Lifejackets help save lives during safety campaign

by Transport Roads and Maritime Services on 29 May 2015 The importance of wearing a lifejacket while crossing a coastal bar was demonstrated during the final Roads and Maritime Services statewide boating safety and education campaign for the 2014-15 boating season.

During the campaign, the Roads and Maritime Boating Safety Officer for Evan Heads attended an incident which demonstrated the danger of crossing a coastal bar and the importance of wearing a lifejacket, which is compulsory for anyone in any size vessel when crossing a bar.

“A small fibreglass runabout capsized while attempting to head offshore from the Evans Head coastal bar, swamped by a large set of waves,” Maritime Director Angus Mitchell said.

“As the boat overturned, a 12 year old boy became trapped. However, one of the two adults, who also had been onboard, was able to swim under the upturned hull and free him.

“All were wearing lifejackets and there were only minor injuries sustained. Without the added buoyancy which lifejackets provide, this scenario could have had a very different outcome.

“Roads and Maritime investigated the incident and no further action will be taken at this stage.”

Mr Mitchell said there was an overall compliance rate of 90.7 per cent for the statewide operation which focused on boater compliance with offshore and inland safety equipment requirements.

“During the campaign which ran until 22 May, Boating Safety Officers carried out 721 random safety inspections of recreational vessels and 11 per cent were found to have missing or deficient safety equipment.

“A total of 34 penalty notices, and 33 formal warnings were issued.

“Missing safety equipment is the most common breach of marine law in NSW.

“The requirements differ depending on the conditions and where you are going boating, the size of the boat, whether there are children on board or if someone is boating alone.

“During the campaign, the most commonly missing item of safety equipment was the relatively cheap and very portable waterproof torch, followed by distress flares for offshore boating, fire extinguishers and anchors, buckets and EPIRBs or emergency beacons, which are also required when boating offshore.”

He said the worst case of non-compliance with safety equipment requirements during the campaign took place offshore Crowdy Head on the mid-north coast.

“When the BSO randomly stopped a small runabout with two people on board he found neither was wearing a lifejacket, the vessel was not equipped with an EPIRB, flares, V-Sheet, waterproof torch or charts, and the vessel had an expired registration.

“While there were three lifejackets on board the vessel, two of the inflatable type did not have a gas cylinder fitted and the skipper was unaware of how to use the manual inflation tube.

“Added to this, the skipper admitted he had not checked the vessel’s safety equipment before heading offshore.

“A safety direction was issued for the vessle to return to the ramp where the skipper received several safety related compliance actions,” Mr Mitchell said.

Remember, wear a lifejacke, it never ruined a day on the water.

For more information on boating safety and lifejacket requirements, click here.