In recent years about 185 to 240 people are struck by recreational boat propellers or drives in U.S. annually according to U.S. Coast Guard boating accident reports each year and about 30 to 45 are killed. Some ESTIMATE the actual number injured is several times the number reported (some estimates have been in the thousands). Currently, there appears to be a possible spike in injuries and deaths from the very popular sport of tubing. Tubers are being hit while riding towed tubes or other inflatables some times by the towed boat and sometimes by other boats. They are also being hit while in the water after falling off.

The Sprietsma v. Mercury Marine case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in December 2002 removed Federal Pre-emption as a defense (drive and boat builders can no longer claim that since the U.S. Coast Guard does not force all boats to have a propeller guard, states cannot force any boat to have a propeller guard). In addition to suits against marine drive and boat manufacturers for absence of guards or other protective devices, several suits have been filed against boat operators for negligent operations resulting in propeller injuries or deaths in both the U.S. and abroad.

Marine drive and boat manufacturers are still reluctant to take action, in part because doing so would be seen by some as an admission of guilt (sort of like the tobacco industry was). Lawyers would claim the industry now admits it was wrong for all these years and companies would probably find themselves exposed to even more lawsuits based on past events. We had hoped the industry might embrace some of the new sensor based technologies as a way around a perceived admission of past guilt. They could still claim guards never worked, and when they found a real solution (sensors) they embraced it. However, the industry is still pretty silent on all fronts concerning the use of sensors (Virtual Propeller Guards).

We have tried to encourage the boat and drive companies to utilize the information here and form cooperative efforts to attack the problem, but with no success.

We even temporarily lost in an effort to try to get a boating industry trade magazine to print true U.S. Coast Guard propeller death and injury statistics instead of the vastly reduced numbers the author and publisher falsely attribute to the Coast Guard.

But its not all gloom and doom. Several small manufacturers have risen to fill the vacuum left by the boat and drive companies. These small companies are offering their own innovative potential solutions taking the form of traditional propeller guards, a wide array of electronic sensing devices and interlocks, and even some new drive designs. We have even leaped in and offered a few suggestions ourselves.

The U.S. Coast Guard is currently developing a test procedure for propeller guards to evaluate their impact on boat handling and to help boaters determine which ones might be best for their application.

We too are just about to finish a major paper and an accompanying score sheet for use by boaters in determining the risk of propeller injury around their boat and how best to reduce it.

SPIN, another propeller safety advocate, continues to do a great job of keeping the focus of the legislature, boating safety organizations, and the U.S. Coast Guard on propeller safety.

Several more propeller safety advocates have joined the cause either teaming with other efforts or forming their own project, mostly as a result of being struck themselves or losing a loved one to a propeller. Recently we found several studies on Survivor Advocacy and are now watching it play out in this industry as well. Only a few survivors return to contribute to the solution, but those that do are being invigorated by the defensive efforts put forward by some of the marine drive companies, and becoming even more dedicated in their efforts to stop the injuries.

The diving community is taking note of an increased number of its participants being hit by propellers and responding with programs to increase awareness of propeller risk among divers.

We have been trying to keep this site up to date on the latest technologies available, posting accident reports, as well as trying the keep the many small companies involved in manufacturing propeller injury avoidance devices informed of any developments, new technologies, regulations, or other information that may be helpful to them.

We have also been doing some day dreaming about the science behind some of the problems, how similar problems are addressed in other industries, and novel ways the problem of propeller injuries might be approached. As part of those efforts we teamed with a college student overseas on a design project that broke some new ground, and hope to use this site (and another one we are preparing to launch) to encourage more students to pursue projects in this area to increase the body of knowledge available and help the best solutions to come forward.

Another positive is the attention the problem is getting outside the United States. Other countries are starting to recognize the significance of the problem and entrepreneurs are rising to the occasion not only in the U.S., but around the world.

Plus several people have now been hit by boats with a propeller guards on them and lived to talk about it.

Times finally seem poised for major actions being taken to reduce propeller injuries and we look forward to being a part of that movement. If we can be of assistance in any way, please contact us.

This Propeller Guard Information Center is a very large site, we suggest you view the list of topics in the Table of Contents and use it to navigate to the sections of interest.

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