3 ms·

This feels a bit like blaming the victim. There are any number of things that can go wrong which may or may not be under your control. Specifically, the Great L

by beart 2y ago

This feels a bit like blaming the victim. There are any number of things that can go wrong which may or may not be under your control. Specifically, the Great Lakes are more like seas than lakes. They have rip currents that can unexpectedly get you into trouble.

akira2501 2y ago
The robot brings you a flotation device. You should have one of those already. You should be wearing it if you're on the water for exactly the reason you've stated. Almost no one actually does this. I've lived and fished on the lake for years. It's great for recreation. Way too many people do so entirely unprepared and often drastically underestimate the impacts of alcohol out on a boat in the hot sun.
- WheatMillington 2y ago
  Does the US have regulations around this? Here in New Zealand a boat must carry a life jacket for every person on board, and kids must wear a life jacket at all times. On vessels over 6 metres all people onboard must wear a life jacket at all times, unless the skipper has performed a safety assessment and advises they don't need to (e.g. on a ferry it's extremely unlikely anyone would have to wear a life jacket, but a charter fishing vessel may).
  - gknoy 2y ago
    > Does the US have regulations around this? I would be _very surprised_ if we did not have regulations about this, similar to seat belt laws. But the problem is probably enforcement. Nothing stops people from having a life vest on in port, and then taking them off once they are "away from the nannies" or whatever excuse people use when drinking. I have only been on a boat rarely, but I don't recall seeing any kindof police on jetskis or boats that would go check on whether people had safety equipment on and then ticket them.
  - ben7799 2y ago
    The US has regulations on all of this but they are routinely ignored by people who can't swim but own boats. Small boat owners are required to have the life jackets on board but they can be hidden under the seats of a boat or inside a hatch and that will be OK even when you are inspected by the coast guard. Small children are the only ones required to wear their life jacket. Larger vessels have to have the life jackets but no one wears a life jacket. Most of these vessels the captain will explain where they are but the crew would be required to get them out in an emergency. Most of the small boat owners I've known wouldn't have much chance of retrieving life jackets from fastened compartments on their boat if it flipped and they were thrown from the boat. One of the worst accidents I've seen was a small commercial lobster boat on fire. The crew were all hanging off the back of the boat without their life jackets and had pointed the boat into the harbor. Luckily the coast guard was there to save the day.
  - itishappy 2y ago
    Federal law requires all individuals under the age of 13 to wear a life jacket when underway. State laws vary. Enforcement and adherence are poor. The only place I've ever seen operators make a shtick is commercial boat tours. Nobody cares if you're out fishing or drinking with the boys.
  - jacobgkau 2y ago
    Yes. There's a patchwork of state laws, and there are federal Coast Guard requirements that cover states without their own laws. Generally, children have to wear life jackets, and there needs to be one for every adult on board. Depending on the state, adults may be required to wear them on certain types of boats or when transiting over certain underwater features.
- daemonologist 2y ago
  The robot in the article seems to be mainly focused on swimmers, who usually wouldn't have a flotation device, rather than boaters.
WheatMillington 2y ago
We wouldn't need seat belts if we simply didn't crash.
- shagie 2y ago
  Seatbelts don't save the lives of pedestrians either. No floatation devices are required for swimming. The robots were a donation from a family that lost their daughter going out swimming two years ago. https://www.wndu.com/2024/06/11/water-rescue-drones-donated-help-prevent-drowning-deaths-lake-michigan/ https://www.wndu.com/2024/06/11/water-rescue-drones-donated-... ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (WNDU) - Emily MacDonald and Kory Ernster were just 19 and 22 and on a family vacation when their lives were cut short at South Haven’s South Beach on Aug. 8, 2022. Since then, their families have worked tirelessly for education and legislation related to water safety. As a part of these efforts, the MacDonalds and the Ernsters donated two E.M.I.L.Y. rescue drones on Monday afternoon to lifeguard crews at St. Joseph and New Buffalo beaches. “It’s just a coincidence that it’s named E.M.I.L.Y., and Emily was the beautiful girl that fell victim to drowning on that day, but it just works out to be a perfect tribute,” said Stephen Ernster, father of Kory.

by beart 2y ago

akira2501 2y ago

The robot brings you a flotation device. You should have one of those already. You should be wearing it if you're on the water for exactly the reason you've stated. Almost no one actually does this. I've lived and fished on the lake for years. It's great for recreation. Way too many people do so entirely unprepared and often drastically underestimate the impacts of alcohol out on a boat in the hot sun.

WheatMillington 2y ago
Does the US have regulations around this? Here in New Zealand a boat must carry a life jacket for every person on board, and kids must wear a life jacket at all times. On vessels over 6 metres all people onboard must wear a life jacket at all times, unless the skipper has performed a safety assessment and advises they don't need to (e.g. on a ferry it's extremely unlikely anyone would have to wear a life jacket, but a charter fishing vessel may).
- gknoy 2y ago
  > Does the US have regulations around this? I would be _very surprised_ if we did not have regulations about this, similar to seat belt laws. But the problem is probably enforcement. Nothing stops people from having a life vest on in port, and then taking them off once they are "away from the nannies" or whatever excuse people use when drinking. I have only been on a boat rarely, but I don't recall seeing any kindof police on jetskis or boats that would go check on whether people had safety equipment on and then ticket them.
- ben7799 2y ago
  The US has regulations on all of this but they are routinely ignored by people who can't swim but own boats. Small boat owners are required to have the life jackets on board but they can be hidden under the seats of a boat or inside a hatch and that will be OK even when you are inspected by the coast guard. Small children are the only ones required to wear their life jacket. Larger vessels have to have the life jackets but no one wears a life jacket. Most of these vessels the captain will explain where they are but the crew would be required to get them out in an emergency. Most of the small boat owners I've known wouldn't have much chance of retrieving life jackets from fastened compartments on their boat if it flipped and they were thrown from the boat. One of the worst accidents I've seen was a small commercial lobster boat on fire. The crew were all hanging off the back of the boat without their life jackets and had pointed the boat into the harbor. Luckily the coast guard was there to save the day.
- itishappy 2y ago
  Federal law requires all individuals under the age of 13 to wear a life jacket when underway. State laws vary. Enforcement and adherence are poor. The only place I've ever seen operators make a shtick is commercial boat tours. Nobody cares if you're out fishing or drinking with the boys.
- jacobgkau 2y ago
  Yes. There's a patchwork of state laws, and there are federal Coast Guard requirements that cover states without their own laws. Generally, children have to wear life jackets, and there needs to be one for every adult on board. Depending on the state, adults may be required to wear them on certain types of boats or when transiting over certain underwater features.
daemonologist 2y ago
The robot in the article seems to be mainly focused on swimmers, who usually wouldn't have a flotation device, rather than boaters.

WheatMillington 2y ago

We wouldn't need seat belts if we simply didn't crash.

shagie 2y ago
Seatbelts don't save the lives of pedestrians either. No floatation devices are required for swimming. The robots were a donation from a family that lost their daughter going out swimming two years ago. https://www.wndu.com/2024/06/11/water-rescue-drones-donated-help-prevent-drowning-deaths-lake-michigan/ https://www.wndu.com/2024/06/11/water-rescue-drones-donated-... ST. JOSEPH, Mich. (WNDU) - Emily MacDonald and Kory Ernster were just 19 and 22 and on a family vacation when their lives were cut short at South Haven’s South Beach on Aug. 8, 2022. Since then, their families have worked tirelessly for education and legislation related to water safety. As a part of these efforts, the MacDonalds and the Ernsters donated two E.M.I.L.Y. rescue drones on Monday afternoon to lifeguard crews at St. Joseph and New Buffalo beaches. “It’s just a coincidence that it’s named E.M.I.L.Y., and Emily was the beautiful girl that fell victim to drowning on that day, but it just works out to be a perfect tribute,” said Stephen Ernster, father of Kory.