The objective of this study was to measure acceleration levels to which passengers would be subjected in the fonvard seating areas of two styles of bowrider recreational boats. Acceleration exposure data were collected aboard a monohull and a trihull boat as they crossed 0.48- and 0.76-m wakes at speeds of 24 and 40 km/h. Substantial increases in maximum peak accelerations and their rates of onset were found with increases in boat speed and wake height. Vertical acceleration levels and their onset rates were lowest aboard the monohull; however, the effects of boat speed and wake height upon vertical acceleration exposures were much greater than differences found between boats. Similar findings were obtained for longitudinal acceleration measures. Based upon presently available human acceleration tolerance information, the risk of spinal compression fracture aboard the boats examined appears remote due to the very short durations of the accelerations endured.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ames, W. H., Sweeney, H. M., and Savely, G. G.Human tolerance to acceleration in pilot ejection. Journal of Aviation Medicine, December, 1947.
2.
Barash, I. M.The etiology and prophylaxis of vertebral fracture in crash landings. Chance-Vought Aircraft, Inc., Enclosure No.9, Report No. E-553, (cited in Henzel, 1967) 1956.
3.
Botterell, E. H.Acute cord injury. Part II: A study of 224 cases. Journal ofRayal College of Surgery, Edinburg, 1978, 23(2), 107–116.
4.
Burke, D. C.Spinal cord injuries from water sports. Medical Journal Australia, 1972, 2, 1190–1194.
5.
Carter, R. E., Jr.Etiology of traumatic spinal cord injury: Statistics of more than 1100 cases. Texas Medical, 1977, 73 (6), 61–65.
6.
Dempster, W. T.Space requirements of the seated operator. Wright--Patterson AFB, OH: USAF, Wright Air Development Command, Technical Report 55–159, 1955. (NTIS AD--87892)
7.
Ewing, C. L., King, A. I., and Prasad P., Structural considerations of the human vertebral column under +Gz impact acceleration. Journal Aircraft, 1972. 9 (1), 84–89.
8.
Fine, P. R., Kuhlemeier, K. V., DeVivo, M. J., and Stover, S. L.Spinal cord injury: An epidemiologic perspective. Paraplegia, 1979, 17, 237–250.
9.
Gaspar, V. G. and Silva, R. M.Spinal cord lesions due to water sports and occupations: Our experience in 20 years. Paraplegia, 1980, 18, 106–108.
10.
Glaser, O.Effects of acceleration. In Medical physics (Vol. 2). New York: Year Book Publishers, 1950.
11.
Gustafson, C. E. (Ed.) Human factors engineering (3rd cd.). Wright--Patterson AFB, OH: AFSC DH 1–3, 1977.
12.
Henzel, J. H.The human spinal column and upward ejection acceleration: An appraisal of biodynamic implications. Wright--Patterson AFB, OH: Aerospace Medical Research Lab Technical Report No. AMRL--TR--66–233, 1967 (NTIS AD--66–4553).
13.
Kazarian, L. E.The primate as a model for crash injury. Wright--Patterson AFB, OH: Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Technical Report AMRL--TR--75–101, 1975 (NTIS AD--A--027809).
14.
Kazarian, L. E.Standardization and interpretation of spinal injury criteria. Wright--Patterson AFB, OH: Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Technical Report AMRL--TR--75–85, 1976 (NTIS AD--A--05–4959).
15.
Kazarian, L. E., Hahn, J. W., and von Gierke, H. E.Biomechanics of the vertebral column and internal organ response to seated spinal impact in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulalta). Wright--Patterson AFB, OH: Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Technical Report AMRL--TR--70–85, 1971 (NTIS AD 727–042).
16.
King, A. I.Survey of the state of the art of human biodynamic response. In Aircraft crashworthiness. Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia, 1976.
17.
Kraus, J. F., Franti, C. E., Riggins, R. S., Richards, D., and Borhani, N. O.Incidence of traumatic spinal cord lesions. Journal of Chronic Disorders, 1975, 28 (9), 471–492.
18.
Kurtzke, J. F.Epidemiology of spinal cord injury. Experimental Neurology, 1975, 48 (3), 163–236.
19.
Laurell, L., and Nachemson, A.Some factors influencing spinal injuries in seat ejected pilots. Journal of Aerospace Medicine, 1963, 34, 726.
20.
Martin, J.Ejection from high speed aircraft. Journal of the Royal Aeronautical Society of London, 1956, 60, 659–668.
21.
Miller, J. M.Human factors applications in boating safety. Washington, DC: U.S. Coast Guard, Technical Report Vols, I--II, 1973. (NTIS AD 780988, AD 781205)
22.
Prasad, P. and King, A. I.The dynamic response of the spine during + Gz acceleration. Arlington, VA: Office of Naval Research, Report N00014–69--A--0235–0001, 1973 (NTIS AD--772–604).
Ruff, C.Brief accelerations: Less than one second. In Gennan aviation medicine, World War 11 (Chapt. 6--C, Vol. 1), Washington, DC: USAF, School of Aviation Medicine, 1950.
25.
Tator, C. H. and Edmonds, V. E.Acute spinal cord injury: Analysis of epidemiologic factors. Canadian Journal Surgery, 1979, 22, 575–578.
26.
Von Gierke, H. E. and Goldman, D. E.Effects of shock and vibration on man. In C. M. Harris and C. E. Crede (Eds.) Shock and vibration handbook (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw--Hill, 1976.
27.
Wiesehofer, H.Deutsche versuchanstalt fur luftfahrt. Aldershof, 1943, U. M. No. 1175 (cited in Henzel, 1967).
28.
Wilcox, N. E.Stauffer, E. S., and Nickel, V. L.A statistical analysis of 432 consecutive patients admitted to the Spinal Cord Injury Center, Rancho Los Amigos Hospital. Paraplegia, 1967, 8 (1), 27–35.
