National Association of State Boating Law Administrators Engineering, Reporting & Analysis Committee Recommended Guidance for Investigators and BARD-Web Data Entry Personnel: Vessel Type, Activity, Operation--Terms and Definitions (Revised August 2010) THE CHARGE Develop recommended guidelines--reporting guidance and definitions--for investigators and BARD-Web data entry personnel on Vessel Types, Operation at time of boating accident, and Activity at time of accident. PURPOSE • To improve incident reporting and entry of report data by: o Being more specific in accident report options already available, and expanding options to help discourage the practice of defaulting to a catch-all “Other” category; o Creating new terms and definitions and clarifying existing ones to lessen confusion over which categories should be used to record accident investigation findings; • Ultimately, to achieve a more detailed set of data and information for future analyses of recreational boating safety issues and program effectiveness. BACKGROUND In 2009--after analyzing accident report data and finding issues with existing reporting categories, variations in definitions and coding, and overall data accuracy-- an ERAC project team developed recommended guidance for terms and definitions associated with Accident Types and Contributing Factors/Causes (“Recommended Guidelines for Investigators and BARD-Web Data Entry Personnel: Types of Boating Accidents and Contributing Factors/Causes Defined”). This 2010 product is an extension of that work, in response to similar inconsistencies and high levels of missing data identified by other ERAC teams in three additional areas—Vessel Types, and the Activity and Operation at the time of the accident. 1 The 2009 work to modify the Accident Types and Contributing Factors/Causes was facilitated by the existence of a baseline of terms and definitions drawn from the CG-449 working draft,2 the BARD-Web Online Data Dictionary, a recent update of the Ohio Watercraft Incident Reporting Manual,3 and fields appearing on the 1 All products available for download at http://nasbla.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3305 2 The U.S. Coast Guard “Standard Method of Reporting (Boating Accidents) CG 449” working draft. 3 Issued by the Division of Watercraft, Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources (updated 01/2009). 1 most recent version of the Coast Guard’s CG-3865 Recreational Boating Accident Report.4 However, at the time work was initiated on this Vessel Types, Activity and Operation guidance, the references were limited to partial lists of terms within 33 CFR 173.57 (Contents of report), with no accompanying definitions.5 As a result, this 2010 project has used as its baseline comparable lists of terms and definitions from the aforementioned Ohio manual. PROJECT’S RELATIONSHIP TO PROPOSED RULEMAKING BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD In May 2010, the Coast Guard issued a long-awaited notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to align and modernize terms used across the Standard Numbering System, Vessel Identification System, and Boating Accident Report Database [USCG-2003-14963]. The proposal affects 33 CFR Parts 173, 174, 181 and 187. Proposed changes to 33 CFR Part 173 as outlined in the NPRM that are relevant to the content of both the 2009 and 2010 ERAC charge work on terms and definitions include: • Authorized terms for Vessel Types and definitions for the following (intended to be used across all three systems): airboat, auxiliary sail, cabin motorboat, houseboat, inflatable, open motorboat, paddlecraft, personal watercraft, pontoon boat, rowboat, and sail only. • Definitions for two of the proposed authorized terms for Activity at time of accident: towed watersports and whitewater boating. • Three revised, authorized terms for Operation (of vessel at time of incident): maintaining course and speed, changing course, and changing speed. • Authorized terms for Activity (at time of incident) expanded to include terms previously associated with Operation (of vessel at time of incident) and updated.. • Authorized terms for Type of Incident (Accident Type). Only the first proposed CFR modification presented above affects all three data systems; the others apply only to casualty reporting. The 2009 ERAC guidelines product for Accident Types and Contributing Factors/Causes does not appear to have been factored into the development of the proposed list of authorized terms for the Type of Incident, and the committee’s 2010 work on Vessel Types, Activity and Operation was already under way when the NPRM was issued. However, all terms and definitions—from this current project and 2009 work—are being used in the development of the NASBLA response to the NPRM.6 As a result of this review, which will continue until mid-October, there are likely to be further refinements to this proposed guidance. VESSEL TYPES, ACTIVITY and OPERATION Vessel Types: The recommended guidance on these terms and definitions features a significant expansion of available reporting options. The purpose is to encourage more specificity and consistency in casualty reporting and, ultimately, improve the vessel data used to inform recreational boating safety policies and programs. Two lists are presented—the first shows the Vessel Types in alphabetical order (pp. 4-6); the second (pp. 7-10) rolls 4 Rev. 07-08. 5 For example: “§ 173.57(21) Type of vessel operation (cruising, drifting, fishing, hunting, skiing, racing or other), and the type of accident (capsizing, sinking, fire, or explosion or other)”; “§ 173.57(23) Make, model, type (open, cabin, house or other)….” 6 Per the NPRM, the deadline for submission of comments was Aug. 5, 2010; however, NASBLA and NMMA requested a deadline extension due to the comprehensive nature of the proposed rulemaking and to accommodate gathering additional feedback from their respective memberships. On Aug. 16, 2010, the Coast Guard reopened the public comment period, with a new deadline of Oct. 15, 2010. 2 each type into one of 12 broad categories coinciding with the 12 proposed authorized terms for Vessel Types from the above mentioned Coast Guard NPRM . This would align with the terms proposed to be used across the SNS, VIS and BARD data systems,7 while still allowing officers/investigators the ability to reach into a subset of terms that give more information about the vessel’s distinguishing characteristics and configurations. Activity: In this recommended guidance on pp. 11-12, the terms and definitions reflect the purpose(s) of the boating trip the day of the incident. Operation: The terms and definitions presented on pp. 13-14 are distinguished from those in the Activity category, by reflecting “how” the vessel was being operated at the time of the incident. 7 Differences in proposed definitions for these terms, however, still need to be reconciled as part of the comment development process. 3 VESSEL TYPES (Alphabetical list) Airboat: A vessel with a solid hull that is propelled using an engine that produces air thrust. This type of vessel does not include “ground effect” as a means of propulsion (i.e., Hovercraft). Bass Boat: A type of open motorboat; generally, an outboard powered fishing vessel aimed at inland bass fishing. Usually distinguished by a small, two (2) or three (3) occupant cockpit with carpeted decking covering most of the rest of the vessel. Decking usually has two built-in sockets, one fore and one aft, for the insertion of pedestal fishing seats for use only when the vessel is still or moving slowly, usually propelled by a bow mounted electric trolling motor. [This type of vessel often is used in bass fishing tournaments.] Bay Boat: A type of center console open motorboat; typically with a modified V hull design to facilitate shallow water operation, may include a tunnel cutout in the hull and hydraulic jack plate for additional shallow water operation capability. Bow Rider Runabout: A type of open motorboat; a Runabout, typically between 17 and 30 feet in length, with an open bow area where there are extra seats in front of the helm station.. Cabin Cruiser: A motorboat with a cabin that can be completely closed by means of doors or hatches. [Large motorboats with cabins, even though referred to as yachts, are considered to be cabin cruisers.] Canoe (designate type: whitewater, recreational, square back, touring, decked, inflatable, etc.): A long light narrow vessel, usually sharp at both ends with curved sides and usually propelled by single blade hand-driven paddles. [There are a number of different types of canoes, and the specific type of canoe should be designated.] Center Console Boat: A type of open motorboat; a single-decked open hull vessel where the console is in the center of the vessel. The vessel deck surrounds the console so that a person can walk all around from stern to bow with ease. Cuddy Cabin Motorboat: A type of open motorboat; a vessel with a small cabin and maybe a small galley and small head. It may also have a small berth. Typically, the cuddy is not tall enough to stand in. Also known as a Day Cruiser. Day Cruiser: See Cuddy Cabin Motorboat. Deck Boat: A type of open motorboat; a vessel with large open spaces in the interior and ample seating, typically with a deep-V or tri-hull construction that increases maneuverability. Drift Boat: A type of rowboat. Design characterized by a wide, flat bottom for low draft; flared sides; a narrow, flat bow, often mistaken for the transom; and a pointed stern. Specialized to run rapids on rivers. [Also known as the McKenzie dory or Rogue River dory, the vessel is an evolution of the open-water dory, converted for use in running rapids on rivers. First appeared on the McKenzie River in Oregon in the mid-20th century.] 4 Fish and Ski Boat: A type of bowrider open motorboat; designed as a compromise between a Bass Boat and family Runabout. Equipped with bow mounted trolling motor and decking for fishing, but also additional seating and conventional full walk-through windshield design.