PropellerSafety.com

Archive for product liability – Page 4

History of Boat Propeller Safety Issues & the Propeller Safety Movement

We have long considered trying to create a timeline of recreational boat propeller safety issues, accidents, legal cases, and the propeller safety movement. As a preparatory effort to any future efforts at documenting the history of propeller safety, we created, “A History of Recreational Boat Propeller Safety Issues and the Propeller Safety Movement” We recognize […]

Yamaha Possible Coverup of Propeller Guard Documents Exposed

In March 2012 Yamaha announced a new stainless steel propeller guard for outboards on flood rescue boats in the UK and made several statements about how great it was, how well it performed, and even how prop guards were necessary when people were in the water near the boat. About October we became aware of […]

Propeller Guards Increase Cross Sectional Area And Thus Increase Risk of Injury?

Is the Additional Cross Sectional Area of a Propeller Guard a Significant Hazard or is the Industry Grasping at Straws? The boating industry has long cited the increased cross sectional area of propeller guards vs. the cross sectional area of an open propeller as an added risk. They say the increased area would result in […]

Boating Industry Needs Legal Defense Against Emerging Propeller Safety Devices / Technologies

The boating industry has been pretty successful in defending propeller injury cases when the plaintiff presents a traditional propeller guard (ring or cage type guard) as the exemplar, example of how the defendant could have prevented the accident. This post reviews those defenses, reviews how some modern day products are challenging those defenses, and how […]

William E. Coxe III vs. Yamaha Motor Corporation USA and Maverick Boat Company Propeller Case Settled

William E. Coxe III was boating in Beaufort County, South Carolina, with a companion on January 31, 2009 in his 18 foot Hewes Redfisher built by Maverick Boat Company. As they returned to the CC Haigh Jr. Boat Landing, Mr. Coxe dropped off his companion to go get his truck and boat trailer. Mr. Coxe […]

Adrian Todd v. Marine Power International Pty Ltd T/as Mercury Marine Australia Propeller Case Settled

Adrian Todd was 14 years old when he was struck in the face by a boat propeller on April 21, 2008 at Refuge Bay in New South Wales (NSW) Australia. His cheekbone was crushed, his left eye socket was damaged, his left cheek was severely lacerated, his nose and upper lip were cut in half, […]

Boating Industry Continues to Claim Propeller Guards Were Never Offered by Boat Builders: We Show Otherwise

A common defense used by the boating industry in propeller injury cases and in propeller guard discussions is their claim that no boat builder ever sold boats with guards on them, offered propeller guards as an option, or sold propeller guards OR at least not guards that were intended to protect people. We just encountered […]

Mercury Marine / Dick Snyder 1989 Propeller Guard

Dick Snyder, Mercury Marine’s expert witness in propeller guard cases, designed a propeller guard back in 1989. Placing the event in historical perspective, this was a very eventful time. The U.S. Coast Guard NBSAC Propeller Guard Subcommittee was formed on May 11, 1988, met twice more in 1988, met in May of 1989, then delivered […]

Log Strike Testing Part 1: Log Strikes and Log Strike Systems

As outboard motors began to increase in horsepower, speeds went up, and striking submerged objects became more dangerous. Manufacturers designed systems to handle the loads created from striking logs or other submerged objects, and ways to test those systems. We (PGIC) cover log strike testing because the industry often uses log strike tests to evaluate […]

Log Strike Testing Part 2: A History of Log Strike Testing at Mercury Marine / Dry-land Impact Testing

A Discussion of the History of Log Strike Testing at Mercury (Kiekhaefer Corporation), Kiekhaefer Mercury, and Later at Mercury Marine, a Brunswick Company Please be sure to review Part 1 before reading this section. In Log Strike Testing Part 1: Log Strikes and Log Strike Systems we review what happens during a log strike and […]