Jet-skis ‘high-speed missiles’ in need of brakes, say police
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SPEED limits should be imposed on jet-skis with Victoria’s top water cop describing them as ”high-speed missiles” capable of travelling at more than 100km/h.
The increasing power and numbers of jet-skis meant a speed limit for jet-skis was needed, Acting Inspector Steve Towers from the water police told The Age.
”They are a high-speed missile weighing 400 kilograms, they would absolutely take someone else’s head off in a collision, they would cause a severe amount of damage if they collided with another ski or a boat,” he said.
While personal water craft are restricted to 9km/h within 200 metres of shore and within 50 metres of a swimmer, there are no speed limits beyond.
”Unfortunately, once you are out off the 200-metre-mark there’s no rules in regard to speed limit,” Inspector Towers said.
He said marine legislation was aimed at large vessels and fishing boats, not jet-skis.
”The perception of the public whenever they see jet-skis is they are always going fast, they are always going flat out,” he said. ”Some do about 110 km/h, depending on the conditions … so they are very fast and they are about 400 kilograms.”
He said jet-skis had a limited braking ability.
”There has definitely got to be some form of cap [on speed],” he said. ”We have two laser radars here that measure in knots, so you would have to be put some speed measure in knots to cover all other vessels, and say, righto, the speed limit’s 50 knots [92km/h].”
A sweep by water police on Saturday from Port Melbourne to Patterson River detected only seven jet-skis with no infringements issued.
Police are still investigating the death of a swimmer struck by a jet-ski off Port Melbourne in February.
Inspector Towers said there had been an improvement in the behaviour of jet-ski operators since anti-hooning laws were introduced allowing police to impound personal water craft. But he said more work had to be done educating jet-ski users with some riders unaware they were not permitted in no-boating areas.
Martin Foley, the member for Albert Park, called for compulsory third party insurance for jet-skis – a move the Baillieu government has rejected.
Mr Foley would like to see the distance jet-skis are allowed to operate at speed pushed out to 400 metres from shore.”These are big powerful machines and if anything I am glad Victoria Police see the need for tougher regulation,” he said.
Article from The Age
