Capt steve
Well-known member
I received a recent notification from the USCG regarding the tour boat that hit a tree. I hope it’s ok to post it word for word here. I did a cut and paste. I’m a tech idiot.
Well here it is:
A Delayed Repair Can Bite You in the Derriere Performing prompt maintenance
is critical!
Recently, several passengers onboard a commercial airboat tour were injured
when the boat lost steering and hit a tree. Fortunately, there were only a
few serious injuries because the boat was not underway at full speed when
the accident occurred. This Safety Alert serves as a reminder to vessel
owners, operators and those who repair these vessels of the importance of
recognizing risks and ensuring proper maintenance and repairs are made to
minimize risk.
On some airboats, steering is achieved by directing the flow of (propulsion)
fan air across two vertically placed rudder foils. As the foil position is
changed the directional thrust acting on the stern of the vessel varies.
The foils move in tandem because of a linkage between the two foils. The
steering cable is typically only connected to one of them. The end of the
body of the steering cable is secured to the vessel and locked in place by
two nuts. (Image A) Attached near this fitting is a sleeve which covers the
final end of the enclosed cable. The end of the sleeve is bellowed outwards
and inserted into the end of the main cable body which is then crimped
inward. (Image A) This joint is covered by a rubber boot to prevent dirt and
debris from entering into the cable body and interfering with the enclosed
cable's movement. The crimped connection allows for some angular movement
at the end of the cable.
Over time, the crimped connection can become deformed due to the stresses
occurring at the joint. Ultimately, in this case, the parts separated and
the end of the cable lost its linear rigidity, putting slack into the
control cable and causing a loss of control of the steering foils. (Image
C) In this instance, the rubber boot covering the joint was found to be
damaged and there appeared to be tool marks at the location of the joint.
It's likely that in the past the joint was held compressed together by the
use of Vice-grip type pliers. The person who may have placed the Vice-grips
on the connections failed to recognize the potential risk of a loss of
steering should the connection fail. It was not proper to make repairs in
this instance and the cable should have been completely replaced.
The following image shows a Morse/Teleflex/Cablecraft "type" push-pull
control cable assembly sleeve connection point that was fatigued and had
begun to fail.
Throughout the history of Marine Safety and Prevention activities,
inadequate or improper maintenance and repairs, combined with the failure to
recognize potential risks as a result of those maintenance and repair
efforts, have led to numerous marine casualties involving substantial
injuries, fatalities, environmental damage and economic costs to the
involved parties. The causal factors behind the decisions to perform
inadequate or improper maintenance or improper repairs oftentimes are
related to economic factors which limit the available options to those
involved, causing them to make a poor decision.
As a result of this information and other similar instances the Coast Guard
strongly recommends to owners and operators and those involved with the
maintenance of these and all vessel types:
. To develop an operational paradigm where maintenance and repair
items are evaluated carefully, recognizing the potentials risks associated
with their operation should the repair or maintenance item not be properly
performed or achieved in a timely manner.
. For airboat operators specifically: Owners and operators of
airboats that use flexible type steering control cables are reminded of the
need to thoroughly inspect cables before use, including areas under the dust
boots. Due to the forces encountered on airboat applications, owners are
also encouraged to ensure these cables are properly maintained and to
immediately replace a worn cable. Owners are discouraged from attempting to
repair a factory crimp.
This Safety Alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not
relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material
requirement. This information has been developed by the Marine
Investigators at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Saint Petersburg. Distributed by
the Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis, Washington DC.
Questions may be sent to HQS-PF-fldr-CG-INV@uscg.mil.
Well that’s it. Check those cables and connections carefully fellas. Be safe out there
Well here it is:
A Delayed Repair Can Bite You in the Derriere Performing prompt maintenance
is critical!
Recently, several passengers onboard a commercial airboat tour were injured
when the boat lost steering and hit a tree. Fortunately, there were only a
few serious injuries because the boat was not underway at full speed when
the accident occurred. This Safety Alert serves as a reminder to vessel
owners, operators and those who repair these vessels of the importance of
recognizing risks and ensuring proper maintenance and repairs are made to
minimize risk.
On some airboats, steering is achieved by directing the flow of (propulsion)
fan air across two vertically placed rudder foils. As the foil position is
changed the directional thrust acting on the stern of the vessel varies.
The foils move in tandem because of a linkage between the two foils. The
steering cable is typically only connected to one of them. The end of the
body of the steering cable is secured to the vessel and locked in place by
two nuts. (Image A) Attached near this fitting is a sleeve which covers the
final end of the enclosed cable. The end of the sleeve is bellowed outwards
and inserted into the end of the main cable body which is then crimped
inward. (Image A) This joint is covered by a rubber boot to prevent dirt and
debris from entering into the cable body and interfering with the enclosed
cable's movement. The crimped connection allows for some angular movement
at the end of the cable.
Over time, the crimped connection can become deformed due to the stresses
occurring at the joint. Ultimately, in this case, the parts separated and
the end of the cable lost its linear rigidity, putting slack into the
control cable and causing a loss of control of the steering foils. (Image
C) In this instance, the rubber boot covering the joint was found to be
damaged and there appeared to be tool marks at the location of the joint.
It's likely that in the past the joint was held compressed together by the
use of Vice-grip type pliers. The person who may have placed the Vice-grips
on the connections failed to recognize the potential risk of a loss of
steering should the connection fail. It was not proper to make repairs in
this instance and the cable should have been completely replaced.
The following image shows a Morse/Teleflex/Cablecraft "type" push-pull
control cable assembly sleeve connection point that was fatigued and had
begun to fail.
Throughout the history of Marine Safety and Prevention activities,
inadequate or improper maintenance and repairs, combined with the failure to
recognize potential risks as a result of those maintenance and repair
efforts, have led to numerous marine casualties involving substantial
injuries, fatalities, environmental damage and economic costs to the
involved parties. The causal factors behind the decisions to perform
inadequate or improper maintenance or improper repairs oftentimes are
related to economic factors which limit the available options to those
involved, causing them to make a poor decision.
As a result of this information and other similar instances the Coast Guard
strongly recommends to owners and operators and those involved with the
maintenance of these and all vessel types:
. To develop an operational paradigm where maintenance and repair
items are evaluated carefully, recognizing the potentials risks associated
with their operation should the repair or maintenance item not be properly
performed or achieved in a timely manner.
. For airboat operators specifically: Owners and operators of
airboats that use flexible type steering control cables are reminded of the
need to thoroughly inspect cables before use, including areas under the dust
boots. Due to the forces encountered on airboat applications, owners are
also encouraged to ensure these cables are properly maintained and to
immediately replace a worn cable. Owners are discouraged from attempting to
repair a factory crimp.
This Safety Alert is provided for informational purposes only and does not
relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material
requirement. This information has been developed by the Marine
Investigators at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Saint Petersburg. Distributed by
the Office of Investigations and Casualty Analysis, Washington DC.
Questions may be sent to HQS-PF-fldr-CG-INV@uscg.mil.
Well that’s it. Check those cables and connections carefully fellas. Be safe out there
