Boating: How to Boat: Safety

Accidents involving Personal Watercraft (PWC) have been attributed to a wide variety of factors including the fact that due to their relatively small size and unusual patterns of maneuvering relative to other vessels, PWC are not easily recognized visually.

The most prevalent type of accident involving PWC is a collision with another vessel -- 80 percent in 1994; 83 percent in 1993; 82 percent in 1992; and 80 percent in 1991. A little more than half of the collisions involve PWC operators who intentionally operate in close proximity to other boats -- either riding in formation with other PWCs, or deliberately wake jumping behind another vessel.

In 1995 the Marine Technology Society was awarded a grant to study ways to improve the conspicuity of PWC. Highlights of the report are described in this article.

The enhancement of conspicuity, according to the report, requires improving how the human eye is first alerted to the presence of a PWC and how the mind processes this information to determine the identity, position, and motion of the object relative to the observer. Several general enhancement methods were considered based upon earlier research regarding the conspicuity of motorcycles and other motor vehicles.

Six conspicuity enhancement methods were chosen for evaluation:

1. A flashing amber light;
2. A flashing automotive headlamp;
3. The operator's use of an international orange colored lifejacket;
4. The use of international orange material to cover the bow and stern surfaces of the PWC;
5. The operator's use of an international orange colored lifejacket and covering the bow and stern surfaces of the PWC with an international orange material; and
6. A vertical water spray, which is featured on one PWC manufacturer's models.

A group of evaluators observed each of the conspicuity methods (except the vertical water jet which had been observed in actual use earlier in the study) from various angles and distances when PWC were operated at various speeds. The composite average evaluation results are printed below. All of the observers commented on the effectiveness of the bright international orange color as a most significant factor in attracting their eyes to the vessel.

The use of the strobe light was not effective in improving conspicuity because the energy produced by the light was lost in the brighter background of the marine environment on a reasonably bright day. The strobe light would have been more effective in a low light condition.

The use of the automotive headlight was not effective in improving conspicuity, unless the observer was in direct alignment with the beam of light.

The vertical waterjet only operated at planing speed, when the PWC was already leaving a significant wake. As a result, the added effect of the rooster tail was nearly insignificant.

The international orange surfaces were very noticeable and the color is in common use where conspicuity is critical. When both the rider's lifejacket and the front and rear surfaces of the PWC were international orange in color, all observers reported a very significant degree of improvement in conspicuity.

Evaluation Results