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Author Archive for Gary – Page 12

Brunswick Patent Application prevents groundings

Brunswick Patent Application US 2018/0335788 A1 for “Systems and Methods for Raising and Lowering a Marine Device on a Marine Vessel” was published 22 November 2018. The patent application provides some automatic modes for monitoring drive trim, jack plate height, water depth, GPS location, heading, navigational map water depth, speed, throttle position, and other variables […]

Design Chart to prevent outboards from flipping into boats – UPDATED

We updated our Design Chart to Prevent Outboard Motors From Entering / Flipping Into The Boat After Striking Submerged Objects today (23 October 2018). The primary addition was adding the option to Minimize the Hazard of the Outboard Entering the boat by killing the engine when the outboard breaks loose from the boat. The industry […]

Large Outboard Motor flipped into boat list updated

We updated our list of large outboard motors breaking off and flipping into boats on 7 October 2018 and are posting it today. We continue to see example after example of large outboard motors breaking off and flipping into boats. We encourage the boating industry to read our list of ways to prevent them. Outboard […]

“Preventing Outboards from Flipping into Boats” updated

The third edition of our paper, Preventing Outboard Motors From Flipping Into Boats was published online today, 25 July 2018. It has been about 3.5 years since we last updated the paper. Many things have happened since then. Several new methods and technologies have been added to the list. The 3rd edition covers many new […]

First Responders postage stamp: 2018

U.S. Postage Service (USPS) will recognize First Responders with the issue of a special stamp later in 2018.

FLIR files patent for submerged object avoidance system

In June 2017 FLIR Systems, well known for recreational boating navigational and infrared products, filed U.S. Patent Application 2017/0158297 for “Watercraft Protection Systems and Methods”. FLIR’s patent application describes the use of sensors (including depth sensors and boat speed sensors) interfaced with existing trim tabs, trim and tilt systems, jack plates, and potentially new vertical […]

USCG Releases Recreational Boating Statistics 2017

U.S. Coast Guard recently released their annual 2017 recreational boating accident statistics report. Total counts for 2017 Coast Guard Boating Accident Report Database (BARD) reported accidents, injuries, and fatalities were down compared to 2016. 2017 USCG BARD reported accident statistics were 4,291 accidents, 2629 injuries, and 658 fatalities. 2016 USCG stats were 4,463 accidents, 2,903 […]

Propeller Guard law passes: Suffolk County New York

This is really big news. Likely the first time ever in the United States that people protecting propeller guards have been required by law. On June 19, 2018 Suffolk County, New York voted unanimously to require boat propeller guards on boats used in youth instruction.The law, known as Ryan’s Law comes one year after the […]

LifeCord – smart kill switch lanyard

Inspired by the 2013 Milligan accident in the UK, John Barker, a UK businessman did something about the problem. At least in the UK, some boaters, especially those in rougher water want to attach their kill switch lanyard (known as a kill cord in the UK). However sometimes they forget to attach the lanyard. This […]

3 Children tubing struck by boat propeller Norris Lake TN 8 June 2018

Four children were riding a towed tube on Norris Lake north of Knoxville Tennessee on Friday, June 8, 2018. The boat was near Goat Rock Island in LaFollette, Tennessee at White Bridge in Lonas Young Memorial Park per 10news / WBIR. The boat was a small center console boat powered by a Johnson outboard motor, […]