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How tour boats are inspected for safety

The deadly sinking of a duck boat in Missouri raises questions about how tour boats are inspected. We have answers, tips, and a link to get your own boat a safety inspection for free.

The sinking of a tour boat in Missouri that killed 17 people put a spotlight on the safety of passenger vessels this week.

This particular case is frustrating to people who work in boat safety because the type of boat that sank is known to have special safety issues.

The “duck boat” or DUKW is a military boat that can also drive on land. This fact has made them a popular choice for tour companies because they are easily converted into giant tour busses that can also drive through water.

The US Coast Guard told ABC10 that there are no DUKW boats in passenger service in our region. However, tour boats of similar size that do operate here are required to undergo annual inspections.

We’ll take a look at some things to think about to survive an incident on any tour boat -- and even some resources to get a free safety inspection of a recreational boat your own.

Known issues with duck boats

In an NTSB report on a 1999 sinking of a DUKW, called the Miss Majestic, which killed 13 people in an Arkansas lake, the Missouri company involved in this week’s sinking said it was taking proactive steps to prevent fatalities in the event of a sinking DUKW.

“A Missouri company, Ride the Ducks, stated that it was building a prototype aluminum DUKW that incorporated foam buoyancy into the design in accordance with the recommended action.”

A similar tragedy occurring now will prompt a re-examination of the recommendations made nearly 2 decades ago, which included backup floatation devices in the event A DUKW takes on water and also recommendations to keep passengers from being trapped inside when the boats go down.

Much like the Missouri incident, the 1999 sinking also involved a DUKW with an overhead canopy meant to protect passengers from heat and rain above—which ended up trapping them inside.

The same NTSB report said canopies “can represent an unacceptable risk to passenger safety” because when the Miss Majestic sank to the lake bed, “the natural buoyancy of the passengers’ bodies forced them into the overhead canopy, which acted like a net to entrap them and to prevent their vertical escape.”

On any boat, take the safety lecture seriously

Regardless of the make and model of boat, it requires annual Coast Guard inspections in order to carry between six and 150 paying passengers. Bigger boats and ships fall into a different category with even more requirements.

The Coast Guard refers to these as T-boats because of the section of federal law that applies to them.

The annual inspection is meant to be exhaustive and includes not only an examination of the boat’s equipment, but also of its crew and procedures. The crew is required to conduct fire and man-overboard drills to demonstrate compliance with safety requirements.

The ability to escape (egress) is part of the safety inspection, but it is a requirement that is also allowed to be tailor-made to each specific boat.

This means that, unlike the airline safety lecture that many of us ignore before we fly, the safety lecture on each boat is going to be different. So, instead of taking a selfie during the safety lecture, you’re better off making sure you know how to find a life jacket and an exit point in the event of an emergency on the boat on which you’re riding.

Get a free safety check on your own boat

Personal recreational boats can have some of the same safety problems as tour boats, but aren’t required to have an annual safety inspection. But you CAN get one—for free!

Not only can you get an expert set of eyes on your boat’s setup, but it can save you time later. If the authorities see your sticker from the voluntary inspection, they may not opt to board your boat to check it for safety while you’re enjoying your day on the water.

You can request a free “vessel safety check” online from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary by filling out their online form.

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