Weight on the High Seas

I heard on the radio that the Coast Guard is taking a look at adjusting the per person weight average on smaller boats from the current 140 pounds to possibly as high as180 pounds in reaction to the American obesity epidemic. This has been brought about by a couple of ferries that capsized because (they think) there was too much weight on board and the boat became unstable. The last time the weight average was adjusted was in 1960. It’s hard to believe that the average American has gained 40 pounds in 40 years, but I suppose that a pound a year isn’t that dramatic of a weight gain . . . on a single person. It seems pretty dramatic as a national average.

Ferry operators are upset because this will change the maximum number of people allowed on the boats – one man said his load will go from 260 people to 225, for instance – and that will reduce their profits. He also complained that the weight adjustment doesn’t make sense for captains who more often take out a group of children rather than larger and heavier adults. Maybe it’s time to say good-bye to the idea of weight averages and accept the fact that things are too diverse and atypical to stay with our old system.

I may be too pragmatic, but I feel that the obvious answer here is to make a law that all charter boat operators weigh in their customers to make sure they do not go over their maximum weight, regardless of the number of people on board. Although some customers may feel uncomfortable with this, it really is for the good of all on board and has to happen. If you are afraid of getting on a scale, then charter boating is not for you.

Right now our luggage gets weighed on flights (and on small planes the flight attendants actually move larger people around to balance the weight on the plane) and there are certain sports like sky-diving and bungee jumping which have weight requirements because of the limitations of the equipment. It doesn’t seem radical that boating requires similar safety measures.