Lewis F. Stevens and Elvira B. Stevens v. F/v Bonnie Doon, Her Engines, MacHinery Tackle, Etc. Gene Koblick, an Individual

MERRILL, Circuit Judge:

In the early morning hours of August 6, 1978, 55 miles southwest of San Nicholas Island in the Pacific Ocean, appellant Lewis F. Stevens’s boat, the Carolyn F, and appel-lee Eugene Koblick’s boat, the Bonnie Doon, collided bow to bow. At the time of the collision both vessels were fishing on a calm sea; visibility was excellent. Each vessel suffered serious hull and equipment damage as a result of the accident. Appellant brought an admiralty-maritime action in rem against the vessel Bonnie Doon and in personam against its owner, appellee Eugene Koblick, to recover for…