Maritime Services & Boat Speed

[arpie]

Hi guys

I have corresponded with Maritime Services Board re boat speed suggestion on their website! Hope it happens.

Cheers

Roberta

Subject: showing the 4 knot speed on your main web page

Date: 13 February 2007 11:37:58 AM

To: enquiries@maritime.nsw.gov.au

Hi guys

I have a couple of suggestions that may assist other boaties in understanding just how slow 4 knots is when on the water!

I live in Forster & fish from a kayak - and am often nearly swamped (have been once) by inconsiderate boaties who have no idea of how slow the 4 knot speed or 'no wash zone' actually is. It is compounded in school holidays & weekends when the ignorant get in charge of an outboard & go zooming around our lake in their hundreds.

I would like to see a 'continual' video on your home page of a boat (be it tinnie or something bigger) actually going at the 4 knot speed. Maybe even all the boating pages) <http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au> That way, everytime a boatie looks at your site, they are reminded of just how slow it should be. I understand it to be a reasonable walking pace, or about 7k/h.

A lot of the shore area around Forster Township is a 4 knot zone but they do not like being advised to slow down. They actually become quite abusive.

Obviously, there are not sufficient staff members here to patrol these areas & bring the errant boaties into line - how about deputising some responsible boaties (like honourary fisheries officers) to allow them to pull up & advise these people, or even fine them?

A hire boat was actually swamped here, leading up to Xmas - with the offending boat zooming off, leaving 3 people in the water, including one child who was apparantly stuck under the boat. He did not hang around to offer assistance. That was a criminal offence. I believe one of your own boats was on the scene within minutes - but the offender was not identified or apprehended.

We are talking serious stuff here - it is amazing that no-one has been killed, given the increase in the number of boaties that go out 'once a year' on their Xmas break.

With the video showing the correct speed & extra 'honourary' staff allowed to police the waters, there will be a decrease in dangerous boating.

I look forward to hearing your response to my suggestions.

Yours faithfully

Roberta

Dear Roberta

Thank you for the feedback regarding 4 knot speeds.

You suggested some good ideas and NSW Maritime will investigate the online video proposal.

When you are out boating in the future, please jot down the registration details and description of the vessel. You can report dangerous activity to the toll free phone line 13 12 56 or email to enquiries@maritime.nsw.gov.au. This information is then recorded and can be passed onto the Boating

Officer.

Thank you.

Kim O'Meara

Media Project Officer

Monday and Tuesday

T 02 9563 8689

F 02 9563 8611

E komeara@maritime.nsw.gov.au

[Wastin Time]

Looks like some of your suggestions may get initated.

Good job Roberta

[njsconst]

Roberta,

You are spot on! People have no idea of 4knots, 8 knots or 10knots!

I work in law enforecment. Recently whilst at a boat ramp I saw a young bloke in a 7ft tinny with a 8hp outboard on the back scooting around. The little boat was up on the plane and he was doing figure 8 manoevres.... just being a typical rat bag. He was clearly doing well over 10knots.

I could cop this until he raised his hand at me.... I saw that he was holding a Carlton Cold Beer. I thought stuff him, enough is enough . Bear in mind that I was standing at the ramp in full uniform.

As a result I called him over to the ramp and being the stupid fool he was, he came straight over. I spoke with him, breath tested him. He was well over the limit (0.050 grams on the water) he went 0.127.

To cut a long story short. If he was just driving his boat normally I would not have even looked at him.

But now he is off to Court in the coming weeks charged with:

1/ Operate vessel with Mid Range PCA

2/ Operate unregistered, registerable vessel

3/ Operate vessel whilst unlicensed

4/ Not carry lifejacket

5/ Not carry more then 1 safety item (bucket, horn, anchor)

Well that is one lunatic off our waterways for while.

I must admit, this was very satisfying as I am a keen fisherman and boating enthusiast.

Well I had the last laugh anyhow!

Edited March 7, 2007 by njsconst

[Flightmanager]

There is a God !! Talk about poetic justice !! Good onya NJCONST!!!

Ross

[Wastin Time]

Well done NJ

[arpie]

Good One, Const! Want to bring your machine up to Forster next Xmas??? I was fishing the breakwall often over Xmas & watched the most unsocial boating behaviour I had ever seen!! Idiots in skiboats going full tilt in circles, using the bridge pylons as the circuit.

Wallis Lake is a big lake, but also extremely shallow. When they hoon around they have a great chance of hitting a shallow sandbank or submerged tree (everywhere, but especially on a falling tide) and it really is only a matter of time till someone is killed when they are thrown out or bashed in the face as they get thrown about the boat!

Maybe I should add another suggestion to them - put an Officer (voluntary or real) in a boat at the breakwall entrance to the marina so he can check everyone coming in & out of the bay! As you say, some would be stupid enough to think they can get away with it, or be so tanked up that they didn't know what they were being stopped for!

My US buddies were on Sydney Harbour on Sat & witnessed a 35ft speed boat hit a 12-15ft yacht who was in a race!! The speed boat wasn't fully on the plane & just whacked it! Don't know how the yachties went! Not Happy, I bet!

Keep up the good work!

Cheers

Roberta

[njsconst]

Mate,

I was up at Forster at Xmas time on holidays and I saw the MSB in a little inflatable boat hiding behind the break wall. He was fining everyone for crossing the bar not wearing their lifejackets. Bear in mind... there was not a ripple across the bar. The calmest I've ever seen it.

I know what you mean though. I saw some dickh&*ds up there too!

Your right though - like everything, it will take a fatality to get something done. Even then it will only be short lived and at minimal expense to the authorities. I should know, I work in one of those organisations.

They are all as bad as each other.

Well, we'll have our say on March 24!