| 30th
July : It's Jase The Ace. |
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It's a safe jet that
Kirkmuirhill lad Jason Young will speed through the water!
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Kawasaki rider Jason finished
joint first overall in the recent British Jetski Championships third
round at Tattershall, Lincolnshire.
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That result put Jason just 15
points behind leader and defending champ Simon Gill in the overall
standings.
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With only three rounds
remaining, it looks like it will go to the wire to see who is the
fastest racer in the UK.
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After leaving Tattershall,
Jason then went north of the border to the River Clyde for his first
experience of racing in his homeland.
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He thrilled the home crowds
by finishing second at an invitation event held in conjunction with
Seeglasgow.com
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After back to back victories
on the Saturday, Jason endured extremely choppy conditions on the
Sunday. After a massive tumble in race one, he eventually finished in
a disappointing fifth.
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Despite this setback, Jason,
who is sponsored by Champney Springs, still sat joint first with
former Junior World Champion Lewis Goodchild.
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But the fairytale return to
Scotland was not to be for Jason.
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Although he led the race for
the majority of laps, Goodchild eventually passed the youngster in the
penultimate lap to win on the day and take overall victory.
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Jason said he was upset for
the loyal supporters he could hear cheering him on from the banks of
the Clyde every time he crossed the finish line. Maybe he'll go one
better next year!
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If you are interested in
either learning more about jetski racing or keeping an eye on Jason's
race season, check out his www.jasonyoung.gb.com website.
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CarlukeGazette.co.uk
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| 24th
July : Trio Left Shaken After Jet Ski Rescue Drama. |
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Three people had a lucky escape after an eagle-eyed passer-by
spotted them stranded in the sea with a jet ski.
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The member of the public raised the alarm and the Hartlepool Royal
National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) inshore lifeboat and volunteer
crew was dispatched to a pumping station near the North Gare, at
Seaton Carew.
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The jet ski had been towing a rubber ring but broke down when the rope
got caught in the propeller.
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The group tied the jet ski to a water buoy and were about to swim
to shore.
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One man and two women were in the water when the lifeboat crew
arrived. They were taken out of the water and transported, alongside
their jet ski, to the Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club at around 6pm on
Tuesday.
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A spokesman for Hartlepool RNLI said:
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"The driver of the jet ski
had no flares or communication equipment on board.
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"It could have been a different story had a passer-by not spotted
the group waving.
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"Nobody was injured but they were left a little shaken by the
incident."
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A spokesman for the Humber Coastguard, which covers the North East
England coast, said:
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"We got a call from a member of the public
who had seen a group of people waving from their craft.
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"They didn't have any flares or communication equipment on board
but jet skis rarely do."
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Hartlepoolmail.co.uk
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| 23rd
July : Local Radio DJ Joins Team RYA For Wight Stuff 08 Event. |
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Portsmouth based Power FM’s breakfast show DJ, Zoe Hanson,
joined members of ‘Team RYA’ at 2008 The Wight Stuff
event, that saw some 60 plus personal watercraft users take to the
water to embark on a 55 mile blast around the Isle of Wight.
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The event, which is set up to raise money for the ‘Make a Wish
Foundation’, kicked off from Leigh-on –Solent bright and early
on the morning of Saturday 12 July.
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Unfortunately however, due
to rough water and bad weather conditions it wasn’t possible for
the riders to go around the Island, instead the fleet took the
slightly less bumpy ride out to Nab Tower – still quite a feat,
with a round trip of some 45 miles.
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Zoe, a novice rider, joined in with the RYA team, taking to the
controls of the PWC she said:
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“The Wight Stuff was a great event
for a great charity. What an amazing experience to travel round the
island with a Brilliant bunch of people!
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The sight and feeling of
being in the middle of 60 PWC's in the Solent is a picture I will
always have in my mind.
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I did find it a lot harder on my legs than I
thought it would be, you just sit down and go don't you?
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Well
that’s what I thought, how wrong I was....”
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Things did get a little tricky for Zoe and fellow rider, RYA
Instructor Kaz, as the pair ducked under the water like a submarine
off the back of a wave and both feel off – but it wasn’t enough
to dampen their spirits or enthusiasm.
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Andrew Norton, Motor Cruising Projects Manager at the RYA said:
“The whole event has been fantastic and all in aid of a great
cause.
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There were a lot of tired people at the end of the day
but everyone was pleased with what they had achieved despite not
actually going around the Island.”
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Zoe prepared for her Wight Stuff adventure by learning the basics
of personal watercraft use on the RYA’s PWC Proficiency Course
with Southampton based Stormforce Coaching and was presented with
her certificate live on air by Andrew Norton from the RYA (Friday 11
July).
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RYA.org.uk
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| 23rd
July : Leave The Dolphins Alone Plea. |
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By Stephen Ivall
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Following reports of people in a RIB chasing a
group of dolphins off the south coast of Cornwall recently, Cornwall
Wildlife Trust and British Diver Marine Life Rescue are reminding the
public to behave responsibly around marine wildlife.
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Harassment can
cause severe distress and make animals change their natural behaviour.
In the worst case, it can lead to serious injuries, amputations and
even death due to propeller strike.
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Joana Doyle, Marine Conservation Officer for
Cornwall Wildlife Trust says:
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"We share our waters with a wealth
of impressive marine wildlife, including dolphins, seals, basking
sharks, whales and turtles.
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No-one would willingly wish to disturb or
harm them, but by being too eager to get a good view, this can be the
end result.
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We've seen far too many marine animals with terrible
injuries caused by boats or jet-skis and it's important that people
make themselves familiar with the do's and dont's when they encounter
these animals, and that they abide by the law. "
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Dave Jarvis of British Divers Marine Life
Rescue says:
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"Many marine animals including dolphins and basking
sharks are protected by law, so it's very important to treat them with
respect and keep your distance.
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It is an offence to disturb dolphins
and basking sharks and to do so intentionally or recklessly can result
in a prosecution."
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Earlier this year, two men from Folkestone
were found guilty of harassing a dolphin and were fined £350 and
ordered to do 120 hours unpaid community work.
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Dave continues:
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"We feel that this
successful prosecution will pave the way for other cases to come to
court.
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We recommend that, if dolphins approach your boat or
bowride,
maintain a slow, no wake' speed and don't change your course until
they move on.
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Never chase dolphins in an attempt to make them
bowride.
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Keep your distance and don't go closer than 100m (200m if there are
two boats).
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No more than three boats should be in the area at any one
time and no-one should spend more than 15 minutes near the animals.
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It's also essential that you don't drive head on to, or move between
marine animals, particularly dolphins, as you may scatter or separate
them and this could be lethal for very young animals that may become
separated from their mothers.
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You could also seriously injure, or even
kill, them."
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Joana adds:
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"We don't want to spoil
people's enjoyment of the sea, but we urge them to think about the
impact their actions may have on marine wildlife, for example, never
throw rubbish or contaminants into the sea and, for your own safety as
well as theirs, don't try to swim with dolphins and basking sharks.
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To
help vessel users stay within the law, the Wildlife Safe (WiSe) Scheme
has produced a DVD called The WiSe Way to Watch Wildlife'.
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Cornwall
Wildlife Trust has some free copies available for sailing or other
watersports clubs, so please contact me at Cornwall Wildlife Trust on
01872 273939 ext. 207 or email joana@cornwt.demon.co.uk to obtain a
copy".
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The public are encouraged to help protect
marine animals and any suspected harassment incidents should be
reported immediately to the Devon and Cornwall Police on 08452 777444.
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A description and the name of the vessel, whether it is a boat or
jet-ski, and a description of the occupants, together with details of
their movements, may help to bring about a prosecution.
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If at all
possible, this verbal report should be supported by video footage
and/or photos which could be used in evidence.
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FalmouthPacket.co.uk
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| 21st
July : River Festival Goes Off With A Big Splash. |
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Record numbers of visitors
attended the Glasgow River Festival this year, with more than 87,000
people celebrating the revival of The Clyde.
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The weekend event, centred
around the Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour, the SECC and Glasgow Science
Centre, featured a packed programme of events from a jet ski
acrobatics display, to a volleyball tournament staged on an artificial
beach, to powerboat excursions and a pirate's treasure hunt.
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The festival was opened by
Lord Provost Councillor Bob Winter, who hoisted a flag on the HMS
Middleton to launch the event.
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Check out the full story and
video at...
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TheHerald.co.uk
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| 16th
July : Jetski Rescue Trial A Success. |
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A new kind of river-rescue
vessel was tested out with great success in Upton last weekend.
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Mercia Inshore Search and
Rescue (MISAR) had two jet skis with special rescue sledges attached
on standby during Saturday's Upton Triathlon event, which saw about
350 swimmers tackling a demanding course in the River Severn.
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Team manager David Walker
said the equipment was used to great success when a female swimmer
developed cramp towards the end of the swim.
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"We had to get in
amongst the swimmers to get her out, which you simply cannot do with a
standard propeller boat," he said. "But using the jet ski we
were able to get her out safely with no problems at all."
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MISAR was granted special
permission by British Waterways to use the jet ski, and is now hoping
to purchase similar equipment of its own.
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"It would probably cost
us just over £7,000, but I think it is something well worth
obtaining," said Mr Walker.
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"It would have great
benefits in instances of flooding.
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It is something that works in
shallow waters, so we would be able to get around the town with
comparative ease and safety.
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"We will now be looking
to develop training for the crew."
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MalvernGazette.co.uk
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| 16th
July : Jetskier Saves A Stricken Canoeist. |
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A canoeist was last night
recovering after being rescued from the sea.
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The man (58) had to be pulled
from the chilly water after his kayak canoe capsized about 200 yards
off the Co Down shore at Cloughey yesterday.
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He was taken ashore by a
member of the public who used his jetski to rescue him.
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The stricken man was then
taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
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Among those also involved in
the rescue, at about 11am, were the Coastguard, PSNI and Ambulance
Service crews.
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A spokeswoman for the police
said: "The PSNI helicopter assisted the Coastguard in locating
the man and as police on the ground directed operations the owner of a
jetski made his way to the stricken man and helped him to safety.
"Police in Ards have praised the quick-thinking and co-operation
of the local Cloughey community," she said.
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Meanwhile, a spokesman for
the Northern Ireland Coastguard confirmed the Portaferry Lifeboat had
been launched.
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He said: "We received a
report from a member of the public from the shore that a man was in
trouble in a kayak about 200 yards off the shore at Cloughey near
Portavogie.
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"While he was on the
phone the canoe capsized and we launched the Portaferry inshore
lifeboat and contacted the PSNI whose Police 44 helicopter helped us
locate the man.
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"He was recovered by the
first informant and two others on a jetski brought him back to the
shore on the jetski."
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BelfastTelegraph.co.uk
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| 11th
July : VersaDock To Launch New Docking Systems. |
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VersaDock is launching a
range of new accessories at Southampton Boat Show to enhance its
revolutionary, maintenance-free docking system.
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For the first time VersaDock
will be exhibiting its new Corner Float and FloatStep Ladder and
adding a Kayak Storage Rack, Fish Cleaning Table and Bench Seating to
the VersaDock system.
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VersaDock’s FloatStep
ladder floats on the surface when not
in use, preventing growth and corrosion. FloatStep ladders for regular
pontoons and jetties are also available from VersaDock.
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The modular VersaDock system
will be displayed on the water at the Southampton event to enable
visitors to see its versatility and how easy it is to construct.
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Unlike docks constructed from
wood and metal parts, VersaDock offers waterfront and anchored docking
whilst delivering unparalleled adaptability - so even the most awkward
corners, such as mud flats or previously unusable areas, can be
accessed with ease.
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VersaDock’s floats are
constructed with a high molecular weight polyethylene, which is
resilient even in the most demanding environments,
and is used by marinas and boat yards across the world.
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Floats are made to the
strictest requirements, and are strong enough to hold extraordinary
loads. Residential docks are made of the same materials as commercial
docks, and are virtually indestructible.
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VersaDock is proving
increasingly popular with private boat owners, as installation
requires no specialist skills. It is the only modular system that can
be assembled from above the dock and constructed in only a few hours.
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The drive-on V-Float
technology literally guides and cradles the hull of a boat or jet ski
safely onto the dock.
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This enables vessels to be
driven on and stored out of the water, protecting them from salt and
corrosion in the harsh marine environment.
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It also means that no
anti-fouling is required. Minimum maintenance is needed, because
excess water immediately drains away and in most cases they can also
be left in the water over the winter.
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The lightweight interlocking
modules are easy to add to, change, upgrade or relocate – as well as
being environmentally-friendly, UV and freeze-resistant, durable and
practical.
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BYMnews.com
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| 5th
July : Hookers Available From ATP. |
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Introducing the new 'Hooker' impeller
from Impros.
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Beat the competition, they are
sure to follow.
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Be one of the first to have
one of these absolutely unbelievable impellers.
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You
will not be disappointed.
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We believe this will far
exceed any Freestyle impeller currently available.
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The 'Hooker' has a 75mm Hub,
set back 7mm with a radial edge polish and is available in various
pitches.
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Having a 75mm hub increases
the pump pressure and with a massive set back of 7mm it increases that
all important hook off the wake.
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Customers who have recently
purchased one of the first batch have all reported huge increases in bottom
end hit off their wake.
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Fits Yamaha 144mm Pump and is
supplied with an impeller tool.
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Available now from Airtime
Products.
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Price: £229.95
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www.airtimeproducts.co.uk
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| 4th
July : More Talk Needed On Jet Ski Laws, Says SPC. |
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During Tuesday’s Cultural,
Education, Heritage and Corporate Affairs SPC, members decided that
more consultation regarding the use of jet skis in Mayo was needed.
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The meetings will be held
with relevant groups such as the Irish Sailing Association, fishermen
and gardaí, following the number of submissions that were received in
relation to the proposed draft bye-laws under section 61 of the
Maritime Safety Act 2005, which regulates the use of personal water
craft, jet skis and recreational water craft.
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The SPC also proposed to put
forward a proposal at national level to the government making it
mandatory that a licence should be required by users in control of any
vehicles on the water.
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Chair of the SPC, Cllr Paddy
McGuinness, said that he was “impressed with the tone and content”
of all submissions received and said that considering these
submissions was “a real test for the SPC”.
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The Fine Gael Cllr said that
there is a need for these bye-laws, however, but used the analogy of
banning the use of cars so that there would be no more road accidents
and said that this could not be viable.
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Fine Gael Cllr Jarlath
Munnelly said that he now has “serious reservations” about
introducing the bye-laws, even though with the introduction there will
be zero fatalities; however, this would damage watersport activities
in the county, which are a major tourist, business and entertainment
attraction.
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What the Kilalla-based Cllr
suggested was the “safe responsible use” of water craft, which
would adhere to a code of practice and to work with associations who
use water craft.
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The Cllr suggested that
initially there should be “self-regulation” with the “onus on
the users” to be responsible.
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Cllr Munnelly also called for
a reccomendation to be nade to the government that a driving licence
should be introduced for those using water craft.
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SPC members Mr Pat Conway and
Mr Tony Diffley concurred that an all-out ban was not the answer, and
instead there should be a promotion of safe and enjoyable watersports,
with self-regulation being the best answer.
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However, Cllr McGuinness
asked not to rule out the “safety net” of enforcement if
self-regulation does not work.
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It was proposed that members
request the presence of representatives from the ISA, fishermen and
gardaí to attend a special meeting in September to further debate the
issue.
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MayoAdvertiser.com
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