Narrative:

At approximately XA15 local, I was starting my takeoff run from the southern end of the head of bay, taking off towards the 'narrows.' I was advised by another plane, which was airborne and had just departed from the head of bay, that there was a boat on the other side of the narrows moving towards the head of bay. The pilot stated '...I think you can make it...' I continued my takeoff, staying 'on the step' until I had made a left turn around a blind corner and as I made visual contact with the tour boat, rotated and continued my takeoff staying to the right of approaching traffic. The company has since instituted a policy and now prohibiting takeoffs towards or in the 'narrows,' to eliminate any chance of close aircraft/boat encounters. This was my 3RD flight of the day and a takeoff had been performed like this -- one without incident on a prior flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the takeoff requires about a 30 degree turn to the right. Because of the turn, the pilot is not able to see the area before the turn. A company aircraft that had just taken off, warned the pilot. The boat captain complained to the FAA. The air carrier poi interviewed the pilot. The air carrier has prohibited takeoffs in this direction, and has recommended that the pilot have an unrestr view of the water ahead before takeoffs are commenced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DHC2 BEAVER FLOAT PLANE PLT TOOK OFF WITHOUT AN UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW OF THE WATER AHEAD, AND CAME WITHIN 50 FT OF COLLIDING WITH A TOUR BOAT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA15 LCL, I WAS STARTING MY TKOF RUN FROM THE SOUTHERN END OF THE HEAD OF BAY, TAKING OFF TOWARDS THE 'NARROWS.' I WAS ADVISED BY ANOTHER PLANE, WHICH WAS AIRBORNE AND HAD JUST DEPARTED FROM THE HEAD OF BAY, THAT THERE WAS A BOAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NARROWS MOVING TOWARDS THE HEAD OF BAY. THE PLT STATED '...I THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT...' I CONTINUED MY TKOF, STAYING 'ON THE STEP' UNTIL I HAD MADE A L TURN AROUND A BLIND CORNER AND AS I MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE TOUR BOAT, ROTATED AND CONTINUED MY TKOF STAYING TO THE R OF APCHING TFC. THE COMPANY HAS SINCE INSTITUTED A POLICY AND NOW PROHIBITING TKOFS TOWARDS OR IN THE 'NARROWS,' TO ELIMINATE ANY CHANCE OF CLOSE ACFT/BOAT ENCOUNTERS. THIS WAS MY 3RD FLT OF THE DAY AND A TKOF HAD BEEN PERFORMED LIKE THIS -- ONE WITHOUT INCIDENT ON A PRIOR FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE TKOF REQUIRES ABOUT A 30 DEG TURN TO THE R. BECAUSE OF THE TURN, THE PLT IS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE AREA BEFORE THE TURN. A COMPANY ACFT THAT HAD JUST TAKEN OFF, WARNED THE PLT. THE BOAT CAPT COMPLAINED TO THE FAA. THE ACR POI INTERVIEWED THE PLT. THE ACR HAS PROHIBITED TKOFS IN THIS DIRECTION, AND HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PLT HAVE AN UNRESTR VIEW OF THE WATER AHEAD BEFORE TKOFS ARE COMMENCED.

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.