Editorial: Boaties' choice - obey rules or be regulated

Doubtless, frustration played a part when the Pauanui-Tairua harbourmaster, Wayne Price, called for recreational boaties to be licensed just like drivers. His waterway had just been the scene of an incident in which a 13-year-old and an 11-year-old were seriously injured in a collision between their outboard motor-powered inflatable and an inflatable boat fitted with a jet unit driven by a 16-year-old.

The following day, a 17-year-old boy, who was not wearing a lifejacket, was run over by a jetski after falling off his jetski on Lake Okareka, near Rotorua. He is presumed dead. Doubtless, also, such occurrences have encouraged other harbourmasters to think the same way as Mr Price.

Currently, anyone aged 15 and over can operate a boat capable of speeds above 10 knots. Many harbourmasters believe this provides too much latitude, especially because many youths do not know the rules or appreciate the reasons for them.

Mr Price's call for a licensing system also came with comments that implied he believed education programmes, such as the Coastguard Boating Education courses, had not made boaties sufficiently aware of the dangers that may confront them.

Backing for his case is provided by the fact that Canada, four Australian states and some European nations have introduced licensing in an attempt to reduce a disturbing rate of on-water fatalities and accidents. The effectiveness of their action is open to question, however. In at least one case, that of Canada, the "pleasure craft operator card", which must be obtained by anyone using any type of motorised boat, has become a subject of ridicule. Valid for life, it can be obtained through an online exam without any need for training in a boat or a substantial knowledge of boat craft.

Canada is taking steps to make it tougher to obtain the card. But even if this is achieved, there are reasons to doubt whether New Zealand should proceed quickly along the same path. Three years ago, a Maritime New Zealand review of pleasure boat safety strategy concluded that licensing had made no noticeable difference to fatalities in the jurisdictions where it had been introduced. Education of boaties, it said, would be a better approach.

A poor safety record suggests, however, that the education courses now available and safety the campaigns have not registered with a small minority of boaties, many of whom are youthful. Basic safety measures, such as the wearing of lifejackets and the carrying of safety equipment, checks on the weather before going out, and the avoidance of liquor consumption are being disregarded. Too many boaties are also poor judges of conditions and their boats' ability to cope when the sea gets rough. Clearly, education courses need to be monitored to assess their effectiveness and, more especially, their take-up rate.

If incidents like those of the past few days continue, there will, inevitably, be rising pressure for mandatory requirements, starting perhaps with safety equipment. Compulsory education courses, particularly for young boaties, would be another obvious step. If these proved ineffective, the calls for licensing would increase.

Such a system does not appeal as a panacea for foolishness on the water, and any government that set it in train would buy a fight with boaties, who would be faced with a further cost. With some justification, they could claim that a majority of boaties was being punished for the sins of a small minority.

However, if accidents and fatalities reach the rate of those in countries such as Canada, there will also be a widespread public demand for regulation to improve safety. The responsibility for averting that lies in the hands of all boaties.