# Safety gear for yaks.



## breamingfromabass (Aug 22, 2007)

Pretty much the same as my one about lighting...

does anyone know the LAW ACCORDING TO YAKS? I do not?

I wrote an e-mail to waterways enquiring about the specifics that apply to kayaks (i.e Life jacket, water, flares, radios, V sheet etc et), but what I got back was a link to the online boating manual. NOT HAPPY! I replied and said I have my boat licence and already know all that is required for boats but want to know about kayaks... Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, for a response and I did not get one.

Anyone know the law??? We do ont have a lawyer do we?

Thanks again guys.

sorry for all the STUPID questions but I am new and just becoming acclimated with the sport and regulations.

Thanks,
Luke.


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## breamingfromabass (Aug 22, 2007)

PFD?? Bloody oath I will be wearing my PFD~!!!

Will stick to common sense and see what happens.


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## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

We do have a lawyer in the house but unfortunately Im in queensland and have been recently on the wrong side of the law for not carrying fire extinguishers - Im all for safety laws but a fire extinguisher on a tinny??? Thats what the oceans for and thye weren't to impressed when I mentioned this to them :shock: :shock: $150 later and I have now purchased a fire extinguisher which will never see the light of day (hopefully)


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## breamingfromabass (Aug 22, 2007)

redman,

That fine was a bit steep I would think - no warning?

I remember down here there was a comp on one year and waterways specifically came out on that weekend to bust people (I say specifically becasue I have never been approached by any before in 25 years).

The skipper of the boat I was in got done for no bucket and no whistle, no warnings no nothing... I was p*ssed, this is a LITTLE tinny in 2 feet of water!! Come on! I am all for law enforcement, I mean without it we might be Baghdad, but that kind of calculating attack was disgusting I thought.



breamingfromabass said:


> I wrote an e-mail to waterways enquiring about the specifics that apply to kayaks (i.e Life jacket, water, flares, radios, V sheet etc et), but what I got back was a link to the online boating manual. NOT HAPPY! I replied and said I have my boat licence and already know all that is required for boats but want to know about kayaks... Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, Waiting, for a response and I did not get one.


I kept the e-mail I got back form waterways that day and if I get done for anything without a warning I will be fighting it!! I will pay for ticket down here to defend me!!!


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

NSW safety equipment requirements: http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/sbh/safetyequipment.html

The only specific mention for kayaks is in the Exemptions list at the bottom.

_Canoes/Kayaks

Occupants MUST wear a lifejacket type 1, 2 or 3 except when the craft is: (a) propelled by paddles or oars in enclosed waters during daylight and (b) not being used as a tender and (c) so constructed as to stay afloat if capsized and (d) not more than 400m from the nearest shore. Anchor not required._


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

occy said:


> Blimey even the yanks know more about this than us. Thanks Doug.


What can I say. I was bored and I couldn't sleep ;-)


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## breamingfromabass (Aug 22, 2007)

Thanks guys.

I will keep all this in mind.

I am going to the Volunteer rescue blokes about the VHF licence and I will see what they say.

Ta,
Luke.


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## Alby (Aug 21, 2006)

I just tried to find the website again, but couldn't................ :twisted: 
The website I found last night stated offshore (open water) kayakers in NSW need to be wearing a type 1 PFD, have a bilge pump or a bailing bucket. That's all I saw.
I was looking because we're heading to NSW for a week shortly.
As for Queensland.....the only thing I could find was for boating and stated that a life jacket must be worn when crossing a bar.
So...................I went out today and bought an inflatable type 1 life jacket $119 at BCF. They had lots of different types of life jackets, but I reckon, in the type 1 category, anything other than an inflatable would be damn uncomfortable in a kayak.
The one I bought is a Platinum Nautilus PFD 1. Nice and trim, nothing to cause discomfort on your back against the seat. It has a whistle, and a CO2 cartridge for inflation, as well as a manual (blowing) facility for inflation as well. Shit hot I reckon.
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Alby


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## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

Every States different that for sure,, in W.A for inshore stuff its anchor and rope,, 4 inshore distress flares,,bailer and a PFD type one must be carried on the "vessel" as its called.

1000's of W.A familys break the law each summer paddling kayaks,conoes ,surf skis as they are all "vessels"

The further you go out in W.A the more you need ,,VHF,EPIRB, Parachute flares etc

I can undersand the confusion from the poster, i have the WA boating regulations manual and theres nothing in the 80 odd pages about kayaks or canoes.

Most people here wear a PFD type 2 or 3,,type 1 is stowed away as per regulation requirments (has to be carried onboard)

Someone was fined here recently being a couple of flares short, between the group he was yak fishing with they had about 30 flares between them .


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## Brownie (Aug 15, 2007)

We May end up all under the one rule eventually

http://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Home/About_us ... nal_system

I know we are not commercial (well most of us) but will probably come under fishing ship somewhere


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## yankatthebay (Dec 14, 2007)

DGax65 said:


> NSW safety equipment requirements: http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/sbh/safetyequipment.html


this is interesting if you think about it, if in "open waters", ie out to sea, you must take 2 litres of drinking water minimum, hand and smoke flares, compass, map, waterproof torch, v sheet.
and in "enclosed waters" if you are going camping and taking a camp stove inside the hull, you also need to carry a fire extinguisher - better keep it outside the hull when travelling to save taking the extinguisher as well.
I would think that a kayak could get away with not having all that, but it seems to say that you need to have it to comply.

that is if the rules are required for someone who does not need a boat licence, and also that the craft does not need to be registered either. I wonder there it stands legally with regards to that.


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## simond11 (Aug 29, 2005)

What Doug says is correct regarding the rules that apply to kayakers. I have enclosed a link to a table from Waterways NSW with a list of safety equipment for open waters. I think the moral of the story is that if you get into difficulty, it doesn't really matter what size boat you are. The more you are prepared and the more equipment you have, the more chance you have of surviving. If that means carrying a number of items in the kayak that MAYBE I will never need, then so be it. Small price to pay in the hope I will never have to use them.

http://www.waterways.nsw.gov.au/docs/bh2007-part2.pdf

I think it starts on page 5 and goes to page 12.

Cheers

Simon
Prowler 15


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