Transport Safety Victoria kayak forum - outcomes?

[Hvalross]

No place in our Society for name and Shame for ANYTHING, that is KKK thinking that belongs and needs to stay in the deep South of the USA along with Facebook.
100% agree with Licence and Registration. even a sub 2m toy, they kill too.
100% agree boat licence test needs to be MUCH tougher, and tougher still over 6m, as it stands its a joke
100% agree1800 number
Like tear off at retailer,,,but a green kid dealing with an idiot goon (thug, or pig) ....dunno if it would get done, sure there may be 100% compliance but 99% would be filled out for the customer by the retail assistant rather than get a verbal pasting.
Like video, but again too easy to ignore

Put them all but name and shame in place so an Enforcement officer could go through a tick box check list, then that will support them in......." well you say you know the rules, you have a licence and still you are an offender, you are free to go, but ALL this gear ( not just the yak, the car, fishing gear etc.) stays here and will be either sold or trashed.....no further discussion or appeal process available , you know the regulations, so too bad, so sad Bye bye "

Problem will be HISTORY in a month.

[Seasherpa]

Just saw this ad during a fishing show:

[Lloydy]

Cheers Rhino (and Mav) for the detailed response. Sounds like there might be some positives to come out of all this. Time will tell....

[4liters]

Good stuff. I've said many times that I think all that is needed is a bit of enforcement that focuses on kayak users; like others have said, a handful of blokes getting pinged for not having PFDs or other gear will be enough to spread the word across social media and I think that will be 90% of the problem solved. As it stands kayaks seem to be seen as a short cut to getting away from landbased fishing without the regulations associated with getting a boat, changing that perception by enforcing the existing regulation will change the culture of the kayak fishing community.

[maverick]

Before we flog the kayak fishers, out of 10 deaths in kayaks over the last 5 years only 2 were fisherman. They both died in the same incident, taking out electric powered kayaks without kill switches fitted and one of them had drilled holes in the air tight compartment to pass power cables through for the motor. They left the shore dressed in shorts on a day when a strong changed was forecast, which subsequently came through. They spent between 12 & 18 hours immersed in cold water.

If you look back at what rules could have been introduced to save those 10 lives - then the answer is nothing, the rules were already in place. It is already mandatory to wear a PFD. Commonsense would suggest you don't take a kayak out when strong wind warning is current.

Unfortunately you can't legislate against stupidity.

Given the extremely low number of kayaking fishing deaths, there are probably more important issues in our society to address, particulary when it comes to already stretched enforcement resources. Dickheads will be dickheads regardless of whether they are in cars, boats or kayaks.

[laneends]

Given the extremely low number of kayaking fishing deaths, there are probably more important issues in our society to address, particulary when it comes to already stretched enforcement resources. Dickheads will be dickheads regardless of whether they are in cars, boats or kayaks.

While this is true based on historical evidence, thought needs to be given to the recent massive increase in the sale of play yaks sold as "ocean" fishing yaks. So my concern is that it is a serious issue that is about to erupt, and it is best if the authorities get onto to it BEFORE it becomes a necessary reaction. Can't cure the dickheads but you can substantially reduce ignorance, which I suspect is the majority of potential cases

[squidgyflicker]

as mav said dickheads will be dickheads, but if said dickheads had to go and sit for a boating licence he would be more likely to take a rod and a six pack and sit on the jetty...

[maverick]

Good to see the MSV boat out checking kayaks today. They went through a fair few around Mornington and I had a good chat with them. They were impressed with the high level of compliance and were giving away free water proof phone holders. Anyone else get checked?

One of the biggest issues facing MSV is trying to determine when a beach toy needs to be regulated. At what time does a cheap kayak used by the kids at the beach come under the regulations. It isn't an easy problem to solve.

[laneends]

One of the biggest issues facing MSV is trying to determine when a beach toy needs to be regulated. At what time does a cheap kayak used by the kids at the beach come under the regulations. It isn't an easy problem to solve.

A distance from shore rule might work, as in PFDs for SUP. Though that would mean any checks would have to be on water.

[cbarker54]

With all this talk of registrations and licenses and regulations of how far from shore you can go we may as well pile up our yaks and have a massive bonnie and get blind drunk cause from what I'm hearing on here we are in a floating death trap and are destined to die (whether we have a flag or not).

FFS I bought a yak to avoid all the crap of registrations and stuff that comes with owning a boat. If I've then gotta do it anyway with my yak because a handful of dicks have no common sense then my yak will be up for sale very quickly.

Assuming you are still allowed to sell a yak privately or will you have to be licensed and registered to do that as well?