By Captain Brad Cuthbertson
On 1,600 square miles of pine tree-lined lakes and rivers, and along 3,000 miles of palm tree-lined Pacific Ocean shores, Californians enjoy recreational boating. An estimated three million Californians enjoy this pastime. In 1994, California registered 838,541 boats (7.34% of all in the USA) second only to Michigan with 898,265. Of those 838,541 boats, more than 10 percent (110,000) are personal watercraft. Along with the tumultuous growth being experienced in recreational boating comes an increase in accidents.
The California boating accident statistics have been tallied representing a disproportionate percentage attributed to personal waterscrafts (PWCS). In 1996, there were 385 PWC related accidents reported in California, resulting in 298 injuries, 8 fatalities and $508,300 in property damage. PWCS account for 16% of all vessels registered in California, but were involved in 45% of all accidents, and 55% of all injuries, 14% of all fatalities and 23% of all property damage.
A recent article produced by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and published within the esteemed Journal of the American Medical Association studied "Jet Skiers" treated at hospital emergency wards from 1990 through 1995. Researchers found roughly a fourfold yearly increase in treated injuries, reaching an estimated 12,288 in 1995. The biggest jump came during that final year of study, a dramatic 76% rise. Another note, the injury rate for "Jet Skis" was 8.5 times higher than for motorboats.
It can not all be blamed on more "Jet Skis" on the water. Their numbers increased only threefold over the six years, to an estimated 760,000. And their increase during the 76% injury escalation was just 27%. "These watercraft are cheaper, allow swifter movement and attain faster speeds in less time compared with larger, motor-driven boats," the Journal points out. Legs and head were the main victims.
The PWC industry reached some major milestones in 1998. Kawasaki will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the introduction of its first Jet Ski. Sea-Doo will be honoring its Personal Watercraft tenth year, not counting its first attempt thirty years ago. But this industry has never been about the past. What is happening now is far more important. Responding to consumer demand in what has become a highly competitive field, PWC manufacturers have evolved from crafts that once required a certain degree of athletic ability and involved a learning curve and never exceeded 35 mph, to sit down big brute horsepower missiles capable of speeds in excess of 55 to 65 mph, which equals 80.66667 feet per second, utilizing hulls with minimal drag coefficient which cut through the water like a hot knife on butter but requires a great distance to slow and even more to stop. Presently the only constrains for greater speeds is one of technology and sure to be soon overcome.
The industry use to be self governing. The economic constraints of boat ownership alone insures a level of responsibility whereas personal watercraft tend to be rented or loaned more than any other vessel. According to a recent study of accidents involving PWC in Florida, almost half (44%) involved rental craft. One wonders how many more of these reported incidents involved craft not belonging to the individual involved.
It seems more than a little ironic that the only recreational motor sport that does not have the benefit of a braking system is also unique in its legal tolerance of fifth-graders operating the fastest machinery it has to offer. While it can be said with some certainty that no 12 year old can reasonably be expected to properly react to an emergency situation at better than advised freeway speeds, it is perfectly legal for a pre-teen to throttle off, unsupervised into mainstream marine traffic - at least in 17 states.
In New York where kids obviously learn to grow up fast, the age limit is 10. Idaho, Kentucky, and South Carolina apparently believe that an operator's age is no one's business; if you are old enough to hit the start button in these states, you are old enough to handle the throttle of an 1100 cc 125 horsepower rocket ship.
In conclusion, factors contributing to the explosive growth of PWC accidents can be attributed to the amount of crafts being used including evidence that supports "on water use time" to be considerably greater than other types of vessels, the economics of ownership leading to the ability to borrow and rent and the manufacturers advertising "the water toy image" and satisfying consumer demands for faster and faster.
Until the personal watercraft manufacturers call a truce to the horsepower wars and the states enact age, education and licensing mandates, we can expect an increasing rise in personal watercraft accidents leading to serious injury and fatalities.
About the Author: Captain Bradley Cuthbertson holds a United States Coast
Guard Masters license and is a nationally recognized, court qualified water
safety expert. He can be reached though Maritime & Aviation Consultants.