A HAMPSHIRE businessman was driving a rib too fast and too close to a yacht moments before a fatal boat accident, a powerboat expert told a court.

Ryan McKinlay, a father-of-one from Gosport, died following the incident in Osborne Bay off the Isle of Wight on June 19, 2015.

Aaron Brown, pictured, chief operating officer of Whiteley telecoms firm OneCom, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court charged with the manslaughter by gross negligence of the 36-year-old, which he denies.

On the day of the incident, Brown, of Botley Road, Curdridge, drove a Williams 325 Turbojet, with McKinlay onboard, which collided with his yacht the True Blue.

Brown had hired a day skipper Paul Carey, who had also driven the rib that day, and the court had seen footage of Carey “spraying” passengers when carrying out manoeuvres on the rib earlier that day.

Carey faces a charge of being the person responsible for the conduct of a vessel which contravened Merchant Shipping regulation, which he denies.

Powerboat expert Paul Glatzel was critical of both Carey and Brown in his evidence.

Mr Glatzel, author of powerboat and advanced powerboat handbooks for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), said Carey had passed “too close” to the yacht, leaving little escape room.

Mr Glatzel said: “It does not need to be so close for people to have an enjoyable time it can be further away and the risk goes down.”

The court heard that the rib, with Brown at the wheel, was travelling at 28mph before the fatal accident.

Mr Glatzel said: “I would not use the words a bit close for comfort, it was far too close.”

He said a safer speed close to the boat would have been five knots.

Defence counsel, Trevor Burke QC, said that Brown was “in control” of the rib, but Mr Glatzel disagreed.

When asked what actions Brown should have taken to avoid a collision, Mr Glatzel replied: “The answer to your question is continue the turn, or reduce the speed, but that misses the point of not getting yourself into that position in the first place.”

The court also heard from seasoned mariner Roderick ‘Dag’ Pike, who argued Brown was in control prior to the collision.

Mr Pike said the vessel was slowing down “quite considerably” by the time the collision took place and added that an “explosion of spray” in video footage could have been caused by reverse gear being engaged.

In his report, Mr Pike said that the collision has been the result of a “misjudgement” on behalf of Brown who in a “probably instinctive” reaction engaged reverse gear.

Proceeding.