Boat washed up on Rocks at Point Gellibrand

[grant]

Was driving with wife and daughter along battle road on Saturday Night. (This is the road past time ball tower and the scenic drive up to the footy oval) when i noticed a boat that was moving contary to the waves, the boat was awfully close in. As I had no idea of tides and alike I thought they must just be fishing close.

When we got closer I relised they had washed onto the rocks, the 16 foot fiberglass hull of the half cabin was not going to survive for too long. A southerly was building and I was betting the swell not too far behind it.

When I approached them, their language skills were poor to say the least, I later learned they were Vietnamese and not licenced or a registered boat.

I asked if they had called the police and they said they did not know the number. With the boat in the predicatment and a young girl on the boat I called 000 and reported it.

I didnt not wait for the police and they had climbed off the boat onto the rocks. Leaving the girl on the boat.

This is the amazing list of things I saw;


They removed all the safety gear form the boat as it was new.
The left the girl on the boat with no life jacket
They had no anchor
The did not know the number for 000
They did not have flares (I asked for them to get them ready incase the police sent a boat.)
The did not have a working radio
and worst of all. they were removing nets form the boat when i rang the police.I know anybody who bothers to come to a website like this will have the proper state of affairs, but please make sure you look after yourself while on the water and go prepared.

g./

[Peter Vermaas]

Odds are they did know the police number but because they were netting/fishing they would not call them.


pv

[live_baiter]

come on guys, lets not assume or point fingers!

i am an aussie with viet background and do know of some boaters out there who does not know much about boating at all.
the sad thing is, boat dealers and sellers sometimes only wants to sell their boats and not worry too much about who they should sell it to or to recommend on safety.
it is sad that these people happens to have nets onboard which i would surely (hopefully..?) think that they do not know much about fishing regulations!
i tend to understand that some of these people assumes that it is the same here as in their country of birth, that it is ok to get out there and catch fish in which ever means possible.
it is also sad that a lot of these people take safety lightly as they think that they are close to shore and that it is not much of a risk. why did i say that you may ask? well the answer is simple, i was born in vietnam and do have many relatives both here and there and i can see that the later generations are well educated in protecting the environtment and also fishing for the future as well. whereas their older counterparts have been raised in much harsher conditions where fishing and catching fish could mean the difference between survival and death...
i am not trying to defend anyone but rather just trying to let people loo kat things in a different light.
it is very hard not to be judgemental and condemn these people to prevent future occurances but at the same time it is hard not to give them another chance.
Grant, it is great having you randomly patrolling our water and very fortunate for them people that you happen to be there that day!
life would have been full of question marks otherwise....

sorry for the rable, just my 2cents worth as winter has put me out of fishing action temporarily.....

LB :)

[fishing_dave]

Maybe you should have a boat licence before you buy a boat???

[Steveo]

hey heres a thought
make it Mandatory to show boat licence to register a boat, yr rego papers when printed out then displays yr boat licence number on it.
Rego can have more than one licence number on it
only those licenced to a perticular boat can operate it or at least need to be in charge ie.. on the vessel..

My other half got her licence here in SA through sea and rescue org..
It was fairly extensive ie 4 nights of 3hr training courses, with a huge part devoted to safety..I would advise anyone thinking about getting a boat licence to go through a recognised institution like these..However there is no substitute for on the water training..

No matter what yr race, creed size or religion, taking a boat out, with out a working radio or at least a mobile phone ( if in shore). and with out an anchor is just plain stupid..with passengers on board well thats plain neglegent..
fortunatly no one was hurt..fortunatly the wind was blowing them in to shore and not out to sea..






fortunatly no one as hurt

[live_baiter]

Got my license through the same organisation! very thorough and very safety minded! would recommend it to anyone!!!

registering a boat to a boat license holder may not solve the problem as "friends/relatives" could borrow the boat... i personally would not let them borrow unless they have a license but i do know of others who has... it is just plain crazy i know but it does happen. but then again, i do know a few older people with a wealth of boating knowledge and i would trust my life at sea with them more than some of the "book worms" who has passed their license test and no practical sea going knowledge at all.

i think impoundment is a good idea....? what does everyone else think?

[PeterD]

you're quite correct ... a lot of people have a wealth of experience but no licence ... but without the licence if something does go wrong you've generally got an insurance problem....

As a reforming book-worm (don't worry no offence taken as I agree with you) ... it is hard to get the knowledge by experience ... you learn thru errors but if you are terrified of making mistakes .... I have only 1 experienced mate ... at least I make him laugh .....

[Steveo]

you're quite correct ... a lot of people have a wealth of experience but no licence ... but without the licence if something does go wrong you've generally got an insurance problem....

As a reforming book-worm (don't worry no offence taken as I agree with you) ... it is hard to get the knowledge by experience ... you learn thru errors but if you are terrified of making mistakes .... I have only 1 experienced mate ... at least I make him laugh .....
The only difference is time, we all need to start somewhere, at least u got a mate with experience to show u the ropes..be yr turn to show some one else one day, then u can laugh with them..

[barra_boy]

Hi Everyone,

For some years I was a member of the Voluteer Coastal Patrol(not Coastguard) in Melbourne. We used to run a 7 week course(7 evenings) on basic boating. Included Flare demo with the water police, launching/retrieving and ramp etiquette and a bit on Coastal Navigation. At the end attendants could sit the exam for their NSW Boat licence. Then the Vic licence came in, the NSW auth. was told by the Vic Auth we could not do it any more and it killed our organisation. When people finished our course they had a good grounding, much like the current TL3 course. Unfortunately the Vic licence is a farce and just political and money grab. You only have to sit at Patterson River or Hastings ramps in the summer to realise this.
I belong to the club at Newhaven and we 'rescue' people in the summer all the time. Usually flat batteries, no fuel etc. Sometimes these people are out on bass Strait. scary stuff.

[grant]

just to make a point...

I was not inidcating that these people were at fault due to their nationality. I was just telling all the facts as I knew them..

I know an aussie bloke that ran aground 3 times on the same sand bar over a weekend. (took me ages to push off the last time!).

We all have "knowledge gaps" and this site is aimed at filling..

Btw: See you can have strong coversations with out name calling and telling people your gonna stab them next time at the ramp....

g./

[live_baiter]

hi guys,

well yes i do agree with everyone in a way and this is a good thing about a forum like this! very family and open minded! this is really good.
it is nice to see that everyone here can see things on a lighter side and not take it all to heart! i have to say this ia a very unique site and i am proud to be a member!

as to me passing on experiences, well i dont think i have enough but yes i do try and pass on what ever i know to those that ask... not much but at least better than nothing.

anywa, just wanna tell you all that this site is one of the friendliest around!

[hillbilly]

Thought I would add my recent story to this thread,
My daughters boyfriend is recently new to fishing and the only boat he has been out on is mine but while I was away he decided to buy himself a small half cab and with absolutely no experience the first place he took it was westernport bay, no maps , no sounder, no idea what he was doing and in foggy conditions, I have taken him out on wpb several times and have told him that its easy to run aground if you dont take care but he thought he knew it all and instead of using the channels he floored his 90 hp motor on the wrong side of the channel markers and hit ground with enough force to through himself and passenger to the floor, thankfully noone was hurt and a kind boatie towed them back to the ramp.
Once back at the ramp he started the motor and thought he would go back out again, he got out a little way and the motor gave up and would not go again so another kind boatie towed him in for the second time.
Needless to say he now has no boat and is up for $3,000 that this goose cant afford to repair the cooked motor, when he run aground the motor was chocked with mud so its been a very expensive learning excercise that should not have happened.
So im all for some kind of education programe that would prevent this kind of thing or even worse from happening, in the summer holidays Im very carefull on the water as there are people with boats that really have no or very little idea what they are doing and each and every year we have more fatalities that needent have happened.

Kaz

[grant]

begs the question.... can you teach commonsense?

g./