Jetski bylaws 'foreign to many users'

By PAULA OLIVER

Accidents involving jetskis have fallen over the past two years, but many people still head off to sea with no idea what the rules are, says Auckland Harbourmaster James McPetrie.

A new set of Auckland Regional Council bylaws came into force at the beginning of this year, among them a requirement for every jetski to be registered with the council.

It is illegal for any person under 15 to drive a jetski that is capable of exceeding 10 knots. Mr McPetrie says that means virtually every jetski.

"You can sit on the back of one, but you cannot drive it, regardless of how old your passengers are," he said. "They're fast machines and with that comes the potential for accidents."

Mr McPetrie emphasised three rules:

* Do not exceed 5 knots within 200m of the shoreline, or any structure.

* Do not exceed 5 knots within 50m of any vessel, raft or person in the water.

* Always carry a lifejacket. Rules state lifejackets must be worn in hazardous conditions, but it is recommended that one is worn at all times.

There are also a number of areas throughout the Auckland region that carry either speed restrictions or an absolute ban on jetskis. Areas with special conditions include Kohimarama, St Heliers, Pt Chevalier and Panmure Lagoon.

Local authorities throughout the country have recently made an effort to align their bylaws on jetskis.

Mr McPetrie says about 90 per cent of the country now has the same rules.

The Maritime Safety Authority is responsible for anti-collision rules which govern the entire country.

He says his office keeps statistics on the number of incidents on the water each year.

Two years ago, 1000 incidents were reported and about 40 per cent of them involved jetskis.

"Last year that fell to just 14 per cent, so they're not the problem they used to be - although there has been one fatality this year, and there are a lot of people who go off to sea without the faintest idea of the rules."

Jetski retailers often do not tell buyers about the rules governing the machines, but Mr McPetrie says work is under way to educate them.