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