Safety on the water!

[OCPat]

Please be careful out there. Especially if you boat where there are a lot of rentals....

OCEAN CITY- Continuing a disturbing trend in the waters around the resort in the last few weeks, an unidentified nine-year old died tragically on Wednesday afternoon after falling from a boat in the Sinepuxent Bay behind the resort and being struck by a propeller, while an 11-year old also fell overboard and suffered lacerations.

Shortly before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the U.S Coast Guard and the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) responded to a reported boating accident involving a rented pontoon boat in the Sinepuxent Bay behind Ocean City. The nine-year-old victim was struck and seriously injured by the boat’s propeller and went into cardiac arrest. Passersby attempted to resuscitate the nine-year-old victim, who was transported to the U.S. Coast Guard station in Ocean City to no avail and the child passed away. An 11-year-old victim also suffered lacerations but the victim’s condition is not known.

Wednesday’s tragedy marks the third incident involving victims seriously injured when falling from a rented pontoon boat in as many weeks. Around 4 p.m. on August 7, NRP officers responded to a reported boating accident in the Isle of Wight Bay. The investigation revealed a rental pontoon boat ran aground in the Isle of Wight Bay. When NRP officers arrived on scene, seven people were in the water, including an unidentified man who was bleeding profusely from a gash on his arm created by the boat’s propeller and another passenger who was hanging onto a moving boat.

An NRP officer recognized the victim’s wound as severed artery and applied a Combat Application Tourniquet to staunch the flow of blood until the victim could be taken to shore. Ocean City first-responders then took the victim from Bahia Marina to Atlantic General Hospital for treatment.

On Saturday, July 30, a New Jersey woman was standing on the bow of a rented pontoon boat underway when the vessel hit a wake and she tumbled overboard. The victim was struck by the boat’s propeller and suffered severe injuries to her face and leg before she was rescued by another passenger on the boat.

 

[seadude]

Fall off between the pontoons in the front of a moving boat, and it's almost guaranteed that prop is gonna get you!

 

[arew~SX230]

Wonder if some sort of cow catcher like on old locomotives could prevent some these.

 

[captras]

This may not be popular, but I believe you should have a license, or AT LEAST proof of completion of a CG approved boater's safety course. It trully amazes me how many people on the water have absolutely NO idea about "rules of the road" and simple boating safety!

 

[Zeus2013]

I hate hearing injuries to kids, sickness me. People just don't get it.

Not to hi-jack the thread...I blew up at my wife last week about safety. We were island camping at Lake George as we approached the dock I had to reverse due to wake pushing us fast to the dock. As the boat backed away she jumped and missed the dock and straight into the water.

She was lucky she did not hit the dock or boat. I have told 1,000 times, don't jump off, if I have to I will re-approach the dock.

It's just not worth doing careless things.

 

[Jet Blue]

This makes me sick to my stomach - and also the main reasons I bought a jet boat.

 

[msavold]

As soon as I heard the headline for this story I thought must be a pontoon.

A few weeks ago I called out some "invincible" twenty somethings that were under way with their legs dangling in the water off the front of the boat... You can just imagine the response I got since they were "going slowly"... I left without looking back for fear of what I'd see.

Sigh.

Not sure why I'd need a road test and licence for a shitty little moped on the road but 900+Hp boat? Sure! Go for it! Here, have a beer while you're at it 'cause it's kinda hot anyway!

 

[OCMD]

I was out there both days and saw the commotion from afar. When the kid died, the pontoon boat had run aground, as many of us (yes, me too) did that day. Sad, but they will rent to just about anybody these days. The boat was packed and folks were hanging their legs over the side. It's possible the 2 kids were doing the same and slipped off when the boat came to a halt when it hit the sandbar. Sad indeed. This was the primary reason I bought a jet 10 years ago.

 

[treeskier]

@OCPat I hadn't heard about those recent incidents but the rental boats are really an issue. Pretty much a credit card and a pulse is all you need to rent a boat and our waters are treacherously shallow in the most unlikely places....like the middle.

@captras In Maryland you are required to have completed a course if you were born after July 1 1972 so in MD if you are not 44 or older than the following applies...

Safe Boating Certification is mandatory for children from 12 through 17 years old. 16 and 17 year olds who will operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC). Anyone born on or after July 1, 1972 who is operating a motorized vessel on MD waters must have a valid certificate of boating safety education.​

I have no idea how they handle this for rentals.

 

[Evildwarf]

Unfortunately it's not just rental boaters, I see lots of "stupid" on the lake.
People seem to be lulled into a sense of security because boating is a leisure activity...poor judgement abounds.

 

[haknslash]

So sad. I bet the kids were hanging out up front like they all like to on boats especially pontoons. Probably hit a wake or something and she lost balance. So sad as I have a 6 year old daughter and couldn't imagine losing her in a tragic accident like that, especially if the renter was not used to boats or could have been prevented if everyone was sitting in the seats.

 

[NewBoater]

Very very sad and the reason we bought a jet boat also

 

[Billtex2000]

Not to continue the "Pontoon bashing", but I've noticed on the lake that Pontoon owners/renters always seem to find the worst spots to stop dead and float, not necessarily on anchor. Right in the middle of the narrowest part of the lake (similar to a channel) seems to be a popular spot. I don't get it.

 

[Speedling]

Some stupidity makes ya laugh, like at the ramp for launching and retrieving.
But when stupidity creates harm, especially death then something should be done. I only need a drivers liscense here Indiana but i read every single rulebook and education thing i could before i bought a boat.

 

[WickedPorter]

On a reservoir lake... With no other large lakes nearby and a single monopolized marina, we have a real issue with "rentals"... I always watch out for them (they're easily identified, thankfully).

They should require a boaters ed certification. even with 20+ years experience, the boaters ed program is always enlightening and a great refresher. It only takes a couple hours to complete. Should be required for renters, and I'm confident it would save lives.

Http://boat-ed.com

 

[elcue]

I just read about this in our local paper being they were from NJ. I have a pit in my stomach now.

 

[Bryan mazanec]

It's not just the renters here in Florida, I watch out for them but also those that own but rarely boat. Just last weekend a cabin cruiser beached (with the owners on it not paying attention) and then yet another cabin cruiser wrapped his prop around the front anchor of the boat next to me. People need to have situational awareness when out enjoying the water.

 

[blacksapphirez]

OCMD bays have ton of boat traffic...esp between the Rt50. and Rt 90 bridge...

 

[captainhook]

Driving into Ocean City last week I saw a lot of stupidity as I looked into the bays and saw what most likely were renters. Sad stories so perhaps some rules need to be changed. I know about 9 years ago when I tried to rent a boat in Deep Creek Lake, MD they would not rent to us as none of us had our boater's licenses with us. I'm not sure how this is happening in Ocean City, though I do see a lot of stupidity from the people who do actually possess licenses as well. Perhaps it is up to the rental company, not any state regulation.

Sadly some (or most?) of us have purchased jet boats as a conscious decision for safety (I certainly did, with small children) but I really fear the other people out there riding around with lethal spinning blades.

 

[Hannibal]

Even with a jet boat, if someone goes over, contrary to the CG course, I'm going to kill the engine. After making sure the passenger is clear, then fire it back up and circle around. My wife has waist length hair. I hate to think of it getting sucked into the jet intake if she went over the front and under. Highly unlikely as it may be.