Police – Medway and Swale Boating Association

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

Counter Terrorism Border Engagement Team Presentation – MCC

Protect Kent – Don’t ignore it, share it

Abandoned RIB: owner found

The RIB in the photo was abandoned or washed up on the RNSA slip at Chatham Historic Dockyard recently. UPDATE: The RIB has now been claimed by its owner.

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.

Gillingham Marina Open Day, 14 May

Diesel stolen from moored boats

With the rocketing price of diesel this was bound to happen! Several boats at Strood Pelican Cruising Club, near Rochester Bridge, have reported that fuel has been siphoned from their tanks. Please check your tanks and report to the police if you believe a theft has occurred. Also please inform info@msba.org.uk so we can share the information with other boaters.

Royal Navy pays Chatham a working visit

HMS Example visited Chatham Historic Dockyard this week. She is a P2000 Patrol Boat of the Royal Navy Coastal Forces Squadron, supporting some operational training with Port of London Authority and Met Police Marine Unit.

Dinghy stolen from Upnor

A dinghy was stolen from Upnor Sailing Club dinghy compound some time on Wednesday 31 March after 4.30pm. The police have been notified. It is scruffy, dark blue with a grey interior and marked NOC on the transom. The oars are marked NOCTURNE 34008.

If you see the dinghy or have any information, please contact info@msba.org.uk.

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.

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.