New Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of
Recreational Craft
As we
approach the recreational craft season, the Department of Transport, Tourism
and Sport wishes to draw attention to the availability of the new and revised
Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft, which was
published in November 2017.
The
Code of Practice is a valuable source of information, advice and best practice
operational guidance for owners, masters, operators and users of a range of
pleasure and recreational craft operating in Irish coastal and inland waters.
The
Code of Practice highlights the importance of personal responsibility for all
those who take to the water. Each person must take maritime safety seriously,
prepare and plan for a safe trip, behave responsibly on the water and be
properly equipped so as to be able to respond to any incidents that may arise. The
Code of Practice aims to assist with this responsibility.
The
recently published 2016 Annual Report of the Marine Casualty Investigation
Board (MCIB) has highlighted an increase in fatalities and injuries, including
in incidents involving recreational craft. The MCIB has reminded all vessel
operators of the need to take personal responsibility, highlighting the dangers
of operating a vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the importance
of voyage planning and the need to comply with the appropriate regulatory or
advisory regime, including the Code of Practice for the Safe Operation of
Recreational Craft.
Who is
the Code of Practice for and what’s new?
The Code
of Practice for the Safe Operation of Recreational Craft is intended for use by
owners, operators and users of all pleasure and recreational craft operating in
Irish coastal and inland waters, including:
· Sail
and Motor Boats
· Sailing
Dinghies
· Personal
watercraft (e.g. jet skis)
· Power
boats
· Canoes,
Kayaks
· Rowing
Boats
· Charter
Boats
· Ski
boats and dive boats
· Windsurfers,
Stand-Up Paddle Board users and other non-powered craft.
As
well as providing updated information on the legislative requirements that
apply to recreational craft, the Code of Practice also contains new content on
such issues as non-commercial pot fishing, the safe use of slipways, Liquefied
Petroleum Gas (LPG) Installations, passage planning and craft such as Stand-Up
Paddle Boards.
A
useful Checklist of Basic Requirements and Advice can be found on page 5 of the
Code and is also attached as an Annex to this Marine Notice.
How to
Use the Code?
The Code of Practice is in two Parts followed
by a series of Appendices.
Part A (Chapter 1) outlines the legislative requirements
that apply to all recreational craft or specific types or size of craft. Owners
and operators must comply with the requirements appropriate to their craft.
Part B (Chapters 2 to 11) contains recommended
guidelines and best practice information on the safe operation of recreational
craft. Chapters 2 to 9 provide guidance in relation to particular types of
craft/activities. Chapters 10 and 11 provide information on safety operations
and emergency procedures, while a series of 11 Appendices cover such topics as
radiocommunications, collision prevention, weather and sea states, lifejacket
use, passage planning, buoyage and anchoring.
Owners and operators of recreational craft should
familiarise themselves with Part A of the Code, the particular Chapter in Part
B appropriate to their type of vessel, together with Chapters 10, 11 and the
Appendices.
Where to get the Code?
The Code of Practice is a free document and hardcopies
can be obtained on request, in both English and Irish, from the Maritime Safety
Policy Division of the Department at email MarineLeisureSafety@dttas.ie
The Code is also available to view or download from www.dttas.ie and www.safetyonthewater.ie.
For the convenience of those who may only be
interested in a particular type of recreational craft, individual chapters of
the Code are also available to view or download from the above websites.
All recreational craft users are encouraged to
familiarise themselves with the Code of Practice and to heed the safety advice
and recommendations.
Please spread the word regarding the Code of
Practice and its availability.
Checklist
of Basic Requirements and Advice
Particular attention is
drawn to the following Checklist of Basic Requirements and Advice, which all owners and users of recreational craft should be aware of before
taking to the water:
ü the legal
requirements in relation to the wearing and carrying of Personal Flotation
Devices / Lifejackets and the need for the proper care and maintenance of
such devices. These requirements are dealt with in Part A of the Code of
Practice;
ü the need to check
current weather forecasts and sea conditions prior to departure and to plan
your voyage accordingly (see Appendix 6 (Weather, Sea States and Tides)
and Appendix 8 of the Code of Practice for an example of a passage planning
template);
ü Pre-Departure
Safety Checks and Briefing – the briefing of all persons on board on emergency procedures and the
location and use of safety / emergency equipment on board, e.g. flares, radio
equipment, life jackets;
ü the need to ensure
that a designated person ashore is aware of your departure and return
times, where you are going, and have a procedure in place to raise the alarm
if necessary;
ü the importance of
having a dependable means of communication. VHF radio equipment is
the recommended method of communication and craft users should be familiar
with its use. Where mobile phone use is proposed, the phone should at all
times be fully charged and the signal strength and charge indicator should be
regularly checked while the vessel is underway;
ü when operating a pleasure craft, a person must not be
under the influence of alcohol or drugs or any combination of drugs or
of drugs and alcohol to such an extent as to be incapable of having proper
control of the craft;
ü in a marine emergency, the alarm can be
raised on VHF Channel 16 or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast
Guard. |