Sea-Doo Switch pontoon boat-triple fatal in Maine

[fatlazyless]

Could well be that everyone, the boat driver, the six passengers, and Sea-Doo all have responsibility here. The six passengers for not wearing pfd's. The driver for going too fast and not requiring everyone to wear a pfd. Sea-Doo for making a boat with too much technology that requires training and practice by over confident boaters who think they can drive any boat.

Almost all boaters go too fast, it's the nature of recreational boating to go fast.

A good way to make boaters drive more safely in New Hampshire is a 1/4-mile (sixteen 25-meter swim pool lengths) boat license swim test that requires swimming the open water waves and wakes on Lake Winnipesaukee to qualify for driving a motorboat.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Could well be that everyone, the boat driver, the six passengers, and Sea-Doo all have responsibility here. The six passengers for not wearing pfd's. The driver for going too fast and not requiring everyone to wear a pfd. Sea-Doo for making a boat with too much technology that requires training and practice by over confident boaters who think they can drive any boat.

Almost all boaters go too fast, it's the nature of recreational boating to go fast.

A good way to make boaters drive more safely in New Hampshire is a 1/4-mile (sixteen 25-meter swim pool lengths) boat license swim test that requires swimming the open water waves and wakes on Lake Winnipesaukee to qualify for driving a motorboat.

It's a generally accepted practice for powerboat passengers to ride without wearing PFDs, and we have not heard that they were non swimmers. They may have taken more risk than you would, but that's different than being negligent

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

It's a generally accepted practice for powerboat passengers to ride without wearing PFDs, and we have not heard that they were non swimmers. They may have taken more risk than you would, but that's different than being negligent

Is a Sea-Doo Switch a personal watercraft or a motorboat?

In both Maine and New Hampshire personal watercraft are required to wear USCG approved life vest, driver and passengers at all times, and NOT the self-inflating type.

A Sea-Doo Switch is a modified pwc because it has pwc control handle-bar steering, pwc engine jet, water brake, ability to spin 360-degrees and three pontoons so it seems to be more like a seven person capacity pwc and less like a traditional boat.

For the three deceased woman, a mother and two daughters age 53, 23, and 22, who died by drowning and impact on a flipped forward 18' Sea-Doo Switch, wearing a CG-approved life vest most likely would have helped them survive the flip-over by providing flotation while injured to get out and away from the upside down Sea-Doo Switch ........ www.Facebook.com/eustismainefiredepartment ....... "At 1320 on Saturday, August 30 ....."

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Is a Sea-Doo Switch a personal watercraft or a motorboat?

In both Maine and New Hampshire personal watercraft are required to wear USCG approved life vest, driver and passengers at all times, and NOT the self-inflating type.

A Sea-Doo Switch is a modified pwc because it has pwc control handle-bar steering, pwc engine jet, water brake, ability to spin 360-degrees and three pontoons so it seems to be more like a seven person capacity pwc and less like a traditional boat.

For the three deceased woman, a mother and two daughters age 53, 23, and 22, who died by drowning and impact on a flipped forward 18' Sea-Doo Switch, wearing a CG-approved life vest most likely would have helped them survive the flip-over by providing flotation while injured to get out and away from the upside down Sea-Doo Switch ........ www.Facebook.com/eustismainefiredepartment ....... "At 1320 on Saturday, August 30 ....."

Great question--it gets at the heart of how these vessels are marketed, and how captains (and marine patrols!) informed by Bombardier. I've looked only briefly, but I'm pretty sure they are marketed as highly flexible pontoon boats. And of course, we've heard nothing from anyone in authority about these are PWC

But regardless of the answer, it sure looks like a pontoon boat with a funky steering wheel to me, so I still do not fault the passengers. How were they supposed to know?

[Biggd]

Is it a pontoon boat disguised as a jet ski or a jet ski disguised as a pontoon boat?
If you're on a pontoon, most people don't wear a PFD except for children.
If you're on a jet ski, everyone wears a PFD.
Maybe these boats should be designated as personal watercraft and require all people to wear PFD's?

[LIforrelaxin]

Originally Posted by Biggd

Is it a pontoon boat disguised as a jet ski or a jet ski disguised as a pontoon boat?
If you're on a pontoon, most people don't wear a PFD except for children.
If you're on a jet ski, everyone wears a PFD.
Maybe these boats should be designated as personal watercraft and require all people to wear PFD's?

It is designed to be nimble and quick, it is more befitting to be considered a "PWC"..... It is an attempt just like the SEA-DOO Challenger, and Utopia, to get out from under that designation, and have a more family friendly option.

What it is not, is a Pontoon Boat.........

[fatlazyless]

Sea-Doo Switch 18' similar to the Flagstaff Lake, Maine, triple drowning death 18'er ..... www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSQZWGHKGpE ..... an in-depth review from somewhere in Florida ..... 12:39 ..... an excellent video made by someone who sells this boat.

So, no one wants to drown while boating, and boats in New Hampshire and Maine are required to have a pfd onboard for each person onboard that is readily accessible. So, if someone feels worried for their safety or the driver is driving too fast or something they can always ASK the driver to slow it down, and initiate wearing a pfd. People have a responsibility for their own safety when on board a motorboat driven by someone else.

Notice this very well spoken guy driving the boat and doing the talking iS wearing a pfd ...... YES, he is. Could be he is a Canadian?