DunkO said...

In the name of safety the people enforcing this rule should be forced to wear one of these,

Does it float & keep your head above water

So this requires NSW wave sailors to wear a life jacket? Is that correct?

Or is there a loophole?

The wearing of a lifejacket refers to open waters and the definition for this is...
"open waters means navigable waters that are not enclosed waters."

There is no definition for "navigable waters" so it could be argued that navigable waters are where boats can typically navigate.....surely this excludes the surf zone?

hope this never happens in Tassie!

robdddd said..
So this requires NSW wave sailors to wear a life jacket? Is that correct?

Or is there a loophole?

The wearing of a lifejacket refers to open waters and the definition for this is...
"open waters means navigable waters that are not enclosed waters."

There is no definition for "navigable waters" so it could be argued that navigable waters are where boats can typically navigate.....surely this excludes the surf zone?

hope this never happens in Tassie!

Well, I'd have a look at giving that line a spin, if I was in the surf (rather than way out the back when I was caught). When I was at uni I looked up the definition of "navigable waters" and found that there was an old UK case where it was said an artificial lake, big enough to race dinghies on, wasn't "navigable waters".

It seems that these laws may have been put through to make sure that all the states have similar laws. In that case, Tas will probably go the same way.

It costs money to get regs changed; we're going to need a determined effort to have these switched back. I wrote the submission that got these proposed laws canned a few years ago, but that was when they were only a proposal. I'm not confident it could be done that way again, with me just spending a few nights (and some time stolen in quiet times at work) doing the research and the writing. This time we'd need to get some specialist professional advice, and that means either a volunteer or $$$$$.

It's really just rank hypocrisy. The same lawmakers who have jumped on the domestic violence bandwagon are doing exactly what they claim they are combating.
Using threats to control behaviour. It has nothing to do with public safety.

Tassie law (MAST), PFD is required on SUP, and pretty sure same for windsurf?

I know with SUP it must be worn at ALL times regardless of distance from shore. Exempt in surf zone. We use the inflatable bum bag style.

Are there actual approved lifejackets that are compatible with Harness hooks/harness??

I know Ion Vector, NP high hook , Naish Defender are all great, but not approved in Australia.
.

GazMan said..

It was 25-30 knots, pissing down side ways. Nobody there except me and my mate. Yes, I checked the signs. 4 knot limit within 30m of the house fronts. We were on the far side of the lagoon where the flat water is (SW wind direction). Sugars Landing is in the middle of nowhere and a 30min drive from the cops station (and an out-of-the-way drive). It's an SA thing mate. Ring the cops at the slightest chance somebody might be breaking the law. Move down here and you'll see what I mean (My guess is somebody dobbed us in because our life jackets weren't hi-vis).

What's the environmental impact of producing pfd's for all these potentially newly enforced users.

^ How do you break your neck from a PFD?

NotWal said...
^ How do you break your neck from a PFD?

Well it starts by reading other people's posts. Harry went over the falls in the shore break due to too much buoyancy. The same reason all windsurfers in the surf oppose it. Fanning doesn't wear one because you can't duckdive well enough. I haven't had one occasion that it would have helped, many that would have seen me get smashed.

mclovin said..

NotWal said...
^ How do you break your neck from a PFD?

Well it starts by reading other people's posts. Harry went over the falls in the shore break due to too much buoyancy. The same reason all windsurfers in the surf oppose it. Fanning doesn't wear one because you can't duckdive well enough. I haven't had one occasion that it would have helped, many that would have seen me get smashed.

Fanning might not, but how often do you see him towing into Shippies. Think you'll find most big wave surfers wear flotation. Whether towing in at Jaws or windsurfing it, you'd still be wearing a pfd to get you to the surface as quickly as possible. Surfing is not a like-for-like comparison. It's about the size waves you're riding, not the craft.

Ok , ill retract a comment . Not everyone will benefit from a PFD, but I think most will in a panic ****ty moment . I don't know what the answer is. I don't use one because the ones that really do work are like wearing a beanbag. I would consider a groovy hitech one if it didn't get in the way. Again , I'm sure if they were mandatory and the maket was huge they would make better options .

Why not just come out with a PFD, coast gaurd approved windsurfing harness developed by windsurfing companies!! Heck, design one for kiters as well!! All they have to do is add more padding and foam to the harnesses and there you go. The harnesses barely float now, just make them so they really float well, but have it made the least floaty of all the other PFD's just to qualify for the law.

I am thinking about windsurfing manufacturers comeing out with a windsurfing PFD harness all built into one, not a vest, a harness. All it would be is just a beefier looking harness. I think it could be a success, if it's made right. This would make a nice compromise to the new law. I should design one myself and then market it and become a millionaire. Lol Surprises me one has not been designed yet.

Lol!!!! I learned how to swim in them swimmies when I was just a lil thing. Love it!!!

I'm a big fan of the Dakine impact vest for the reasons above along with the fact that it keeps your core warm as well. Even on the cooler days I was pretty much comfortable in a pair of boardshorts and rashie (with the impact vest). Agree that whilst it's not an approved PFD, it's better than nothing.