Marine Waterfront Articles

Floating docks can present a variety of slip, trip and fall hazards if they are not safely managed. It is best practice to use ramps and gangways to provide passage from the main dock to the floating dock, but stairs are sometimes used, which can create a trip/fall hazard.

In this article, Carl Wolf explains the marine industry standards and building code standards that apply to the use of stairs on floating docks through the lens of an actual case example.

Marinas and boatyards can be dangerous places; they combine the traditional hazards associated with a commercial premises and warehouse facility, but with the introduction of a dynamic waterfront hosting vessel traffic. It’s no surprise that our forensic casework requires regular visits to these complex facilities.

In this webinar video, Certified Marina Manager and Certified Marine Investigator Carl Wolf discusses 3 fact patterns common to his casework: drownings, slips and falls, and injuries involving boatyards and dry rack storage. The information discussed is derived from his own casework as well as the Marina Policy Guidelines Manual, which Carl authored. Attendees can expect to strengthen their understanding of the relevant standard of care and gain insight on the process of investigating mishaps.

In this article, Naval Architect and Marine Safety Expert Kyle McAvoy (Captain, USCG – Retired) shares details from a forensic investigation involving an individual who broke his neck after diving off a boat in shallow water. Through this incident, McAvoy explains the safety standards relevant to boats moored or at anchor.

In this article, originally published by Marina Dock Age, Marina & Boatyard Expert, Carl Wolf discusses marina safety concerns associated with high water.

The experts at Robson Forensic have investigated many incidents involving conditions similar to those described throughout this article, including electrical shock injuries, environmental contaminations, allisions, slips, falls, and drownings. Contact us to discuss how we can assist with your case.

Parasailing as a recreational activity began in as an outgrowth of an activity called “parascending;” a land-based activity used to teach people how to parachute without having to use an aircraft. In 1974, an inventor in Florida began testing the idea using a “winch boat,” and thus modern parasailing was born. According to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) estimates, in 2013 there were approximately 325 vessels conducting parasailing operations in the United States and territories, ranging from single vessel owners, to operators overseeing a dozen or more parasailing vessels working from multiple beach locations.

While parasailing, passengers are suspended 300-500 feet in the air. When parasailing mishaps occur, the injuries are often severe, if not fatal. In this article, Kyle McAvoy (Captain, USCG Retired) explains the technical components involved in parasailing operations, common failures and accidents, and the development of safety guidelines in the parasailing industry.

In this article, Marine Operations Expert and retired Captain, Hendrik Keijer discusses processes and responsibilities for Captains and crew to provide safe embarkation (entry) and disembarkation (exit) of passenger vessels.

The marine experts at Robson Forensic are regularly retained to investigate incidents involving passengers and crew who fall or are injured in the process of boarding or disembarking ferries, cruise ships, and other passenger vessels.

Marina and Boatyard Safety Expert, Carl F. Wolf, CMM, CMI conducted a research study on drowning incidents in marina waters. The study focused on incidents concerning persons unintentionally falling into the waters of a marina and subsequently drowning. The report does not include people intentionally swimming or jumping into the waters of a marina. The full PDF version of the report is available by clicking the PDF link on the right side of this page.

In this article, originally published in Marina Dock Age, Marina and Boatyard Expert, Carl Wolf visited 5 South Florida marinas in the days following Hurricane Irma. His goal was to identify common actions that contributed to each marina’s ability to successfully weather the storm.

Marina Operations Expert, Carl Wolf, CMM CMI was prominently featured in an article in Soundings Trade Only Today to discuss hurricane plans and best practices in marina operations.

In this article, Marina and Boatyard Expert, Carl Wolf discusses appropriate security measures for marinas and other waterfront facilities. This article was originally published in the September 2017 issue of Marina Dock Age.

In this article, originally published in Marina Dock Age, Marina and Boatyard Expert, Carl Wolf discusses some of the many safety concerns facing marina and boatyard operators. He also provides guidance on industry inspection and maintenance practices to address many of these hazards.

The experts at Robson Forensic have investigated thousands of premises liability claims since 1987. Investigation of these incidents can involve experts specializing in walkway and pedestrian safety, marine accident reconstruction, recreational boating and rules of the road, or experts like Carl who specialize in marina and boatyard operations.

In this article, the digital forensics experts at Robson Forensic discuss the use of GPS data within marine disputes. The discussion includes the proper collection, preservation, and analysis of data.

In this article, Marina & Boatyard Expert, Carl Wolf describes important topics of consideration for waterfront facilities approaching hurricane season. This article was originally published in the May/June 2017 issue of Marina Dock Age.

In this article, Marina and Boatyard Expert, Carl Wolf discusses some of the many premises safety issues that arise in marinas and other waterfront facilities. This article was originally published in the March 2017 issue of Marina Dock Age.

The experts at Robson Forensic have investigated hundreds of mishaps involving conditions similar to those described throughout this article. Contact us to discuss how we can assist with your case.

This paper was originally presented at the 2013 ASME/USCG Workshop on Marine Technology & Standards in Arlington, VA.