Hi Paul ,

We are very fortunate to have Max Wells working on this matter.

Please note.

All divisions and races. The event will be run in accordance to Surfing Victoria event management risk management protocols and in accordance with the currently in place voluntary code of practice for SUP in Victoria. Transport Safety Victoria (formerly Marine Safety Victoria) will be onsite during the day to allow for the SUP fraternity to consult and be involved in the consultation process relating to future laws and regulations relating to SUP. Surfing Victoria encourages all SUP riders to come along and engage in this consultive process.

maxwells said...

Hi Guys

I have another meeting at Marine Safety today to finalise their attendance at the event to meet and consult. They did try to get to the recent day in Torquay Strapper ran but couldn't attend because of staff time avaiability and we have been passing info re the voluntary code of practice onto SUP Vic who promoted it at their recent event.
This is important for the sport so hopefully many can attend and be involved in the process.

Max Wells Surfing Victoria

Thanks Max.

DJ

Hi everyone

I am waiting for further confirmation from Marine Safety today however the key points are;

There was a push to classify SUP's as vessels however I believe and have put the case that they are surfboards / craft.

Currently we are working on

1. From Shore to 400metres SUP riders must wear a leg rope.

2. 400 metres to 2 kilometres legrope plus pfd.

3. Beyond 2K neccesary safety equipment as per vessels.

There is no guarantees on this however Marine Safety are working with me and any support I can get from the SUP fraternity will be greatfully appreciated. Plus feedback on jan 22 at Pt Danger will significantly assist.

Best regards Max

What about surf zones more than 400m from shore? I can think a few breaks off the top of my head that probably fall into that category.

I don't particularly want to be bobbing around on the surface in the impact zone strapped to a pfd - especially in big waves.

I dunno, maybe surf zones aren't a part of this code. If that's not the case, then it would be well worth getting along to the Surfing Victoria SUP event to make this point directly with the Marine Safety reps.

I'm no expert, but do not all the big wave tow-in guys wear PFD's, as experience has shown them to be beneficial, not problematic ?

Rosscoe said...

What about surf zones more than 400m from shore? I can think a few breaks off the top of my head that probably fall into that category.

I don't particularly want to be bobbing around on the surface in the impact zone strapped to a pfd - especially in big waves.

DavidJohn said...

KenHo said...

I'm no expert, but do not all the big wave tow-in guys wear PFD's, as experience has shown them to be beneficial, not problematic ?

Rosscoe said...

What about surf zones more than 400m from shore? I can think a few breaks off the top of my head that probably fall into that category.

I don't particularly want to be bobbing around on the surface in the impact zone strapped to a pfd - especially in big waves.

For them the benefits outweigh the problems.. For us I think the problems outweigh the benefits.. in some cases..

They wear them for both impact protection and as a life saver to get them up to the surface quicker at the cost of being carried along in the white water..

Beside.. They are getting towed out.. towed onto the waves.. and towed out of the way of oncoming whitewater and not swimming around in it as much.

It's very different IMO.

DJ

Many competitors in last years Eddie Aikau (Waimea Bay only held over 25 feet Hawaiian for those that are unaware) were wearing thinner buoyancy vests and lieing down to paddle with them if that counts for anything.

Hi guys, just another suggestion/food for thought whilst guidelines are being drafted...

What are other peoples thoughts about adding an extra category/sub-category for when a support vessel is accompanying paddlers?

Would it be reasonable to suggest that if a specific support vessel (eg. jet ski/boat) is accompanying paddlers and remains within say 50 or 100m of the paddler at all times then the rules for category 1 (<400m from shore) could be applied, provided the vessel carries all the necessary safety gear it requires (flares, epirb etc and including sufficient pfd's for the paddlers it is accompanying)?

I know if i was required to carry all the gear they are suggesting i probably wouldn't paddle as it takes half the fun away.

paul.j said...

How stoked are all the skis, clubbies and so on who have been doing DW paddles for who knows how long are going to be when because of SUP they now have to wear legropes, life jackets, flares ect.
These guys have been doing this stuff for a long time with out the need for all this extra stuff!! look i'm all for being safe, so it's simple if you think you need it then wear it but if everyone keeps putting this siht on forums then government and councils are going to read it and it will all blow up in our face!!!

If you are having a problem at your home spot then just take care of it quitely and dont splash it all over the place and make a big deal out of it!!!

Jacko

x3

paul.j said...

How stoked are all the skis, clubbies and so on who have been doing DW paddles for who knows how long are going to be when because of SUP they now have to wear legropes, life jackets, flares ect.
These guys have been doing this stuff for a long time with out the need for all this extra stuff!! look i'm all for being safe, so it's simple if you think you need it then wear it but if everyone keeps putting this siht on forums then government and councils are going to read it and it will all blow up in our face!!!

If you are having a problem at your home spot then just take care of it quitely and dont splash it all over the place and make a big deal out of it!!!

Jacko

Well said jacko to many rule makers in the world these days.Surfers have all ways been left to them selfs because we are the ones that know the ocean best.Wearing a PFD cause you paddle out to a bombie for a surf get real like to see them police that,idiots!!

Is there anyone who can tell me why "pen pushing bureaucrats" are involved in drafting up a "voluntary" code and what does the word "voluntary" mean in this context?
How and why did this even come about?
Who will this benefit? and
who are the Nanny's behind it?

I can understand a code of ethics and some saftey guidelines on a club and race level. But people talking to government pen pushers about, what I see as a non issue, gives me the creeps.

I certainly hope not one cent of my Sup Vic fees are going towards making regulations for us - voluntary or not.

I'm with Paul.J and Session. If not one "Nanny" wants to stick up their hand and answer my questions. Then why not do the right thing - ask Laurie to delete this thread. I'm sure the people who care about this already know about it.

The last thing I want is more fricken rules, regulating what I should and shouldn't do on my oversized board, in one of the activities I enjoy the most.

Any "volunteers"????

Nanny state is right!!

If i,m stupid enough to go SUP,ing with no leg rope and no pfd in the western entrance of Westernport 405 mtrs from shore on a ebb tide .

Then I should be able to with out getting fined.

At least theres a good chance I.ll be taken out of the gene pool .

Really, why do some people think that people need to be saved from themselves!!!

ockanui said...

having had many years involvement in the building industry and an understanding of worksafe policies, there will always be a minority of people who just don't think or grasp the concept of safety, or the notion of self responsibility, even with the implementation of such policies, its all to do about liability/lawyers/fear/revenue, will it get to a point where the manufacturers/ retailers of SUP's issue risk management guidelines and safe handling policies? I can understand the need for discussion at organized events re liability but personally I don't think not having a pfd would stop me going for a surf!
I am a great believer in common sense over regulation,unlike worksafe implementation we are talking about voluntary guidelines, having said that I do think people talking about safety issues is a good thing on any level of participation

I'm going to give it to you straight.

I work on large scale festival concerts. About 8 years ago we had union reps and OHS pen pushers walk on to our site and say that we are working on a building site and then tried to enforce their regulations on us.

What did we do....

Well, we spent 2 years formulating our own OHS. As a result, the building industry has no part in what we do, and nor should they.

The fact is that these people see another revenue source and make regulations only to justify their own incomes.

I reckon ignore them - start by deleting this thread.

I'd like to see the sup clubs working towards formulating their own code of conduct/ethics/safety on a club level and then let them - the potential regulators - know that we are responsible enough to look after ourselves and our own interests.

Unless I'm told otherwise, I think it's a joke that we've got to a point where we let a surfing association step in to look after our interests - most of their members probably hate sup.

PTWoody said...

But don't you grasp the simple fact that we were a breath away from having seriously onerous legislation thrust upon us which would have damn near killed SUP in Victoria?

Whatya talkin bout Woody?

I'm a paid up SUP Vic member and read this forum daily, and this is the first time I've heard of any regulation on SUP.

Elaborate on this "simple fact" that "damn near killed SUP in Victoria"

oliver said...

Whatya talkin bout Woody?

I'm a paid up SUP Vic member and read this forum daily, and this is the first time I've heard of any regulation on SUP.

Elaborate on this "simple fact" that "damn near killed SUP in Victoria"

Oliver, I had only heard glimpses of what was going on and had read nothing about it on this forum which is my reason for starting this thread - to try to get someone who knows what's going on to bring us up to speed. As you can see from Max Wells' thread count, he appears to have joined in order to explain what's happening.

I called Max yesterday and got the low down. This is what I understand to be the situation:

There has been a couple of incidents in the last year involving SUPs in Port Phillip Bay requiring water police intervention (in one instance a rescue from the shipping channel and in the other, to stop someone from doing something highly dangerous and illegal). As a result, the police recommended that SUPs be re-designated as vessels and required to carry all the same safety equipment. The nearest similarity they saw to SUP was sea kayaks. It would have meant we wear full length 3mm wetsuits and a PFD all year round whether we are in the surf zone or paddling out to sea or cruising a river. This legislation was being drafted when Marine Safety contacted Max at Surfing Victoria. Max has been proposing a compromise in the way of a self regulated voluntary code of practice, which Marine Safety appears to be amenable to, but only if it has the support of the punters, ie we all volunteer to follow the code. Otherwise we will see the legislation pushed through parliament.

Perhaps I am being melodramatic in predicting doom for SUP in Victoria with this legislation but I doubt people will want to surf a 3 foot break in 37 degrees wearing a full length wetsuit and PDF. Likewise a casual paddle on a river or in the shallows of a bayside beach.

There have been some concerns raised about how and where this code falls short bit in the context of this consultation at the Surfing Victoria event, perhaps these issues can be raised and if they are considered to be reasonable, we can have some exemptions such as the one involving a designated safety boat that Ali suggested. Likewise the favoured outer reef breaks that sit more than 400m from shore could be petitioned for exemption. You never know until you ask.

For the vast majority of our activities, all this code requires of us is that we wear a leg rope. I think that's an outstanding result that Max has achieved for us and I can see no reason why we wouldn't support it.