RE: [Paddlewise] 1997 boating accident statistics

> OK, I downloaded the document and intend to wade through it.
>
> There are "accidents" and there is "risk-management".

Some interesting (though selected) info:

110 kayak/canoe deaths in 1997 (13.4% of all reported boating fatalities)
96 drowned, 14 *other*

While there are fewer accidents in the colder months, your chances of dying
if involved in an accident in Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, and April is
much higher than in the warmer months.

There were 79 reported injuries in a canoe/kayak in 1997:
45 (56%) of the injuries were related to hypOthermia

There were 171 canoe/kayak *accidents* in 1997:
123 were related to capsizing (72% of canoe/kayak accidents)
4 flooding
13 collision with another vessel
8 collision with a fixed object
1 collision with a floating object
1 collision with a submerged object
1 skier mishap
13 falls overboard (canoe?)
7 other


So, worded another way:

In 1997, canoe/kayak deaths accounted for a little more than one in every
ten boating related deaths. As a group, we (the canoe/kayak operators) have
more than our fair share. Not all states require numbering of canoes/kayaks,
but there were a little over 12 million OTHER types of boats that were
registered. I'll leave it up to the reader to guess what a small pecentage
that canoes/kayaks make up of the total boats. Even PWC operators had less
deaths than canoe/kayak operators (but a much higher injury rate).

Hypothermia - Any questions?

Capsizing accidents - Think it might contribute to the hypothermia stats?
Learn how to get back in, or stay in to start with.

Woody


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