Why are small boats required to have flotation, and why are there different requirements.?
Back in the 50’s and 60’s the old Boating Industry Association (now NMMA) and the Yacht Safety Bureau (now ABYC) realized that one of the main reasons people died in boat accidents was the boat sank out from under them. Sounds obvious but it wasn’t really. Then in the 1970’s a lot of research was done into hypothermia, and the two came together. It was realized that if the boat did not sink, it would give the people something to hang onto, that could be seen much better than just a head sticking out of the water, and if the boat, although full of water, did not sink, or roll over, then the people could actually stay in the boat. Most of their torso would be out of the water reducing the effects of hypothermia, and providing a much better rescue platform. So work started on developing a standard for flotation. Through testing and experiments techniques were developed that would provide enough flotation to keep a small boat afloat, and floating relatively level. However, this did not wor
