Narrative:

I was about 150 ft out from the dock of a small resort on a lake, frequented by seaplanes, paddling in when a resort employee motioned me to another area of the dock behind a windbreak. I could see another aircraft like mine, so I knew it was ok for aircraft to go there. I started up to get around to where he was motioning me and, just as I got around the end of the dock, a boat came out in front of me causing me to overshoot my turn and drift into the boat parked in the next slip, dinging it with the rubber nose of my la-4200. The engine had been shut down, but I was drifting too fast and did not have time to use the paddle for braking. I used poor judgement in these areas: 1) going into an area I had not checked out on foot first, 2) thinking the guy who motioned me in would be there to help, 3) hoping boats would give way to floating aircraft, they don't, they think you have reverse as they do, 4) excessive speed for situation. To prevent a recurrence, I will stay away from docks and boats in an la-4200 unless I have thoroughly checked out the situation first. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated she had 50-60 hours experience in this flying boat and had received training about 9 yrs ago in a float plane to get her seaplane rating and a couple yrs ago to get checked out in her flying boat. She stated the damage to the boat was minimal and cosmetic and her insurance took care of that. There was no FAA intervention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT DRIFTS INTO BOAT.

Narrative: I WAS ABOUT 150 FT OUT FROM THE DOCK OF A SMALL RESORT ON A LAKE, FREQUENTED BY SEAPLANES, PADDLING IN WHEN A RESORT EMPLOYEE MOTIONED ME TO ANOTHER AREA OF THE DOCK BEHIND A WINDBREAK. I COULD SEE ANOTHER ACFT LIKE MINE, SO I KNEW IT WAS OK FOR ACFT TO GO THERE. I STARTED UP TO GET AROUND TO WHERE HE WAS MOTIONING ME AND, JUST AS I GOT AROUND THE END OF THE DOCK, A BOAT CAME OUT IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING ME TO OVERSHOOT MY TURN AND DRIFT INTO THE BOAT PARKED IN THE NEXT SLIP, DINGING IT WITH THE RUBBER NOSE OF MY LA-4200. THE ENG HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN, BUT I WAS DRIFTING TOO FAST AND DID NOT HAVE TIME TO USE THE PADDLE FOR BRAKING. I USED POOR JUDGEMENT IN THESE AREAS: 1) GOING INTO AN AREA I HAD NOT CHKED OUT ON FOOT FIRST, 2) THINKING THE GUY WHO MOTIONED ME IN WOULD BE THERE TO HELP, 3) HOPING BOATS WOULD GIVE WAY TO FLOATING ACFT, THEY DON'T, THEY THINK YOU HAVE REVERSE AS THEY DO, 4) EXCESSIVE SPD FOR SIT. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE, I WILL STAY AWAY FROM DOCKS AND BOATS IN AN LA-4200 UNLESS I HAVE THOROUGHLY CHKED OUT THE SIT FIRST. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED SHE HAD 50-60 HRS EXPERIENCE IN THIS FLYING BOAT AND HAD RECEIVED TRAINING ABOUT 9 YRS AGO IN A FLOAT PLANE TO GET HER SEAPLANE RATING AND A COUPLE YRS AGO TO GET CHKED OUT IN HER FLYING BOAT. SHE STATED THE DAMAGE TO THE BOAT WAS MINIMAL AND COSMETIC AND HER INSURANCE TOOK CARE OF THAT. THERE WAS NO FAA INTERVENTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.