[Cascars]

I know this topic could cause some controversy but I seriously think it is about time that some kind of compulsory training is brought in before anyone is let loose on a powered water vehicle.
Yesterday morning at 6.30 I launched my boat at Herne Bay with no problems. In the afternoon it was a different story altogether.
As we approached the harbour there were a number of Jetskiers hammering around with no regard to anyone else right at the harbour entrance. We were following another boat, a Fletcher I think, who also had absolutely no common sense. He was doing about 30 kts in an 8kt limit area approaching the turn into the harbour. If another boat had come out of the entrance at the same time he could not have avoided it.
We got into the harbour only to find another boat coming straight at us with the half a dozen people on board all happily drinking their beer and not even looking where they were going. I had to immediately put my boat into reverse and take avoiding action at the risk of running aground. Another few yards into the harbour and there were two more boats bobbing around with the muppets on board chatting away without a care in the world. For anyone that does not know Herne Bay there is only a narrow channel to the slipway wide enough for 2-3 boats. On one side you have the boulders that make up the wall and on the other side thick mud that gets barely covered until high tide.
Amongst all of this confusion there are yet more Jetskiers buzzing around inside the harbour and a coastguard guy sitting on his Jetski doing nothing except getting a tan!
That will be the last time I use Herne Bay. I was a nervous wreck by the time I got Sea Mistress on her trailer.
Is this just a matter of boating etiquette or do you agree that there needs to be more control on water users?
I have added a picture for your reference

 

[gibberfish]

Is this just a matter of boating etiquette or do you agree that there needs to be more control on water users?

It is more than etiquette, ITS LAW!
The laws already exist to prevent and punish all that you have described. If they were enforced then more people would get educated to avoid being fined. More laws seem pointless when the existing ones would work if enforced.
Harbours have harbour masters who are legaly obliged to enforce IRPCS law in their area of juristriction. I suggest you complain to the HM, ask him what action he will take to prevent it happening again. If you get no joy, go to his boss.
Even as a lifeboatman, I hate the idea of compulsory training and will opose it if I can. I think it will probably happen though.

 

[whopper]

I agree with Terry. There was what looked like a harbour master on a marked Jetski but he was just riding about doing naff all. There were people on jet skis causing a swell making it difficult to get the boat alongside the ramp and also making it difficult to get the boat on the trailer.

The thing is with Herne bay, there are actually 2 ramps. The one we used and another one the other side . IMO one should be used for larger boats and the other for jet skis and small inflatables and the like. All vessels using one slip way is ridiculous. The Jetskis should not be allowed to come into the part we were in yesterday there simply isnt a need for them to go there? Terry was quick thinking in sticking Sea Mistress into reverse otherwise the bloke (loosely worded) in the other boat would have either forced us to run aground or collided with us.

One last gripe... The harbour control should actually do some thing rather than sit on his jet ski trying to look good. he should be directing people and asking people to take turns on the ramp. He should not be affraid to stop people on jet skis coming up to the ramp as well. He just simply wasn't doing his job and i think that was the flaw. A well controled area with someone who knows what he is doing could i feel make the experience of putting a boat at sea a more enjoyable and easier thing to do, rather than a heart in the mouth moment:uhuh:

 

[Cascars]

As there is also a beach area inside the harbour I can see a serious injury or death happening there before long. As Whop says the Neptune Jetty would be ideal for Jetskiers and it would be unnecessary for them to be in the harbour area at all. The harbour could also do with a waiting area or pontoon for boats trying to get on the slipway. Even at high tide there is only room for 2 boats to tie up alongside.
There are also several high powered ribs taking tourists out for fun which also use the wall alongside the slip. The local council needs to look at the problems here and address them. They were quite happy to put the parking and slipway cost up to £10 from £5. How about doing something for that money?
I dont think this is just a local problem, there must be many other similar areas in the UK with the same problems.

 

[ET-OPO]

We have this problem on the Rivers Deben and the Orwell. The Deben is plagued with 'Jet-skies', The Orwell, sufferers from Gin Palaces and Speed Boats doing 20kts+ in a limit zone. This also applies to Pilot Launches and Tugs, the new breed of which put up a large and dangerous wake?!!!

We have a vast area of water, in the Orwell/Felixstowe/ Harwich Harbour area, tens of sq miles. As a sheltered area, private fishing boats use it to wet a line when the weather is rough out to sea. Yacht's are a pain, as the windy weather that discourages the fishing boats to go further than the Harbour entrance, encourages the Yachties, force 6 lovely!!!

The problem is the proximity in which they come to the anchored angling boats, 10ft is close!!! There are no brakes, and one gets the distinct impression that these 'string bags' are barley under control? One sees them entering the Marina lock and maneuvering in the tight confines of the marina, its really sad the state they get them selves into sometimes :laugh: :laugh:

Every one has a 'right'??? but lack of consideration for others seems to be a problem of life in general these days:g:

Et's OPO

 

[whopper]

Hence more control by a harbour master or other authority. But then again that may cause slip way fees to go up ? On if there isnt a fee where you laucnh one may be put in place for a better controlled area?

 

[whitesnake]

eastney in portsmouth is just as bad,2 years ago a jet ski'er threatened a harbour masters assistant with a knife when he was going to give out a speeding ticket.it is absolute mayhem here in the summer.:uhuh:

 

[Cascars]

Compulsory insurance would be a start. Why should I lose my no claims bonus if some jetskier ploughs into me without it. It could be displayed like a tax disc. No insurance disc and that same could apply as with cars, impound and destroy it. To get the insurance some proof of training should have to be shown.

 

[ET-OPO]

Compulsory insurance would be a start. Why should I lose my no claims bonus if some jetskier ploughs into me without it. It could be displayed like a tax disc. No insurance disc and that same could apply as with cars, impound and destroy it. To get the insurance some proof of training should have to be shown.

This brings me to thinking about the 'Sea Angling Licence' easy target? Some form of licence/tax disc to use a boat? Trouble is, the rules that are in place are generally unenforced and totally flouted? Those of us that try to play the game will bear the brunt, as usual :bangin:

The first step, 'Sea Police'? wheres the money going to come from? The present government is to tied up in themselves and their ''''Legacy'''' what a load of ****ers!:yucky:

ET's OPO

 

[tonycccc]

I use Herne Bay all the time and in the summer at weekends its a nightmare ,I had a Jetski for 7 years before my boat. I never launched the ski from herne bay as the place is so packed with complete idiots, if you stand in the corner of the carpark and watch them in the transit lane its madness and someone will get injured. One day i saw a girl tow a ringo from the shore at full whack, her passenger fell out about about 100m out in the transit lane and was letf bobbing about while she continued without looking back until she was ay past the 300m buoy's ,while this was going on a boy about 10 was being blown through this lot on his li-lo . The place is a joke with all the jetski's and ski' boats forced to use a tiny bit of beach by the transit lane , they need to make the boat lane a lot bigger with an area for boats towing skiers etc, ban jetskis from the main ramp at weekends from april to october and marshall all the launching during busy times , its not just people going to fast you also get the ones who launch thier boats them spend 1/2 an hour getting changed and doing all sorts of things they could have done before they was on the slipway. But is anyone going to improve things when the reality is that you are only talking about 20 weekends (40 Days) a year. Anyway thats mine moan for the day and as im at work I am entitled to be grumpy:yucky:

 

[terryswindon]

We had a few "events" last year in Poole.

Bob from Sea Fishing Poole on Josephene had a jetski try and jump his wake. Mis-timed it and soaked all those on the back of the boat so badly that one bloke had his mobile and car keys rendered inoperative. Details of jetski and rider were reported to the Harbour Master (Not a young bloke on the jetski, I might add). Action was taken on two fronts. Harbour Master issued a notice of prosecution. Very wet bloke "Customised" the jetski with a lump hammer. End result. Two prosecutions. One for the jetskier, one for the "Panel beater".

Take details. Not personal action.

2 year old Bayliner (£12,000 worth) found floating just outside the harbour. Checks were made to see if some nutty diver had gone out alone to dive off the boat. Anchor and chain been lowered and caught up on a crab pot line. Keys not found. Boat taken in tow back to the jetty. Harbour Master called to say the boat had been located and was on it's way back. On the jetty was a very red faced man with a 14 year old in tow. Turns out. 14 year old had taken the keys to dad's "Pride and joy" (Not the kid I might add) and gone out with his mates. Anchored up near the beach at low tide. Got stuck into Dad's beer stocks and had not noticed the tide had come in and released the short anchor line.

No salvage was claimed at that point. Doubtful if the boat was insured for a 14 year old to use. But a "Substantial donation" to the RNLI was agreed. It amounted to the value of the 14 year olds summer hoilday that he was no longer going on.

Roll on this Summers "Madness".

 

[gs425e]

hi its horror stories like these that really puts doubts into a novice boater ,we were out from newhaven on friday and was just reurning to the harbour as the ferry was about to come out, we naturally waited in tide mills next to the harbour until we could enter ,but while we waited several boats tried to get in past the ferry only to come back out ,it does seem some people have a total disregarde to etiquette and the laws of the sea and disregarde to other users surely as a novise why is there not more policing of the harbour enterance on busy days and times of heavy traffic the use of the sea can be dangerous but these people do nothing to enhance the positive side of boating as i have at present a mind over matter safety concerns as i want my own boat, but will use it on my own so safety is uppermost in my mind these people do nothing to eleviate my fears cheers andy

 

[blueskip]

I remember raising this topic last year, with particular reference to the Birmingham Navy (Swansea Flotilla), & I got a right slating from some of the "landlocked" boating members of the forum!:g:
I would hazard a guess that none of the numpy's in question were local to the area, & therefore they were "grocks" or landlubbers call them what you want, whilst not all grocks & landlubbers are brainless idiots, all the brainless idiots I know, are grocks or landlubbers!:nonono:
We had our first taste of the Swansea Flotilla on Friday, no real near misses, a couple af "mini tsunami's" from some idiots with flying bridges & captains caps, who will insist on waving to you, as if they are doing you a favour by washing your hull well above the waterline!:wallbash:
blueskip

 

[Ianz]

know this topic could cause some controversy but I seriously think it is about time that some kind of compulsory training is brought in before anyone is let loose on a powered water vehicle.
Yesterday morning at 6.30 I launched my boat at Herne Bay with no problems. In the afternoon it was a different story altogether.
As we approached the harbour there were a number of Jetskiers hammering around with no regard to anyone else right at the harbour entrance. We were following another boat, a Fletcher I think, who also had absolutely no common sense. He was doing about 30 kts in an 8kt limit area approaching the turn into the harbour. If another boat had come out of the entrance at the same time he could not have avoided it.
We got into the harbour only to find another boat coming straight at us with the half a dozen people on board all happily drinking their beer and not even looking where they were going. I had to immediately put my boat into reverse and take avoiding action at the risk of running aground. Another few yards into the harbour and there were two more boats bobbing around with the muppets on board chatting away without a care in the world. For anyone that does not know Herne Bay there is only a narrow channel to the slipway wide enough for 2-3 boats. On one side you have the boulders that make up the wall and on the other side thick mud that gets barely covered until high tide.
Amongst all of this confusion there are yet more Jetskiers buzzing around inside the harbour and a coastguard guy sitting on his Jetski doing nothing except getting a tan!
That will be the last time I use Herne Bay. I was a nervous wreck by the time I got Sea Mistress on her trailer.
Is this just a matter of boating etiquette or do you agree that there needs to be more control on water users?
I have added a picture for your reference

Terry

I think 25 quid at Newhaven is probably good value, certainly is for peace of mind!!!!!

Cheers Ian

:boat: :boat: :boat:

 

[Salar]

Its not just the powerboats and jetskis - you can usually shake these off within half a mile of shore. The DSC radios with the red Mayday button are causing a real problem - powerboats and yachts I suspect. This weekend there were constant maydays in the Solent most of which were false alarms. Then some kids got hold of a radio in their parents boat and were "playing" with Ch 16, blocking all calling and distress traffic. The Coastguard were amazingly patient considering the stupidity on display.

 

[Cascars]

Terry

I think 25 quid at Newhaven is probably good value, certainly is for peace of mind!!!!!

Cheers Ian

:boat: :boat: :boat:

I cant wait to get it moored now, even with the extra expense involved

 

[tonycccc]

I know this topic could cause some controversy but I seriously think it is about time that some kind of compulsory training is brought in before anyone is let loose on a powered water vehicle.
Yesterday morning at 6.30 I launched my boat at Herne Bay with no problems. In the afternoon it was a different story altogether.
As we approached the harbour there were a number of Jetskiers hammering around with no regard to anyone else right at the harbour entrance. We were following another boat, a Fletcher I think, who also had absolutely no common sense. He was doing about 30 kts in an 8kt limit area approaching the turn into the harbour. If another boat had come out of the entrance at the same time he could not have avoided it.
We got into the harbour only to find another boat coming straight at us with the half a dozen people on board all happily drinking their beer and not even looking where they were going. I had to immediately put my boat into reverse and take avoiding action at the risk of running aground. Another few yards into the harbour and there were two more boats bobbing around with the muppets on board chatting away without a care in the world. For anyone that does not know Herne Bay there is only a narrow channel to the slipway wide enough for 2-3 boats. On one side you have the boulders that make up the wall and on the other side thick mud that gets barely covered until high tide.
Amongst all of this confusion there are yet more Jetskiers buzzing around inside the harbour and a coastguard guy sitting on his Jetski doing nothing except getting a tan!
That will be the last time I use Herne Bay. I was a nervous wreck by the time I got Sea Mistress on her trailer.
Is this just a matter of boating etiquette or do you agree that there needs to be more control on water users?
I have added a picture for your reference

Off topic I know but is there something wrong with cascars ref pic .Car parks full ,boat and trailer parks full but theres not a boat in the water or a man on the beach, Do you think when they coloured the sea from its normal brown and put sand on the beach they covered up what would normaly be an ariel view of marine chaos ????

 

[Cascars]

Off topic I know but is there something wrong with cascars ref pic .Car parks full ,boat and trailer parks full but theres not a boat in the water or a man on the beach, Do you think when they coloured the sea from its normal brown and put sand on the beach they covered up what would normaly be an ariel view of marine chaos ????

I never even thought of that, lol. No trailers in the car park either . Perhaps someone got busy with Photoshop before putting the picture on the HBAA website:schmoll: . The sea was definitely not that colour yesterday either.

 

[Dave.S]

Interesting topic, was coming into to Poole entrance from Poole bay on Sunday and was being followed by a speedboat but on the wrong side of the channel.

Who should be coming the other way but the marine police boat! :clap2: :clap2:

Frantic waving by the police and all the guy did was stop turn 90 degrees and crossed the channel and out of the side towards the beach without a care! The police just steamed off at high speed!

Similar thing happened as I entered Poole harbour, a rib tried to come out on the wrong side as a number of boats were entering. Being an awkward *** that I am I kept my boat heading towards him until he was forced to turn away, I hasten to add I did not put anyone in any danger, before anyone jumps all over me. :blink:

A bit of sun and they all go mad

Dave
:giveup:

 

[tonycccc]

I shouldn't knock it too much as I think its probably just a victim of its own success,theres very few places an hour from london with such good launch facilities its just the weekends that are bad