On Friday, the wife and I were having a gentle paddle down at Safety Beach near Dromana.

We were doing a medium distance paddle parallel to shoreline, and were always within a footy kick of the shore. It was as calm and as clear as swimming pool.

A 'marine patrol' powerboat came up to us, and one of the officers on board asked me if we wear wearing lifejackets. Clearly we weren't (not sure why they needed to ask). He then asked me if I knew it was a compulsory for paddle boarders to wear one. I said “no.” He then told us we better head back in immediately, or a police boat might be along soon and they might be less forgiving (implied a fine).

I said “ok” but after they took off in their boat, we decided “F*k 'em, this is ridiculous!” We continued on our paddle.

I can understand the need for a PFD for offshore paddling, but we were barely further out than the swimmers. Will swimmers soon need to wear life jackets just to enter the water The day before we had been SUP-surfing in Western Port Bay, and no one out there surfing was wearing a PFD. Today we paddled from south of Elwood to St Kilda marina and back (got a head wind both ways!) and we saw plenty of standup paddlers, but none wearing PFDs.

So, what's the deal?

Just another moron with a badge and a title, no person in their right mind would ever hassle you for not wearing a life vest while Supping in the ocean. He was just one of those rypical rent-a-cop, shopping mall security gaurds trying to make himself seem more wise and powerful than he actually is!!
Because if he is right every single surf life saving clubby around the nation will have wear a PFD everytime they grab their ski!!

Here are the treacherous conditions

What a joke, and I thought Nsw was the nanny state of oz, you would think commen Sence would would take care of that one.... But sometimes it appears not to be so common

i'm just gonna say that is some stupid ****, but really when you look at it it's not just victoria that a nanny state, where becoming one massive nanny country it's a bull

but thats just my opinion

Jarryd

Basha69 said...

Better not forget you flares as well

i cant,i used all mine at the soccer

deleted my previous post because it was TL

see this link:

transportsafety.vic.gov.au/maritime-safety/recreational-vessel-operators/paddle-craft

I once was aproched by the water police and we chatted for a while then one officer said do you know that you should be wearing a PFD and before I could answer the officer standing alongside him said 'no he doesn't' and the first one said 'yes he does' and while they argued I quietly paddled way..

DJ

plus apparently you are required to carry a manual bailer or an electronic one. I paddled in the Lake today this morning and am now wondering if perhaps to be completely safe when water flowed over the deck I should have bailed it off, not just let it wash over.

gregc said...

firstly Faito, I really don't know what you are thinking, your wife and you were in mortal peril at all times, I note children on the beach and the likelihood that the water was deeper than thigh high. You really should be held accountable for your absolute lack of respect to the danger that you put your family in [}:)]

Secondly, according to the transport Vic brochure that Human posted you actually were in breach of the rules (which to be honest I was dumbfounded about) really fancy requiring a PFD that close to shore. I can understand a downwinder requiring a PFD.

All I can say is WOW, so what is next will they be requiring all footy players to be wrapped in cotton wool and not come within 2metres of one another???

Dont forget the hundreds and thousands of Australian taxpayers money that may have to be expended to save you..............

What saves us from politicians (sorry wrong topic lol)

PTWoody said...

Before everyone gets too carried away, the problem here is that enforcement officers are trying to interpret legislation and regulations written well before Stand Up Paddleboards (in their current form) appeared in Victoria. They are equating SUP with canoe and kayak because... well... that's what they think these boards are.

The Department of Transport has drafted new marine safety regulations to be enacted later this year. These are wide ranging regulations encompassing all manner of water users, from commercial to recreational. SUP has been taken into account with a more informed understanding of what the sport and the equipment involves. The website and the guide mentioned above are NOT connected with the new incoming regulations. Ideally, these issues will be resolved with the release of the new regulations.

Yeah, website and brochures are one thing, regs enshrined in statute are another...and then there's interpreting and enforcing them.

The coast guard guys that were out this morning didn't seem much interested in us even when we were out fairly wide - much more interested in the fishos and rec boat numpties that were out in plague proportions.

SandS said...

Thanks PT , I was really getting worried there for a minute !!!.... But now ...

Don't get me wrong, it's still a concern that the bureaucracy has decided to enforce this interpretation of SUP boards prior to the release of the new regulations. However I would suggest that if anyone is approached by police or enforcement officers, don't engage them in an argument, simply accept their warning with good grace and report back here.

Not that your situation was in any way reckless but these laws fly in the face of the one law that has got us to this point that some would argue is to date the biolical pinical of evolution, the law of Natural Selection. Now if the nanny state is going to protect every moron from themselves how are we supposed to weed out those who in no way should be participating in reproducing?

I lost mine last night somewhere

rager said...

Not that your situation was in any way reckless but these laws fly in the face of the one law that has got us to this point that some would argue is to date the biolical pinical of evolution, the law of Natural Selection. Now if the nanny state is going to protect every moron from themselves how are we supposed to weed out those who in no way should be participating in reproducing?

We have no hope of that happening . When the gov keeps applying things like the " baby bonus "

I had quite a fun day yesterday, i paddle boarded out at Terrigal with out a PDF then i went out fishing with my mate through the channel at Ettalong in our 4.5 metre boat without a PDF on all day.

If this was Victoria i would have to be wearing a PDF the entire time.

Makes no sense whatsoever.

I assume people in Victoria are not as bright as us or something and need protecting from themselves.