Expensive day out

[Juan Twothree]

Plymouth Magistrates’ Court fines fourth person this year for excess speed on the Cattewater

Plymouth Magistrates’ Court have today issued a fine totalling £5,560 to a water user guilty on two counts of navigating without care and caution and exceeding the speed limit onboard their Personal Water Craft (PWC) in the Cattewater. The defendant was found to be doing 47 knots in an 8 knot speed area.
A spokesperson for Cattewater Harbour, the commercial port of Plymouth said:
“Nearly £16,000 has been issued in fines to personal water craft users who have chosen to ignore the speed limits in place on the Cattewater in 2022.
Speed limits are in place as a result of a continual risk assessment process. They are a key control measure in helping to make the water safer for our stakeholders, which includes leisure users, clubs, schools, commercial and leisure vessels, as well as the marine life that share our waters.
With today’s fines and costs totalling £5,560 it is a strong message that unsafe behaviour on the water will not be tolerated, and enforcement action will be taken when necessary to ensure the waters of Plymouth remain safe to all users.”

 

[Roberto]

Once I saw one circling at crazy speed in the middle of summer swimmers while laughing at how scared people were, a fine? put in jail and throw away the key.

 

[Wansworth]

Do responsible,people who care about others in their normal lives buy a jet ski?

 

[KeelsonGraham]

Good news, so many MOBOs pay no attention to the 8kt limit.

 

[Birdseye]

Good news, so many MOBOs pay no attention to the 8kt limit.

They are just slower versions of PWC. Below the salt !

 

[Sandy]

I shall need to watch my speed going through Cattewater, I have been known to do 9 knots SOG on a spring tide.

It is good to see that people are being prosecuted for speeding. While I love seeing people getting out on the water in any craft, PCWs are seen as water motorbikes.

 

[johnalison]

I shall need to watch my speed going through Cattewater, I have been known to do 9 knots SOG on a spring tide.

It is good to see that people are being prosecuted for speeding. While I love seeing people getting out on the water in any craft, PCWs are seen as water motorbikes.

Although I have never so much as sat on a motorbike, they can at least serve the purpose of getting you from A to B. PWCs have no purpose at all and can cause nuisance or worse over several square miles (I know they are sometimes used officially).

 

[lustyd]

Speed limits are usually through the water, not over ground

 

[neil_s]

Just a little shout out for the responsible motor craft owners out there - I make a point of a friendly wave/acknowledgement/thank you when people give way or motor peacefully near me.

 

[lustyd]

Indeed, every group has a minority of pillocks. I'm sure we've all seen some under sail too!

 

[captainhaddock]

Speed limits are usually through the water, not over ground

I'm surprised at that. How exactly do they measure speed through the water?

 

[lustyd]

I'm surprised at that. How exactly do they measure speed through the water?

It's easy enough to work out. It's not like you get a fine for doing 7 in a 6 limit so ultimate accuracy isn't necessary and generally only extreme cases are prosecuted anyway, usually someone will just have a word.

 

[Capt Popeye]

I'm surprised at that. How exactly do they measure speed through the water?

Maybe a speed measuring device that measures the water distance travelled ? like a Log ?

Ground device I guess measures by GPS ?

 

[captainhaddock]

So if the speed limit is through the water, entering Chichester harbour (speed limit for power driven vessels, 8 knots) on the ebb tide you could potentially be limited to 2 knots SOG yet can do 14 knots SOG entering with the flood tide?. I appreciate the "only extreme cases are prosecuted" but that seems crazy.

 

[Wansworth]

It’s the perception of the owners,a fast deep vee cruiser is for skidding across the sea not for churning up a waterway likewise a nice mfv can chug along just leaving a ripple,for some reason speed seems to be a significant part of being on a jet ski I suppose as it’s not macho going slowly??

 

[RJJ]

So if the speed limit is through the water, entering Chichester harbour (speed limit for power driven vessels, 8 knots) on the ebb tide you could potentially be limited to 2 knots SOG yet can do 14 knots SOG entering with the flood tide?. I appreciate the "only extreme cases are prosecuted" but that seems crazy.

2 reasons.. what we care about is speed of vessels relative to each other, or indeed swimmers, and waves generated by speeding vessels. With an 6 knot opposing tide, a boat making 8 knots SOG would be doing 14 knots through the water, making them a significant hazard to small boats trying to manoeuvre.

Plus in the extreme example of Chichester, a vessel entering on a strong flood travelling at 1 knot STW would not be able to steer.

 

[Wansworth]

Speed boats are like Hoovers,using the hooveryoudontnotice the noise and nuisance,whilst those reading a book vacate the room?

 

[glynd]

Although I have never so much as sat on a motorbike, they can at least serve the purpose of getting you from A to B. PWCs have no purpose at all and can cause nuisance or worse over several square miles (I know they are sometimes used officially).

I used to quite fancy a quadski for my commute from east London to Hammersmith, avoiding all traffic and the like. Price was somewhat out of my league, and PMCs banned on the Thames. Would have made for a more interesting commute than the district line….

 

[mjcoon]

Although I have never so much as sat on a motorbike, they can at least serve the purpose of getting you from A to B. PWCs have no purpose at all and can cause nuisance or worse over several square miles (I know they are sometimes used officially).

Surely official use implies a real purpose? Such as lifesaving? Not sure if a flashing blue light justifies breaking constraints...

 

[Sandy]

Although I have never so much as sat on a motorbike, they can at least serve the purpose of getting you from A to B. PWCs have no purpose at all and can cause nuisance or worse over several square miles (I know they are sometimes used officially).

Best not tell Border Force that. When in the marina at Dover in summer 2021 there were several parked up beside the berth.

I actually think PWCs are a great way of getting people on the water. Trouble is it is usually some edjit who thinks they can use them like a motorbike with the silencer removed in the local playground.