Six staged watercraft collisions were performed to assess the corresponding boat dynamics and boat operator kinematics. Each boat was operated remotely through a series of handheld radio transmitters capable of controlling steering, throttle, and a master kill switch. Triaxial accelerometers mounted to the deck of each boat provided sensor data that was measured and recorded using several MotionMaster EDR-6DOF recorders. Hybrid-II crash test dummies were placed in occupant positions, and their resulting kinematics recorded. The triaxial deck acceleration data was used as input to a lumped-mass human dynamics model (MADYMO) to understand occupant kinematics and potential for injury. Noted results include the presence of large vertical (z-axis) deck accelerations, and the low risk of head and neck injuries during the first phase of the collisions.

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