Boaters across Florida are still buzzing about an incident that could have ended in tragedy.
A shocking video that went viral shows just how quickly things can escalate on the water.
And Destin boat captains are still shaking their heads after viral footage showed a confrontation that could have turned deadly in seconds.
Charter captain boards a stranger’s boat in fit of rage
Video footage that has spread like wildfire shows Punta Gorda captain Brock Horner losing his cool before climbing onto 22-year-old Gage Towles’ boat.
The viral footage shows Horner verbally attacking the young boater before taking the unthinkable step of boarding Towles’ vessel without permission.
In the video, Horner accused Towles of cursing at him during a previous encounter and failing to have his lights on in the early morning, according to reporting by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
But seasoned captains from Destin, home to Florida’s largest fishing fleet with over 100 charter vessels, were stunned by what they witnessed in the footage.
“Brock (Horner) seemed to have some sort of deep-seated anger that morning and chose to take it out on another boater. He chose to board another guy’s vessel, which was a terrible decision,” said Captain Preston Muller of the Home Grown, a 40-foot charter boat.
What made the situation particularly dangerous, according to Captain Muller, was Florida’s legal environment.
“Florida is a stand your ground state…he’s lucky the other boater chose to back down and not retaliate; it could have ended much worse for him,” Muller pointed out.
Charter captains condemn dangerous boarding incident
Captain Mike Dates, who has been running the First Shot charter for two decades, was emphatic about the unwritten rules of the water.
“Water is governed by the Coast Guard, so when you trespass on another boat, it becomes a federal offense,” Dates explained.
He did not mince words about how he would have handled someone attempting to board his vessel without permission: “Personally, if a jerk like that tried stepping on my boat he would have ended up swimming back to his boat.”
Captain Alex Hare of the Silver King, a 26-foot center console, had an even more sobering assessment of the situation.
“Brock is a lucky man that he did not get shot or stabbed in that situation,” Hare said. Hare said he did not think Horner would have done the same thing to an older captain.
The incident has raised fundamental questions about boater safety and proper protocol for handling disputes on the water.
Destin captains offer better ways to manage water disputes
Rather than escalating to confrontation, experienced captains suggested several more appropriate ways to address disagreements.
Captain Tyler Breilmayer of the First Light recommended using proper channels: “I would say my words on the radio or get in touch with him when I got back to land.”
Captain Mark Luciani runs the Fishing Factor. He has seen plenty of hot tempers on the water over the years.
“Keeping your composure is critical. As angry as it may make you, being aggressive is never the best choice,” Luciani said.
When trouble finds you on the water, Luciani suggests a simple first step.
“Recording the other vessel’s registration numbers would be the first thing I’d do if someone were aggressive, acting under the influence or whatever,” he explained.
Luciani also credited the young fisherman for his handling of the tense encounter: Luciani said he has watched the video multiple times and said the young guy “acted the way he should have, trying to defuse the situation.”
However, he noted that Towles should never have allowed Horner’s vessel close enough to make boarding possible.
Water confrontations are more common than many realize
The incident highlights a troubling pattern of behavior that many experienced boaters have witnessed.
“It’s strange, there’s always a sense of entitlement on the water. Always has been,” observed Captain Muller. “People tend to act different behind the wheel of a vessel for whatever reason… fishermen and pleasure boaters alike.”
He suggested that anyone doubting this phenomenon should “just spend a few minutes at any public boat ramp and see for yourself,” where there is often “lots of yelling, frustration and unwarranted behavior.”
Captain Luciani noted that disputes over fishing territory are common: “As long as you are on the water, you are eventually going to run across a situation where someone tries to move to close to where you are fishing or some other situation where you don’t agree with what they are doing or have done.”
The experienced captain has even had dive boats pull up and start diving right where he had been fishing.
Luciani also expressed surprise that the other passengers on Horner’s boat did nothing to prevent the confrontation from escalating: “Unbelievable they did nothing to end it.”
As Destin’s charter captains weighed in on this incident, the consensus was clear, no matter the dispute, boarding another’s vessel crosses a dangerous line that could have ended in tragedy.
DeSantis Daily will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this ongoing story.
