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View Full Version : Why no Seatbelts/Harnesses in Boats ????????



ZXMan
08-13-2002, 11:45 AM
Hi,
I'm new to the board and kind of new to boating in general. My question is: Why don't speedboats like Donzi's use seatbelts or harneses. From what I have gathered, most of the serious injuries sustained in speedboating mishaps are caused by the person being thrown into the dash or around in the cockpit. Wouldn't seatbelts help this? Is it because a person could drown with a seatbelt on if the boat flipped?
Thanks
ZXMan

yachtjim
08-13-2002, 02:24 PM
I don't think seatbelts would be very useful in a donzi. When we are out in rough stuff catching a lot of air it can be very uncomfortable. To ease the pain a bit I tend to stand up very slightly as the boat reaches the highest part of the jump to put a little space between the seat and my arse. As the boat impacts the water again I now have a few inches of "suspension" to take some of the jolt out of the impact. This would not work with a seatbelt. (This is on a sit down 22 classic)

On a boat with bolsters like the bigger ZX's, you are standing anyway, so your legs can soak up the impacts, and a seatbelt would not work very well in a standing position.

Plus, if I was on a boat that was getting ready to crash or sink, I would like the option of jumping out to stay as far away from the boat as possible.

FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack
08-13-2002, 02:53 PM
One word: DROWNING!!
For years now, there's been a hot debate raging in parts of the boat racing community about the merits of "capsules", or reinforced cockpits where the driver is belted into his seat.
Certain categories, like outboard tunnel hulls, as well as most offshore racing, have embraced this safety innovation, but there are other types of boats where the benefits of this idea are a bit dubious. Essentially, the current debate centers around whether the use of these capsules should be mandated by the sanctioning body, or left up to the discretion of the man whose ass occupies the seat.
Suffice to say, once a driver decides to strap himself into a boat, he hands a great deal of his survival chances over the rescue squad at the regatta.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD A PLEASURE BOATER EVER BELT HIMSELF INTO A BOAT OUTSIDE THE REACH OF A QUALIFIED AND TRAINED BOAT RACING RESUE TEAM!!!! Can I be any more emphatic than that?
For more on this topic check out the v-drive forum at www.hotboat.net (http://www.hotboat.net) under the thread entitled: "Circle Racing Flatbottom Survey".

Eric

HyperDonzi
08-13-2002, 03:24 PM
i could see an upgrade to sparco or recardo racing buckets but never would i ever wear a seatbelt in a boat. you flip, your under. you flip and get knocked out on a lake, after 45 min of being uneder when a real boater finally shows up, your long dead.

Bad Dog
08-13-2002, 03:41 PM
Take it from someone who's skipped across the water at over 100 mph for fun... the pain goes away. Can't say that for drowning.

Bret

McGary911
08-13-2002, 03:48 PM
My uncle builds and races Jersey speed skiffs. He's one of the only ones that still builds them from the molds. His most recent one had 2 full highback racing buckets, each with 5 point harnesses. Had a roll bar too. When he was in organized races he buckled up. When just ripping around the bay, no belts. They are very cool boats. More on jersey speed skiffs. (http://www.jerseyspeedskiffracing.com/index.htm)

HyperDonzi
08-13-2002, 05:31 PM
they wear them in jet sprints, anyone remember that tread a wile back?