| Unfortunately, boating novices usually aren't | | | | had any involvement with the vessel (like |
| aware of the dangers that a boat designed | | | | doing a survey on it), he is very likely to |
| like an automobile or a space ship can | | | | be named in the suit. The lawyer is likely to |
| present to themselves and their passengers. | | | | say, "Mr. Surveyor had an obligation to warn |
| This is a perfect example of what I call an | | | | his client of the inherent danger of these |
| entry level boat because the designers prey | | | | curved, slippery decks." I do not like to see |
| on the potential buyer's ignorance, whereas | | | | this sort of thing for the completely selfish |
| more experienced owners begin to understand | | | | reason that it puts me at risk as well as the |
| why boats should have flat, not round decks. | | | | passengers. |
| | | | |
| It is what I call a bubble boat, the name | | | | But that is not the ONLY reason. Another |
| borrowed from the reference of today's | | | | reason is depicted in the other two photos. |
| automobile styling frequently referred to as | | | | One is a 30' Chris Craft with a similar |
| bubble cars. It is indeed unfortunate that | | | | bubble deck which caused me to fall in such a |
| some in the marine industry saw fit to borrow | | | | way that it could have cost me my life. |
| this styling from the automotive industry for | | | | Trying to get to the bow, I slipped on the |
| one very important reason. We don't try to | | | | curved deck, but what happened next still |
| stand up on the outside of bubble cars, but | | | | gives me goose bumps. As I slipped, one of my |
| on boats you do have to stand up on the | | | | legs went under the railing while I fell over |
| decks. And if those decks are round and | | | | backwards, off the boat. My leg was levered |
| slippery . . . well, the potential end result | | | | between the railing and the rub rail and why |
| should be pretty obvious, should it not? | | | | this didn't break my leg, I'll never know, |
| | | | because it should have. To make matters |
| Are you beginning to see what's wrong with | | | | worse, the boat was on land with a nice |
| this design? Can you imagine what would | | | | twelve foot drop to the ground. But my leg |
| happen, say, if you're trying to dock in a | | | | being wedged between rail and gunwale |
| tight slip and suddenly the boat is not going | | | | prevented me from falling to the ground. |
| where you want it to and you tell your wife | | | | Miraculously not seriously injured, I was |
| or daughter to run up on the bow deck and try | | | | able to pull myself back up. |
| to fend off? To try to negotiate the 4" wide, | | | | |
| curved side decks is next to impossible. | | | | While I'm not the sort of person who looks to |
| True, the builder did give you a nice hand | | | | the courts to right any wrongs against me, |
| rail . . . . located down around your knees | | | | had I been seriously injured I wouldn't have |
| (the one below the windshield wings). But | | | | hesitated to seek out the most viscous |
| even if one did manage to get so far as the | | | | bulldog personal injury lawyer I could find, |
| bow railing, you are then faced with the | | | | and several of the all-time greats live right |
| prospect of negotiating the rounded foredeck. | | | | here in my home town. |
| One wrong step and its . . . . oops . . . | | | | |
| possibly one very nasty fall. Hopefully, the | | | | While I have always been a critic of poor |
| victim won't get tangled up with the | | | | design, mainly because bad design is |
| propeller as the boat runs over him. | | | | dangerous, this incident really brought the |
| | | | issue crashing home to me. Remember that I |
| Of course a safer way would be to go through | | | | spend my life on boats, was nearly born on |
| the cabin and up through the bow hatch. But | | | | one, and am extremely safety conscious; I |
| given that it's an emergency where time is of | | | | have to be to avoid being frequently injured. |
| the essence, by the time someone got up | | | | Well aware of the danger of the deck of this |
| there, your bow pulpit is probably stuck | | | | boat at the time, and doing my best to NOT |
| through the side of another boat. And even | | | | slip and fall (realizing that this was |
| when they do get up there, the poor soul is | | | | possible) it happened anyway because there |
| still faced with the prospect of having no | | | | was no place to stand except on the curved |
| place to stand except on the rounded deck. | | | | deck. |
| What is your crew going to have to stand on | | | | |
| while having to fend off coming in contact | | | | So whether you're and old salt or a novice, |
| with another vessel? Well, there's nothing | | | | look a little closer before you become |
| there but an 18" triangle of horizontal | | | | smitten with that rocketship styling. A boat |
| space. Try standing on a 18" triangle | | | | is not a spacecraft or an automobile, but a |
| anywhere, yet alone on a moving boat. | | | | platform that should carry you safely on the |
| | | | water, water that more often than not is |
| True, maybe emergencies won't happen very | | | | rough rather than calm. The designers are |
| often, but what about normal docking | | | | selling you gorgeous interior space, but a |
| requirements? Obviously, it is completely | | | | boat is not a floating cocktail lounge. Think |
| unsafe to send someone up to the bow to | | | | through the functions that not only yourself, |
| handle the docklines, as boaters are wont to | | | | but your family members or friends will have |
| do. Apparently the crew is just supposed to | | | | to perform like fending off, docking and |
| stand in the cockpit and hope for the best. | | | | anchoring. Or what if your child just wanted |
| But what about anchoring? How would you like | | | | to go up there for the ride, sat down on the |
| to go up there when the water is not exactly | | | | bubble and slipped quietly overboard, |
| calm? | | | | unnoticed? |
| | | | |
| This is just one of the important | | | | The bulldog lawyers can't restore a loss of |
| considerations first-time boat buyers need to | | | | life or crippled limbs. And unless we want |
| be aware of. Its the question of racy styling | | | | the government designing our boats for us - |
| versus safety and practicality. The principle | | | | like they do with our cars and homes - it is |
| of law is that a boat is not seaworthy if the | | | | we, the public that needs to force the |
| vessel is not safe, and whether the design of | | | | industry into sensible choices. The best way |
| this one is safe is surely open to debate. As | | | | to prevent this kind of foolishness is to be |
| one who is frequently involved with | | | | aware of the danger and simply not buy these |
| litigation, I have no trouble coming to my | | | | dangerous products. Designers design them |
| own conclusions about that: Its just plain | | | | that way because they know that's what you |
| dangerous. | | | | want. They know its not good for you, but |
| | | | they do it because that's what sells. And if |
| Why would a marine surveyor care if you or | | | | you don't buy into it, believe me, those |
| one of your family members fall and break | | | | folks will change their ways faster than |
| your leg or neck? For one thing, when the | | | | they'd change their shoes after stepping in . |
| lawsuits start flying, if the surveyor has | | | | . . . |