Boom Safety Concerns
The second leading cause of death on sailboats is directly attributed to the use of booms. Booms can cause injuries directly, sweep people overboard, and their associated hardware and lines represent tripping hazards. On larger boats, sailors tend to stand on the boom to perform sail maintenance and install or take off sail covers. Falls from the boom onto the deck below occur. Even when stationary, booms represent a hazard since on most boats there is insufficient headroom to walk below them without ducking. According to a German study, "boom strikes were the most common cause of sailing injury overall".
When boom injuries occur far from shore they can require expensive rescues. In 2010 the US Coast Guard and Air National Guard utilized a Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft to rescue a man from 1400 miles off the Mexican coast. Deaths and injuries can occur on boats operating upon lakes and coastal waters. Boom related accidents can also imperil the remainder of the passengers and crew aboard when a key member is lost as occurred in April 2011.
As a precaution, any sailboat with a low boom should mandate life jackets, and ensure others know how to obtain assistance and operate the craft. In Boston a sailor knocked overboard by the boom died in full sight of the land and other boats and the person left aboard didn't know how to use the radio.
Read more about this topic: Boom (sailing)
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