Boating Fatality Facts ~

[A-Jay]

Quite a bit of chatter regarding Boating Safety on the forums recently.

Great to see IMO, as I believe it aids in keeping folks thinking about it's importance,

both on & off the water.  

 

 Safe boating is the aim of all boaters and comes from education/training and experience.

This information comes from Boating Statistics reports, provided by the United States Coast Guard, is presented in the interest of safety by helping boaters learn from the experience of others.

It includes data from incidents that occurred on this counties navigable lakes, river & oceans.

Fatalities that occur on boats which are not registered, certainly happen but not included in the annual statistics.

 

Annually these numbers change a bit year to year, however 'the average annual data' can offer a rather sobering look at what happens on the water. 

 

- Boating accident fatality rate hovers near 5.2 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels.

 

- Where cause of death is known, 80% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. 

   Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 85% are not wearing a lifejacket.

 

- Where length is known, eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were in vessels less than 21 feet in length.

 

- Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; where the primary cause is known,

   it is listed as the leading factor in 23% of deaths.

 

- Where instruction is known, 70% of deaths occur on boats where the operator has not receive boating safety instruction.

   Only 20% percent of deaths occur on vessels where the operator has received a nationally-approved boating safety education certificate.

 

- Where data is known, the most common vessel types involved in reported accidents are open motorboats (45%), personal watercraft (19%), and     

   cabin motorboats (16%).

 

- Where data is known, the vessel types with the highest percentage of deaths are open motorboats (48%), kayaks (14%), and personal watercraft (8%).

 

What all of this says to me, is that the rigs we all fish out of, motor boats, bass boats, canoes, & kayaks, 

 are at THE TOP of just about every Boating Fatality category.

Don't become a statistic.

Please Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

[J Francho]

28 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Safe boating is the aim of all boaters

Not so sure the data bears this out.  Good post, and thanks for putting it up here!

[Scott F]

Great post A-Jay! One thing I don’t see being talked about is why people end up in the water to begin with. Years ago, I was told by a Conservation Officer in Canada that one of the leading causes of drowning by fisherman is that they fall overboard while urinating! If you’ve been drinking, you can see how your balance may be affected as well as how often you might have to relieve yourself. An unexpected boat wake can toss you over the side while taking care of business. Carrying a “johnny bottle” makes the job much easier and safer. Something to consider as an inexpensive addition to your list of boating must haves.

[Glenn]

 

[desmobob]

22 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Great post A-Jay! One thing I don’t see being talked about is why people end up in the water to begin with. Years ago, I was told by a Conservation Officer in Canada that one of the leading causes of drowning by fisherman is that they fall overboard while urinating! If you’ve been drinking, you can see how your balance may be affected as well as how often you might have to relieve yourself. An unexpected boat wake can toss you over the side while taking care of business. Carrying a “johnny bottle” makes the job much easier and safer. Something to consider as an inexpensive addition to your list of boating must haves.

That fact was mentioned in the BoatUS safety course I just completed.  I keep a laundry detergent bottle with the top cut off in my boat.  It also allows you to kneel down in the cockpit and be mostly out of sight if you have to go when you're in a busy area or an area where the shoreline is lined with houses.

 

It doubles as a bailer.

[A-Jay]

7 minutes ago, Glenn said:

 

Yes Sir

I have a unit.

Very effective.

A-Jay

[TOXIC]

While we all have to be very aware of safety, I can tell you that the % of those fatality numbers that are in “fishing/bass boats” is relatively small because most of us who fish put safety first.  Sit at a well used ramp in the summer and watch who launches.  When I was younger I’m guilty of being one of those who thought a day of waterskiing or just boating wasn’t complete without a cooler of beer ?. I spent many weekends skiing with my 16ft Ebco Stinger tunnel hull speedboat.  And I will admit we did some pretty stupid and dangerous things.  This was when a pfd was a foam belt that buckled to your waist?.  Any one of a number of my group could have ended up a statistic.  Unfortunately the drinking and boating sentiment is still strong.  I watched the Sheriff hand ticket after ticket out in Wisconsin and he kept passing me by so I motored up to him and asked why he wasn’t checking me like everyone else....he said because you bass guys always have your things in order, it’s a waste of my time.  

[A-Jay]

40 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

I can tell you that the % of those fatality numbers that are in “fishing/bass boats” is relatively small because most of us who fish put safety first.  

Perhaps ~

Either way, I am betting (and Hoping) that Bass Resource, as well as this type of discussion,

can help keep it that way.

Stay Safe

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

59 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

While we all have to be very aware of safety, I can tell you that the % of those fatality numbers that are in “fishing/bass boats” is relatively small because most of us who fish put safety first.  Sit at a well used ramp in the summer and watch who launches.  When I was younger I’m guilty of being one of those who thought a day of waterskiing or just boating wasn’t complete without a cooler of beer ?. I spent many weekends skiing with my 16ft Ebco Stinger tunnel hull speedboat.  And I will admit we did some pretty stupid and dangerous things.  This was when a pfd was a foam belt that buckled to your waist?.  Any one of a number of my group could have ended up a statistic.  Unfortunately the drinking and boating sentiment is still strong.  I watched the Sheriff hand ticket after ticket out in Wisconsin and he kept passing me by so I motored up to him and asked why he wasn’t checking me like everyone else....he said because you bass guys always have your things in order, it’s a waste of my time.  

 Not around here! It’s most frequently fishermen. I think of the several deaths we’ve had already this year, all but one were fishing related. My buddies that find the bodies will tell you a bass boat is the worst one to be in 

[WRB]

Thank you Glenn,  good tips you may have saved a life!

Tom

[TOXIC]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

 Not around here! It’s most frequently fishermen. I think of the several deaths we’ve had already this year, all but one were fishing related. My buddies that find the bodies will tell you a bass boat is the worst one to be in 

You may be right about the fishermen but you also have a lot of substance problem....

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — 2020 was a tough year for many reasons, but the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports the devastation also applied to boating in the state. The year had the most boating-related deaths in 37 years with 32 fatalities happening on Tennessee waters, the TWRA said in its year-end report. 

A number of outdoor activities had higher participation rates and boating was no exception. The TWRA says the year had a noticeable spike in traffic on Tennessee's lakes and rivers, which brought an increase in calls for service.

Preliminary numbers from the TWRA indicate about 30 percent of the 2020 deadly incidents had alcohol or drugs as a contributing factor. 2019 had record-low boating deaths with eight.

In addition to the deaths in 2020, there were 61 serious injury incidents that left 82 hurt and damage to 82 properties. TWRA officers also made 62 boating under the influence arrests last year.

 

[TnRiver46]

31 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

You may be right about the fishermen but you also have a lot of substance problem....

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — 2020 was a tough year for many reasons, but the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reports the devastation also applied to boating in the state. The year had the most boating-related deaths in 37 years with 32 fatalities happening on Tennessee waters, the TWRA said in its year-end report. 

A number of outdoor activities had higher participation rates and boating was no exception. The TWRA says the year had a noticeable spike in traffic on Tennessee's lakes and rivers, which brought an increase in calls for service.

Preliminary numbers from the TWRA indicate about 30 percent of the 2020 deadly incidents had alcohol or drugs as a contributing factor. 2019 had record-low boating deaths with eight.

In addition to the deaths in 2020, there were 61 serious injury incidents that left 82 hurt and damage to 82 properties. TWRA officers also made 62 boating under the influence arrests last year.

 

Trust me I went to college with and still communicate daily with the main boating officer in Nashville that writes all those BUI and drug tickets on Percy priest and old hickory (and of course works all the accidents). Nashville is a monster party town 

[gim]

7 hours ago, TOXIC said:

he said because you bass guys always have your things in order, it’s a waste of my time.  

I’ve experienced this on a popular metro lake, Minnetonka, many times. The Hennepin county water patrol is almost solely looking for boaters who are drinking, not anglers in fishing boats.

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I’ve experienced this on a popular metro lake, Minnetonka, many times. The Hennepin county water patrol is almost solely looking for boaters who are drinking, not anglers in fishing boats.

Ya - which is why they mainly patrol around Big Island...and even have a dock with county vehicle parking only just across Smith's Bay.

 

Which irks me...that use to be a parking/shore fishing spot until the county 'stole' it.

[gim]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Ya - which is why they mainly patrol around Big Island...and even have a dock with county vehicle parking only just across Smith's Bay.

Some of the rigs they use on the water are ridiculous. They’re pretty recognizable even from distance as they look like oversized bay boats. You aren’t going to outrun one of those machines.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

Some of the rigs they use on the water are ridiculous. They’re pretty recognizable even from distance as they look like oversized bay boats. You aren’t going to outrun one of those machines.

I still get a kick out of the airboat they sometimes keep at the Spring Park Bay facility docks.

[Bluebasser86]

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Quite a bit of chatter regarding Boating Safety on the forums recently.

Great to see IMO, as I believe it aids in keeping folks thinking about it's importance,

both on & off the water.  

 

 Safe boating is the aim of all boaters and comes from education/training and experience.

This information comes from Boating Statistics reports, provided by the United States Coast Guard, is presented in the interest of safety by helping boaters learn from the experience of others.

It includes data from incidents that occurred on this counties navigable lakes, river & oceans.

Fatalities that occur on boats which are not registered, certainly happen but not included in the annual statistics.

 

Annually these numbers change a bit year to year, however 'the average annual data' can offer a rather sobering look at what happens on the water. 

 

- Boating accident fatality rate hovers near 5.2 deaths per 100,000 registered recreational vessels.

 

- Where cause of death is known, 80% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. 

   Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 85% are not wearing a lifejacket.

 

- Where length is known, eight out of every ten boaters who drowned were in vessels less than 21 feet in length.

 

- Alcohol use is the leading known contributing factor in fatal boating accidents; where the primary cause is known,

   it is listed as the leading factor in 23% of deaths.

 

- Where instruction is known, 70% of deaths occur on boats where the operator has not receive boating safety instruction.

   Only 20% percent of deaths occur on vessels where the operator has received a nationally-approved boating safety education certificate.

 

- Where data is known, the most common vessel types involved in reported accidents are open motorboats (45%), personal watercraft (19%), and     

   cabin motorboats (16%).

 

- Where data is known, the vessel types with the highest percentage of deaths are open motorboats (48%), kayaks (14%), and personal watercraft (8%).

 

What all of this says to me, is that the rigs we all fish out of, motor boats, bass boats, canoes, & kayaks, 

 are at THE TOP of just about every Boating Fatality category.

Don't become a statistic.

Please Stay Safe

A-Jay

 

 

 

 

Good information A-Jay.

 

I'm sure you've posted it before, but do you use an inflatable or standard style vest while in your canoe? I've been wearing an inflatable in my kayak, but as I was in the washing machine trying to pedal back to the ramp Saturday with occasional rollers so tall they were hitting me in the thigh, I started to have the "what if I need this vest and it doesn't work", thoughts creep into my mind. Not a good feeling. I was hugging as close to the shore as possible, but as you're well aware, even a 50-100 yards is a long ways to swim in your gear, churning waves, and cold water. I've been looking at standard vest before, but I think that might have sealed the deal on me wanting to go that route. 

[Kyle S]

4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Good information A-Jay.

 

I'm sure you've posted it before, but do you use an inflatable or standard style vest while in your canoe? I've been wearing an inflatable in my kayak, but as I was in the washing machine trying to pedal back to the ramp Saturday with occasional rollers so tall they were hitting me in the thigh, I started to have the "what if I need this vest and it doesn't work", thoughts creep into my mind. Not a good feeling. I was hugging as close to the shore as possible, but as you're well aware, even a 50-100 yards is a long ways to swim in your gear, churning waves, and cold water. I've been looking at standard vest before, but I think that might have sealed the deal on me wanting to go that route. 

I too have had those same thoughts. While the inflatable PFD's are certainly more comfortable and less cumbersome, none of that matters if they don't do what they're supposed to in an emergency situation. Right now I own two Bass Pro shops branded inflatable PFD's. I believe this conversation and the underlying thoughts of 'what if this thing doesn't deploy!?' is what's causing me to shop for standard PFD's to have on my boat.

[A-Jay]

5 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Good information A-Jay.

 

I'm sure you've posted it before, but do you use an inflatable or standard style vest while in your canoe? I've been wearing an inflatable in my kayak, but as I was in the washing machine trying to pedal back to the ramp Saturday with occasional rollers so tall they were hitting me in the thigh, I started to have the "what if I need this vest and it doesn't work", thoughts creep into my mind. Not a good feeling. I was hugging as close to the shore as possible, but as you're well aware, even a 50-100 yards is a long ways to swim in your gear, churning waves, and cold water. I've been looking at standard vest before, but I think that might have sealed the deal on me wanting to go that route. 

 

1 hour ago, Kyle S said:

I too have had those same thoughts. While the inflatable PFD's are certainly more comfortable and less cumbersome, none of that matters if they don't do what they're supposed to in an emergency situation. Right now I own two Bass Pro shops branded inflatable PFD's. I believe this conversation and the underlying thoughts of 'what if this thing doesn't deploy!?' is what's causing me to shop for standard PFD's to have on my boat.

@Bluebasser86 

I did read about your recent rough ride and Congrats on the Win btw.

I have a feeling that you may have down played your pucker factor a bit.

Also your thoughts on beaching the boat and getting to your vehicle another way, although a giant PIA, may have been the way to go.  One way that I help 'myself' decide on what to do in those type of cases is, I think about what I would tell my son to do if he called me asking, and then I do that. 

Either way You know I get it.

As for the PFD, most quality inflatable PFD's have a Back up oral inflation tube tucked into it somewhere.  Clearly not of any use if a victim is not in a position to blow it up.

One Idea regarding inflatable PFD use is, there is no law regarding when you inflate it and it is perfectly fine to deploy it BEFORE YOU NEED IT.

No one does it because it costs $$ to re-Charge it - but you could BLOW it up yourself if you have thoughts about it not operating automatically should the need arise. 

 Finally "Swimming" for distance in ANY life Jacket is very difficult and SUPER Taxing.  Add in all the clothes and footwear plus wind & waves, most of us aren't going much beyond where the environment will take us.  Try it you'll see.  Staying with your rig if you go in the water is best advice, regardless of it posture (upright or over turned) especially when one is NOT in a Life Jacket. 

 In the Canoe, I use a couple of generic Cabelas units, One is a standard type 3 foam and the other is an auto inflate that I've had for several years.

The foam is not very comfortable (but fool proof) and the inflatable at this point is like an old friend. 

 In the Pro-V bass I wear a couple of Mustang Survival units.  

The inflatable was purchased specifically for that rig because if it's  Aerodynamic 3D chassis reduces drag at high speeds.  The Type III is essentially what what I wore in the US Coast Guard for many years.  Not nearly as comfortable as the inflatable, but I trust my life to it either way. 

You'll see me in this one when the conditions get a click past 'sporty'.

  I do not kayak fish but have done it.  The PFD requirements IMO for that rig are different because of the seated position and the paddling required.  Mobility & comfort play a big role in what 'works'.  Unfortunately I can not offer any 'brands' or models for you here, sorry. 

The Kayak specific Life Jacket market is HUGE and I'd encourage potentially buyers to get out to a reputable dealer and 'try before you buy'. 

Stay Safe

A-Jay

[txchaser]

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

One Idea regarding inflatable PFD use is, there is no law regarding when you inflate it and it is perfectly fine to deploy it BEFORE YOU NEED IT.

 

16 hours ago, A-Jay said:

but you could BLOW it up yourself if you have thoughts about it not operating automatically should the need arise. 

Thanks for this. So obvious and yet never crossed my mind. And there's been a time or two that would have been a winning choice. 

[schplurg]

In a boat you can always wear the inflatable, but put on a foam vest in rougher conditions. No need to inflate it needlessly.

 

I'm thinking about buying an auto inflate for trout fishing off rocks in a potentially hazardous river. A big blue sign says "People have drowned here". Yikes! Haven't fished it yet.

 

I just don't know if I'd trust an autoinflate with my life. I also have never fallen into a river, but it can happen, and I'm not getting any younger.

 

 

 

 

[Bankbeater]

I wear a standard pfd.  If you're getting knocked around in a boat, and then get ejected, there is always the chance that the auto inflatable pfd will get damaged somehow and not work. 

[desmobob]

1 hour ago, Bankbeater said:

I wear a standard pfd.  If you're getting knocked around in a boat, and then get ejected, there is always the chance that the auto inflatable pfd will get damaged somehow and not work. 

Auto-inflatables are a compromise: comfort vs. safety.  

 

One factor in PFD choice should be boat speed.  If you have a bass boat that travels at high speeds, there are specifically designed PFDs to protect you in that environment.  

[BrianMDTX]

When it comes to drinking alcohol (which I do on occasion at the correct time and place) and fishing, I can't see it. Do I get wasted on one beer? No, of course not. Does it interfere with things like tying knots, casting accuracy, etc.? I say yes, it does. I need or want no part of that when fishing from the bank. Let alone a boat.