Is Boating Dangerous ?

[lorenzo b]

Given the number of threads about pirates, boardings, murders, self protection devices, on and on and on, one would think boating is really dangerous.

But hey, what's the worst thing that can happen?

You die, right?

Well guess what, you are going to die. We all are, and within a fairly predictable time frame.

It is obvious to anyone that is a cruiser that we are almost all old people, retired or soon to be retired. Say in the 45 to 75 year old range. That means our chances of dying in the next 12 months are about 1 in 30, or 3%. Since everyone dies by 100, you could simplify the math and say there is a 1% chance per year of anyone dying.

Our chances of being murdered are 1 in 100,000.

Our chances of drowning are about 1 in 50,000.

What's with all this negative paranoia?

[MarkSF]

It's potentially dangerous, so what you do is manage the risk. One way you do that is by learning from others. Hence the threads.

Everything you wanted to know about accidents last year :

http://www.uscgboating.org/assets/1/...Statistics.pdf

The death rate is approx. 1 per 20,000 recreational vessels per year. For comparison, there is 1 death per 6400 road vehicles, per year. Does that imply that sailing is safer than driving? Probably not, as an average road vehicle spends a lot more time on the road than the average boat spends sailing.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

Re: Is boating dangerous?

Yes Sir! I was in the bar the other night and was just looking at my boat when I fell off the stool!

[lorenzo b]

No these threads are not managing the risk, they are obsessive violent fantasies.

[Target9000]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

Given the number of threads about pirates, boardings, murders, self protection devices, on and on and on, one would think boating is really dangerous.

But hey, what's the worst thing that can happen?

You die, right?

Well guess what, you are going to die. We all are, and within a fairly predictable time frame.

It is obvious to anyone that is a cruiser that we are almost all old people, retired or soon to be retired. Say in the 45 to 75 year old range. That means our chances of dying in the next 12 months are about 1 in 30, or 3%. Since everyone dies by 100, you could simplify the math and say there is a 1% chance per year of anyone dying.

Our chances of being murdered are 1 in 100,000.

Our chances of drowning are about 1 in 50,000.

What's with all this negative paranoia?

People fear the unknown and a lot of people don't know boating, voyaging, cruising, etc. And even people that DO know these things don't always know what exactly is going on in other places right now.

Knowledge of ignorance breeds fear. And there you have it.

If you know something really well but it is still dangerous, you're more likely to be okay with it. Like getting in an automobile and driving or smoking a cigarette. Dangerous as hell but people do it every day. And that driving smoker who doesn't buckle up and drinks 2L of soda a day while not exercising will look you in the eye with a straight face and tell you that you shouldn't try to sail across an ocean because it is dangerous.

[zeehag]

EVERYTHING is dangerous. even typo-ing.

[defever]

If you are worried about boating being dangerous, you probably shouldn't get out of bed in the morning.

On the other hand, more people die in bed than anywhere else-just look at the occupancy rates of hospitals/nursing homes.

[capttman]

Ahhhhh explain dangerous....... I got a paper cut the other day opening my cashews....ouch

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by zeehag

EVERYTHING is dangerous. even typo-ing.

The word is TYPING

A typo is a slang term for a typing error. Wait a minute, maybe typo-ing is the right word

[zeehag]

Typo-ing is what I do-i cannot type.
Also dangerous is breathing the air, walking on the sidewalk, walking across a street, living in a city. I think most of the accidents happen there, not in boats or at sea. Of course I could well be wrong as jetskis and powerboats of smaller size make exception to all rules.

[capttman]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

The word is TYPING

A typo is a slang term for a typing error. Wait a minute, maybe typo-ing is the right word

See how dangerous sailing can be people getting beat up for possibly spellg a word wrong oh no

[Capt Phil]

Given Lorenzo's statistics, we are electing to choose where we meet our demise. If you want to die in a firey crash, three sheets to the wind then rent a Farrari in Vegas, pick up a bottle of 'Jack' and head for LA on the freeway.
Cruisers I have met (and I've met a few), tend to be enlightened, informed about their environment be it weather, sea conditions or coastal hazards. They are naturally reducing the odds of accidental death through attention and knowledge.
The manner of our death is not nearly as important as how and where we choose to die. I can think of no better way to pass away than aboard your boat doing what you truly enjoy. Capt Phil

[Hudson Force]

"Dangerous" is often the unfamiliar. We had a young guest from Miami invited to a rural vacation cabin in north central Florida. He became increasingly nervous after leaving the interstate highway. When he followed directions that led him to a two lane highway he was "spooked". When he noticed that there were no utility wires following the road he panicked and tired to call us with his cell phone, but he was out of the service area. He turned back. Most who have not grown up on the water or cruising young, may fear the unfamiliar in the same way.

[oldjags]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

"Dangerous" is often the unfamiliar. We had a young guest from Miami invited to a rural vacation cabin in north central Florida. He became increasingly nervous after leaving the interstate highway. When he followed directions that led him to a two lane highway he was "spooked". When he noticed that there were no utility wires following the road he panicked and tired to call us with his cell phone, but he was out of the service area. He turned back. Most who have not grown up on the water or cruising young, may fear the unfamiliar in the same way.

Maybe it was the faint sound of 'Dueling Banjos' drifting in the car window that spooked him?

[Unicorn Dreams]

neither boating nor cars are dangerous for the most part.

It's the operators judgment that is questionable.