Please select your home edition
Edition
Sea Sure 2025

Safety message lost

by Mark Rothfield on 8 May 2013
Marine Rescue NSW is well equipped to handle safety and leave 'service' to RMS. Connexion PR
A newspaper snippet once talked about an Icelandic trawler skipper who was so sozzled on schnapps that he crashed into a couple’s anchored yacht, causing major damage.

Months later, after a few wines, the same skipper thought he’d sail over to apologise. He rammed them again.

I see how that could be downright annoying, and that we need rules to stop a repetition. But maritime authorities around Australia, under the guise of being guardian angels, are increasingly going overboard in their liberal application of fines.

In NSW, those concerned and kindly folk from Roads and Maritime Services who brought us combined red-light/speed cameras have been at it again in recent months, conducting a so-called safety blitz for water-skiing dangers.

The hit rate was relatively poor, with 104 boaters being fined after 2400 vessel checks, so they’re educating us about something most already know. With one PWC rider being slugged $750 for failing to have an observer and not wearing an appropriate life jacket, a cynic would think they were more concerned about raising revenue than awareness.

Come the end of daily savings there was navigation light compliance and there have been countless safety equipment campaigns resulting in more penalties. They even gloated about using YouTube video to fine a charter fishing operator $1500 for negligent navigation after the 13-metre vessel was struck by a wave, causing it to roll violently to one side.

But here’s where it gets absurd … in an incident last year, an overloaded runabout capsized after being swamped by a wave. There were five people aboard – four aged under 17 – and only one life jacket between them. The boat was unregistered and missing a safety label.

The offences of failing to carry sufficient safety equipment and failing to ensure the children were wearing a life jacket -each attracted $1000 fines. For being the master of an unregistered vessel, the skipper was slugged $1500, plus a further $1000 for not displaying a safety label.

The lesser penalties relate to safety equipment, whereas registration and labels have a bearing on the bureaucratic machine but not on lives.

Here’s the problem, in my view: when the educator is also the executioner the safety message gets confused. The good cop shouldn’t play bad cop, just like the sports coach can’t be referee as well.

Roads and Maritime Services, to use the NSW example, has an identity crisis. It should be here to ‘serve’ as its name suggests – use the fees from moorings and registrations to build better shore facilities, manage infrastructure, clear hazards from the water.

Leave boat towing to the rescue groups - like Marine Rescue - and leave the policing of regulations to the Water Police. Most people would be ‘fine’ with that I reckon ... but drop me a line if you have other ideas.
Zhik 2024 DecemberArmstrong 728x90 - Performance Mast Range - BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast

Related Articles

One thing. One big, very fast boat
One thing that opened the door, another made us enquire some more - 50 knots! Yes. It was one thing that opened the door, as it were. One thing that piqued the curiosity enough to go, ‘I'll take a look at that!' One thing that when you're trying to crack in excess of 50 knots...
Posted on 30 Jun
A brief history of marine instrument networks
Hugh Agnew has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge One man who has been involved since the outset, and continues to develop at the cutting edge, is Hugh Agnew, the Cambridge-educated mathematician who is one of the founders of A+T Instruments in Lymington, so I spoke to him to find out more...
Posted on 25 Jun
Harald Findlay on the 2025 Edgartown Race Weekend
A Q&A with Harald Findlay on the 2025 Edgartown Race Weekend When it comes to racing sailboats on the East Coast of the United States in the summer months, few places are as classic as the waters surrounding Martha's Vineyard's northwestern flank.
Posted on 18 Jun
Sailing and the summer solstice
Celebrating sailing and the longest day of the year If you love long evenings and early mornings, this is one of the best times of the whole year, as the summer solstice (Friday, June 20) and the entire rich expanse of summer are about to burst into bloom.
Posted on 17 Jun
Video Review: The Amazing Cure 55
Composite Construction meets Cruising Convenience It was two years ago at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show that I talked to Dave Biggar about his ideas and plans for the Cure 55. At the 2025 show I got to step on board the yacht and see how his ideas became reality.
Posted on 17 Jun
The Big Bash
Every summer the tournament rolls into town. A short format of the game. Fun and excitement abound. Every summer the tournament rolls into town. Local and international players. A short format of the game, run over a relatively compact six-week season.
Posted on 15 Jun
The oldest video footage of Kiel Week
A look back into our video archive at the Kieler Woche of the 60s and early 70s In our series of articles looking back in time through our video archive, we visit Germany. Kiel Week is been a crucial event on the world circuit, and here we look back at the Kieler Woche of the 60s and early 70s.
Posted on 15 Jun
Nick Olson on PredictWind's newest features
Nick Olson discusses PredictWind's newest features PredictWind has long been a leader in presenting high-quality marine forecasts. Nick Olson discusses the company's newest features.
Posted on 12 Jun
The X-Yachts Gold Cup Experience
A celebration of sailing, of X-Yachts and, most importantly of all, people Having just returned from Haderslev, Denmark - which is the home of X-Yachts and played host to the X-Yachts Gold Cup 2025 - I was left wondering if this was a racing event, a rally or a social celebration amongst close friends.
Posted on 10 Jun
Getting excited for the Van Isle 360
Quoting a famous line from Pink Floyd's "Time" As I pack for the first half of the 2025 Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race, I find myself thinking about the last time I did this race, a certain Pink Floyd song, and the great adventuring, sailing and time with friends that awaits.
Posted on 3 Jun