Stark reminder of consequences of not following safe boating rules

by Roads and Maritime Services on 1 Apr 2015 A 30-year-old Narara man received a nine-month suspended jail sentence in Woy Woy Local Court today after pleading guilty to serious offences under marine legislation.

Roads and Maritime Services Director of Maritime Angus Mitchell said the man had been boating alone near the Woy Woy Channel in Brisbane Water in July last year when he fell from his small fibreglass runabout and was hit by the boat's propeller.

“He was not wearing a lifejacket, as required by law and his boat which had a 30 horsepower motor should have been registered and was not,” Mr Mitchell said.

“He was rescued by Marine Rescue NSW and was taken to hospital with serious injuries, where routine blood tests found his prescribed content of alcohol (PCA) was 0.0159 - well above the 0.05 limit.

“After pleading guilty to charges of high range PCA, failure to wear a lifejacket in a small vessel when required and operating an unregistered vessel, the man was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended under Section 12 of the Crimes Sentencing (Procedures) Act partially due to the serious nature of the injuries he received in the incident.

“He was disqualified from holding a boat licence for three months, fined $500 for failing to wear a lifejacket and fined $1500 for operating an unregistered vessel.

“This is a stark reminder to anyone going boating to ensure they follow the rules carefully.

“Registration is required for vessels which are powered with an engine of more than four kilowatts or five horsepower, longer than 5.5 metres, all boats on a mooring or at a marina and personal watercraft such as jetskis.

“Lifejackets are an important piece of safety equipment and there must be one available in the right size for every person on board. Lifejackets must be worn on boats less than 4.8 metres long, at night, offshore, on alpine waters or when alone. Children less than 12 must wear one at all times on board a boat.

“The blood alcohol limits are the same on the water as on roads. A person in charge of a vessel must keep under the 0.05 blood alcohol limit and for commercial vessel operators and persons under the age of 18, the lower blood alcohol limit of 0.02 applies.

“A great day on the water is a safe day which is why it is so important the estimated two million people who enjoy our waterways each year follow the basic rules for safe and responsible boating. All skippers need to know the rules and ensure they follow them,” Mr Mitchell said.

For more information on safe boating, visit www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime