department of transport

Hi Joe, there's a jetboat  on the Swan that got very close to Greg Wilmot at Pelican. I think he spoke to or wrote the boat company a letter warning them that if it happened again they would be reported. They apologised profusely... 

https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/aboutus/make-a-report.asp

Follow the link Joe - when I reported a boat speeding in the 5 knot zone on The Serpentine entrance, they followed it up within a few days.

• A vessel proceeding along a narrow channel must keep to starboard.
• Small vessels or sailing vessels must not impede (larger) vessels which can navigate only within a narrow channel.
• Ships must not cross a channel if to do so would impede another vessel which can navigate only within that channel.

Well reasearched Fangy (Yep for once agree with you), even though I believe power gives way to sail remeber we are the ones going 90 degrees to the flow and at a modest speed of 28knts much higher than most boats will be travelling at, this equally applies to Peli Point crossing a major channel going 90 degress to the flow of traffic. Personally I try to never cross in front of a vessel thinking I am sail and I have right of way plain silly.

A can of worms could be opened if there are speed limits in the channel, do we have to slow down to 8 knts? Unless the boat is small and a fair distance from me I cross behind the larger boats travelling the channel at Liptons or Peli, I just slow down plus it's fun hittling the back of the wake, you can't be sure if they have seen you or if in that instance something breaks with your gear and your in the water in front of a boat.

Guys be safe put the regs to good use when you see d***h**** otherwise just sail safe. Point to ponder, there was a case on the Swan many years ago where a windsurfer lost his leg if I recal the boat driver and the windsurfer where both held culpable in this case. Don't be too stubborn guys we do this for fun and some bragging rights easy to abort a run and slow down.

Thanks guyz, I have made an official report for investigations unit.  It;s worth further investigation, I took preventative action, the other vessel in my view showed no such caution, if I'm in the wrong I'll adjust my behaviours, if the mad speeding jet boat is too focussed on entertaining passengers at the peril of other water users, then maybe needs a little caution by the authorities?  Horrible what happened to Peter Mac, lets try and reduce these incidents. 

Edit: Also if this boat develops a history of putting people in danger then each reported incident builds a case against them.

Well done Hardz, safer water ways for all of us to enjoy, unfortunate what happened to PeterM, waterways are congested around Peli, what surprises me the most is that there was already an incedent prior to 2007 with quite a serious consequence loss of limb thankfully not in Peters case, but nothing has really changed with water way education to the general boating public.

Windsurfers are quite differant to slow moving sailing vessels but saying that if you see the speed the moths can do on the river and it dosent seem to be an issue for them interacting with boat traffic. I really think that boat owners don't seem to view windsurfers as a sailing craft, maybe thats where it needs to start educating or clearly stating that winsurfers fall in the catagory of sailing craft when boat owners apply for there skippers tickets.

I would hate to see areas deemed for windsurfing only like the water ski areas are already.

One of the most enjoyable things to do on the swan is cruise all around the river with no restriction.