[Paddlewise] ABYC

Meantime I had a quick peek at their website--they are an industry body set up 
to mitigate tort suits.  Simple as that.

Now you need to get them to listen to sense, if possible, or set up a 
paddlecraft association which sets guidelines.  I think the latter might be much 
easier, because the ABYC will point to years of consultations with all yadda yadda.

GaryJ

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trying again

-------- Original Message -------

Quick note:
This stuff about liability is indeed an issue.  Doesn't matter what kayaks they 
intended the rules to cover, what *do* they cover.
I think that someone should ask them for the background information which led to 
this standard.
See what these standards do:
     are they related to anything real?
     do they enable anything?
     do they prevent anything?
     etc.

And then off to the USCG, maybe same folks who checked out the spittoons a 
couple years ago at
Kanehl, Richard <RKanehl_at_comdt.uscg.mil> and get more reinforcement of what the 
yacht standards are for.

And then make it all public as heck.  P-wise will help, but wider than that.
"ABYC rules cut kayak safety" and other such headlines.

ACA could do this but in fact it will probably have to be some lonely individual.

GaryJ
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