It was a tragedy that could have (should have?) been avoided. I find it strange that an American court would say an individual does not have the right to sue the state or the inspector for acting negligently.

Being Canadian I have an outside view of the American legal system and I always had the impression that people always have the right to sue and often exorcise that right, rightly or wrongly. The impression I get is that people need someone to be held accountable. Is the state above this?

I find it strange the inspector didn't change the rating of the boat over the years. Maybe the fact the boat operated safely for so many years was an influence. I find it more interesting that there wasn't a discussion of the actions of the captain. If it is true that a sharp turn at speed lead to the capsize then the handling of the boat should be in question.