The WA Department of Transport has published their final position on the safety equipment review for recreational vessels.
transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/safety-equipment-review.asp
Nothing terribly onerous added - mostly about mandatory lifejackets when off the coast in smaller boats (< 4.8 m). I am a bit surprised about how much was made recommended rather than mandatory eg bilge pump/bailer, fire extinguisher.
Actually there is some really good changes - you can now use electronic flares instead of pyrotechnic flares and there is the option to have either an EPIRB or PLB. The PLB option would be good for solo sailors.
Select to expand quoteWoylie said..
The WA Department of Transport has published their final position on the safety equipment review for recreational vessels.
transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/safety-equipment-review.asp
Nothing terribly onerous added - mostly about mandatory lifejackets when off the coast in smaller boats (< 4.8 m). I am a bit surprised about how much was made recommended rather than mandatory eg bilge pump/bailer, fire extinguisher.
Thanks for that. Will pass it onto the windsurfing forums.
RE the recommended status. I think DOT probably got it hammered into them during the review that some vessels <4.8m either negate the need to carry such things as a bailer through design, or its totally impractical to carry something like a fire extinguisher. Imagine a windsurfer lugging a fire extinguisher and a bailer around because "regulations". The same could be said of a 14 ft skiff with a self draining cockpit (buoyancy tanks in the floor/ no transom), and little to no chance of it burning to the waterline in the extremely unlikely event it somehow caught fire, since it consistently cops water all over whilst sailing. For sure there are probably some classes/tenders that should carry a bailer regardless, but most sailing dinghies have that situation covered by design in one way or another.
the rules as they are atm are very broad sweeping, and its up to DOT officers to see common sense when handing out fines for not carrying a bailer on a windsurfer, or a tender with no flammables on board, to bring it closer to home.
one thing i did find a little surprising is the lack of requirements for SUPS and the like. Its entirely possible to put some serious distance between the shore and you. If you fall off unleashed, the SUP will drift downwind a lot faster than you can swim. Strange they aren't bringing them into the requirements as well.
