Watching the NASCAR race at Talladega yesterday and seeing the Ryan Neuman crash made me think about this thread. I know it was a different type crash ( pavement vs. water)and different materials ( steel vs. composite) but it sure took a long time to get him out of that car and they had a lot of people and resources at the scene working to extract him.
Fortunatly he walked away, not sure what the results would have been for a similar time span with a boat in the water.
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Nobody is "pontificating" about anything! As there are some of us here who do Design and Build by the numbers and have been involved in Panel & Structural analyses and design for 30 years that really have built life saving canopy systems. When you can say the same then Butt in!
Which is why I stated above some manufactures can and do provide the correct answers. The problem remains the industry has a whole lacks professional structure and standards.
I would venture that there is not enough economic volume in that industry to support these two items....the industry has a whole lacks professional structure and standards.
If your going to bring a person along in your boat, and you have a canopy you better be aware of the liability. First Who is going to say the the structure integrity of the canopy or glass is going to hold up to your high speed occurance. Did you do structural testing to said conopy? are the people riding along trained to exit properly? without panic? Is your air system properly up to date? Do you maintain it every time you use the vessel? If your are not strapped in, you will get hurt. You cannot access upper lid to open untill water PSI has equalized so you will need to stay put and breathe from a regulatorand mouth peice. You will be hanging from your seat upside down so you need to brace yourself to release harness. If you know where to grab and access or even where to reach for the regulator?. Do you know which way to swim when you get out of the canopy? What if your occupants are unconcience how are you going to keep them breathing and remove them? I have seen professional racers PANIC in the dunker test over and over again. When you go upside down in a boat you dont have your wits about you or have a clue from right or left. So lets put family and freinds into a canopy put them upside down and see if they can really struggle to make it to the surface to breathe again. You all think its easy. Its not at all. Quit this debate and move on.Wait untill the insurance company gets burried on one of these claims or think about the lawsuit you may be involved in when someone dies in your canopy boat.
So you don't need to worry about Lawsuits if someone dies in a high speed open boat accident?
So you guys tell me...would it be a good idea for a semi-unexperienced driver to run around Daytona motor speedway as fast as he possibly can in a 200 mph nascar that has had the roof cut off turning it into a convertable? with no seatbelts or helmet??
If you like a lid go buy a race boat and go round and round.
If I were to build a NASCAR I am quite certain all of my questions and more could be answered in minutes by proper authority.
Now go ask your boat builder the same. There are some who can provide the right answers.
I’ll see you OFFSHORE!
OUT
I want a canopy V for pleasure! (if this market ever turns around and I sell my boat) For me it would extend my boating season by a good 3 months. I would use A/C and heat for comfort. For ME, we go somewhere then hang out on the bow, friends boats, or a beach. On a canopy boat I would put 4 chairs on the bow with a table and umbrella. (all billet and fabric mating the paint of course) Much more comfortable than leaning against a bolster. It would also make running from port to port in 3-5's more comfortable by eliminating the spray in the face.
I think allot of guys look at it from a racing standpoint and assume people would be doing the same thing off the course. Most people pleasure boating dont go making high speed sharp turns for the heck of it. Most are running in a straight line, even on poker runs.
Look at most accidents of pleasure perfromance boats...
(this would be for v bottoms)
1. To sharp of a turn in a step bottom (usually low speed).
Can be avoided with knowledge. Usually results in people being tossed from the boat as it spins out. A harness and correct seat will prevent major injury. Unless you are making high speed sharp turns it is extremely unlikely the boat will ever go over and leave you stuck inside. I would say you have a 20% chance of being left upside down and a 50/50 shot of getting out.
2. Running at night and hitting another boat or seawall.
Almost every accident you read about is from someone being tossed in the water hurt bad and cant be found because of the darkness. This is no different than a car accident. A harness or even a seatbelt would avoid most injury.
3. Running to fast, not know the waterway, and hitting shore or a marsh.
Most get tossed and hurt upon landing in shallow water or the trees. Again, do different than a car accident and a harness would keep you in place.
4. tripping and stuffing.
I dont think I have ever heard of a v-upside down from this but it is a possability. Again a harness will stop you from slamming your body into the dash.
A cat would be a bit different, but...
Sure you would have to wear your belt or harness all the time. but in a sit down boat your not walking around anyway so no big deal. If you go take your custom car out for a cruze to the local gathering of custom cars you would wear your seatbelt right? I am sure many will disagree with me, but go pull up all of the pleasure boating accidents you can find with any boat. You will find that 99% are the result of #2, #3, and 4.
ohh you where too fast.. which one you mean...
So I take you like a Fast Cabin boat...sorta like a patrol boat?
I took another thread discussing just this...and yes that´s also a 33, the original one.The 33 is cool but the one at the bottom of this page has some nice lines:
http://www.masmarboats.fi/news.html