Sail-World.com : Operation Alpine targets lifejacket use
Operation Alpine targets lifejacket use
|
|
|
|
Operation Alpine, a recent campaign to target lifejacket use on alpine waters, was carried out from 17th to 20th May on Blowering Dam, Talbingo Reservoir, Lake Eucumbene, Lake Burrinjuck, Khancoban Pondage, Tumut Ponds, Tooma Dam and Three Mile Dam.
The campaign has found a disappointing number of boaters are still not wearing lifejackets when legally required to, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) Maritime Acting General Manager Maritime Operations Trevor Williams said.
Twelve fines and eight formal warnings were issued for non-compliance with lifejacket laws during Operation Alpine.
In all, 120 boaters were randomly stopped and checked by RMS Boating Safety Officers for compliance with safety equipment, especially lifejackets, during the campaign.
Mr Williams said boating on alpine waters poses additional hazards to other locations, with water temperatures averaging below 14 degrees for much of the year, and dropping to six or seven degrees in winter.
'If you unexpectedly fall into the water, you may quickly become incapacitated as your body reacts to the ‘cold shock’ of immersion,' he said.
Alpine waters are defined as Lake Burrinjuck, Lake Eucumbene, Lake Jindabyne, Khancoban Pondage, Swampy Plains River, Mannus Lake, Googong Reservoir, Blowering Dam, and all navigable waters contained within the boundaries of the Kosciusko National Park as reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 – NSW.
Since 1st November 2010, strengthened lifejacket laws in NSW have required lifejackets to be worn more often by those boating on alpine waters.
Mr Williams said those who go fishing in small boats such as runabouts represent the biggest group who appear not to understand the new lifejacket laws for boating on alpine waters.
'There are no exceptions. If you are on a small vessel, then you need to wear a lifejacket at all times,' Mr Williams said.
Other times lifejackets need to be worn on alpine waters include:
• By children under 12 years, when in an open area of a vessel 4.8m to 8m that is under way
• When wearing waders on a vessel
• When being towed on water skis or other towing devices
• When canoeing and kayaking
• When using off-the-beach sailing vessels such as catamarans and centreboard boats
• When sailboarding
• When on a personal watercraft (PWC).
For more information on when to wear a lifejacket in which circumstances, click here.
Roads and Maritime Services NSW website
by Penny Robins
Click on the FB Like link to post this story to your FB wall
http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?nid=97885
7:52 AM Thu 31 May 2012GMT
Click here for printer friendly version
Click here to send us feedback or comments about this story.
|
|
|
Our Advertisers are committed to our sport, please support them!
This site and its contents are © Copyright TetraMedia Pty. Ltd and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved.
Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph you must contact the photographer directly (there is a hyperlink in most cases to their website, or do a Google search.) with your request.
Please do not contact
Sail-World.com
as we cannot give permission for use of other photographer’s images.
Only if the photographer named on the image is Sail-world.com, Powerboat-world.com, Marinebusiness-world.com or NZBoating-World.com.
Contact us
.
Ph: +61 2 8006 1873
or complete our
feedback form
Contact us
.
View our Privacy Policy.
[ Go Home]
[ Banner Advertising Specification]
[Bot Archive ]
Customised news feeds -Marine Industry companies, Clubs and Associations have their own customised version of our news feed on their website.
Look_here_to_see_examples
|
CLD
| | |
