Expensive day out

[Stemar]

The RNLI use them for beach rescues. If I've got myself caught in a rip tide, I'm going to very happy to see one coming.

They strike me as the motor bikes of the sea and, like bikes, do attract the yob element, but let's not forget that there are plenty of responsible users out there too.

Also, be careful what you wish for. I recall a curmudgeon complaining about speeding in Chichester Harbour. The Conservancy responded that he was right, and they'd start to enforce the rules. A few weeks later, Mr Curmudgeon was done for not displaying his motor sailing cone...

Still, one should never let the facts get in the way of a good rant, especially when the facts point both ways. There used to be a marvellous video of an anti jet ski missile floating around the Web, and we've all wished for one of those on occasion. Unfortunately I couldn't find it when I looked recently.

 

[Rappey]

This is Portsmouth harbour. The part that caught my attention is the "no wash". That's virtually every motorboat breaking that rule then !

 

[johnalison]

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.

The apologists for PWCs have obviously never been to Essex. There is a large community of East-End Londoners with limited respect for the Law, to put it mildly, who see charging around our coast on one of these noisy and smelly toys as their preferred weekend 'fun'. The people I feel sorry for are those who thought that retiring to a sea-front bungalow at Holland-on Sea thirty years ago would be the key to a peaceful retirement, when every summer afternoon in the garden would be no worse with an invasion of wasps.

 

[lustyd]

The apologists for PWCs sailors have obviously never been to Essex The Solent. There is a large community of East-End Londoners racers with limited respect for the Law, to put it mildly, who see charging around our coast on one of these noisy and smelly silent toys as their preferred weekend 'fun'.

This could be rewritten for any given group. Live and let live, and prosecute the dangerous ones.

 

[johnalison]

This could be rewritten for any given group. Live and let live, and prosecute the dangerous ones.

Anyone would think that potential danger was the only reason that jetskis are so widely disliked both by seafarers and those ashore. By your reasoning we should always have to tolerate those causing a disturbance. We now live in such a noise-polluted world that there are only few of us left who can remember what it was like to enjoy a day on the beach or at sea without continual noise , or even just go to the shops for that matter.

 

[SaltyC]

The apologists for PWCs have obviously never been to Essex. There is a large community of East-End Londoners with limited respect for the Law, to put it mildly, who see charging around our coast on one of these noisy and smelly toys as their preferred weekend 'fun'. The people I feel sorry for are those who thought that retiring to a sea-front bungalow at Holland-on Sea thirty years ago would be the key to a peaceful retirement, when every summer afternoon in the garden would be no worse with an invasion of wasps.

Please also include South Shields! 4 *4 Pickups launching PWC's whilst you are attempting to land on the slipway with a dinghy.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We have a PWC club in the solent. Fortunately they are the sensible ones. Sure, they’ll be doing 40kn when away from the shore, but they make no more noise, and a lot less wash than many of our motor yacht friends. The more recent 4 stroke models don’t make the noise that the old 2 strokes used to. They were absolutely awful.

 

[justanothersailboat]

...We now live in such a noise-polluted world that there are only few of us left who can remember what it was like to enjoy a day on the beach or at sea without continual noise...

I can't agree. I've had lots of lovely peaceful times recently at sea and on beaches. Those moments are of massive value. Which is exactly why it should be mandatory for sailing vessels to carry cannon for use against bloody jetskis.

 

[johnalison]

I can't agree. I've had lots of lovely peaceful times recently at sea and on beaches. Those moments are of massive value. Which is exactly why it should be mandatory for sailing vessels to carry cannon for use against bloody jetskis.

Of course it can be done, but why should we consider it unusual, or even a privilege? I can’t remember the last time I saw a beach on TV without someone in a jet ski whooshing around. Petrolised recreation has been normalised for purely commercial reasons.

 

[lustyd]

Anyone would think that potential danger was the only reason that jetskis are so widely disliked both by seafarers and those ashore. By your reasoning we should always have to tolerate those causing a disturbance. We now live in such a noise-polluted world that there are only few of us left who can remember what it was like to enjoy a day on the beach or at sea without continual noise , or even just go to the shops for that matter.

I remember those times, it was this summer. Priory Bay, Alderney, Guernsey, Sark, Jersey, River Fal, Salcombe, Dart, Beaulieu all lovelly and quiet where we were. The trick is, if you want peace and quiet, don't go for the easy access popular spots. We stayed in Portland instead of Weymouth for instance.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I remember those times, it was this summer. Priory Bay, Alderney, Guernsey, Sark, Jersey, River Fal, Salcombe, Dart, Beaulieu all lovelly and quiet where we were. The trick is, if you want peace and quiet, don't go for the easy access popular spots. We stayed in Portland instead of Weymouth for instance.

Isn’t Weymouth the last place God made, to use up the leftovers?

 

[lustyd]

If it was, there are a lot of people who like leftovers. Chesil beach was empty when we were there while Weymouth beach didn't even have room to walk to the sea. We all make our choices, and for us that was a taxi back to the boat in Portland.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

If it was, there are a lot of people who like leftovers. Chesil beach was empty when we were there while Weymouth beach didn't even have room to walk to the sea. We all make our choices, and for us that was a taxi back to the boat in Portland.

My choices were the same as yours, for the same reasons. Plus, Portland harbour is half an hour nearer Portland Bill, for a precisely timed inshore rounding.

 

[doris]

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.

Motor bikes have a purpose, as do PWCs. Don't condemn a machine just because an idiot uses it, that demonstrates a degree of intellectual chalenging.

 

[Mister E]

I can't agree. I've had lots of lovely peaceful times recently at sea and on beaches. Those moments are of massive value. Which is exactly why it should be mandatory for sailing vessels to carry cannon for use against bloody jetskis.

Lots of people liked my idea of a cannon firing frozen dog shit.
Except for Mrs E so it is still in the I want stage.

 

[Sandy]

Motor bikes have a purpose, as do PWCs. Don't condemn a machine just because an idiot uses it, that demonstrates a degree of intellectual chalenging.

A surprising post. Could you enlighten me what is the purpose of motor bikes/PCW in the hands of most people is?

Please note: My late mother was an A&E nurse before the days of helmets. I attended the funerals of two close friends in their late teens killed on their bikes and rendered first aid to several bikers at the roadside (never seen anybody empty a cylinder of EntoNox in 60 seconds before)! I have a friend who holds a World Record, OK it is on a trike, but he has the need for speed, and worked with several very advanced motorcyclists.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Most people who have motorcycles of any sort drive them to work, mostly in cities. I used mine for that. PWCs are just for fun, for those that get their jollies that way. I’ve got no issue with that unless they behave like idiots. It seems like a greater percentage of PWCs have idiot drivers, but it’s not all of them.

 

[Biggles Wader]

Odd direction for the debate given that we are mainly recreational boaters of one sort or another. Trying to make the point that someone's use of a PWC (or motorbike for that matter) is to be condemned because it has no useful purpose begs the question of what use is a sailing yacht or cabin cruiser? Perhaps we should all campaign to have ourselves banned!

 

[Pete7]

Isn’t Weymouth the last place God made, to use up the leftovers?

Well we had to share the harbour Cove with another yacht in September. The trick is go after the schools have gone back

Plus, Portland harbour is half an hour nearer Portland Bill, for a precisely timed inshore rounding.

Is it? if you leave the marina surely it will take about the same amount of time as leaving Weymouth harbour? Still the new Lidl 200 yards from the marina is an easy place to stock up.

 

[Pete7]

Odd direction for the debate given that we are mainly recreational boaters of one sort or another. Trying to make the point that someone's use of a PWC (or motorbike for that matter) is to be condemned because it has no useful purpose begs the question of what use is a sailing yacht or cabin cruiser? Perhaps we should all campaign to have ourselves banned!

We won't go to Studland on a Saturday due to the mayhem from the Birmingham navy. Sadly it's in range of PWCs from Poole. Watching them use moored yachts as a slalom isn't my idea of a quiet afternoon.