”It has been said that there are old sailors and there are bold silors but they are not usually the same.
Anyone who does not respect and fear the waters at some level is fool.
The laws of physics don't care who you are or respect your politics.“

Absolutely correct, EB. Real sailors know this. Most of those people behaving like hooligans in their expensive toys at that ‘boat-rally’ appeared not to qualify. And real sailors know what happens when boats are mis-handled at close quarters with other boats in confined waters. What happened wasn’t the fault of the lake, it wasn’t the fault of the boats - it was the fault of the morons driving them.

I don’t know how it is in the US, but I do have to wonder if any kind of formal training qualification is required before someone is permitted to jump into a boat and drive it away - something akin to a nautical version of the automobile test? If not, why not?