Owner/deceased had purchased vessel 2 weeks prior.  Owner and 4 friends had a couple of beers at home and decided to go fishing on the reservoir.  They were using a battery operated outboard motor.  Vessel was unregistered, had no lights, no pds's on board and was over capacity.  Motor ran for 40 minutes and the battery died.  They had one oar to paddle with and took turns.  At the time of the capsizing the deceased was paddling and someone else took over because he was becoming tired.  That passenger stepped up to the bow and vessel flipped over sending everybody into the water.  They stayed with the capsized vessel for a while attempting to make it to shore.  They were getting tired and unable to get the vessel to shore decided to swim to shore and go for help. Cause of accident was alcohol and overloading.
Leominster                    