Ogg v. City of Springfield

PRESIDING JUSTICE MILLS

delivered the opinion of the court:

A sailboat accident on Lake Springfield.

Two deaths.

A products liability suit against the sailboat’s manufacturer.

A jury verdict for the plaintiffs.

We affirm.

I. The Facts

A. THE ACCIDENT

On a Sunday afternoon in the middle of August, Philip Henrici, Jana Welch, and Donna Ballweg set out sailing on Lake Springfield in a Hobie Cat catamaran. Henrici was controlling the main sail and manning the tiller. Welch was operating the jib sail. The trio sailed south on the lake and then came about and headed north. Because the center channel of the…