SILENT DEATH LURKS FOR PLEASURE BOATERS

SF Chronicle ^ | 7/18/03 | Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer

[randita]

Folsom, Sacramento County -- Mike Farr dived off a friend's ski boat into Lake Folsom moments after his 11-year-old son sank below the churning waters while bodysurfing in the vessel's wake.

"I swam as deep as I could and as far as I could," said Farr, his voice cracking. "I expected to catch an arm, but there was nothing."

[Calvin Locke]

It does make sense, though - CO being heavy and all.

Absolutely.

Running an ICE In your bathroom skiing in your bathtub.

I'll even throw in the possibility of it happening in an indoor pool.

[Ole Okie]

There is only one remedy. Confiscate all the boats.

Absolutely!

Boats and motors are already registered. So obviously registration is ineffective at countering this towering CO menace, second only to global warming in magnitude.

Confistication is the only solution. And trial lawyers will help in this process so their exhorbitant fees can be paid from proceeds from the boat/motor sales.

On second thought, who they gonna sell all those evil, godless carbon monoxide-belching boats and motors to?

China?

[AD from SpringBay]

Sounds like another national crisis. Time for the Federal Boating and Water Safety Department.

[Space Wrangler]

It probably is fueled by the sharks..er.. I mean lawyers, but the way it usually happens is that the CO2 build up underneath the swim platform, and when the boat takes off, the CO2 gets pushed into the face of the young body surfer. This causes them to pass out and drown if they aren't wearing a lifejacket. It's not a faulty design, and every new boat that you buy, in addition to all the other warning stickers you have to peel off, there is one right on the back that warns of the CO2 problem.

This problem is easily prevented with the use of a lifejacket, just like most other boating related fatalities. I grew up around boats and we lived on the water from the time I was in 5th grade until I left for college. My mom made my sister and I wear a lifejacket anytime I was on the dock, in the boat, or in the water until I was 13 years old. I hated it, and cursed that #%$@ lifejacket and my mom for making me wear it. We now own a houseboat, and my daughter dons her lifejacket from the minute we arrive in the marina parking lot. I've been a witness to three drownings in my life, and ALL would still be walking around today had they had one on. I don't wear one when just tooling around in either my houseboat or my ski boat, but I always wear one while on the jetski or participating in any watersports. Anything high risk, where there is a chance of being knocked unconscious and going into the water should require (and most states do) the use of lifejackets.

I also liked how the writer alluded to the emissions on boats not being controlled like that of cars, and that this somehow has to do with the problem. As if cars don't put off CO2 because enviro-liberal types have legislated out of existence.

[Tax-chick]

but I can't believe that any responsible, rational minded boat owner (let alone a parent!) would allow this activity

Really! I thought this was "The Onion" at first. I can't believe anyone would drag their child hanging on to the back of a power boat - or even a rowboat.

Do they also let their kids ride their skateboards holding onto the back of trucks?

[spunkets]

CO is not heavy. It's lighter than both O₂ and N₂. The exhaust from boat engines also smells strong enough that you will always know you're in a cloud of it.

[Redbob]

CO poisoning to a lesser extent is also common when mowing the lawn.

No, I'm not making this up!
Following a CO-producing lawnmower around for an hour (or two, if you've got a really big lawn) can produce the headaches and nausea typical of the early stages of CO poisoning.

And here you thought it was just the smell of grass doing that!

(Based on research done by Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, who - surprise, surprise! - are trying to sell the gummint on their lawnmower emissions testing expertise)

[mtbopfuyn]

This is ridiculous. The boy should have been wearing a life vest. This body surfing this has got to be the stupidist thing I've heard today. We ALWAYS tell everyone NOT to get close to anywhere near the back of the boat unless the propellor has stopped. Yes, there are gas fumes so could be CO or whatever but I wouldn't know. I do know that 1) anyone skiing or other water sport should have on a vest, 2) you do not come anywhere near near a running propeller.

[Mamzelle]

re: the combustion products that accompany it (tyical engine emission) can be easily detected by scent. )))

My first thought. This is yet another bodacious bonanza for the lawyer parasites.

Hope the defense has some guts. Dad's failure to protect his son, in a world where we all wear seat belts, is ridiculous. I wouldn't normally pick on him, but he's now trying to get rich off his own negligence. So pick on him big time, defense counsel.

"Class-action suit to force new warnings"--baloney. It's a suit to cash in.

[Mamzelle]

re: Do they also let their kids ride their skateboards holding onto the back of trucks?)))

Why, yes--so they can sue the skateboard mfger and the truck mfger...

[Redbob]

"Boats and motors are already registered."

I know what we need! Waiting periods! And, and... and a ban on imported boats! And a ban on "assault boats" - you know, those "ugly boats" that look really really fast!

[cinFLA]

Sounds like just another excuse for a liberal newspaper to put the kibosh on anything that's fun.

Dying is fun? I guess maybe for Libertarians ....

[clamper1797]

I live near Sac on the Sacramento Delta where I have been boating and waterskiing since about 1973. I proudly call myself a river rat. I have been boating since I was around seven years old and presently own 3 boats.

The boater in this story is an idiot.

# 1. It is illegal to pull ANYONE adult of child ... by a boat who does NOT have a life jacket on.

# 2 Teak skiing is illegal in Calif ... I don't have the exact law with me here at work but could look it up. I do know it is a $500 fine cause I have been stopped for a variation of it. I own a large offshore racing power boat and 2 of my guests were sitting on the top of my rear hatch while I was idling. The Sheriff let me go with a warning saying that though it is highly improbable that my guests would fall into my prop ... the CO could cause them to pass out and they could fall overboard.

This case is a classic example of an unethical lawyer trying to make an easy buck.

[spunkets]

The parent is also trying to shift blame to someone other than himself.

[thepainster]

I am so tired of these lawsuits where people can't take responsibility for thier own actions. The kid should have had a life jacket on....period. In Texas any person under 12 years of age has to have a coast guard approved PFD on at all times while in or being towed by a boat. I feel sorry for the parents, but I am sure part of the reason for their lawsuit is to deflect some of the guilt they themselves must be feeling. If they want to do something constructive why not start and organization that educates people about teak surfing, or help get some laws passed that make this activity illegal.

In regards to putting catalytic converters on boats, this will not totally eliminate CO exhaust. There will still be the possiblity of this happening anyway. If you don't believe me just go run your car in your garage with the garage doors shut and see what happens.

[steveo]

Bottom line is the kid should have been wearing a vest

No the bottom line is the kid was dead from Carbon Monoxide poisoning before he went under. A life vest would have only kept him from sinking.

[tdadams]

Figures you would support anything that smacks of fascism. There's no act of statism that you won't embrace, is there?

What part of Free Republic don't you understand?

[thepainster]

Great minds think alike!

[thepainster]

Wrong, the kid was passed out but still alive. Get him some fresh air and he would have revived. He would have had a bad headache however.

[US admirer]

Carbon Monoxide - An Introduction:



Physical Properties of Carbon Monoxide:
Names: coal gas, coal fumes, wood gas, mine damp, white damp, carbon oxide, carbon monoxide

Colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-corrosive, highly poisonous gas of about the same density as that of air.

Very flammable, burning in air with bright blue flame.

M.W. = 28.01; 42.88% C, 57.12% O

Formula = CO. Although each molecule of CO has one carbon atom and one oxygen atom, it has a shape similar to that of an oxygen molecule (two atoms of oxygen), which is important with regard to it's lethality. Indeed, it is similar to two other gases necessary for life as we know it.


Melting point = -205.0° C; Boiling point = -191.5° C

Density = 1.250 g/liter at 0° C, 1 atm; 1.145 g/liter at 25° C, 1 atm

Density (gas) = 0.968

Solubility in water at:

0° C, 1 atm .............................. 3.54 ml/100 ml

25° C, 1 atm ............................ 2.14 ml/100 ml

37° C, 1 atm ............................ 1.83 ml/100 ml

Soluble in some organic solvents such as ethyl acetate, methyl chloride, acetic acid; about 7 times more soluble in methanol and ethanol than in water.


Flammable limits in air - 12-75 vol. %