Sorry, but it has nothing to do with how safe you feel. It has to do with the station wagon effect and that SOME boats can kill you with it. Just because one test, in one atmospheric situation failed to have a house CO detector's alarm to go off does not make it universally a safe thing to do. When you climb on a tube, you physically move to taking a risk doing something that could injure you.
If you quietly sit on the stern of someone's boat (and they don't warn you about the risks of CO poisoning), feel nice and safe back there, enjoying the smooth ride, and then pass out, fall off the back and drown.....that isn't what you signed up for, or what you expected. Not to mention that CO is colorless and odorless.
Not a good way to win a darwin award at all! Way to quiet and not spectacular.
In March, 2007, officers were dispatched to a campsite regarding a 2 year old male who was not breathing. The boy was found lying on a towel crying, responsive and aware of his surroundings. The boy had previously been on board a Tige ski boat with his family. He was leaning over the transom watching wake boarders put on their equipment. The boat was idling the entire time victim was leaning over the transom. The boy became unconscious due to inhaling the engine exhaust fumes. The boy kept going in and out of consciousness. Family members would shake the him and then he would start to cry. The boy was transported to a local hospital for medical assistance. (Source: US Coast Guard BARD)
In July, 2007, a 16 year old boy was leaning over the back of a 21 ft. Tige ski boat watching a wake board rider He inhaled CO and was transported to Skaggs Community Hospital in Branson. Hospital officials said he was treated and released. (Source: New Releases, US Coast Guard BARD) Propulsion engine exhaust
In August 1996, three girls (ages 6, 8, and unknown), were sitting on the swim platform of a Master Craft 1985 ski boat with a slotted teakwood swim platform. They were dragging their feet in the water as the boat moved at idle speed through a no-wake zone heading home. As the girls hopped back on the boat, the operator noticed that one was missing. He looked back and saw a foot sticking up in the turbulence 100 feet back. The operator reversed the boat, dove in, and found his 8- year-old daughter unconscious, eyes wide, mouth agape, head down, feet up, fully unconscious 5 feet underwater. After 20 minutes of successful resuscitation, she transported to the hospital. The hospital tested for COHb, revealing that she had CO poisoning. She was admitted to the hospital overnight. (Source: Statement from the parent of the victim) Propulsion engine exhaust
In October 2006, a 24-year-old female survived CO poisoning while riding on a 2006 Yamaha VX 110 jet ski (personal watercraft, or PWC). She was seated behind the PWC operator, facing outward while they towed someone on a tube. While they drifted into shore, the victim stated she was not feeling well. The operator took the victim to shore, and the victim lost consciousness. When the local fire department arrived, the victim was responsive, but still fading in and out of consciousness. She was transported to a local hospital, where she left against medical advice. (Source: AZ Boating Accident Report) Jet ski engine exhaust
In September 2005, a 34-year-old man died as a result of CO poisoning. He was aboard an 1998 Ultra ski boat with a jet propulsion inboard engine. The victim dove into the water to attempt to remove grass and debris from the inlet pump of the engine. He got back on the boat, sitting on the transom, facing the rear of the boat. Witnesses said he fell off the vessel into the water. His body was recovered two days later.
In July 2001, a 12-year-old girl seated on the stern of a 21’ 1980 Bahmer Sport Cruiser open motor boat moving slowly through the water was overcome by engine exhaust and fell into the water. The victim was transported to the hospital to be treated for CO poisoning. Her COHb after 40 minutes of oxygen therapy was 20.6%. (Source: Coast Guard database; Arizona Game and Fish Boating accident report) Propulsion engine exhaust
In 1997, a boat operator paused to pull in the ski rope when a skier had finished skiing. The children in the boat were hot, so they were allowed to jump in the water while they paused there. The propulsion engine was not deactivated because the stop was going to be so brief. One of the children sat on the swim platform for "less than 2 minutes" prior to getting back in the boat. She called out for her mother, looked up, and then lost consciousness. She then went into a seizure, stopped breathing, and turned blue. She was wearing a life jacket, so her mother was able to pull her from the water and get her into the boat, initiating resuscitation efforts. Her family transported her to the hospital. (Source: WSMV television interview, Nashville TN) Propulsion engine exhaust
In 1996, a 10-year-old passenger sat on the swim platform of a pleasure craft while the inboard propulsion engine was operating and was poisoned. (Source: US Coast Guard Database) Propulsion engine exhaust In 1997, a 25-year-old water skier was poisoned as she was preparing to ski. (Source: US Coast Guard Database) Propulsion engine exhaust
