Jet Ski legislation on the way?

[ProDave]

Am I the only one that does not like the thought of ANY sea going boat being licenced? If they introduce a scheme for jet ski's and it "works" how long before any other form of "motor boat" needs a licence?

I am all for being competent and trained a good thing, but this is a thin end of the wedge to end unrestricted access to the coastal waters for private boat owners.

 

[MystyBlue2]

Am I the only one that does not like the thought of ANY sea going boat being licenced? If they introduce a scheme for jet ski's and it "works" how long before any other form of "motor boat" needs a licence?

I am all for being competent and trained a good thing, but this is a thin end of the wedge to end unrestricted access to the coastal waters for private boat owners.

+1 and with us being a nanny state and the top end men constantly looking to make more money and make us pay for X, Y and Z, That will be the way it will end up. Especially if they can come up with a plan for it to make them millions per year for doing nowt.

 

[chrishscorp]

They are allowed into the main harbour but are not allowed into the Town Camber Dock.

1601 PWC Water Skiing Board Sailing and Swimming | Royal Navy

Section 3 says they are allowed in the harbour if they are licensed, they have to be datatagged and insured in order to get a license to use with Portsmouth Harbour.

In 6 years of being moored in Portsmouth Harbour I have never seen a single PWC user in the harbour other than the three who were stopped at the entrance, IF the only thing that stops them using the area is being insured and datatagged that really speaks volumes.

 

[JumbleDuck]

To be fair if they are on byways, Theres nowt farmers and the like can do, If anything...Now they've blocked it off they are the ones braking the law not the 4x4's or bikes.

And if they are on bridleways, as he wrote, they are breaking the law.

 

[MystyBlue2]

And if they are on bridleways, as he wrote, they are breaking the law.

Well yeah but alot of folk complain about 4x4s on anything but the road. Trust me, I used to own a modified SWB pajero and did ALOT of greenlaning and the amount of people that complained about us being on a public byway that was open to all traffic was unbelievable.

Bridleways ofcourse but byways...Not so much, I've been out with lads who have been boobie trapped by barbed wire and a shotgun to blow the tyres to smithereens ON A PUBLIC BYWAY.

Then lads that ended up trapped on a byway because farmers have blocked the entrance and exit by plant machinery.

The farmers and land owners need to research and know the laws on byways before they think they can just do what they want. They tend to be the ones braking the law over the 4x4 club having a nice drive out on a sunday afternoon.

 

[mjcoon]

How many jetskiers impose a similar burden on the NHS. ?

That comparison is probably more due to the area of road legally available for bikers and the usefulness of travelling by bike, compared with limited space and purpose for jet skis. You have an incredibly narrow field of view!

 

[JumbleDuck]

Well yeah but alot of folk complain about 4x4s on anything but the road. Trust me, I used to own a modified SWB pajero and did ALOT of greenlaning and the amount of people that complained about us being on a public byway that was open to all traffic was unbelievable.

As, of course, is the amount of damage done to unpaved byways when used by people who take an active delight in causing destruction. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's right.

 

[europe172]

Would that be a problem?

I think it would , we are an island nation with a difficult coast/ weather system and for 200 years we have managed with much regulation. Freedoms once given away are difficult to regain. The last thing our hobby needs is more barriers to entry

 

[Tanqueray]

I hear rumours that these individuals have been clocked at ridiculous speeds and have been observed attempting to enter Portsmouth harbour.
It's only a matter of time before a serious incident occurs and it would probably be sensible to ban this form of propulsion altogether.

 

[Sandy]

I think it would , we are an island nation with a difficult coast/ weather system and for 200 years we have managed with much regulation. Freedoms once given away are difficult to regain. The last thing our hobby needs is more barriers to entry

We are very lucky in that anybody can jump in a boat and enjoy the sea in all its forms. Personally, I don't think some form of training would go amiss.

Two weeks ago I was asked on the pontoon by the new owner of the boat opposite when it would be safe to take it to its new mooring. I hope the look of total disbelief did not show, then did a 15 minute talk on tides.

I've not heard that any small boats have been shipwrecked in Plymouth Sound so can only assume they arrived safely.

 

[Never Grumble]

1601 PWC Water Skiing Board Sailing and Swimming | Royal Navy

Section 3 says they are allowed in the harbour if they are licensed, they have to be datatagged and insured in order to get a license to use with Portsmouth Harbour.

In 6 years of being moored in Portsmouth Harbour I have never seen a single PWC user in the harbour other than the three who were stopped at the entrance, IF the only thing that stops them using the area is being insured and datatagged that really speaks volumes.

The presence of a number of police boats around the carriers probably helps. I was at the Gosport Premier Fuel berth doing the annual top up last summer when two jet skis turned up, afraid to say they didn't do themselves any favours and everyone just ignored them. They kept shouting "where's the attendant", "we wanna pay cash" ... of course its self-service & credit cards .

 

[Babylon]

Well yeah but a lot of folk complain about 4x4s on anything but the road. Trust me, I used to own a modified SWB pajero and did A LOT of greenlaning and the amount of people that complained about us being on a public byway that was open to all traffic was unbelievable.

Bridleways of course but byways...Not so much, I've been out with lads who have been boobie trapped by barbed wire and a shotgun to blow the tyres to smithereens ON A PUBLIC BYWAY.

Then lads that ended up trapped on a byway because farmers have blocked the entrance and exit by plant machinery.

The farmers and land owners need to research and know the laws on byways before they think they can just do what they want. They tend to be the ones braking the law over the 4x4 club having a nice drive out on a sunday afternoon.

I think you'll find that the vast majority of farmers and landowners don't just "do what they want" and work entirely within the law. The bridleways and some byways I'm referring to in my neck of the woods have had to have their status changed and are now clearly signed by the local highways authority that they are NOT open to motorised traffic except legitimate local farm vehicles. This wasn't the case previously, but vast sections had to become closed to motorised vehicles due to the widespread and sometimes extreme trashing of the surfaces - making them almost entirely unusable by horses and walkers and almost impassable for some types of expensive farm machinery.

I can't comment on your anecdote and, as I said earlier, I'm not for curtailing people's freedom to enjoy off-roading or riding jet-skis etc, just that where an environment is a shared one (walkers, horses, farm-vehicles, etc) then the priority becomes one of having to limit the access of the most destructive. (I don't want to raise the stakes by mentioning the denigration of wildlife habitat, but that is also a concern for many people.)

Your mention of violence reminds me of a number of occasions where I've had to leap for my life out of the way of a 4x4 that has come crashing through a hedge, or conspicuously turn my head the other way (having frantically grabbed my dog for his own safety) so that the 'lads' on their unmarked bikes or quad-bikes don't think I'm eyeballing them or going to call the police.

 

[Keith 66]

To start saying "If we legislate against jetskis we will get penalised ourselves" is missing the point. Yachts & Motor boats are already the subject of legislation ie colregs & through being classed as vessels, its been this way for a long time. Has this caused us any problems? No.
PWC's are not classed as vessels through a legal precedent in a court case where an ill informed judge cocked up.
Three years ago I was involved in an incident during the Round Canvey rowing race where three of the participating boats were assaulted by a bunch of pwc's, Our boat was nearly swamped twice in two near misses & If we had been hit it would have resulted in serious injury or death.
The same bunch had been doing similar for months all along southend sea front, they did similar to a class of 7 & 8 year old kids in oppies also exposing themselves.
It took a long time for us to get enough photographic evidence & a video of them speedng & eventually Essex marine section found out where their hooky launching site was. Two of them got massive fines. It took nearly two years.
It should not have to be so dificult to nail these people. High time this law went through.

 

[ashtead]

I am in such debates always reminded of the sad and untimely deaths caused by the antics of such jetski. To have them running around in a lethal machine without insurance with the potential to kill innocent swimmers seems to be inviting great sadness for the families of such innocent victims even if it doesn’t end in death. I see no reason why usage cannot be limited to a small designated area where say yachts and others won’t be anchored or swimming.

 

[lustyd]

As, of course, is the amount of damage done to unpaved byways when used by people who take an active delight in causing destruction. Just because something is legal doesn't mean it's right.

In my experience the vast majority of damage is done by horses, are you also suggesting those people should "do what's right"?

 

[Scotsailor]

To start saying "If we legislate against jetskis we will get penalised ourselves" is missing the point. Yachts & Motor boats are already the subject of legislation ie colregs & through being classed as vessels, its been this way for a long time. Has this caused us any problems? No.
PWC's are not classed as vessels through a legal precedent in a court case where an ill informed judge cocked up.
Three years ago I was involved in an incident during the Round Canvey rowing race where three of the participating boats were assaulted by a bunch of pwc's, Our boat was nearly swamped twice in two near misses & If we had been hit it would have resulted in serious injury or death.
The same bunch had been doing similar for months all along southend sea front, they did similar to a class of 7 & 8 year old kids in oppies also exposing themselves.
It took a long time for us to get enough photographic evidence & a video of them speedng & eventually Essex marine section found out where their hooky launching site was. Two of them got massive fines. It took nearly two years.
It should not have to be so dificult to nail these people. High time this law went through.

Your post actually makes the point that legislation is already in place to prosecute and heavily fine these offenders This does seem to be a regional thing. The jet skiers I encounter occasionally around Loch Fyne behave very responsibly. I don’t support any further legislation.

 

[lustyd]

I am in such debates always reminded of the sad and untimely deaths caused by the antics of such jetski. To have them running around in a lethal machine without insurance with the potential to kill innocent swimmers seems to be inviting great sadness for the families of such innocent victims even if it doesn’t end in death. I see no reason why usage cannot be limited to a small designated area where say yachts and others won’t be anchored or swimming.

How many swimmers in the UK are killed every year by Jetskis? The only statistic I could find included deaths of the Jetski users themselves, and that was 6 deaths over a decade so hardly a problem needing a solution. 9 people accidentally drowned in their own bathtubs in 2010 alone. What we need is education, not legislation.

 

[Ian_Rob]

In my experience the vast majority of damage is done by horses, are you also suggesting those people should "do what's right"?

Really?? I would suggested that longitudinal tracks resulting from 4 and 2 wheeled vehicles are greatly more damaging in the longer term than damage resulting from hoof marks which by their very nature are localised and contained. The gouge of wheel tracks easily becomes a rivulet on sloping land that quickly can quickly worsen and contribute to very significant soil erosion.

 

[Babylon]

In my experience the vast majority of damage is done by horses, are you also suggesting those people should "do what's right"?

I see you've got nothing sensible to contribute, and you're contributing.

 

[lustyd]

Really?? I would suggested that longitudinal tracks resulting from 4 and 2 wheeled vehicles are greatly more damaging in the longer term than damage resulting from hoof marks which by their very nature are localised and contained. The gouge of wheel tracks easily becomes a rivulet on sloping land that quickly can quickly worsen and contribute to very significant soil erosion.

Yes, really. tyres spread weight fairly well on most vehicles whereas hooves concentrate it to a very small area, ensuring the maximum damage is done. Most places where there are well worn ruts from vehicles will also have very clear damage from horses. As a keen cyclist I've often been told off for damaging paths which showed no sign whatsoever of ever having been ridden over by a bike, yet were completely ruined with horse tracks. I've also never witnessed this huge damage supposedly inflicted by 4x4s, although it's probably hard to see next to the 6" deep tractor tracks!