Operation Lights On This Weekend

[johnno]

Operation Lights On

NSW Maritime boating safety officers will be out on the Hawkesbury/Broken Bay waters on the weekend of 28 February-1 March making sure all vessels have the correct, working navigation lights.

Hawkesbury/Broken Bay regional manager Steve Black said all skippers should make sure their navigation lights are in good working order and they’re switched on at night.

“These are critical boating safety requirements,” Mr Black said.

“Proper navigation lights are essential - when night falls, it’s a completely different world on the water and boats must display the correct lights.

“You may be able to see other vessels but can you be sure they can see you? At night, every vessel on the water needs lights so they can be seen.

“Make sure you have the appropriate navigation lights for your craft and they are displaying the correct arc of visibility. As soon as the sun goes down, or when visibility is poor, slow down and turn your lights on.

“If you are unsure about the correct lighting for your boat, ask a NSW Maritime boating safety officer, call our infoline on 13 12 56 or go to www.maritime.nsw.gov.au.

“Personal watercraft operators are also reminded it is an offence to operate after sunset and before sunrise.

“When you’re boating at night there are four simple things to remember – go slow, be seen, keep a lookout and be bright.”

http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/news/media-operation.html

[Jewfishnetter]

i have been waiting for an opportunity to bring this up.

its great what they are doing but i think they should fix all the nav poles in the river before they go out and target us punters. Some don t work or flash reallty lightly amongst a few which throws you off.

i fish the river regularly and still find it confusing, its very dangerous and should be addressed.

who do we speak to?

[jewgaffer]

I'll bet there will be no excuses accepted and heavy fines issued on the spot for boaties who have all round anchor lights {which also have to be on with side lights when drifting or travelling} not being high enough to comply.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[Frantic]

i have recently removed my stern light as it just kept getting in the road and i put another ros holder there instead. I have seen some boats with a all around light on top of there rocket launcher but there on a quite small stem and im thinking if youve got a selection of rods up there wont the light be obstructed from at least some angles.

craig

[Mik]

i have recently removed my stern light as it just kept getting in the road and i put another ros holder there instead. I have seen some boats with a all around light on top of there rocket launcher but there on a quite small stem and im thinking if youve got a selection of rods up there wont the light be obstructed from at least some angles.

craig

I recently moved mine from the stern to the rocket launchers. Mine is regulation height above the nav lights but I had the same thought about when rods are in the launcher, do they obscure the light. After testing it heaps I am reasonably happy with its visibility as even large reels don't seem to block it completly. It does sit above the reels so really the rods are the only obsticle.

However, I have also added two large spotties that can swing around to act as headlights, or shine down into the cockpit. I make a point of turning on pretty much every light I have when underway & usually have cockpit lights (x4) when anchored or drifting.

I'm a little paranoid about being seen but that's ok by me. Finally, even with the slight obscuring that may occur having my allround light on the rocket launcher I feel 100% confident that it is WAY better than the manufacturers mounting & pole extention which was never going to be seen from head on as the cabin obscured it completly. Some more thought needs to go into this by that particular manufacturer I reackon.

I still can't get my head around why anyone would NOT want to be seen at night. So if you see something heading toward you that looks like a UFO on steroids pop over & say high

[abiasin]

last two trips to boatany have seen a couple of tinnys with no lights on and practically invisable in the dark. only saw them because one of the guys each time was shining a torch at oncoming boaties.

These are the guys which need to be caught because they are an accident waiting to happen.

Cheers,

Adrian.

[Davemmm]

i have been waiting for an opportunity to bring this up.

its great what they are doing but i think they should fix all the nav poles in the river before they go out and target us punters. Some don t work or flash reallty lightly amongst a few which throws you off.

i fish the river regularly and still find it confusing, its very dangerous and should be addressed.

who do we speak to?

On my last weekday outing I saw maintenance taking place on the Port Hacking.

Two guys on a decent size boat, tying up to the pole and removing every component from lens to battery. I presume they checked everything and replaced anything that needed it.

I know this is the hacking but sooner or later I imagine they will get to the Hawkesbury

Dave

[pelican]

I don't agree with no lights but I do understand it a bit. The manufacturers have often placed them so there is so much glare in the boat you have no night vision on a single switch and boats may be able to see you but you can't see anything.

Wish they would also concentrate of private and public wharfs that spew light onto the water and waterfront properties that have garden lights to the waters edge. They prevent you from easily seeing nav marks or seeing boats nav lights unless they are moving. Any coloured lights on the foreshore should be banned. It used to be the case 20 yeras ago for all lighting on the foreshore but I don't know what has happened but it is blinding and confusing.

I think Police and whoever should understand the difficulty in placing lights on small craft and if the boat can be seen and the helmsman can see they should not be sticklers to the letter of the law and show some common sense. Of course the law is an ass and sensible discretion is being lost. I used to run a tinny with port , star and white all round a foot higher on a 1.5m pole at rear of boat. Totally visible to other boats and didn't stuff your night vision but was told it had to be on the middle 1/3 of boat and white 1m higher. No fine but F^&(*&^(ing stupid.

Be careful as they have been known to get you to show lights are working at the ramp on a perfectly sunny day when you have no intention of being out after dusk when they do these crackdowns or get you to show that you can individually turn on your all round white so you can anchor ( port and star should be off) .

We carry spare globes and a seperate all round whit battery light rather than rewire the nav lights and put in an extra switch. They are also dirty on dirty lens on nav lights or low wattage globes or the weak led ones regardless of if the packet says they comply many are very directional and aren't real good in the cheap ones.

Hope that are being reasonable but the budget they are given means they must justify enforcement overtimes, tick some boxes or something etc. Should be constant enforcement and not a blitz and no notification and a lot more education. Dealers shouldn't be legally be able to sell aboat that doesn't comply is my opinion and all states should have same laws.

Edited February 26, 2009 by pelican

[Juggs]

so if i have no intention of going out at night i still have to have the light on the boat?

i normally leave it at home when not needed

went looking at new boats today and not on of them complied with this 1m above any structure ruling

[wrinkley]

Just prior to reading this post, i called Waterways to lodge a complaint about the lack of Navigation lights.

Not by power driven vessels, but the Kayaks, and surf ski's.

I cant tell you the amount of these guys and girls, that are out on the water without any navigation lights. The ones that do have a white light, have it placed so low, that it cant be seen most of the time, or it is only visiable aprox 180 degree's.

Its only a matter of time before an accident happens.

If your leaving Roseville at 6am, pls be extra carefull, they are all the way from the boat ramp to well past Middle head.

Wrinks