Can anyone make sense of the lifejacket rules?

[Shaun]

G'Day,
I have been trying unsuccessfully to understand the new NSW lifejacket regulations.

Depending on what and where you read it(or talk to), you require a lifejacket when going in a tender(alone) out to a anchored/moored vessel in NSW enclosed waters....or do you?

If it is just a row boat(not using it as tender), you can happily row anywhere in enclosed waters....without PFD's.

I have been told by a Maritime officer, you need one when going out to anchored/moored vessel, (again alone), but when I told him it was in a rowing boat, he said upto 100m from shore is ok, he pointed me to the Maritime Boating Safety (General) 2009 Legislation http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/viewt ... +FIRST+0+N . I could not find the 100m clause but did find (in Schedule 5 at the end of it), that if you carry a bailer (presume a cut down plastic milk carton would suffice) you are exempt from carrying any lifejackets in a tender....cant wear one if not required to carry them??

Anyone got any clues?

cheers

[bearmcnally]

Hi Shaun

N.S.W Government ... bunch off dough banging clowns ? It will get even worse now that the RTA have joined up with Maritime .I have been told the same not required 100 m from shore .

Merry Christmas

Bear

[Phillip]

Shaun,

You should have challenged his training as the distance is 400m.

I lifted this straight from the waterways web site:
http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/campaigns/lifejacket.html

On all boats less than 4.8m (unless specified below)
All occupants on enclosed waters when:
• Boating at night. Type 1,2,3
• Boating alone. Type 1,2,3
• At all times in open waters. Type 1
• At all times if the vessel is being used more than 400m from the shore to transport persons
or goods between the shore and a vessel, or between vessels. Type 1,2,3

From that last clause you do not need a lifejacket! This applies in most states and you do not need any other safty gear!

Phillip.

[Shaun]

Cheers Blokes,
Phil, the way I read it (within the context of the multitude of the other rules) is the 400m rule means, if you are boating (in a tender or other vessel under 4.8m)with someone else within 400m of shore you dont need one, but all in the tender/small vessel must wear one when over 400m).
& what about the "Boating alone" you noted, surely that means you need one??

Why is it so difficult to understand?
Even the Maritime BSO didnt know off the top of his head!, he consulted the Maritime lawyers about it....but i was none the wiser, after he relayed the info to me.

They need an Australian Standard on it?????

cheers

[Phillip]

Shaun,

What it means is that in boats under 4.8m:

If you row or motor alone more than 400m to your yacht or to the next yacht you have to wear a lifejacket. QLD states that the boat must be the yachts tender, details of which must be on the tender.

At night you have to wear a lifejacket, period.

As far as I can see NSW has not made the tender definition clear and this is where the confusion is. Don't worry too much, the Qld blokes can't read the regs either and there have been many interpretations by their officers’ resulting in fines issued, but later thrown out in court.


Phillip.

[Ianb]

Given the British statistics that the majority of yachtsmen die from incidents involving tenders, wearing a lifejacket is a good idea anyway.

Modern inflatable versions are not uncomfortable, and reasonably priced.