Re: GPS is not Radar
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I've looked over those boating stats once again and conclude that nothing meaningful to Winnipesaukee can be obtained from nationwide statistics. "Lakes" for example, are lumped in with ponds (like Florida's waist-deep ponds) and "dams".
Pennsylvania has no major lakes, but has hundreds of dams, which "eat" Pennsylvania's small boats for lunch. (Small boats being the most sensible boat for narrow waters).
Therefore, the national statistics that get displayed here for winnipesaukeeforum.com are skewed against small boats, which are over-represented in Pennsylvania due to the dearth of open freshwater lakes there. (One example).
In Florida, two days ago, a bass-boater launched himself off a Lake Okeechobee (FL) waterway, and spent two nights (50°) on the floor of his boat, unable to move. In any other state, this would have been a hypothermia-fatality.
While it's clear that "drinking-responsibly-while-boating" will kill, are the stats revised (or "cleaned up") from court cases like that Baja "offshore" collision from August 12, 2002? New Hampshire's reported fatal-boating drunks number below 2 -- most years. Something's w-R-o-N-g.
The deadliest time to boat is on clear, sunny days with calm waters. The safest time to boat is after midnight, in 8-10 foot waves. Go figure.
Or, if you are only able to boat on weekends, everybody must have a bigger boat to be safe.
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