Fatal Accidents in Motorboat Racing

**seacow** · 11-21-2013

Reading the posts in this thread - as much as I don't like capsules it seems like they could have saved several of those lives no matter the category or class.
In some of the posted fatality examples high speeds do seem to be a factor. Racing may seem to be about going as fast as possible, yet the real essence of the sport is in the driving and the competition - going faster and faster in classes may represent achievement and progress yet I wonder if it makes things more unsafe. If it does is the advancement worth the toll? I found 1950s-60s FRR heats at 75 mph just as exciting to watch as 1100 heats at 95 mpg. Same for early crackers with flat-head Ford V-8s compared to those with current specs.
I am struck by the number of deaths identified in this thread, which gets back to Ron's original post -I
do not know what would make things safer but maybe more attention needs to be given to safety in APBA.

**seacow** · 11-21-2013

Maybe someone can answer this question. Current JSS boats have what looks like a roll-bar or cage over the driver and rider. Is that safety equipment and if so what if anything does it accomplish? Prevent folks from being thrown out of the boat? If it works as some sort of safety feature should it be used in other classes?

jss x.jpg

**Ron Hill** · 11-21-2013

One death resulted in the requirement of a 4" washer under the driver's seat to prevent it from pulling through the tunnel top. The other death resulted in setting current or close to current capsule standards. When we raced on TV, 39 straight weeks, the most popular class was the slowest. The 36 runabouts bounced and bobbed. And when they did turn over it usually took about a minute and everyone could see what was happening. I was watching a Super Stock race, with Dave Bryan at Parker. The guy was just going down the straight away about 1/3 the way down, and the boat just "Nose dived" and killed him instantly. Steve Earl's boat that he owned, "Cork Screwed" as he came out of the first turn at Bakersfield...and killed his driver. Read this about Ted Whalen: http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forum...ght=Ted+Whalen

**Master Oil Racing Team** · 11-21-2013

The roll cage is to keep other boats off of them.

Looking back now, as the PRO 700 and 1100 hydro classes started to dwindle due primarily increased costs during a recession and loss in the value of the dollar, couple with increased speeds and a rash of deaths, we should have shortened the course. With the bigger bore engines there was still plenty of power to get up over 90 on a three quarter mile course. Maybe even shorter than that, and the smaller field would be closer together and provide some good racing. I had a half a dozen close calls that could have gone either way without luck or help from above, so I don't think there is just one fix for all. The single best thing is to know when to back off. We spent thousands of dollars and many days testing and traveling to and from the OD World Championships in Berlin in 1978, and we sat on the bank. Our boat was not made for the water conditions we saw there. We were roundly criticized by people who didn't know us, but our friends supported our decision not to race.

Sean McKean came close several years ago at DePue when he went upside down, and his capsule was under the mud line. It took several good kicks to get the capsule open enough for him to escape before he ran out of air. There have been deaths and some bad injuries from open cockpit racing, but when you consider all the heats in total, there have not been that many deaths. In fact, if you looked at the bad things that happen when people test on a lake near home without any safety crew, ambulance or even a friend or pit crew standing by with a boat, you would be amazed at how many were hurt or killed doing this. There is an element of danger in any sport, and those who compete know and take the risk. It is important though to learn, observe, wear proper safety equipment and know when to back off. The more you are prepared, the better off you are to come out O.K. Capsule requirements all the way around would mean the end of outboard racing. But never stop looking at ways to improve safety. A lot of what drivers suit up with can mean the difference between serious and not so serious injuries.

**Powerabout** · 11-21-2013

Chuck Skelton told me the 4 point harness and capsule saved his life ( although injured) but he would have been far better off with a 6 point which we all have now.

**Ron Hill** · 11-21-2013

Tri Hulls have had "ROLL CAGES" since the class started. I think it started when I was OPC Chairman, 1998. As far as I know, the TRI HULL group in Texas have not had a fatality. But, Mike Schubert had made sure all roll cages were built by him, at least I think this is true.

Now, a few years back a Jersey Speed Skiff , crashed and sank. Seems the dad unhooked the son's belts, but he went down with the boat. Before the JSS Roll Cages, they sometimes had boat landing on each other with bad results.

Personally, I like roll cages and think more boats should have them.