[ApS]

Originally Posted by jrc

"...Can you document more than two or three incidents in the entire world and all recorded history of a person drowning because his PFD was stripped from their body during a high-speed boat crash..? "

I've deliberately omitted ocean crashes and "the entire world" from my casual research:Their "world" has more spectacular crashes than even ours. Gruesome, even—not "post-able" here.

Of the four double-fatalities on lakes last summer, two had their PFDs stripped off, and two weren't wearing theirs when struck from behind by a speeding Baja. A near-double occurred with a boating safety instructor at the helm—at 70-MPH.

Originally Posted by RegalStan2450

"...HB 162 has absoluely nothing to do with safety while wearing a PFD while skiing and will not help save lives here either HB 162 will do nothing to help with this IMO. A skier going 40 mph still faces plenty of danger crossing a wake.

I agree. Even a skier crossing a wake at 70-MPH isn't affected by HB 162. The vests that were torn off last summer were torn off at 70—witnessed by the Coast Guard themselves. There was no mention of the PFD type that were worn—only that they were mandatory. (New Hampshire's old ski-belt law was mandatory).

In the light that all the victim's apparel was torn off also, I have no trouble understanding the hydraulic forces at work at the speeds of the newer boats—and newer Jet-Skis. I've done lots of stupid speed-stuff in my life, but I wouldn't try to jump off a boat moving at 45—or 75—MPH. (Now that I've suggested it, look for it on Winnipesaukee: It'll probably happen!)

Originally Posted by RegalStan2450

"...Now ths picture shows a PWC rider doing dougnuts and you keep talking about this. Can these guys do doughnuts at 45 mph +?...In fact I believe PWC incidents will get much worse if this law passes not better.

Jet-Ski "drivers" aren't the only ones doing doughnuts. At least two of the recent 4½-ton boat crashes involved such stunts.

Until I saw a four-passenger Jet-Ski doing doughnuts last summer, I hadn't given this too much thought. All 4 passengers seemed to be secure during this stunt, but it was a wakeless and calm day. Still, such stunts seem to have "graduated" from Jet-Skis—to 4-passenger Jet-Skis—to 4½-ton boats.

BTW: How will PWC incidents "get much worse" at sane speeds?

Originally Posted by jrc

"...I've got news flash for you, most people in power boats over say 15' don't wear there PFDs on the lake. You can argue about if that's a good idea or not, but you really can't argue that it's true..."

As to cliff diving, I haven't found a good place on the lake.

While I agree that "nobody wears PFDs", the Coast Guard proposed last year that there be a mandatory use of PFDs on all moving recreational boats. If we get an excellent boating season weather-wise (and many more accidents as a result), look for another push. Even local states with mandatory education laws are revising and upgrading their curricula, as their accident trends are reversing.

I've cliff-dived—Puerto de Soller, Ibiza—back when I was young, indestructible, and stupid. 'Maybe post a photo later, when I can copy it. I'll post some of the sensory effects then.

Aside from the less-familiar kite-boarding, there's no closer analogy to being ejected from a boat at high speed. Wearing a PFD while cliff-diving would've knocked you out—if it wasn't ripped off by the impact—like SOTW.

As to "stripped vests"—I don't see a Coast Guard category for that. Except for those two incidents, I haven't noticed previous ones being reported. What's the Coast Guard to record in this case anyway?

If witnesses state that vests were worn—but torn off—the officer would still have to state that they were being worn, wouldn't he? Vests worn aboard=vests worn at terminal speed/crash.

With Jet-Ski accidents becoming reduced nationwide, the stats should be decreasing: So far, the trend is downwards, but is increasing in other, nearby, locales. Speed (helped along with alcohol) increases the severity of a crash, and is a subject getting revisited from New Hampshire to California.

Originally Posted by GWC

"...the person driving the small boat [in the video] should have been more observant and noticed the obvious collision in the making, by simply backing off the throttles to allow the Coasties to safely pass."

You're right, but I think the Coasties "gilded" this video with the voice-over.

The smaller boat was alerted by the CG, who announced the warning over a loudspeaker. (What? No whistle?)

Nonetheless, the smaller boat never slowed, perhaps perceiving the broadcast was being made by the large boat to their right. Had they been 45+MPH-capable, the impact would have been even more severe. (You can see that the victim's 21-footer was torn in half as it was). And yes, I think they were the victims.

I suspect the captain did angle his CG boat to minimize the impact, but perceived the real danger too late. What's remarkable is that this video wasn't "deep-sixed".

The CG also had a recent case where their officers were ejected from their own CG boat while near a docked Miami cruise ship. Their own boat circled around them for 20 minutes—repeatedly colliding with other boats, and endangered themselves in the water.

Education works? In the Miami case, they at least were wearing PFDs.

Originally Posted by ITD

"...Finally each boat appeared to be travelling much less than 45 mph and they still hit, guess a speed limit would have helped there huh?"

What would the victim have said about proceeding at anything faster? As it was, you can see that his boat was totalled by the impact. A faster speed—and resulting greater impact—would have required a far more extensive explanation from the CG, IMO.