The phrase I'm using is: Harsh but fair. Very critical of Truth Aquatics - and there's no way that 34 people die and the official findings end up being that there was nothing that could have been done differently - but I thought overall fair, and also, as they alluded to, sending a message to the small passenger vessel industry. As Homendy said, "While that may be how the industry operates, that's not right."
However, they 100% punted on what I think is still a key issue: Combustibility of construction materials not of the boat itself, but in the galley and other inside areas.
Fires can happen. Obviously, early detection increases your chances of fighting it and/or getting people out of harm's way. But once a fire starts, and let's assume it's from a battery exploding, the combustibility of the materials near the fire origin play a huge role. If the galley takes 20 minutes to be engulfed because things are flame-resistant or if it takes 3 minutes to become engulfed, that's a HUUUUGE factor in survivability. Don't know why they didn't address that at all.
I was also glad they added the "likely" amendment at the end vis a vis the roving watchman. That a roving watchman "likely" would have spotted the first. Chairman Sumwalt explained it nicely saying that your could have the roving watchman and he's in the engine room when the first breaks out and when he comes up a few minutes later, the fire is already advanced enough that exits are blocked and the outcome is the same.
