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Old 04-29-2014, 02:56 PM   #21
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okay so maybe you are not a sissy, sharks would make me nervous


I shot this video while diving in the Bahamas.

For some reason I feel more comfortable diving with sharks than walking the docks at night with gators lying next to them. I spooked one (gator) the other night while walking down the ramp and when it made a big splash to dive it nearly scared me to death.

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Old 04-29-2014, 03:11 PM   #22
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Electrocution while swimming in marinas between improperly grounded boats and the pedestal is killing more people every year, especially in fresh water. Salt water is not as bad but it can still cause a pretty good tingle.
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Old 04-29-2014, 03:18 PM   #23
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Electrocution while swimming in marinas between improperly grounded boats and the pedestal is killing more people every year, especially in fresh water.
Really? I didn't realize that! How would you check for something like that at your local marina? Stick a lightbulb in the water to see if it lights up?
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Old 04-29-2014, 04:02 PM   #24
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Here is a document on the entire subject from Boat US:

http://www.boatus.com/seaworthy/asse...ock-safety.pdf

Here is another document. Shorter, more readable.

http://www.esfi.org/index.cfm/pk/dow...3121/pid/10272

The fact is that electrical systems need to be checked for leaks but it's not just the marina. Several tests have shown from 25% to 40% of boats to have leaks. Problems are often seen first when zincs are deteriorating quickly and when galvanic corrosion is abnormally high. Plus if anyone feels any tingle in the water it's time to get out and fix something.
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Old 05-10-2014, 08:04 AM   #25
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Sorry. While a slick pdf document, it's clearly written by lawyers and electricians.

This is another case of let's focus on something that may kill one person a year, if that, so we can ignore the policies and behaviors that kill thousands if not more.
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Old 05-10-2014, 12:49 PM   #26
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Sorry. While a slick pdf document, it's clearly written by lawyers and electricians.

This is another case of let's focus on something that may kill one person a year, if that, so we can ignore the policies and behaviors that kill thousands if not more.
Perhaps, but it's been far more than one person and would you feel the same if the two kids just killed were your children?

The other aspect of the issue is the problems people are experiencing with the electric components and systems of their boats due to leakages on docks and other boats at the marina. Many people are replacing batteries and other parts only to have them go bad again, finding their zincs lasting no time, experiencing a high level of corrosion and mechanics being slow to figure out it's coming from the docks. I know one marina on the lake we were on and a boat dealer nearby was amazed at the zincs on every boat they serviced there until they checked.

To you it may be lawyers and electricians. To me, stray electricity at marinas is something that needs to be checked and monitored. More and more are doing so, using proper equipment, and have no issues. But I'm sure you've pulled up to those as have I where the wiring was old and ragged looking and extension cords running around the place and the boxes and panels belonged on American Pickers as vintage rusty items they like rather than in actual use.

Requiring GFCI's and ELCI's just isn't that big of a requirement. A land home has the requirements so why not boats and marinas.

Just because there are policies and behaviors that can kill thousands doesn't mean electric safety at marinas isn't worthwhile as well. It's a lot easier to achieve than some of the other things you might suggest. I agree I'd rather eliminate all wars given the two choices, but still don't want kids electrocuted at the docks. When I was growing up, I would bet that no more than 25% of the docks on our lake were actually wired by licensed electricians. The houses were, the businesses were, and they all underwent inspections. But the docks weren't. Today in the county we lived in they are all inspected. In the adjacent county not so much.
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Old 05-10-2014, 01:04 PM   #27
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Last fall a dock electrical box in our marina exploded, we ere lucky a fire didn't break out. The marina spent a few hundred thousand in upgrades since then, both electrical and a new fire suppression system. I'm glad they did. And no, we wouldn't consider swimming in a marina that's just common sense.
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Old 05-10-2014, 03:31 PM   #28
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Last fall a dock electrical box in our marina exploded, we ere lucky a fire didn't break out. The marina spent a few hundred thousand in upgrades since then, both electrical and a new fire suppression system. I'm glad they did. And no, we wouldn't consider swimming in a marina that's just common sense.
That's really the bigger issue too is boat and dock fires due to faulty wiring and lack of proper safety. We once pulled into a small dock that had had a fire so no electric at the dock (just a 200' or so side tie). But they had a box up in the yard and were running extension cords (well, more like cables) from it. We used our generator instead of hooking up. The boat in front of us plugged into it.
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Old 05-10-2014, 04:17 PM   #29
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Come to most marinas in the Eastern Caribbean. The electricians take every shortcut possible, and the majority of boats do not have holding tanks. A "deadly" combination, especially as the voltage is generally 240 European.

Last friend who got in the water in a marina in St. Lucia was treated to a serious session of disinfectant and ear cleaning.
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Old 05-11-2014, 06:06 AM   #30
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200 documented cases of "electric shock drowning cases" in US fresh water marinas as stated on the USCG website.

I know one of the people given a grant by USCG and BoatUS to study the issue. He has some interesting reading on the matter in the "Documents" section of his website here.

One of the problems with the issue is that both Captain Rifkin, BoatUS and USCG are convinced that the numbers are grossly understated and many of the known fatalities were originally noted as drownings.

The case that started the whole investigation was the death of young Lucas Ritz. Lucas' father (Kevin)did not believe his son drowned and pushed for further investigation. Kevin has posted on explaining the incident.
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Old 05-11-2014, 09:32 AM   #31
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It happened in Portland a couple years back.. mom watched her son starting to "drown" and went into the water to save him.. she was also hit and incapacitated.. luckily she was within reach by someone on the dock and was saved.. her son wasn't so lucky. Electricity and fresh water are a bad combo..and it only takes a trickle to be deadly.
I got hit when I did a favor and unwrapped a pot warp that got tangled around my buds passenger ferry that needed to be done in a hurry to make a scheduled run... I think I pissed in my wetsuit when the electricity went through me.

It made me a believer
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Old 05-11-2014, 09:53 AM   #32
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A few years back we observed a looper boat anchoring out in a small harbor that adjoins Lake Michigan. Within minutes of setting the anchor, the couple jumped off the stern and began soaping down. Unfortunately they didn't realize that the sewage plant at the head of the harbor had a sizeable spill the night before and had dumped thousands of gallons of raw sewage into the inlet. I stopped a passing dinghy and suggested they motor over to the "bathers" with the news. They looked like two of those Sea World performing dolphins coming straight up out of the water.
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Old 05-12-2014, 08:23 AM   #33
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Boy, if anybody were to suggest no swimming at our marina, they'd think you had lost your mind. 400 boat marina. People have elaborate blow-up swim toys and platforms, houseboats have slides into the water, people have those scooter/puller things that pull a swimmer around. Every time we come and go I have to check wind speed, direction, and swimmers in the water.
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Old 05-12-2014, 10:15 AM   #34
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Electricity aside ... swimming in the marina is like kids playing at the residential intersection. Is it safe? No. Is it smart? No. People still do it ... and blame the driver when accident happens.
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Old 05-12-2014, 10:39 AM   #35
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Hollywood: "I think I pissed in my wetsuit"

I thought that was required, to get the water temp up in a hurry.
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Old 05-12-2014, 10:40 AM   #36
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Electricity aside ... swimming in the marina is like kids playing at the residential intersection. Is it safe? No. Is it smart? No. People still do it ... and blame the driver when accident happens.
For just those reasons, almost all marinas we frequent do not allow it. The nicer ones have a beach area of some sort for it or a pool, but no swimming by the docks. Also no fishing off the docks as most boaters prefer not having fishing line wrapped around their props.
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Old 05-12-2014, 10:40 AM   #37
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I gotta tell you. I am a will be checking out our boat this weekend.

Can anyone suggest a quick and easy way to spot check around boats? I understand the procedure but where can you pull ground from while standing on the dock?

Swimming, at a marina is not a good idea. I can agree to that. what about if someone falls in? or reaches in to grab a dropped item? it is nothing for me to take my long handled (aluminum) net and scoop trash.
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Old 05-12-2014, 04:40 PM   #38
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The marina I am at has it done on a regular basis, once a quarter, I believe. You may ask your marina if they do and obtain the records. While the one I am at does do that, they did nothing to a boat other than to ask them to isolate their problem for over a year. As a steel boat owner that lack of enforcement cost me.
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