ourswimmer:
The questions you raise are those many of us have, and are unlikely to be answered. However, getting Sarasota engaged *here* would seem to be important and salutary, especially if changes can be made and a new insurance regime put in place for 2014. Going forward, it is in my opinion critical that USMS hire outside safety and risk consultants and not try to go it alone in contracting with insurers.
You could try to pose questions here:
owsupport@usms.org
Could USMS have done something different, and if so at what price?
Keeping in mind that I was not privy to the details of what went on, I don't think the cost of coverage is the only issue, I would imagine the extent and type of coverage was also an issue. When you sanction something like 150 OW races a year the chances that *something* will happen in one of them every so often has to be pretty significant.
I look at USAT and -- at the risk of being insensitive -- they have people dying all the time in their events, often in the swim portion. Granted that dying of a heart attack or what have you is different then what happened in Maui, I have to wonder: what kind of coverage do THEY have? I think their annual membership fee is comparable to ours.
Then again maybe Maui is being held against USMS making it harder to find cheap insurance. Like having a pre-existing condition or something... :-)
Did USMS take it away? Or did USMS's insurance carrier take it away, as a condition of providing the insurance coverage that surely everyone agrees is absolutely necessary?Technically I would say it was USMS who took it away. However, the decisions of the USMS Board of Directors was based on requirements from our insurance carrier. Basically the Board had 2 options:
Option 1 – make the requirements set forth by our insurance carrier mandatory for sanctioned open water swims and have insurance coverage in place for sanctioned open water events
Option 2 – disregard the requirements set forth by our insurance carrier and take our chances sanctioning uninsured events
The Board went with option 1.
Installation of such devices is not benign. Holes need to be drilled into the drive housing for through bolt mounting.Actually for the past few years there have been a number of propeller guards on the market that do not require drilling into the motor.
When you are in the middle of MIMS in the Hudson River and a cruise ship decides to pull out of its dock...it is pretty helpful to have a boat with some speed and maneuverability to intervene.A general rule of thumb, if a cruise ship decides to pull out of its dock or a barge is steaming down the middle of the river; you don’t need a boat with some speed and maneuverability to intervene. You need to get out of the way!
I haven't seen any. And the photos of "approved" USMS prop guards don't illustrate that type of mounting option either.
Link?Dave,
The first photo of “Examples of allowable Propeller guards” in the Open Water Sanction Guidelines www.usms.org/.../owgto_sanctions.pdf is of a SwimGuard– Standard - Marine Propeller Guard from MariTech www.maritechind.com/swimguard.html
According to their web site features:
Customized for a perfect fit from the smallest (9.9 hp) to the largest motors.
Can be installed and maintained with boat in the water.
Easy on - No drilling or mounting holes required.
Easy off - Can be taken off and reinstalled quickly, allowing for mission or job specific use.
Note: I have not personally verified MariTech’s claims, but I’ll take them at their word for now.
If only we could "insure" absolutely all of our actions and the actions of others that cause us harm -- no one wants catastrophe ---
Open water swims won't cease to exist for the adventurous. For those that require "insurance" then their choices will obviously be limited in the future - maybe even to the point of paralysis. They will have to stick to the blue line on the bottom of the pool. For me, I'm going to keep swimming in the open water. I keep my health and life insurance current as a way to protect myself and my family. For those that swam the Arizona S.C.A.R. Swim last year and this year - it's an adventure that has not associated with USMS nor is it insured. Perhaps this is naive on my part and exposes me to "lawsuits" but I'm focused on the front-end safety of the event.
I don't rely or expect some other organization to give me the "green light" or make an event "legitimate." I just want to swim and be in the open water with those that have a similar love of open water swimming. I still belong to USMS and understand their concerns - I just don't feel like I need their blessing before getting in the water.
Kent Nicholas
S.C.A.R. Swim Organizer (volunteer)
Attorney
Uh, there's no place in PA called College Station, just FYI :)
See, outside of Pa, who actually know that fact? I don't what Chris was implying in his post then. :-)
Will the new regulations be harder for events to get people with motor boats to volunteer for events? I don't know about all insurance companies, but some charge a few for naming an "additional insured"
Also, if someone has a boat but doesn't have a prop guard, will they take the time to install one or have one installed for a single day event?
Getting volunteers for events can be difficult enough, esp. newer events. Having them to make changes on their own dime might make it even more difficult for all races involved.
Will the new regulations be harder for events to get people with motor boats to volunteer for events? I don't know about all insurance companies, but some charge a few for naming an "additional insured"
Also, if someone has a boat but doesn't have a prop guard, will they take the time to install one or have one installed for a single day event?
Getting volunteers for events can be difficult enough, esp. newer events. Having them to make changes on their own dime might make it even more difficult for all races involved.
Yes
Probably not. Installation of such devices is not benign. Holes need to be drilled into the drive housing for through bolt mounting.
No doubt about it.
I believe the gold standard for event safety has been established by the directors of La Traversee International du Lac St Jean. They operate with a fleet of event owned escort boats, and have a facility with a dozen hospital beds set up about 50 yards from the finish line.
It simply is not possible for other events to duplicate.
Actually for the past few years there have been a number of propeller guards on the market that do not require drilling into the motor.
I haven't seen any. And the photos of "approved" USMS prop guards don't illustrate that type of mounting option either.
Link?
