2005 USCG Boating Safety Report!!

[Woodsy]

In case you need more proof that NH is in fact a VERY safe place to boat...

Here is a link to the 2005 USCG Boating Safety Report

http://www.uscgboating.org/statistics/accident_stats.htm

It has some pretty interesting information for NH. In 2005 we reported 102,268 boats, up from 101,626, a small increase of 642 boats. Of the 102,268 registered boats there were ONLY 45 ACCIDENTS! Of the 45 accidents, only 4 were collisions! THERE WAS ONLY 1 FATALITY (a drowning) and 38 injuries. 2 of the 45 accidents and 3 of the injuries involved alcohol.

By contrast, MA has no boater education requirement despite having 150,683 registered boats, a speed limit of 45MPH, and no 150' rule! MA had the same number of accidents (45), however 21 of those accidents were collisions with another vessel. They had 9 fatalities, 7 of those accidents and 6 of the fatalities involved alcohol.

The numbers don't lie. Its pretty obvious that NH is a far safer place to boat than MA...

Woodsy

[Woodsy]

This is how some of the other New England States stack up...

CT
108,702 registered boats
49 total accidents
15 collisions
5 fatal accidents
5 fatalities
SBC REQUIRED

ME
111,756 registered boats
46 total accidents
11 collisions
13 fatal accidents
16 fatalities
NO SBC REQUIRED

RI
43,656 registered boats
38 total accidents
10 collisions
0 fatal accidents
0 fatalities
SBC REQUIRED IF BORN AFTER 1-JAN-1986 EXCEPT PWC. ALL PWC OPERATORS REQUIRED TO HAVE SBC

VT
32,756 registered boats
2 total accidents
2 collisons
0 fatal accidents
0 fatalities
SBC REQUIRED IF BORN AFTER 1-JAN-1974

As you can see NH stacks up pretty well compared to our neighbors!

Woodsy

[Dave R]

That's great news and matches my own observations about boating here vs. other places. Probably will make no difference in the speed limit debate though; it's obvious that it's never been about safety.

[Dick]

While NH had 102,268 boats registered in 2005, I'm sure there were at least that many out-of-state boats using New Hampshire's 970 lakes/ponds, and 12,000 miles of rivers and streams. So the total number of boats on NH water bodies during 2005 was approaching a quarter of a million. Vacationing in NH is our #1 economic engine. In 2004 there were only 35 boating accidents for the entire state for the entire year. As Woodsy pointed out, there were only 45 for all of 2005. Of those 45 boating accidents, 26 were falls within the boat -- they probably ran into a big wake from a big displacement hull plowing along at 35 mph . . . or waves from a 25+ mph wind blowing across The Broads. 14 of the 45 were skier mishaps. Do these facts suggest that a speed over 45 mph is the main issue? Hardly.

Media reports that the new Sid Lovett bill calls for a speed restriction on just our largest lakes: Winnipesaukee, Winnisquam, Newfound, Sunapee, and Wentworth. If speed was actually the main factor (which it obviously isn't) in the few boating accidents that we did have in 2004 and 2005, it would be more of a factor on our smaller bodies of water and not the very largest.

It is clear that the WinnFabs crowd has specifically targeted the big high performance boats and wants to drive them off our inland lakes and into the ocean. To make this work they will have to make a speed limit exemption for the 18 miles of NH coastal waters.

In the process of trying to drive the big performance boats off our inland lakes, the new bill would have a large negative impact on the bass fishing community. It is not unusual for bass boats to travel of total of 50 miles or more on Winnipesaukee during a club tournament. These boats leave at 7:00 AM when there is little or no boat traffic and want to travel quickly in order to maximize the amount of time spent fishing. These are some of the safest boats and captains on the water.

If boating in NH had the same magnitude of accidents and fatalities as exists on highways and tree-lined trails that snowmobiles and ATVs use, then I think we would all agree that we need to either (1) pass new laws/regulations, or (2) do a better job of enforcing the current laws/regs. However, the United States Coast Guard Boating Safety reports clearly show that there are only a realtively small number of boating accidents in NH and only 4 of those involved collisions between watercraft.

Most states (including NH) still adhere to the United States Coast Guard guideline to operate watercraft ". . . in a reasonable and prudent manner according to prevailing conditions." Examples of "prevailing conditions" would be fog or congested areas. In these examples 45 mph is too fast. "reasonable and prudent manner according to prevailing conditions" makes sense to me.

You can't legislate common sense.

[ApS]

"...Of the 102,268 registered boats there were ONLY 45 ACCIDENTS! Of the 45 accidents, only 4 were collisions! THERE WAS ONLY 1 FATALITY (a drowning) and 38 injuries. 2 of the 45 accidents and 3 of the injuries involved alcohol..."
Just how well does New Hampshire compare?

We have the shortest boating season of the surrounding states and the shortest period of open water. Only a dozen weekends comprise "The Season".

If half the weekends are rained-out during a season (like this season was), the accident rate will fall. Can New Hampshire's boater education program take credit for the weather? I'll be betting that they will. :rolleye2:

"...It is clear that the WinnFabs crowd has specifically targeted the big high performance boats and wants to drive them off our inland lakes and into the ocean..."

That's alleging WinnFABs opinion—but here's what a cruiser website says about high performance boats and a Winnipesaukee speed limit:

"Has any one here actually looked at a map of the lake?

"At best there's a nine or ten mile stretch down the middle. At 75, that's a good six minute ride. As most of you know, I'm very much opposed to additional marine regulation. However, just because of the sheer numbers and varieties of boats on inland waters, sometimes a quantifiable limit is a good idea.

"Operating to endanger" is far too subjective and, without a speed limit, virtually unenforcable. Florida has a 25 MPH speed limit on long stretches of the ICW that seems to work well. New Hampshire as a 55 MPH limit on long stretches of I93, as well as minimum speed limits, where all of the vehicles on the road have been inspected and are capable of reaching that speed.

"In my opinion, it would be far better to impose a reasonable speed limit now than wait until a couple of kids in a kayak are killed by someone doing 80 on the lake. Then you'll have the public screaming for a much reduced limit.

"There's an ocean not an hour's drive from the lake. That's a great place to run a boat at 75."


Les Hall, ATC Forum Host

[John A. Birdsall]

Education is great, if applied. We took Algebra in Jr. High and High School, I do not use it, so it was a waste of time. People who get drivers licenses have some type of education to get the same, however go to any traffic court house on any given day and see how much in fines are being paid.

Boaters education would be fine, if they can get those that take the course to abide by the education. We have laws on the lake say the 150' rule that is just a common sense law but how many get nailed for that. (I can tell you that it is $58.61 fine)

[Chris Craft]

I would rather see all fines that are collected in the name of the MP's go to the MP fund NOT the general fund as I believe it now does. I am all for a higher rate on my registration or even a out of state fee as long as I know that it goes to the MP not the general fund. This would make even more if a possitive impact then anything. The problem is that I do not think that NH law allows for this.

Jon

[Chris Craft]

They do enforce the 150 foot rule quite strictly from what I have seen. When I first started to go to the lake I was not informed on the law. I got pulled over as myself and a friend went out the lake side by side. They were very nice to us and informed/warned us about the law and from that point on I knew.