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Ya’ll ever seen a boat skewered by a piling? Key west accident

Posted on 2/21/26 at 3:36 pm
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
23845 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 3:36 pm


Apparently the piling was on its side and the buoy was marking it…

Four hospitalized after Keys boat crash, Monroe Sheriff’s Office says
By David Goodhue
UPDATED FEBRUARY 20, 2026 11:28 PM
A center-console boat partially sinks off Tavernier in the Florida Keys on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. Monroe County Fire Rescue said six people on board were ejected after the boat hit a channel marker.
A center-console boat partially sinks off Tavernier in the Florida Keys on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. Monroe County Fire Rescue said six people on board were ejected after the boat hit a channel marker. Courtesy of Justin Miller
Four people were hospitalized after a boat hit a channel marker in the Florida Keys late Friday afternoon, according to Monroe County Fire Rescue.

The crash happened around 4:45 p.m. off Tavernier, an Upper Keys community between Key Largo and Islamorada in unincorporated Monroe, the sheriff’s office said.

After the boat hit the channel marker, the six people on board were ejected from the vessel, said Kristen Livengood, a spokeswoman for Fire Rescue.
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
70616 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 4:25 pm to
I bet that was a hell of a ride
Posted by deeprig9
Unincorporated Ozora
Member since Sep 2012
74446 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 5:57 pm to
Is that blood all over the starboard gunnel?
Posted by Clinger
Baton Rouge
Member since Nov 2017
2 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 6:42 pm to
We cant see the port so I am guessing Cap saw the piling too late and veered hard starboard and caught it right by the console on port side?
Posted by Saskwatch
Member since Feb 2016
18099 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 8:14 pm to
quote:

blood all over the starboard gunnel?


Saw another pic online that was clearer and it looked like damages fiberglass, not blood. Still trying to figure out how the piling went through the hull bottom like that and not from the side?
Posted by deeprig9
Unincorporated Ozora
Member since Sep 2012
74446 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 8:20 pm to
quote:

We cant see the port so I am guessing Cap saw the piling too late and veered hard starboard and caught it right by the console on port side?


Looks like he was hauling arse way too close to the bouy, regardless. I try to stay in between buoys and channel markers, not hugging them. But that's just me. Maybe just following his Garmin and not actually paying attention?

Posted by Stat M Repairman
Member since Jun 2023
1986 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 9:54 pm to
Can’t park there.
Posted by MoarKilometers
Member since Apr 2015
20934 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 11:33 pm to
Tavernier isn't key west, it's like 100 miles away
Posted by Capt ST
High Plains
Member since Aug 2011
13589 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 11:51 pm to
quote:

Still trying to figure out how the piling went through the hull bottom like that and not from the side?


From what I’ve read, piling was low to water and he pushed it up. Just weird that it came thru so far back.
Posted by awestruck
Member since Jan 2015
14067 posts
Posted on 2/21/26 at 11:54 pm to
quote:

Still trying to figure out how the piling went through the hull bottom like that and not from the side?
My guess is they run head up on it... shish kebab style straight through the bottom until a vertical pin.

eta::
quote:

Apparently the piling was on its side
This post was edited on 2/22/26 at 12:00 am
Posted by Capt ST
High Plains
Member since Aug 2011
13589 posts
Posted on 2/22/26 at 12:04 am to
Yeah, just seems like it would have came thru hull further up towards bow.
Posted by Stat M Repairman
Member since Jun 2023
1986 posts
Posted on 2/22/26 at 12:07 am to
Barges will hit those single pile aids and push them over. Sometimes they break off but don't detach so they'll be right at the surface or floating just below.

The temp buoy is there as a temp aid to navigation and to mark the destroyed pile and keep people from running over the top of it until they can get out there and drive a new pile.

Seems like the pile was just below the surface and he hit it head on.

A one in a million shot doc.
Posted by Beessnax
Member since Nov 2015
10966 posts
Posted on 2/22/26 at 6:45 am to
How many people on board?
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
23845 posts
Posted on 2/22/26 at 8:30 am to
quote:

Tavernier isn't key west, it's like 100 miles away


Keys, key west. Yada yada. Touche

It looks like 6 on board and 4 were ejected. Everyone seems ok.

It sounds like the piling was on its side probably hit by a barge or something and the lighted marker buoy was next to it for safety. Guys probably saw the buoy and just cruised by it on plane. Kinda hard to blame them, but they did cut it close as hell.
Posted by LanierSpots
Sarasota, Florida
Member since Sep 2010
70616 posts
Posted on 2/22/26 at 10:50 am to
quote:

We cant see the port so I am guessing Cap saw the piling too late and veered hard starboard and caught it right by the console on port side?



From reading it, looks like the pilling was just laying in the water or almost completely knocked down and it poked through the bottom of the hull. Like a knife


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