

Also, administration is predicting the chance of showers tonight and Saturday, and chilly air temperatures this weekend. Of course, the fog will return after the weather system passes through Southern California. The calm before the storm will cause the ocean swells to be about two feet, then building to four feet by Monday.

The air temperature should warm up next week and summer is just around the corner.

News of the week is that the boat manufacturer Crownline is being sued by three of the people who survived a fatal accident Easter Sunday in the Intracoastal Waterway. What I understand is that 14 people were aboard the 22-foot day boat, which is designed to carry no more than 12 people, and the skipper rammed into a docked push-boat killing five of the passengers.

Moments before the crash a witness saw the boat speeding and coming very close to another dock.

The lawsuit states that the boat was unsafe because passengers can sit in the open bow and obstruct the skipper’s view.

This is a ridiculous lawsuit that will only cost Crownline time and money, and this accident is no fault of the manufacturer.

The deaths and injuries are the fault of the vessel’s skipper, plus I blame the passenger who knowingly overloaded the boat.

I can immediately notice a minimum of three violations: overloading the vessel, not maintaining a proper lookout and speeding where the boat is not in control nor able to avoid stationary objects.

If the skipper could not see as stated in the lawsuit, then why did he get underway and operate at a fast speed? Common sense and prudent seamanship dictates that if you cannot see then you do not go.

If the courts allow this lawsuit to go forward it is a waste of taxpayers’ and Crownline’s money.

Tip of the week Remember to tune in every Saturday at 11 a.m. to my radio show on KLAA-AM (830).

MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating columnist. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to [email protected] or go to www.boathousetv.com.