Does anyone know the rules for powered water craft in an estuary surf break ? Particulaly jetskis wave jumping when there were clearly 2 SUP surfers and three kids on plastic kayaks. One passed me at a distance of around 10 meters while I was on a wave and he was airbourne at the time. The maritime police were hanging around but didn't seem to want to get involved. I thought that there was a 200 meter exclusion from both a surf zone and swimmers, surely this applies at noveltu waves without a beach.
Interested to know both what the rules are and who to go to to get some action as this is clearly an accident waiting to happen.

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JasonProsser said..
Does anyone know the rules for powered water craft in an estuary surf break ? Particulaly jetskis wave jumping when there were clearly 2 SUP surfers and three kids on plastic kayaks. One passed me at a distance of around 10 meters while I was on a wave and he was airbourne at the time. The maritime police were hanging around but didn't seem to want to get involved. I thought that there was a 200 meter exclusion from both a surf zone and swimmers, surely this applies at noveltu waves without a beach.
Interested to know both what the rules are and who to go to to get some action as this is clearly an accident waiting to happen.

Richmond river?

If you are talking about the Richmond river then it sure is an accident waiting to happen. I put up with them all year but this time of year is bull****. I was under the impression that there is a 60m rule regarding swimmers/surfers. Something needs to happen about it as more and more people are using the spot to teach their kids how to surf.

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justaddwater said..

JasonProsser said..
Does anyone know the rules for powered water craft in an estuary surf break ? Particulaly jetskis wave jumping when there were clearly 2 SUP surfers and three kids on plastic kayaks. One passed me at a distance of around 10 meters while I was on a wave and he was airbourne at the time. The maritime police were hanging around but didn't seem to want to get involved. I thought that there was a 200 meter exclusion from both a surf zone and swimmers, surely this applies at noveltu waves without a beach.
Interested to know both what the rules are and who to go to to get some action as this is clearly an accident waiting to happen.

Richmond river?

Not Richmond River - a lot further South, but I'm sure there are lots of spots where the picture is the same.

60 metres is the distance required
Should be plenty of room if the distance is maintained

I have the same issue at my local. I always thought it was 6 knots within 50m of another watercraft/person.

We have a popular surf spot on the sunshine coast that is a massive issue and raising there awareness is a complete waste of time. Every time I take my go pro they don't seem to come close.

www.msq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Personal-watercraft

By chance I sat my boat driving test today.

Its min. 60m to people in water / a dive flag, or 30m from any other vessel / structure etc.

If the above is not possible then a safe distance and speed, so probably not applicable in the situation you describe

This is what NSW Maritime site says:

PWC restriction zone means the waters (including any tributaries) of Avoca Lake, Botany Bay, Brisbane Water, Broken Bay, Bulbararing Lagoon, Cockrone Lagoon, Cooks River, Dee Why Lagoon, Georges River, Hawkesbury River, Manly Reservoir, Manly Lagoon, Narrabeen Lakes, Nepean River, Port Hacking, Prospect Reservoir, Terrigal Lagoon, Wamberal Lagoon and Woronora River (but does not include any open waters).

PWCs are not permitted to be used for 'irregular driving' within 200 metres of a river bank or shore when operating in the restriction zones. Penalties apply.

Examples of irregular driving are:

Driving in a circle or other pattern
Weaving or diverting
Surfing down or jumping over or across, any swell, wave or wash.
This means that PWCs must be operated generally in a straight line within 200 metres of the shoreline.

I live next to Baysurf break in Port Hacking and watch these clowns regularly. The quoted rules are often broken. The Bay can be a zoo especially over summer. Jetskis jump at high speed and happily chop up a break. Basically it is not patrolled by Police, and Maritime or Coast Patrol don't intervene. Thus open slather. Throw in hero clubbies on their rowboats, outrigggers that can't steer and surf skis that run a straight line and you potentially have havoc in the break. They usually disappear by Autumn. Through summer short of reporting their rego number after the event perhaps try taking a go pro and make sure they know your pointing it at them.

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yowiesup said..


Examples of irregular driving are:

Driving in a circle or other pattern
Weaving or diverting
Surfing down or jumping over or across, any swell, wave or wash.

Pretty much all of the above occured, and today again another batch of the same. Ill be out there at 5 am tomorrow and don't expect the problem to occur. Think I'll take a gopro and see if that makes a difference at busy times. Maritime Police were there and like you said, did not seem to notice. Too busy chacking on the people behaving themselves.

I know where you are talking about and i usually find a brief recitation of the rules usually works:

"OI! SIXTY METERS YOU STUPID ****"

Combine this with pointing the camera at them and you have no drama.

Yeah. I have also recently looked up the rulings as it is happening at my break as well. The waves & swell are bigger & break out further at the entrance mouth than the beaches.
The Jetski riders see this & either hang around doing short stints hoping we don't get annoyed then take off only to come back later & do it again. Some just race out the entrance & pass at least half the distance away from us. And obviously some just don't give a crap & hang around for ages!
Either way it's annoying when they churn up the water making it difficult to balance & surf.
I can put up with the boats that just go past to deeper waters to fish. But the jetskis want to play in the same surf zones & love to show off. Even if there is miles of beach shoreline to go to.
I have noticed it is getting much worse with the growing population & jetskis.
I think the rules need to be revisited.