From the Boathouse: Proposed law takes fun out of boating for kids
Ahoy!
Mayday, all boaters. It is time to grab your proverbial pitchforks and head north to the state capitol. I do not know what to say except that the “save the children” cry from our state Legislators has gone too far with AB 638.
You may not know that the state Assembly has passed an amendment to the Harbors and Navigation Code that will require every child that is 13 years old or younger to wear a life jacket on any boat of any size unless harnessed to the vessel or in an enclosed cabin.
It is now before the California Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.
Wow, I am in shock and dismayed about this ridiculous, useless amendment that will have negligible results in preventing child fatalities. Going on a cruise ship, traveling on a ferry, or how about cruising on a yacht? Then you will have to strap a life jacket on little Johnny and you might as well wrap him in bubble wrap too.
The current law requires that children 13 or younger must wear a life jacket if on a boat 26 feet or less in length. The proposed law omits the vessel size and therefore includes vessels of all sizes.
Have we seen a spike in deaths? No, there is actually a national and statewide decline in deaths. Obviously, no one in the state Assembly is knowledgeable about boating nor looks at the boating safety facts but I will show you the facts.
The National Marine Manufacturers Assn. reported in its 2013 U.S. Statistical Abstract that 88.5 million adults in the nation participated in boating that year, so the number is actually higher if you include those younger than 18. That aside, the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2013 Recreational Boating Statistics show that there were only 560 deaths that were boating related.
Keep in mind that the number of fatalities is inflated due to method of how boating deaths are recorded, for example, including those who have drowned while swimming in the water off an anchored boat.
Again that aside, let’s do the math of 560 fatalities divided by the number of participants, and the answer is 0.00063% died from boating related incidents.
The 2013 California Recreational Boating Accident Statistics show that fatalities in the state have declined from 55 deaths in 2007 to 38 deaths in 2013. Let’s do the math again, with reportedly 2.4 million California recreational boat operators, and the answer is 0.0016% died.
My question, where is the need for this amendment, and who or what is behind the thrust for this sudden solution seeking a problem?
Let’s say a family is cruising around Newport Harbor in their 60-foot yacht when the 13-year-old child asks if he can go to the hot tub, which is located on the foredeck.
Father responds with yes but you must put on your life jacket and you have to keep it on while in the hot tub too. Child replies, no thanks, I will go sit in the cockpit and enjoy the sun and fresh air. And again the father reminds little Johnny that he will have to don a life jacket there too. Johnny decides to take off his bubble wrap and helmet and simply go below to text his friends on his phone.
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News of the week: Newport Harbor is the happening place for boaters this weekend as the premier yacht show in the west is back in town. Locals know it is show time when they see the temporary boat docks being floated into position in front of Lido Marina Village.
This is the 42nd year for the Newport Boat Show that is primarily an on-water boat show featuring big boats and yachts.
Boat shows are huge economic benefits for the local community, and the National Marine Manufacturers Assn. reports that $36.7 billion was spent by recreational boaters for retail expenditures in 2013. This is a 3% increase from the prior year when boaters spent $35.6 billion across the nation.
Additionally, NMMA reports a total annual economic impact of recreational boating in California at $8.94 billion. There are 3,062 boating related businesses creating 25,687 jobs in the recreational boating sector from the NMMA’s Center of Knowledge; Recreational Marine Research Center at Michigan State University.
The show ends Sunday and I highly recommend that you use the free parking and shuttle bus to attend. You can find out all the details at newportbeachboatshow.com or call (949) 757-5959.
As always, just keep an eye to the weather for any changes. Please be boat smart and boat safe. Lastly, please boat responsibly and look behind you before you turn the wheel at the helm.
The original boating program, “Boathouse TV & Radio Shows,” has stretched from coast to coast for more than two decades. See the details at boathousetv.com,and twitter.com/boathouseradio.
Safe voyages!
MIKE WHITEHEAD is a boating columnist for the Huntington Beach Independent. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathouse.com or go to boathousetv.com.