RE: [Paddlewise] 1997 boating accident statistics

From: R. Walker <rww_at_mailbox.neosoft.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 20:47:54 -0500
> 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)

What would really be telling would be an analysis to show what percentage 
of the accidents were in rented kayaks, and what percentage were in 
owner operated vessels.

Most of the ones I've HEARD about have been folks renting a kayak for a 
day, going out, and doing something that they are no where near ready to 
try.   I still recall the recent Galveston accident where a guy with a rented 
boat, paddle, and a bottle of water launches off the beach, and heads 
offshore like its the safest thing in the world.  Of course he died by 
drowning after being seperated from his boat.



Richard Walker
Houston, TX
http://www.neosoft.com/~rww/kayak_log.html
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Received on Thu Sep 30 1999 - 18:48:57 PDT

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