Are Fast Boats Dangerous?

What is a “fast boat”? That depends on who you ask. A boat owner with a boat that was designed and built for speed, may say anything over 100 mph, while a casual boater with a bow rider, may say 50 mph. Both could be right.

The important factor is whether or not, based on the physical limits of the boat and the skill of the driver, their speed could pose a danger to themselves and others.

We all know the common factors that most safety gurus will tell you are the greatest contributors to accidents when boating fast: visibility, sea conditions, boat traffic, water depth, passengers on board, and navigational hazards. Well, these guys ‘missed the boat.' Lets look at the real and primary causes of danger when boating fast. There are only two: The boat itself and the driver’s ability.

I would first look closely at the boats themselves and objectively determine what speed each one is capable of safely handling and in what type of water.

Most boats are not constructed to handle the stress of high speeds. To learn the important details about a boat you are considering I recommend that you speak with the manufacturer directly. Providing you are willing to pay a higher price, performance boats built for specific applications are readily available.

The second requirement for all fast boats, is a skilled driver. Having a fast boat is not enough. Did you know that there are many boaters that have never taken a proper boat driving course? This leaves plenty of recreational boaters that don’t have a clue about what is required to be a competent boat driver, let alone at high speeds. If you play tennis, even just among friends, you would likely take a lesson, so why don’t people take boat driving lessons, despite that fact that a lack of skill in boating can kill? Once you identify a boat that matches your ‘need for speed,' it is necessary to learn and practice the correct driving techniques.

Because it is not easy to drive a boat at its upper limits, some boaters find themselves driving over their heads. Others do not even realize it. The adrenaline rush from driving fast on water can be very addictive, and there is a point in learning to drive a fast boat where you figure that you should push beyond your comfort zone to learn more. This is where speed is dangerous; but only if you let it be. When learning and you hit one of these “should I push it?“ plateaus... don’t be tempted. Be honest with yourself. Simply continue to practice what you have been doing. You will soon come to the point when you have the necessary confidence and ability to go to the next level. On your first skiing adventure you wouldn't race downhill slalom. With basic bicycle training, you don’t enter the Tour de France. Instead, you repeat what you know well until you're comfortable and well-prepared to move onto the next step. In boating you must be purposed and patient, or be labelled dangerous.

Remember that accidents always come as a surprise. No boater ever says, “I think I’ll go boating today and have an accident." In fact, if you were able to go back in time, just a few seconds before any accident, you could probably take the necessary steps to avoid the problem. It’s also important to note the huge driving difference between a boat and a car. When driving a car, there are stretches of road where the chances of a nasty surprise are very low. But when driving on water, the surprises requiring driver attention appear far more frequently. The water surface is always changing, requiring you to continually adjust your driving actions. Traffic can come from multiple directions and at widely varying speeds. Of course, the faster you drive, the more surprises you encounter and the faster you come upon them. All the more necessary to perfect those boat driving skills before attempting to drive a performance boat.

My wife likes speed sports, but it took her several years of professional instruction before she became a safe member of the “150 MPH Club." Now she is not just a fast boat driver, but she is well prepared to handle any problems that can happen under normal driving conditions.

From these facts, we can draw the conclusion that fast boating is not dangerous; it is the driver who permits his ego and false confidence to let him drive a boat beyond his training. A qualified fast boater follows the rules including speed limits, saves open throttle for wide open spaces, matches his speed to water conditions, and remembers that a car has brakes and a boat doesn’t. Speed alone does not warrant a judgment. You may be looking at a person who can drive a boat better than you. #tips