Office of the Chairman
JUL -8 2002 Mr. John Giljam
President
Cool Stuff Tours C.A.M.I. 31 Hawkes Road
Post Office Box 1703
Bluffton, South Carolina 29910
Dear Mr. Giljam:
This letter regards Safety Recommendation M-00-5,
stated below, which the National Transportation Safety Board issued to Cool
Stuff Tours C.A.M.I. (Cool Stuff) on February 18,2000, as a result of the Safety
Board's investigation of the May 1, 1999, sinking of the Miss Majestic near
Hot Springs, Arkansas.
M-00-5
Without delay, alter your amphibious passenger
vessels to provide reserve buoyancy through passive means, such as watertight
compartmentalization, built- in flotation, or equivalent measures, so that they
will remain afloat and upright in the event of flooding, even when carrying a
full complement of passengers and crew.
The Safety Board understands
from visits to your company that Cool Stuff has built and operates only one type
of amphibious vessel, the Hydra- Terra, designed especially for commercial
passenger service. This vessel's aluminum hull has foam-filled
compartments that provide sufficient flotation, certified by the manufacturer to
remain afloat even with the drain plugs removed and the engine compartment
flooded. Further, the Coast Guard has approved the Hydra-Terra for the carriage
of up to 49 passengers and a 2-person crew.
Because Cool Stuff operates vessels that provide
reserve buoyancy through passive means, Safety Recommendation M-00-5 is
classified "Closed-Acceptable Action."
On April 2, 2002, the Safety Board met and adopted its final report, Sinking of the Amphibious Passenger Vessel Miss Majestic, Lake Hamilton, near Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 1, 1999. Although the Safety Board has not issued any new recommendations directly to the operators of amphibious passenger vehicles, the Board has issued several new recommendations to the U.S. Coast Guard (enclosed) that may affect your operations. For your consideration, we also have enclosed a synopsis of the Board's report, which contains our conclusions and recommendations.
Thank you for your proactive action regarding
amphibious vessel safety. The Safety Board commends your leadership in the
recreational amphibious vessel industry .
Sincerely,
Marion C. Blakey
Chairman