Boating and Water Sports
Human Factors Experts
The Rimkus Human Factors team brings specialized expertise to the analysis of safety and human factors issues related to recreational boating and water sports. Our experts have worked with marine manufacturers, government and trade organizations, and attorneys to address a wide range of complex problems involving boat design, operator behavior, and recreational watercraft safety.
Some of our human factors consultants have published works on boating and water sports safety in peer-reviewed journals, and also authored and co-authored technical reports on the same topics for the U.S. Coast Guard.
What Boating and Water Sports Services Does Rimkus Offer?
Our human factors experts can provide unbiased, technical responses to clients with questions about boating accidents, personal watercraft (PWC) incidents, and water sports injuries. We are uniquely experienced in performing many safety consultations for water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, and recreational boating. Additional services include on-water computer data collection and analysis, marine accident investigation and reconstruction, and technical litigation support, including expert witness testimony.
We can cover a broad range of human factors and safety concerns for a variety of boating and water sports issues.
Forensic Investigation and Analysis of Boating Incidents
- Vessel collisions and allisions
- Nighttime visibility and navigation light assessments
- Propeller strike injuries and propeller safety
- Bowrider boat occupant safety
- Boat operator behavior and situational awareness
- Personal flotation device (PFD) use and performance
- Rental boat and PWC use and operation
- Boating accident reconstruction
- Boating safety expert witness testimony
Forensic Investigation and Analysis of Towed Water Sports Incidents
- Tow rope and handle entanglement and recoil injuries
- Towing speed analysis for water skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, tubing, and wakesurfing
- Towed water sports expert witness testimony
- Wakeboarding and water ski binding / boot release
- Water skiing safety expert witness testimony
Data Collection
- Carbon monoxide detection and exposure analysis
- Human vibration, acceleration, and shock exposure measurement
- Slip resistance and coefficient of friction testing
- Slip, trip, and fall analysis
Boat Design Evaluation
- Boarding ladder design
- Handhold and grab rail design
- Ingress and egress assessment
- Operator visibility from the helm
- Warnings, labeling, instructions, and manuals
Why Choose Rimkus?
Our qualified team of human factors experts brings a combination of technical credentials, hands-on experience, and courtroom-tested expertise that is difficult to match. Team qualifications and certifications include:
- Members of the ASTM F27 Committee on Snow and Water Sports and ASTM F25 Committee on Ships and Marine Technology
- Members of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME)
- Members of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC)
- Certified SCUBA divers
- Board-Certified Human Factors Professionals
- Completion of the National Boating Accident Investigation and Analysis Course, Level 1 – Comprehensive, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA)
- Experience serving as boating accident expert witnesses in the United States and internationally
- Active roles as instructor, judge, and competitor in USA Water Ski & Wake Sports sanctioned tournaments
With decades of experience in forensic consulting, litigation support, and regulatory compliance, our human factors team provides comprehensive evaluations for both forensic investigations and proactive safety consulting.
Contact Us to Learn More
Additional Services
Visit the Rimkus Human Factors and Rimkus Marine Services practice pages to learn more about our relevant services.