Conference vicki::boats

    
>    A NH Marine Patrol statistical profile indicates that boaters
>    involved in accidents on state waters are far from being novices
>    or drunks.

    I would like to know how many of the accidents involved alcohol...
    I'll bet that the ratio is higher than it is on land.
    
    It's also no surprise that the typical boat involved is brand new.
    Makes sense, even with an experienced driver a new boat can be a
    challenge, not to mention the urge to go out and "see what it'll
    do".
    
    Gail
    

    STEVE.
    I think you will find that there  are THREE common types of data
    involved here. There are:
    
                     1) Lie's
                     2) Damm Lie's
                     3) Statistic's
    
    If you look at the National Reports (Notice I didn't say Stat...) they
    will show the #1 Cause of boating accidents is Drinking to Excess! (
    Note: I did't say having a couple of beers) :>)
    
    It is interesting when you mention "Open Boat" , I bet that has
    somthing  to do with "Open Boats" being  by far the most common type
    in use on ANY waterway.
    
                                 Walt
     

       
   > Typically, the accident was a collision with another boat on
   > a clear July or August weekend day, between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.,
   > in calm waters with light winds.
    
   Well, I can understand why accidents happen in the hours mentioned
above.....once the sun starts to lower the glare can be blinding.
Living near Tew Mac Airport in Tewksbury, I remember two in-air
head-on collisions that occured around 4:00 p.m. when the sun is at
its most blinding....

   And I suppose the liquor starts to kick in around that time also  :o)

jd/                  
 
    

       
   > Typically, the accident was a collision with another boat on
   > a clear July or August weekend day, between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.,
   > in calm waters with light winds.
    
Lesson here: stay off the water in JULY/AUGUST between 2:30-6:30

   >   And I suppose the liquor starts to kick in around that time also  :o)

for this reason.  Besides most serious boaters (remember the days before
families, responsibilities, etc...) are out there as soon as dawn
(or legally allowed) and break for breakfast at 10:00am when most people are
just getting out.

	Then get back on the water about 11:30-12:00 and HIT IT
until the WITCHING HOUR 2:30.  By then the activity on the water is more fun
watching than participating SOOOOO

	1) get a beer/drink/etc...
	2) sit on your favorite chair/tube/etc...
	3) and watch all the drunken morons have at each other!!!

	After 6:30, or when the CG/lake patrol scrapes up the pieces and
people POUR themselves back to their docks for dinner, or have run out of
gas/energy/HULL get in that last, calm, quiet, evening ski.

	nice to dream huh.....

    

    I don't  think  any  significance at all can be placed in the
    article.   All they say is that the typical accident involves
    the  typical boater.  The catagory of boater they describe at
    the  time  they describe it seems to me to be the most common
    boater.   Wouldn't  you  expect this person to be in the most
    accidents?  Now  if  they said that 90% of the accidents were
    caused  by 10 percent (or sometihng like this) of the boating
    population then this would be significant.

    Paul

    
    	Garry that don't sound like the times when you used to get pulled
    behind your boat on a board with you sitting in a lawn chair,drinking a
    beer and reading a book on Bear Hill Pond in Havard. :-) 
    
    	Those were the GOOD OLD DAYS.................
    
    
    	Frenchy

    .5
    
    Surprising, no.  Eye-opening, maybe.  It says that a lot of the
    accidents in NH were not necessarily alcohol related, which means that
    people have to start being a lot more careful, because there is a big
    threat from anyone, which people aren't always aware of.
    
    S

    Just reread .0.  Where's the part about how many involved alcohol
    or other drugs?  Did I miss something?
    
    Carl
    

    From U.S. News and World Reports 1/15/90:
    ============================================================================
      Football could get you hurt; other sports could get you killed. Based
    on fatalities that occurred during the previous five years, here are
    the death rates per 100,000 participants in deadlier sports-
    
    		Mountain climbing:   599
                Hang gliding         114
                Parachuting           24
                Snowmobiling          13
                Mountain hiking        6.4
                Scuba diving           2.9
                Boating                2.7
                Alpine ski racing      2.5
                Water-skiing           0.3
                Downhill skiing        0.1
    
                          Basic Data: National Safety Council, 1987
    ============================================================================
    Doug

    
    	Gee, guess I'll get the bikes out again - stud up the tires while
    there's still some ice on the lakes, an' do a bit o' racin'....
    
    	R
    
    

    
    We spent this past weekend camping up at Lake Winnipesaukee.  The
    campground owner told me that she had heard of a fairly serious
    accident which occured late Sunday night, where two boats collided.
    She said she heard one of the drivers was being charged with DWI.

    We heard lots of boating activity Friday and Saturday nights, but
    not much Sunday since it was raining fairly steadily.  Apparently
    they still managed to find each other.

    I didn't see anything in this morning's Globe.  Anyone else
    hear anything?
    
    Rick

    Yes, I heard it on N.H. radio and on Ch 4 (WBZ) news this a.m.
    
    Two boats collided in Meredith Bay in the early a.m. hours Sunday.
    
    The driver of one, from Pittsburg, P.A. Was charged with B.W.I.
    
    There were multiple people with serious injuries.
    
    I was sailing in Meredith Bay Saturday - There was heavy traffic
    - lots of large powerboats. Monday, the traffic was light in hte
    Gilford area.
    
    Bill
    

    
    One of the boats in the accident did not have its running lights on ...
    
    Doug.

I heard there was another accident on Winni this past weekend also.  Someone
was reportedly doing donuts near the deck on Victoria Pier in Alton Bay and
wound up ramming into and onto the "no wake Gazebo".  I'll bet a cheer went
up from the people having dinner.

Gregg