Plan ahead with baby steps, says Mackay rescue skipper
Queenslanders with little boating experience are buying bigger vessels costing up to $400,000 only to get themselves in serious trouble very quickly. One had to be rescued after hitting a bulk carrier at night.
Mackay
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The Volunteer Marine Rescue Mackay fleet numbers just three but their “patch” covers an area equal to one third of Tasmania.
For rescue boat skipper Graham Brake and his fellow rescuers, their task is not made any easier by the ease with which recreational boaties can take to the waters — and straight into trouble, as seen by Wednesday’s sinking of a boat off Scawfell Island.
“Unless it is a commercial vessel there no need for any higher qualification than that required for a small trailer boat, regardless of the vessel size,” he said.
“On the roads you can’t go from driving a car to a semi-trailer without further training and attaining a higher level of qualification and it would be beneficial if the maritime sector was to adopt something similar.”
Mr Brake said that within the last month, two travelling Riviera pleasure vessels sank at night within VMR Mackay’s operational area.
“One vessel collided with Tern Island and the other sinking happened after the vessel struck a submerged rock to the south of Sarina,” he said.
“These events should not happen and highlight the need to be a competent mariner, with the correct navigational equipment and seafaring knowledge to safely skipper the vessel in different sea state conditions.”
“VMR Mackay has witnessed an increase in the size of recreational trailer boats in our region in recent years and as a result our rescue activations are increasing in distance and duration to assist these larger vessels that are travelling further offshore.”
“ These trailer boats range up to 35 feet in length and can cost $300,000 to $400,000 to buy. Any vessel larger than 35 feet has to be in the water,” Mr Brake explained.
He also explained that it was open water off Mackay, the Coral Sea, where conditions can change “very quickly”.
“With our big tides, it can become nasty quite quickly.”
He says boat owners, and especially new owners, need to understand their vessels and come to grip with the safety rules and regulations.
“My advice to those buying up … take a few short trips at first,” Mr Brake said.
“Keep at least 20 per cent in fuel reserve, be aware of the conditions and your fuel consumption which can change in the conditions.”
Mr Brake has sailed vessels from New Zealand and says learning to drive on open water is all about “baby steps”.
“Get comfortable. Don’t jump in too deep,” he said. “Start off by going to Keswick or St Bees islands.”
He also stressed that vessel maintenance was essential as was keeping all safety equipment compliant and knowing how to use it, especially your EPIRB and familiarity with the emergency channels on your marine radio.
“Another sound piece of advice is always log on with your VMR squadron before you head out and log off when you get back; you don’t need to be a VMR Member either,” Mr Brake said.
“These are important recommendations that may save your life.”
He also believes that a combination of more efficient smaller engines and even social media is encouraging new owners to make trips to the reef without understanding the conditions.
“YouTube is flooded with such (boating) videos,” he says, pointing out that the videos are limited in what they convey about voyage conditions.
“Nothing beats experience,” he said. “Nothing beats time on the water.”
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