Another Duck Boat sinks

Much like the 1999 Hot Springs sinking.

Were these vessels originally designed for the military? They seem extraordinarily unstable, no?

I believe these are not the military designed and built boats......but made and designed by some company. I've heard the enclosure of the entire boat (strataglass etc.) was a contributor and also kept people from getting out.

After the 1999 accident the NTSB recommended against the canopy and enclosure blaming it for the deaths then. Unfortunately, they really can't dictate to the boats and the USCG didn't do anything. The other issue is apparently the exhausts are in front and a person who checked several of them wrote a negative report there saying the exhausts should not be in front of and below the passengers as that leads to taking on water or if water is taken on the bow sinking quickly.

There are a few here in Miami and whenever I run into one of them I slow to slow idle and pass as far away as possible...

I would pass on going out on any of them, too many loss of life incidents all over the country. Time to ban them in my opinion, just like the Corvairs.

Bless those unfortunate families.

Rod Stevens of Sparkman & Stevens designed the original DUKW during the War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DUKW

What..? One of my best cars, but not at sea of course...

See the NTSB report given by Earl Weener: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/07/2...oat-set-out-in-near-hurricane-winds-ntsb.html

Upon retiring from Boeing as an executive and aeronautical engineer, Earl and his wife built a Cape Horn 55 and began retirement life cruising as live-aboards. Obviously a knowledgeable yachtsman, Earl was appointed to the NTSB in 2010.

Some of the ones I've seen are built off of a GMC truck and have outdrives. I can assure you that these are not nearly as sturdy as the military ones. The article I just read stated they went out in 73 mph winds and waves of 4' occasional 6'. Loaded full of people, they should have never left land with these conditions.

If any one specific craft or vehicle had the same associated loss of life it would be recalled , cancelled or put away.

The military craft are different as are the people operating them, the training and the in use operation.

The worst part of these tragedies is that these are USCG inspected vessels... evacuation capabilities, stability, equipment are all supposed ensure the passengers safety.

The military ducks were low in the water and no canopy or comfortable seats. Troops sat lower than the passengers in the video. The motor was an inline 6 gas engine of an old design - babbitted bearings, etc. The ones I know of had their engines and transmissions changed mostly to diesel.
In the 1960s I had a HS teacher that had one he built a camper on. It was so unstable he added pontoons on a swing arms for stability. But he still traveled the West Coast including Canada.

An update: The USCG determined a federal criminal violation in that the deaths resulted from "misconduct, negligence, or inattention to the duties" by the captain.

They're also looking into the conduct of the captain of the duck boat that made it back safely to determine if he violated the same law and into officials at the company that operates the duck boats.

This has surfaced in court filings in the civil cases against the company where the US government has requested they be allowed to talk to witnesses and participants and finish criminal investigation and proceedings before discovery in the civil trial. They've said, "Several agents/employees/officers of Ripley already have been notified that they are subjects and/or targets".

The state of Missouri is also looking into criminal liability and the NTSB is still investigating the cause of the sinking.

The report I read, stated that the weather was fine. But, turned very rapidly and there was no way(with the DUKs' slow cruising speed) that they could make land, in time.

Knew a Russian Engineer when I was a teen, who had 3 of them. He got a little carried away with the oil-proofing, and coated the entire body of his daily-driver in oil(except the windows an lights)

Sure the weather turned quickly, that’s common in summer. Nowadays there is no excuse not to check the progress of a squall line on radar.

It s like the captain of El Faro looking at 6 to 8 hours old NHC data. No excuse.

Any Duck Boat with a canopy/enclosure is a proven death trap. Shut em down or at least eliminate the. canopies