NSW South Coast safety patrol nets infringements

Failure to carry required safety equipment was the most common problem for recreational boaters who were stopped in an offshore safety patrol by NSW Maritime along the South Coast on the weekend.

NSW Maritime Acting Regional Manager Hendrik Clasie today said the safety patrol covered almost 400km of coastline between Eden and Batemans Bay from Friday to Sunday.

'Two Maritime Boating Officers travelled on a 10.3m patrol boat and conducted spot safety checks of almost 50 vessels,' Mr Clasie said.

'A total of seven infringements and 15 formal warnings were issued to recreational boaters. Of most concern was the failure of two skippers to carry the required lifejackets.

'There were also a number of vessels found to be carrying expired distress flares.'

'Every skipper is responsible for the safety of their vessel and the people on board. That means they should ensure the safety gear on their boat meets, at the very least, the required minimum.

'For safety reasons, an appropriate lifejacket must be on board for every person and emergency gear must work.'

NSW Maritime's offshore patrol also issued a total of $1000 in on-the-spot fines to the rider of a jetski who was operating offshore near Bawley Point without a licence or a lifejacket.

'The law requires every person riding a jetski to wear a lifejacket at all times,' Mr Clasie said.

'This requirement exists because a jetski is not large enough to carry all the normal safety gear a recreational boat must carry and to compensate for this, the people riding them must wear an appropriate lifejacket at all times when underway, regardless of speed.

'To highlight the safety issue in this particular incident, the rider was wearing a heavy backpack that would have made swimming difficult.'

Mr Clasie said a number of commercial vessels checked by NSW Maritime to ensure they had adequate safety equipment, were found to be complying with requirements.

Last year, NSW Maritime Boating Officers conducted more than 40,000 spot safety checks statewide.

www.waterways.nsw.gov.au/

by NSW Maritime