Lax boating licence criticised

[Bergalia]

Police have now confirmed that four people were killed and 10 injured on Sunday night, after two power boats collided near the mouth of the Brisbane River. The collision took place at about 4.40pm AEST, two nautical miles east of the mouth of the river on Moreton Bay.
Two men, a woman and a young boy were killed in the collision. The four who died and another who was critically injured were on board one boat.
Three of the dead are believed to be from the same family.
Police say they have accounted for all 15 people involved in the collision, and have refloated one boat which had sunk, and towed both vessels involved to shore.
The 17-year-old skipper of the seven metre cruiser was the only one of the 15 people involved in the crash to escape injury.Police say he was correctly licensed and tested negative for alcohol following the accident.
The cause of the crash is yet to be determined, however, the tragedy has sparked calls for an overhaul to Queensland's boat licensing practices.
Barry Jenkins, president of ‘Marine Queensland’ the boating industry representative body voiced concerns the current system, where the same licence cover everything from tinnies to high-powered vessels several metres in length.
"There is a big difference in moving around waterways in a tinny with a 25 horsepower outboard motor on the back than it is running around the place in a five or six metre vessel with twin outboards."

[MikeJohns]

Yes it's a poor show. "Dad I wrote your boat off and killed a family".

Now theres already calls for tougher licensing but even with tough driver licensing we still see this all the time on the roads.

Traveling fast thrills and even commercial vessels with very well licensed operators crash from time to time while thrilling the punters.

[Trevlyns]

That’s absolutely shocking. Yet we see irresponsibly all the time. There always has to be some a**’’h*le out there who has to impress everybody. Excessive speed for conditions has to be a point in this tragedy. Will tougher licensing laws help? I think not - there is a greater need for effective policing at popular boating venues. Idiots should be identified, reported and banned from the water.

[Poida]

It would appear to me that in WA they don't want to ban people from driving because they pay for driver's licences and car registration as well as buy fuel so when a person is on the road it is good revenue for the state. They may kill people but then I guess the sales from funeral directors increase the government coffers.

Poida

[Frosty]

If the cause of the accident is not Known how can there be calls for new laws or so much opinion.

You cant legislate for stupidity,----if thats what caused it?

[safewalrus]

Poida

Funeral directors drive and need licences too (OK they normally go fairly slow but they still drive)

[dougfrolich]

If the cause of the accident is not Known how can there be calls for new laws or so much opinion.

You cant legislate for stupidity,


I can't agree more!!!!!!
Tougher Lic. Laws will not do anything.

[Bergalia]

Without wishing to 'pre-judge' the outcome, earlier survivor/witnesses agree that the young skipper of the boat was either unaware - or ignored the 'Opposite-Tack' rule which requires the boat on the 'port tack' to give way to (pass behind) a boat on a 'starboard tack', as appears to be the case moments before the collision.

[Frosty]

No wonder there was an accident --say that again berg.

I use the west Indian rules--De biggest boat got de right of way_

You can throw all the rules you want at it but there is one that over rides all of them.--- Avoid a collision at all costs-- Even tun 180dgrees if necessary.

Something I have done more than once in crowded waters.

[Bergalia]

OK Frosty my little friend, I'll simplify:

When two vessels approach on the same course - both skippers should swing to Port (the left).

An easy way to remember is that in polite society when it is time to light the cigars you pass the Port (wine) to your left.

At night when observing a vessel's lights as 'red' (the wine colour) Port on the left - and green 'Starboard' on the right - it is coming towards you.

[Frosty]

Ooo that sounds good. Does it work then? So you pass the port to your left, Should you be drinking? I hate cigars

I thought you just tell the drummer to speed up a bit and bring the vessel up to ramming speed.

Theres this other way I read about where you line up the other vessel with --say a fly on the widow, then as you keep going,---eerr if the fly doesnt move then your going to have an accident. Something like that.

I think I might have got that wrong so I would'nt advise any one doing that.

So much stuff to remember, not to mention all the buttons and switches, --and alarms going off all the time. Its enough to turn a man to port--or was it starboard?

[longliner45]

in USA no test is given, only a boat licence,however if you use your boat to take people out fishing or sight seeing or sailing ,,a rigorous training and licencing protocall follow ,,,my own presonal thoughts ,,enforce the laws we have in place ,,now..fine those that make wake in no wake zones ,,arrest the drunk boaters ,,and sink the drug runners and confiscate the smugglers boat,,oh,,in USA ,,maritime law has not changed in over 200 years ,,flogging and keel hauling,,and execution for mutiny are still ok,,,as we used to say in Louisianna,,,,ok by me if it is ok bayou,,,,,longliner

[safewalrus]

If in danger or in doubt up your revs;
and ram the lout!

Is that the one we were trying to remember

[Bergalia]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

If in danger or in doubt up your revs;
and ram the lout!

Sounds like the old 'Portsmouth Defence' to me, Rus...

[safewalrus]

That's affirmative Max, comes from my days on the Isle of Wight catamarans (the first two were actually ex Oz barrier reef boats - still in use! good job the locals didn't know about the steering systems (or who was driving at times) or they'd have kept well away!