The American Boat & Yacht Council has announced the agenda for its sixth Marine Law Symposium, scheduled for Feb. 29 for in-person in Annapolis, Md., or virtually.
ABYC said in a statement that the symposium was developed for professionals who work in the boating industry, including surveyors, manufacturers, insurance agents, lawyers and compliance officers, and will cover a broad range of topics, including:
• Boat Explosion Case Study The law firm MG+M defended two manufacturers in a boat explosion case, upholding ABYC electrical standards. The plaintiffs sought $150 million in damages. The study will cover the strategy behind the defense’s successful verdict.
• Root Cause Analysis for Small Vessel Mishaps Dave Holloway will introduce the root cause analysis technique and the human factors analysis and classification system for investigating small-vessel incidents.
• Boat Cops Talk Shop Marine law enforcement officers from Texas, Florida and Wisconsin will lead a discussion on the challenges faced during patrols and investigations.
• Marine Fire & Explosions This session will cover the investigation and litigation of fires, focusing on the differences between maritime and non-maritime law and investigations.
• Setting Up Your Expert for Success The presentation will cover a boating accident case study, discussing navigation rules, skipper responsibilities and the use of such technology as drones and cameras in evidence collection.
• Hydraulic Steering Malfunction and Multivessel Collision This session will cover a collision on Louisiana’s Grand Caillou Bayou involving a steering malfunction. Part one includes the perspectives of Raymond Perez, Michael Harowski and defense expert Robert Taylor. Part two includes Wendy Sanders’ defense argument on steering system integrity and adequate warnings.
