Category: PWCs

Personal Water Craft – Queenborough and Swale


As you will have all seen from the recent posts on Facebook there have been
some serious incidents in and around Queenborough and in the Swale Estuary
involving Personal Water Craft (PWC) which has resulted in not only the
Harbour Patrols being launched but also the RNLI lifeboat and Helicopter.

Unfortunately, it is a small group of PWC owners that are giving PWC owners
in the area an unnecessarily bad reputation. The MSBA has agreed to work
with Kent Police, Swale Borough Council, Queenborough Harbour Trust and Peel Ports to see what actions can be taken to reduce and ideally reduce and
ideally extinguish completely the number of incidents that are occurring.

In this respect can we please ask members who witness any incidents in the
Queenborough area or in the Swale to report them to Kent Police using the
following portal.
https://kep.uk.evidence.com/axon/community-request/public/queenborough

Please provide as much information as possible, because the more information
that is provided with each report the more chance Kent Police have of
identifying those that are driving the bad reputation.

Peter Norris, Fellow ABYA
Chairman
Medway and Swale Boating Association

Allhallows Yacht Club now closed

RNLI Sheerness has published this story: The demise of a local yacht club has resulted in the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station receiving a huge donation of £78,000.

The Allhallows Yacht Club Ltd, based on the Grain Peninsula within the Allhallows Leisure Park had been unable to negotiate a new lease with the owners and the sad decision was taken to wind down the club which was established on the same site in 1964. The AYC Ltd company memorandum and articles stated that should the club be closed down for any reason then any remaining funds were to be donated to a local boating related charity. Following a unanimous decision by the club members it was decided that the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station would be the benefactor due its close proximity (by sea) to Allhallows and the fact that over the years the Sheerness RNLI volunteers have helped out AYC club members on a number of occasions when they found themselves in difficulties. Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Station Coxswain/Mechanic Paul Jarvis along with his predecessor Robin Castle and Sheerness lifeboat station Operations Manager Nigel Budden met representatives of the club on Saturday 7 October at Lower Stoke on the Isle of Grain and were astounded when Andrew Vincent (AYC President) and Mrs Cheryl Frame, on behalf of her late husband Barry Frame (AYC Commodore) presented the huge cheque to them. Also present were Claire Vincent (AYC President), Nigel Godden (Rear Commodore) and other longstanding members including Mrs Anne Letch who joined the AYC with her husband in 1968. Mr Vincent said: ‘Whilst we are very pleased to be able to benefit such a worthwhile institution as the RNLI it was with great sadness that this was the final act of Allhallows Yacht Club’. On behalf of all the crew and volunteers of the Sheerness RNLI Lifeboat Coxswain Paul thanked all those present for their generosity but also offered commiserations for their loss.

Reckless jet skiers to face prison and unlimited fines after law change

The UK is introducing new legislation to crack down on the dangerous misuse of watercraft such as jet skis, with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) being granted more powers to prosecute perpetrators of accidents.

Read more …

Harbourmaster’s Patrol Vessel

In response to our calls for greater visibility of the port authority, Peel Ports are now patrolling the river in a big red RIB emblazoned with flags and a blue flashing light. The crew wear matching shirts so there should be no mistaking their authority when they catch you speeding or infringing the 150m/250m exclusion zone by the LNG terminal.

New signage for PWCs

This is a sample of one of the new signs designed in partnership with the Personal Watercraft Partnership (PWP) and local authorities. The signs will be set up at known launching sites for jet skis (PWCs). Most PWC users are responsible boaters but an irresponsible minority spoil it for everyone else and will be liable to prosecution. Peel Ports will increase the number of patrols using a harbour launch or RIB, including holidays, weekends, and during heatwaves. The patrol personnel will be equipped with body cams.

Speed limits

This chart shows the zones where there are speed limits, yellow for 6 knots and red for 8 knots. The purple zone from Cuxton to Wouldham is where members of the Kent Boat and Ski club have exclusive permission to water ski.

Danger of getting close to ships

Ships in the Medway and Swale can’t slow down as they need a certain speed to steer. Also they have to stay in the dredged channel to stay afloat, so they can’t swerve to avoid small craft. The video shows what can happen when a jet ski crossed the bow wave of a ship, behaviour often seen in our home waters. Video from Hampshire Police Marine Support Unit.

Jet ski crashes into Sheppey beach

Following the recent spate of incidents of irresponsible and illegal behaviour by users of PWCs, Tim Bell has sent us this video of two lads crashing onto a beach at Minster after losing control of their jet ski. The Medway Ports by-laws have strict limits on speed and where personal watercraft can be used on the Medway and Swale. Video by Denis Gordo.

Peel Ports Incident Report Form

A new incident report form has been introduced by Peel Ports for leisure users to report incidents such as irresponsible behaviour by jet-skis (PWCs), speedboats and other craft. The latest form can be downloaded from the Peel Ports Safety Information page on the Peel Ports website

The port authority say they can only take action when incidents are reported so please use the form.