Accidents and injuries decreased. Fatalities increased.
http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/workflow_staging/Publications/557.PDF
http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/workflow_staging/Publications/557.PDF
Just slightly over 1% of accidents involved sailboats. Almost 50% were open motorboats.Only eleven percent of deaths occurred on boats where the operator had received
boating safety instruction. Only seven percent of deaths occurred on vessels where
the operator had received boating safety instruction from a NASBLA-approved
course provider.
Jackdale, I didn't read the word "license" anywhere in your original comment so I'm not sure how that got started. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think you were hinting at the wisdom of learning how to safely operate a boat from an experienced source prior to just "heading out" on the water. To be honest, I've been straddling the fence on whether or not to take classes. They can tally up to quite a bit of dollars. I'm not so concerned about splitting hairs here, but it definitely looks like there is some return on the investment. Ditto X2 on wearing life jackets.This is interesting, an argument in favour in boating instruction.
Just slightly over 1% of accidents involved sailboats. Almost 50% were open motorboats.
Must reading.
Correct the first time. USCG ditched the term "personal flotation device (PFD)" in all of our instructor material. They returned to "life jacket," a term more people understand.Small open power boats, going too fast, not paying attention, running into other boats and fixed objects, drinking too much and not wearing life jackets - sorry, persoanal flotation devices....
And many say boater's insurance is a waste too.ccriders:886682 said:Small open power boats, going too fast, not paying attention, running into other boats and fixed objects, drinking too much and not wearing life jackets - sorry, persoanal flotation devices.
Now how does that argue for instruction and licensing?
To get an automobile operators license today you pretty much have to go to school, take a test and pay for a license, yet look at all the auto wrecks caused by going too fast, not paying attention, running into other cars and fixed objects drinking too much and not wearing seat belts.
For any kind of meaningful statistical inference, you need to find the ratio between the number of fatalities versus the number of boaters for each state and compare that number. Since Florida and California most likely have more boaters than any other state, they should be expected to have the highest number of boating fatalities.Let's not lose sight of the fact that one of the most compelling statistics is that, of 533 drowings, life jackets were not being worn in 415 of the cases.
Interestingly, if I read this and the state's boating laws correctly; In the two states with the highest number of fatalities: California and Florida; California does not have mandatory boater education class and Florida has a requirement for those born after 1988 ( 24 and younger at this point)
AFAIK, New York only requires jet ski operators to attend a safety class...NY fatalities are going in the wrong direction.
For those that oppose mandatory education for everyone...
I suppose if the authorities really wanted to dramatically reduce the boating deaths they could make it mandatory for everyone on recreational vessels 26' or less to wear a life jacket, In those states where the majority of the deaths occur. There were 118 drownings in canoes and kayaks and 253 in open motor boats. ( probably under 26 ft. I didn't check)
I'm not proposing that. But, here in my state of NJ, every single operator of a motorized vessel MUST take a course, and we average about 8 deaths a year. While, California and Florida average over 100 deaths a year and have much looser regulations.
Seems like a more targeted solution would be in order...if saving lives is what we're after.
Don't be so sure. I worked in the USCG boating Safety Program for 25 years. In the mid 70's you didn't even dare mention mandatory education, now many states have it. Mandatory life jacket (I always hated the term PFD. Someone at HQ finally got some sense) wear was also undiscussable. Mentioning it, as you said, would cause an uproar. But now we have mandatory wear for children, PWC use, and some other situations in some states. Limits on alcohol consumption on boats was unthinkable. Now we have limits at both the Federal and state levels. People are coming around. Why?can you imagine the uproar that would ensue if each state established an ASA style set of courses and required all boat operators to take them? While I support such an idea, it isn't going to happen and the best we will get is something that mirrors automobile licensing whcih obviously is not very effective.