Safety overkill

[Richo1]

Spend 6months of the year at sea, at work, conforming to all sorts of safety regulations both state and international. When I get off and go fishing in my tinny I just want to be left alone to enjoy myself.

Starting to get a bit tired of all the preachers promoting safety at sea; government volunteers or otherwise - they are nearly as bad as born again christians! >:(
I get nervous every time the water police or boating & fisheries turn up even when I have all the gear and more. Then at the ramp I feel like I'm getting judged by other boaties every time I take the kids for a fish. :-? Going out in the tinny is starting to turn into work! To the preachers - look after youself and leave the rest of us alone. Maybe I'm just reading too many forums and need to stear clear of the internet for a while.

Some responses will be "but if it saves a life its worth it" . Some people will die regardless or rules and regulations - that's the theory of evolution, survial of the fittest!
Just my rant for the day, before I go on deck with my safety glasses, hard hat, crew saver lifejacket, safety gloves, full length overalls.

Cheers Richo

[johncar]

hey Richo, yes I grew up in an age where one had to take responsibility for themselves and now when something goes wrong it's who are we going to sue. The one with the most to lose usually.
We are being regulated to the hilt because there are in fact a small few out there who have absolutely no idea and very little respect for their fellow boatie so they ruin it for all of us. I am talking about the ones who end up in trouble and it is revealed that they have no adequate safety/survival gear or communications, or the amateur fishers who are out there taking commercial quantities of fish or crabs. Sadly it is not just the irresponsible skippers that may meet tragedy but their family members or friends or others who don't deserve to have that happen.
So yes to try and make sure that a minimum level of safety is provided it has to be enforced. We survived OK and 90% of people do without any interference. It is the same old story, the few do the wrong thing and ruin it for everyone.

[Fillet`n`Release]

Yeah I've gotta say I'm paranoid about being pulled up on the water, even though my gear *should* be compliant to the best of my knowledge. I still fear the *oh you didn't know about this new rule* syndrome. Shouldn't have to be like this honestly. Irks me moreso when it feels more like revenue raising than it does about saving lives. I have a very healthy respect for the water and *anything* can happen, but honestly as John says above, people should be taking responsibility for their own actions. That would make a bigger dint in on-water incidents than any regulation.

[finga]

YI still fear the *oh you didn't know about this new rule* syndrome. Shouldn't have to be like this honestly.
I really don't mind new regulations as I'm usually compliant already BUT I agree.
It's getting to the point where you have to check boating and fishing regulation before every trip you make even if it's twice a day.
We hear absolutely nothing about changes in regulations until the blitz on the water.
I had no idea about the lifejacket sign crap until I read it here.
I would have been one paying a fine.

I don't want to wear a life jacket all the time though. But it'll come in. All you have to do is listen between the lines to the news reports of the last tragedy.

[tunaticer]

If I am on my own out fishing in my boat, I don't want any yob telling me to don the jacket, it's my day, my conscience and my life.
However, if i take anyone else on board I enforce the rules and look after them as my obligation and duty to those under my care.

[Mister]

If I am on my own out fishing in my boat, I don't want any yob telling me to don the jacket, it's my day, my conscience and my life.

Running solo would be even more important to be taking even extra precautions? Well I would have thought so? So you are saying you don't have an obligation to yourself or those perhaps left waiting for you to return?

And after your day and your conscience and your life is done are there others left behind that will have to live with your approach?

[tunaticer]

Running solo would be even more important to be taking even extra precautions? Well I would have thought so? So you are saying you don't have an obligation to yourself or those perhaps left waiting for you to return?

And after your day and your conscience and your life is done are there others left behind that will have to live with your approach?

Yeah, I guess I am Mister. Everyone that knows me, family especially, know I am not looking to die, but am not afraid of it happening today, tomorrow or the day after. Accidents happen to the most overly protected people too and if i die in an accident, so be it.

Some people let the worry of what ifs reduce the amount of pleasure in the things they love to do. I go fishing to avoid the worry and to leave the stresses on shore.

If the weather is particularly hazardous I will take precautions, but if it is a normal day I would take about the same care as a person on a beach going for a swim. People die on beaches in the simplest of circumstances sometimes.

Death really isn't a big scary monster, it is just the end of a life, end of story. Everyone gets a chance to experience it in their life guaranteed.

[Jarrah Jack]

And after your day and your conscience and your life is done are there others left behind that will have to live with your approach?

Jack's got his conscience and you've got yours Mister, he's not trying to change yours. Your argument is pointless as it can be never ending.

Don't drink, don't smoke, don't eat fatty foods, don't drive in the rain, exercise daily, get a check up for every thing imaginable. These are just some of the things we're bombarded with. Your argument could apply to those scenarios and many more.

[Mister]

Jack's got his conscience and you've got yours Mister, he's not trying to change yours. Your argument is pointless as it can be never ending.


Not argueing jack but in this case now know some people don't care about anybody else but themselves. Pointless asking? no don't think so.

[Richo1]

Pleased to see I'm not the only one who feels this way, I was ready to cop a flogging.

24years ago my family sailed a 40foot yacht from Brisbane to PNG and back, over a year not once did we get checked by boating and fisheries or the water police. All we had was a compass, charts, depth sounder, HF radio,sextant, flare kit and Lifejackets for everyone on board hidden away under bunk beds in case we ever needed them. The wearing of lifejackets wasn't compulsory, GPS & EPIRBS didn't exist. We did it without incident, yes a few other boats came to grief up and down the coast from time to time just as they do today. In this day and age people would call what we did as irresponsible, back then it was an adventure!


Nothing has changed at sea, the only thing that has changed is the number of boats on the water has increased 10 fold. So the authorites with their modern work place health & safety attitude of "No Incidents, anytime anywhere" decide that marine incidents have increased (no surpise) so we must increase rules and regulations. The Industries that thrive on recreational boating, lobby and campaign to increase rules and regulations so they can turn around and sell their equipment to us. What would the wonderful people of the coast guards do if they didn't have to rescue anyone? Probably join the SES for the thrill of a search and rescue mission.

My wife would much rather have me risking my life out on the bay fishing rather than have me sitting around the house being a real grumpy bastard :)

Thanks for the replys

Richo

[bf90]

Richo1 your wife and my wife think exactly the same, AMEN to that! more fishing in the bay:) bring it on!!

[Jarrah Jack]

Better make that three wives... and one dog.