Boating season off to rough start with 3 Kansas deaths

Thousands of Kansas boaters will take off from ramps and docks Memorial Day weekend. Even though summer is just getting started, the state has already recorded three boating deaths.

"We're off to kind of a rough start... and it's not even Memorial Day weekend," said Erika Brooks, boating education coordinator for the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. "Last year we had six fatalities."

Dan Hesket, Wildlife and Parks law enforcement assistant director, said Kansas averages about three boating fatalities per year, though the number has been five or six several times.

About 40 nonfatality accidents are investigated by Hesket's officers annually. Many more involving things like broken limbs, deep cuts and damaged watercraft probably go unreported.

Dennis Zehr, a Wildlife and Parks game warden specializing in boating safety, has worked many boating accidents.

People getting ejected from watercraft is probably the most common accident that leads to death or serious injury.

"Sometimes I think common sense leaves people when they get on the water," Zehr said. "Most problems could be avoided with a little common sense."

Brooks said one of the most sensible things would be to wear a life jacket.

Kansas law says children 12 and younger must wear a life jacket while boating. Boaters older than 12 must have a life jacket readily accessible at all times.

Keeping life jackets in a boat's storage while boating is illegal and worthless.

"If you're ejected from that boat, you're not going to have time to grab a life jacket, no matter where it's at," Brooks said. "A lot of people drape them over the back of a boat seat. If that boat flips, that life jacket will probably stay on that seat and end up under the water."

Brooks said modern life jackets, which utilize a small canister of CO2 to inflate, are far less cumbersome than older models.

Some need a tab pulled to trigger inflation. Others inflate automatically when they contact water. Most are like a pair of oversized suspenders on the boater's chest.

Inflatable fanny packs are another option.

Brooks said prices for inflatables run from about $50 to $185 or more.

"There's an initial expense in getting one, but after that you just replace the CO2 cartridge if you need to."

Brooks said most inflatables are approved for general boating but not for use on personal watercraft, such as Jet Skis, or while being towed by a boat.

Life jackets have to fit the boater properly to be legal.

"We see adults every year trying to claim some kid's Snoopy life jacket," Brooks said. "Little kids also can't legally use an adult life jacket if it's too big for them."

Though boating is noted as a pastime that often involves alcohol, Zehr said he doesn't issue as many boating-under-the-influence tickets as some would expect.

"We see a lot of alcohol, but people are getting smarter,'' he said. "Most boats have a designated driver who's not drinking."

Brooks suggested such designated drivers totally abstain.

"Because of the stresses of boating, it only takes one-third the alcohol it does on shore," Brooks said. "Things like the heat, dehydration, glare from the sun make it so it takes far less alcohol to start affecting someone."

Hesket said a common cause of potential problems in Kansas is high winds.

Small boats and big waves are a bad combination, he said, especially when the boat's riding low in the water because it's packed with gear. Such boats are easily filled with water from big waves.

After the boat is swamped, it's often easily flipped or tipped by another wave, throwing the occupants into the water. Such was probably the case when three duck hunters died at John Redmond Lake last December.

Zehr and Brooks think education could play a huge role in saving the lives of boaters.

Kansas law states those ages 12 through 20 must have taken an approved boater's education course to operate a boat or personal watercraft on their own. Brooks said there are several class options at www.kdwp.state.ks.us.

Many experts advise experienced boaters take a class to brush up on safety.

"Stats show a lot of accidents are with (experienced) people who should know better," said Pamela Chaffee of the Kansas U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. "They get complacent and think they know everything will be fine.

"Those are the people accidents often happen to."

This story was originally published May 26, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Boating season off to rough start with 3 Kansas deaths."