Inspector Warned of Duck Boat Flaws Before Deadly Missouri Sinking
Less than a year before 17 people died when a duck boat capsized on Missouri’s Table Rock Lake, private inspector Steve Paul warned the operating company of critical design flaws that could increase the risk of sinking. In his August 2017 inspection report for Ripley Entertainment, Paul flagged concerns about engine and pump failures during storms and noted that canopies could trap passengers underwater—a risk echoed by regulators after a similar 1999 accident in Arkansas.
Paul, a vehicle safety expert, explained that the boats vented exhaust below the waterline and toward the front, a design he said could allow water into the engine during rough conditions, disabling both the motor and the water-removal pump. He has not confirmed if the sunken vessel was among the two dozen he inspected but indicated that the design flaws he documented likely applied.
Footage from the incident appears to show closed plastic windows, which may have worsened escape difficulty. Paul criticized the use of canopies as “people catchers” in a sinking scenario.
The National Weather Service had issued storm warnings hours earlier, yet it’s unclear what authority—if any—could have stopped boats from launching. Questions also surround regulatory oversight, as no single agency claims full jurisdiction over commercial amphibious vessels like duck boats.
Despite longstanding safety concerns, industry resistance to costly retrofits has persisted. Critics argue the hybrid boat-truck design remains fundamentally unsafe. Paul said he’s prepared to provide his inspection report to authorities if subpoenaed.
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