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Author Archive for Gary – Page 9

Kevin Rivera-Cornejo killed by rental houseboat propeller on Shasta Lake

Kevin Rivera-Cornejo, 23 of San Jose California, was on the swim deck of a rental houseboat at Corey Cove on Shasta Lake in California about 4:30pm Friday 6 September 2019. His father, Hector Rivera, was at the controls beaching / mooring the houseboat. Onboard were family and friends. Kevin either jumped in or fell into […]

USCG releases Recreational Boating Statistics 2018

U.S. Coast Guard released their annual 2018 recreational boating accident statistics report on 26 August 2019. Total counts for 2018 Coast Guard Boating Accident Report Database (BARD) reported accidents, injuries, and fatalities were down compared to 2017. 2018 USCG BARD reported accident statistics were 4145 accidents, 2,511 injuries, and 633 fatalities. 2017 USCG stats were […]

Media still misleads boaters on Kali’s Law impact on fatalities

Our June 2019 post, Kali’s Law: Misleading Fatality Statistics explained in detail how the media is publishing misleading boating fatality statistics surrounding Kali’s Law. Kali’s law will require the use of kill switch lanyards on certain power boats under 26 feet beginning September 1st, 2019 in the State of Texas. Texas media outlets continue to […]

RYA Kill Switch lanyard wear PSA 2019

Royal Yachting Association (RYA) of the United Kingdom (UK) released a great “wear your kill switch lanyard / kill cord” Public Service Announcement (PSA) August 6, 2019. In the UK kill switch lanyards are referred to as “kill cords”. RYA’s PSA is titled A Kill Cord Could Save Your Life. While the PSA is supported […]

Sensor Based Detection of people near boat propellers: Patents

The phrase Virtual Propeller Guard broadly refers to methods used to detect the presence or likely presence of people or objects in the water that may be struck by or pulled into a boat propeller. Long ago we posted a more concise definition of Virtual Propeller Guards. With increasing activity in the use of sensors […]

Brunswick Neural Network Person Detection patent issued

We continue to salute Brunswick for their efforts to detect people in the water near a recreational boat. Basics of the Patent U.S. Patent 10,372,976 Person Detection in a Marine Environment invented by Troy Kollmann and Jon Nowick, assigned to Brunswick issued on 6 August 2019. The patent’s first claim describes detecting people in the […]

2019 USCG Reauthorization bill: mandatory kill switch wear?

The U.S. Coast Guard is reauthorized each year in an annual bill in which some changes may be introduced. The 2018 USCG reauthorization bill as passed requires engine cut off switches (kill switches to prevent the Circle of Death) be installed in most recreational power boats less than 26 feet in length. The 2019 USCG […]

Broussard bass boat kill switch ejection video

Michael Broussard was bass fishing on Toledo Bend Reservoir with his father in 2018. Michael was operating the boat and failed to connect his kill switch lanyard. In April 2019 he posted an on vessel video of the event in multiple resolutions on YouTube.

Rex Chambers passed 15 June 2019

We are sorry to learn of the passing of Rex Chambers, well known professional bass fisherman. He spoke out about outboard motors breaking off and flipping into boats after his May 2014 accident on Lake Wheeler in Alabama. In that accident, his 250 horsepower Mercury outboard came in on him and Danny Pettus. Both men […]

Kali’s Law signed by Texas Governor: boat kill switch law

Greg Abbot, Governor of Texas, signed Kali’s Law on Monday June 10, 2019 per a Soundings Trade Only report dated 11 June 2019. Named for Kali Gorzell, the law will require mandatory use of kill switch lanyards on certain vessels. Kali’s Law will go into effect September 1st, 2019.