Tres or Brad will confirm you do not trim them in to turn.
First off I am very glad the injuries we not worse. I did receive phone calls from the assisting boat crews immediately following the incident and applaud the efforts of all the good Samaritans who came to the aid of the injured.
In regard to boat operation, safety, risk, and our future I am very alarmed. All too often these discussions whether on the dock, in the bar, or even worse on an internet forum speak to absolutes. Trim in, trim out, trim out while you’re turning, stay neutral etc, etc.
In reality there are few if any absolutes in regard to settings. While the absolute of marking neutral while on the trailer is such, the net is affected by load, speed, weather, etc.
Additionally, if a boat becomes upset or something changes after the boat is properly set for a turn the instinctual human behavioral response is almost always the absolute wrong thing to do. I strongly caution anyone to attempt to believe or operate your craft without having an understanding of why and what. What makes a step work or to be affective, why are weight changes so critical aboard, why does the inboard RPM spike or kick up in a turn. Why do some boats go slower or become less efficient with more H.P. Why is high pressure and low pressure a big deal.
Here is again the reality. Boating safety as commonly referred is only a prescribed list of safety gear used as a responsive mechanism. The mitigation or reduction of risk is achieved by applying goal based initiatives or criteria to lesson exposure. This is achieved by providing education, followed by training, followed by experience. Think of it this way; If you play football the hard work is during practice and game day should be easy. Seat time as commonly referred too as experience is only exposure unless you have education and training.
Accidents never just happen. Accident is only vocabulary for intent. Incidents occur and in every single instance human factors are considered to be primary causal or a root cause. Speed is rarely if ever a root cause, speed merely dictates the severity of damage or injury.
I am also very discouraged and disappointed our industry has not taken a harder position to properly support REAL safety initiatives. While I understand the dollar drives the decision I truly believe the view is way too myopic.
Next week I will be in Genoa at the Fincantieri yard conducting the final inspection on a new cruise ship. Working in depth with an industry which by percentage spends volumes on safety compared to recreational boating. Sure its millions but on a billion dollar ship with declining revenue, these guys understand if they want to be around tomorrow they have to plan today and implement the plan for tomorrow because it means nothing without action. If the performance boat industry would just stand up and demonstrate some of the same type of leadership and responsible stewardship of the industry we just might be able to have a future. We might be able to get better insurance rates, we might be able to set precedence to ward off frivolous law suits, and we might be able to stop or derail tomb stone legislation that does not provide any value.
Leadership and responsible action costs nothing really. I wear my lifeline on my slow ass boat. I wont support a poker run if a race boat shows up. I don’t care if it has small blocks in it, this sends the wrong message. Some of the biggest organizers out there still shotgun start boats and use flags. I still feel like we have to be masters of the obvious and it is really getting tiresome.
Anyway, Stay Safe… I didn’t mean to get off on a rant but this just kept coming. See you all in Jacksonville and then down here at our SIB Offshore Race with the Bimini Ocean Race. Doing a second event at Texoma early August and then back to Emerald Coast.
Put it in get it wet and go FAST!!!
you can always learn something..I did..and with the Tres Martin Lanyard..I always remember to wear it and be more attentive, especially in our area, no boating etiquette. Jeff
