12:00a.m. 19 September 2007
AFTER a sharp increase in the number of jet skis in Queensland waters, the
government asked for a review of the regulations surrounding the use of personal
water craft.
There are 804 jet skis registered on the Coast, including 259 in Caloundra,
405 in the Maroochy shire and 140 in Noosa.
In January last year, new laws came into practice which meant all jet ski
operators had to hold both a marine driver licence and a personal watercraft
licence.
It was also made law that an observer must be on board the jet ski when it
was towing a skier, to warn of potential danger or alert the driver to the
skier’s signals.
Speed limits were also changed. The craft can not travel greater than six
knots if it is within 60m of people, anchored or moored boats, and structures
such as jetties, pontoons or boat ramps and within 60m of the shore.
After the deaths of four people in a tragic boating collision on Moreton Bay
earlier this month, the State Government announced it was looking into improving
recreational boating safety.
Safety initiatives for jet skis is one of the topics being looked at as part
of the discussion paper and Marine Safety Queensland is inviting suggestions and
comments on what could be done betterand what some of the problems are.
To make a comment, visit www.msq.qld.gov.au and follow the links to the
discussion paper or call 3120 7345.
Click here to see full story
