PropellerSafety.com

Archive for June 2011

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in Modeling & Testing of Propeller Guards

We have been promoting the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in the development of prop guards for a long time. It’s been on our Help Us page for several years, we mentioned CFD in our January 2009 post on a Propeller Guard With Reduced Drag, and just a few days ago we briefly discussed […]

The Emperor Has No Boat – SUNY Propeller Guard Testing

CED Investigative Technologies, Inc. has been testing the human factors of propeller guards at State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo at their Center for Research in Education and Special Environments (CRESE) facility. Some may recall, this is the same facility used by Mercury Marine and Outboard Marine Corporation to test a propeller guard back […]

Swimming Pool Grate Accident Results in Prosecution of Executive

A May 13, 2011 Wall Street Journal page A3 article titled, Owning Up to Boy’s Death, describes a swimming pool accident and the subsequent prosecution of a swimming pool company executive for a young boy’s death. Several years ago we (PGIC) saw the similarities between swimming pool grate accidents in which people were sucked into […]

Michigan Boating Industries Association Shocked by Misguided USCG Ad Campaign

On May 11, 2011, the Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA) released a press release titled, Michigan Boating Industries Association (MBIA) Shocked by USCG Misguided and Damaging Advertising Campaign. The press release reports they will soon be contacting member of Congress to share their “outrage.” USCG is misguided, the boating has a strong safety record that […]

A New Way Of Mitigating Losses Resulting From Hazards or Disasters

Instead of Trying to Stop the Disaster, Try to Make it Worse On May 19, 2011 I was reading a May 18, 2011 Wall Street Journal Article titled, Fresh Tales of Chaos Emerge From Early Hours of the Crisis. The article details the rapidly evolving nature of the nuclear reactor problems at Fukashima Nuclear Power […]

Bell vs. MasterCraft Boat Company Trial: Propeller Accident Victims Awarded $30 Million

Back on July 9, 2006, Bethany Mercer (then Bethany Wallenburg) and Niki Bell (now age 27) were on a MasterCraft X-45 on California’s Lake Oroville. They were both ejected from the boat and hit by its propeller. Niki Bell received several skull fractures resulting brain damage, and lost her left eye. Bethany Mercer received injuries […]

Brochtrup Wins Mercury Propeller Case Appeal

On May 27, 2011 Jacob Brochtrup won his propeller accident case again. This time his legal team led by Robert “Robby” Alden of Byrd Davis Furman defeated an appeal by Mercury Marine and Sea Ray (both Brunswick companies) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, Louisiana. Brochtrup first won […]

USCG Releases Recreational Boating Statistics 2010

We noticed the U.S. Coast Guard released their annual boating accident statistics report a little over a week ago while we were still engaged in trying to move to our new PropellerSafety.com website. The total fatality count for 2010 was 672 deaths (vs. 736 in 2009). USCG reported 179 propeller accidents and 27 propeller fatalities […]

Propeller Safety Warnings vs New Graphic Cigarette Warnings

We noticed several reports in the news this morning about the new graphic cigarette warnings being released today. A report in the Washington post says their are nine new images and they will be required on all cigarette packs as part of ” a new powerful warning strategy.” The photos are very graphic and portray […]

Propeller Guard Information Center Launches PropellerSafety.com Today

To those not familiar with us, we are an advocate for recreational boat propeller safety and cover all aspects of recreational boat propeller accidents, propeller guards, and other propeller safety devices. After months of work, today (20 June 2011), we launched PropellerSafety.com . We updated the content previously on our Propeller Guard Information Center site, […]