Yesterday we reported on an episode in Marina Del Rey in which Louis Lussky, who owns a 25-foot sloop, claimed that Brian Griffiths, who owns a powerboat in an adjacent slip, backed over the dinghy tied to the rear of Lussky’s boat, totaling it.
Nobody actually saw the accident. Lussky, who was below deck during the Oct. 29, 2002 episode, claims only a boat backing up would be able to suck the dinghy under a propellor, which cut it. He wanted the full replacement value of $1,000 for the 9-year-old boat.
Griffiths denied backing over the boat. He said the way the dinghy was tied onto Lussky’s stern with an 8-foot line, it could have swung into the “fairway” or waterway and any boat could have run over it.
The ruling in the case, without comment, was in favor of Lussky for $400. It indicates the judge found that the most convincing evidence favored Lussky’s version of events, but that the award had to be reduced because the dinghy wasn’t new.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 10, 2003. Read the original PDF.