I recently read in the local news a report of a woman who was beingness pulled along on h2o skis when she was seriously injured when her leg came into contact with the boat'due south propeller.

This served as a timely reminder to publish a new blog post, and so you know what the best way is to protect people in the h2o against propeller strikes.

There are a prepare of rules and safe guidelines you should e'er follow to protect against propeller strikes which are issued by the Usa Coast Guard and other boating charities.

I've compiled those into a list below which will help protect your passengers from propeller strike injuries and possible fatalities.

How to protect people against propeller strikes

  1. E'er switch the boat's engine off when people are coming on or off the gunkhole. Your boat's propeller should never be moving when a passenger could exist exposed to the hazard.
  2. Always wait into the water from the stern before you start the engine to check that at that place are no people anywhere near the propeller. Information technology's non always possible to see people nigh the propeller if you are at the gunkhole's captain.
  3. Always ensure that people are sat down properly before your boat starts to move.
  4. Always someone to watch any children who are in the gunkhole, with an alarm audio agreed in the instance any person falls off the boat.
  5. Always assign one person to keep a look out near the propeller area when passengers or other members of the public are in the water.
  6. Always have clear and understood rules in identify for people using boarding ladders, seating, and pond platforms.
  7. Always brainwash your passengers nigh where the propeller on the boat is located and the dangers it can nowadays.
  8. Always make your passengers enlightened of where the propeller warning labels are on your boat and make sure that they see them during your safety briefing.
  9. Always know what the dissimilar colored buoys hateful, in particular the ones that will indicate an area where swimmers could exist present.
  10. Always slow down and reduce your gunkhole'due south speed if yous are coming into a heavily trafficked area and be alarm for people in the water such as swimmers and divers.
  11. Always remain vigilant for people in the h2o at all times, as carelessness is 1 of the main reasons for propeller strikes against people in the water.
  12. Always wear an engine cut-out switch lanyard and a PFD or life jacket at all times.
  13. Ever be actress cautious if y'all are about boats that are towing h2o skiers or inflatable tube riders.
  14. Always stop your boat if anyone does fall overboard, cutting the engine, then moving slowly around with the person in sight of yous as you lot get closer to them. Inquire a rider to exist look out and keep a abiding eye on where the person in the water is.
  15. Don't reverse backwards to get a person out of the water. If you need to, go effectually again.
  16. Don't appoint in risky behavior and gunkhole operation which could atomic number 82 to a person being thrown from the boat into the h2o past blow.
  17. Don't start your boat's motor if the engine is in gear.
  18. Don't let your passengers sit on a seat back, transom, gunwale, or bow.
  19. Don't let go of the boat's steering bike when the gunkhole is moving.

Did you know? A standard three-bract propeller running at over 3,000 revs per infinitesimal has the potential to inflict 160 strikes in just 1 second?

The reality is that about propeller strikes in the water tin can be prevented. Following the guidelines outlined above will dramatically reduce the chances of adding to the frightening statistics which can exist seen beneath.

Propeller strike injury statistics

In 2004, the US Coast Guard conducted research into propeller strike injury and fatality statistics. It made for sobering reading and suggested that younger people were most at hazard, with them accounting for 40% of injuries and deaths.

Nosotros can presume that is due to risk-taking behavior, lack of a sense of danger, and their youthful exuberance when information technology comes to water sports.

The statistics relating to 812 accidents and deaths read equally follows;

Propeller fatality statistics – 162 cases

  • 51% of deaths happen in lakes.
  • Florida has the nigh fatalities at 17%, following by Louisiana at seven%.
  • The 4 nigh common deaths resulting from propeller strikes are (one) falling off the boat towards the propeller, (2) being struck past the propeller, (3) collision with the boat, and (4) an accident with the propeller whilst water skiing.
  • The near common blow causes are alcohol, operator in-attending, abandon, and excessive speed.
  • 24% of all victims were younger than 20 years quondam.

Propeller injury statistics – 650 cases

  • 43% of all injuries happen in lake water.
  • Florida is the most accident-decumbent location at xiv%, following by California at 10%.
  • The three most mutual accidents resulting from propeller strikes are (ane) being struck past the propeller, (two) falling off the boat towards the propeller, and (3) an blow with the propeller whilst h2o skiing.
  • The most mutual accident causes are operator in-attention, passenger or skier beliefs, operator inexperience, carelessness, and alcohol.
  • 36% of all victims were younger than 20 years erstwhile.
  • Injury types including lacerations at 76%, broken bones at 7%, and caput injuries at six%. There were also 3% instances of an amputation.

Did you know? A gunkhole'due south propeller can move from the head to the toe of an adult in under one 10th of a second?

6 Safety devices to help protect people in the h2o against propeller strikes

I would recommend that yous consider buying propeller safe devices to go on your gunkhole. There is a broad range of safety equipment that can assistance foreclose propeller strikes in the starting time place.

#1: Wireless cutting-off switches

Also known equally wireless impale switches and man over lath systems, wireless cut-off switches are better than corded ones. It's only because, no affair where you are on the boat, or even in the water, you can impale the engine and propeller in an instant.

#2: Propeller guards

A propeller guard (also known every bit a prop guard) is a simple steel muzzle device that goes around the propeller. The propeller blades tin still motility freely just offers an extra level of protection confronting strikes on people in the water.

#3: Ringed propellers

Ringed propellers take an bodily ring around the blades as part of the design, which can protect against the slashing and cutting motion of the blades against limbs. Fingers and hands can notwithstanding get into larger propellers, merely it can reduce the chance of injury and decease significantly.

#4: Propulsion alternatives (jet drive)

Instead of a propeller, y'all could accept an inboard or outboard jet drive as an alternative. Jet drives don't use blades but instead direct jet streams of water using an impeller to push and steer the vessel.

#5: Interlocks

Interlock devices will cut off the boat'southward engine depending on a certain activity. For instance, they can be set to trigger when a sensor feels that a person has stepped onto the boat's boarding ladder to enter the water.

#six: Sensors

You lot can buy wireless sensors that will gear up off an alarm or cut the gunkhole'due south engine should the wearer fall over board and into the water.

The last discussion…

Propeller strike injuries can exist prevented with careful and cautious boating. Some of the best ways to protect people in the water confronting propeller strikes are listed nearly the top of this guide, so please take the time to read them and implement on your ain gunkhole.

I likewise recommend spending the money to take some of the rubber devices I have described, as they could end upwards saving someone'due south life.