Proper safety gear.

[45Auto]

Re: Proper safety gear.

none of us are getting out of this alive

Why not? My current plan is to live forever!

 

[Mike Robinson]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Good statement.

According to the National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/Pages/Home.aspx):

Your lifetime odds of a boating related drowning are 1 in 7,683.

Drowning in a swimming pool is 1 in 6,314.

Drowning in natural water (non-boating related) is 1 in 3,154.

Do you wear your PFD in the pool or at the beach? You're more likely to drown at either of those places than on your boat.

Drowning in a bathtub is 1 in 10,449. Not much safer than boating. Good chance to save some more lives here with PFD's for everyone in the tub.

Intentional death by hanging, strangulation, and suffocation is 1 in 629.

You should be more than 10 times as worried about killing yourself by hanging as you are about wearing your life jacket. Stay away from ropes, neck ties, and in general any object taller than about 6 feet just in case.

A few more things more dangerous than drowning while boating for you to worry about:

Being killed in a car is 1 in 242. You're about 30 times more likely to die in the truck on the way to the ramp as you are on your boat. Maybe a crash helmet and a good suit of armor could help here.

Being killed as a pedestrian by a car is 1 in 610. More than 10 times more likely than boating drowning. Maybe that suit of armor again here?

Being killed in a fall is 1 in 269. Maybe you'd better lay in bed all day?

Unfortunately, death from a fall involving bed, chair, other furniture is 1 in 5,508, about 50% more likely than your boat drowning. Maybe lay on the ground instead?

Death from exposure to smoke, fire or flames is 1 in 1,060. Maybe wear nomex underware and carry a portable oxygen mask with you everywhere?

Intentional self-poisoning is 1 in 737. Probably be a good idea to sew your mouth shut.

Death from assault by a sharp object is 1 in 1,983. Carry a gun, that tends to repel the sharp object assaults. You're 3 times more likely to need your gun than you are your PFD.

Death from exposure to excessive natural cold is 1 in 4,825. Carry a portable heater all the time, or move to Hawaii.

The fact is that boating is a very safe activity. As dwco5051 says, PFD usuage should be dictated by common sense. Unfortunately common sense is not very common. Most people are unduly influenced by media and false assumptions rather than examining the facts and making their own rational decisions based on those facts.

I presume the stats you are quoting are for the general population and include non-boaters who have ZERO chance of drowning while boating which would throw your point right out the window IMO.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Proper safety gear.

I presume the stats you are quoting are for the general population and include non-boaters who have ZERO chance of drowning while boating which would throw you point right out the window IMO.

I agree!

It all depends on how much time you spend on a boat, where you boat, and the conditions you boat in.

Spending a lot of time on a boat over cold water can be pretty dangerous.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/04/12/deadliest-jobs.html

 

[45Auto]

Re: Proper safety gear.

The death statistics I used came from the National Safety Council. It's not real difficult to do your own calculations from the annual Coast Guard Safety Report.

From the 2010 USCG Safety Report:

http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_statistics.aspx

In 2010, the Coast Guard counted 4604 accidents that involved 672 deaths, 3153 injuries and approximately $35.5 million dollars of damage to property as a result of recreational boating accidents.

The 12,438,926 recreational vessels registered by the states in 2010 represent a 2.2% decrease from last year when 12,721,541 recreational vessels were registered.

So with 672 deaths for 12,438,926 boats, if everyone used their boat just once and they were the only person on it, you had 12,438,926 / 672 = 1 chance in 18,510 of a fatal accident in 2010.

My guess is that most boats are used more than once per year, and most of them are used by more than one person each time. If you say that the average boat is used 5 times per year by 2 people, that puts your odds up to somewhere around 1 in 200,000.

No matter how you figure it, boating is a safe recreational activity for most people. Obviously, if you enjoy taking your 12' flatboat out in freezing seas in hurricane conditions, your personal odds will be worse. But for the majority of people who only use their boats under "nice" conditions, it's not even worth worrying about.

Less than half the kids who died on boats died from drowning, and of those who drowned almost half who drowned were wearing a life jacket. That should give you a clue as to how far to depend on life jackets saving your kids.

From the 2010 USCG Safety Report:

Twenty-one children under age thirteen lost their lives while boating in 2010. 42% of
the children who died in 2010 died from drowning. 44% of those who drowned were wearing a life jacket even though only half of them were required to do so by state law.

If you're really worried about safety, ditch the life jackets and work on getting laws passed to prohibit alchohol on the water, and boats of less than 21'! Both my boats are well over 21' and I don't drink!

From the 2010 USCG Safety Report:

Alcohol use is the leading contributing factor in fatal boating accidents

Eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were using vessels less than 21 feet in length.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Proper safety gear.

From the 2010 USCG Safety Report:

http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_statistics.aspx



So with 672 deaths for 12,438,926 boats, if everyone used their boat just once and they were the only person on it, you had 12,438,926 / 672 = 1 chance in 18,510 of a fatal accident in 2010.

My guess is that most boats are used more than once per year, and most of them are used by more than one person each time. If you say that the average boat is used 5 times per year by 2 people, that puts your odds up to somewhere around 1 in 200,000.

You can make stats say anything you want.

There are 204,000 boats register in the State of Maryland. So far this year we have had 13 boating fatalities. This makes the odds of you being involved in a fatal accident on a boat registered in the State at 15,692: 1 so far this year. A far cry from your 200,000:1

Out of the 13 fatalities, 11 of them died from drowning.
That makes 85% of the people would still be alive had they worn a life jacket and 100% of them died w/o one.

A 85% survival rate verse 100% death rate. hum...hard choice

 

[45Auto]

Re: Proper safety gear.

There are 204,000 boats register in the State of Maryland. So far this year we have had 13 boating fatalities. This makes the odds of you being involved in a fatal accident on a boat registered in the State at 15,692: 1 so far this year. A far cry from your 200,000:1

You must not have understood where the 200,000:1 came from. I very seriously doubt if every boat owner in Maryland only uses their boat once a year with only one person in it, which is what it would take to support your 15,692:1 number. Read the second paragraph in the quote below closely, and try applying the average boat usage numbers I used to your Maryland number. It'll end up easily in the neighborhood of 200,000:1 (156,920:1 actually, but I bet most boats get used more than 5 times a year by an average of more than 2 people). If you have any better data on average boat usage it would be interesting to see.

Here, I'll copy and paste it so you can read it again to see where the 200,000;1 came from:

So with 672 deaths for 12,438,926 boats, if everyone used their boat just once and they were the only person on it, you had 12,438,926 / 672 = 1 chance in 18,510 of a fatal accident in 2010.

My guess is that most boats are used more than once per year, and most of them are used by more than one person each time. If you say that the average boat is used 5 times per year by 2 people, that puts your odds up to somewhere around 1 in 200,000.

A 85% survival rate verse 100% death rate. hum...hard choice

Not for me. You said there are 204,000 boats in Maryland. If they are used an average of 5 times by 2 people, that means there have been 5 x 2 x 204,000 = 2,040,000 people out on boats so far this year. Over 2 million people out on boats and only 13 died. You have a bigger chance of slipping and drowning in the bathtub. Do you feel it necessary to wear your PFD there also?

 

[fisherguy123]

Re: Proper safety gear.

If everyone in the boat will put on their PFD before getting underway (like you're supposed to do) there won't be any miscounts or mistakes like this.

The inflatable PFD's are so light, cool, and comfortable you'll forget you have it on.

I agree....I wont leave the dock unless eveyone is buckled up.....if they refuse then out they get....I am the skipper and the ulitimate resposibility for everyone onboard.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Here are a few stats to consider.

Seventy percent of all boating deaths in the US result from drowning. Ninety percent of those who drowned, were not wearing a PFD.

And one more, which has been personally observed.

Some of you know that I have participated in volunteer SAR activities over the years. On every single case involving a person in the water, when we found the person alive, they were wearing a PFD. On every single case where we found a body, they were not.

Just to reemphasize - PFD on, 100% alive. PFD off, 100% dead.

 

[DECK SWABBER 58]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Here are a few stats to consider.

Seventy percent of all boating deaths in the US result from drowning. Ninety percent of those who drowned, were not wearing a PFD.

And one more, which has been personally observed.

Some of you know that I have participated in volunteer SAR activities over the years. On every single case involving a person in the water, when we found the person alive, they were wearing a PFD. On every single case where we found a body, they were not.

Just to reemphasize - PFD on, 100% alive. PFD off, 100% dead.

Good post Jay.

As a fairly newbie boater who usually just putt's around on little 10 hp limit lakes in a little jon boat and does not wear a pfd that is a interesting stat to consider. I just might have to look into one of those pfd's that are so comfortable that you forget you even have it on! THANKS.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Proper safety gear.

As I write this, a family in my area is grieving over their little girl. She was in a boat on Saturday and was not wearing a PFD, even though she was only 12 years old and the law requires her to wear one. Her uncle was piloting a 15 foot boat, which collided with a 20 foot boat, in a turn on a bayou.

Her name is Samantha Vinturella and she is now presumed dead.

The tragedy of losing a 12 year old child is obviously the more important issue here, but its worth mentioning that the uncle will now spend the rest of his life, tormented by the fact that he didn't make her put on a PFD.

 

[rbh]

Re: Proper safety gear.

PFD's save lives, seat belts save lives, helmuts save lives, living clean saves lives ETC!!!!


Lets face it the inconvienece of safety has always put people in a foul mood.

(you can't make me do that, BLA BLA BLA!!!) :facepalm:

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Samantha's body was found this morning.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Proper safety gear.

Interesting thread. I notice on the show "swamp people", that they never have a single life vest in their boat, they have no running lights, they shoot rifles at a shallow angle over water with the motor running, etc. etc. Yet, all these things are against the law. Makes me wonder.......

I personally don't believe that in a free country that government agencies should be able to legally require this and that in every aspect of my life. In certain conditions, I put on a life jacket, but rarely do. I always require my son to wear one when the boat is underway just in case the boat were to hit a submerged object, a steering cable breaks, etc., should he be thrown overboard. But I think it should be up to me as far as the law is concerned.
JMO,
JBJ