Boat wash problems
November 12th 2006 17:27
[The problem of wash:
While taking a slow journey down Dora Creek in lake Macquarie to pick up the papers and milk, I had plenty of time to think about the problems of a no wash zone. There are international collision regulations to cover all aspects of ships meeting and avoiding collisions. Though they don’t work 100% they are a very good set of rulesThe best we have. Why then are we forced into a second set by state and federal governments. Do we really care about wash? Am I that concerned about someone loosing a bit of their waterfront due to my boats wash? The waterways are the least regulated of all traffic areas and I believe should remain so. If a person has their sleep or quiet time disturbed while on board their vessel at a mooring or wharf so what. They are in a boat after all. Boats in general, are not supposed to be used in mill ponds. We have bridges strung across our water ways with the promise that they will not hinder boat traffic and that more than adequate access will be given. Ha Ha what a joke that is. Except for major bridges like the coat hanger, Gladesville and so on we have huge access problems. Whether you are a recreational or commercial boater you should have unrestricted access to the sea!
Yes I can understand why we have no wash and 4 knot zones (apart from why it takes an extra fifteen minutes to pick up the papers and milk). But it doesn’t always work. Though I love them and the service they provide the Sydney river cats produce huge swells all along the rivers and harbour. Not wash this is true but a bow wave (which I am sure has a true nautical name.) Instead of crying about loosing a few centimetres to boat wash, from waterfront properties, shouldn’t we be worrying about the rising seas? I certainly will be taking GPS marks of all major sites that will be soon drowned so I can go fishing on these artificial reefs. The lake I live on builds up waves to one and a half metres in strong winds and these crash along the shore. They do more damage than any vessel is likely to do. Yet we scowl at some one who drives past upsetting our comfort zone. I wonder is it all just a bit of a crock seeing we are going to loose all that land any way. Waterfront property is expensive but it is not sacred. Boaters should take care that damage from wash does not damage their boat and we should all stop whingeing.
While taking a slow journey down Dora Creek in lake Macquarie to pick up the papers and milk, I had plenty of time to think about the problems of a no wash zone. There are international collision regulations to cover all aspects of ships meeting and avoiding collisions. Though they don’t work 100% they are a very good set of rulesThe best we have. Why then are we forced into a second set by state and federal governments. Do we really care about wash? Am I that concerned about someone loosing a bit of their waterfront due to my boats wash? The waterways are the least regulated of all traffic areas and I believe should remain so. If a person has their sleep or quiet time disturbed while on board their vessel at a mooring or wharf so what. They are in a boat after all. Boats in general, are not supposed to be used in mill ponds. We have bridges strung across our water ways with the promise that they will not hinder boat traffic and that more than adequate access will be given. Ha Ha what a joke that is. Except for major bridges like the coat hanger, Gladesville and so on we have huge access problems. Whether you are a recreational or commercial boater you should have unrestricted access to the sea!
Yes I can understand why we have no wash and 4 knot zones (apart from why it takes an extra fifteen minutes to pick up the papers and milk). But it doesn’t always work. Though I love them and the service they provide the Sydney river cats produce huge swells all along the rivers and harbour. Not wash this is true but a bow wave (which I am sure has a true nautical name.) Instead of crying about loosing a few centimetres to boat wash, from waterfront properties, shouldn’t we be worrying about the rising seas? I certainly will be taking GPS marks of all major sites that will be soon drowned so I can go fishing on these artificial reefs. The lake I live on builds up waves to one and a half metres in strong winds and these crash along the shore. They do more damage than any vessel is likely to do. Yet we scowl at some one who drives past upsetting our comfort zone. I wonder is it all just a bit of a crock seeing we are going to loose all that land any way. Waterfront property is expensive but it is not sacred. Boaters should take care that damage from wash does not damage their boat and we should all stop whingeing.
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