Lifejackets not being worn

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 7

Lifejackets not being worn

Too many pleasure-boat owners have been going to sea without wearing life jackets, according to the president of the Canterbury Voluntary Coastguard Service, Mr Harold Mason. The service's busiest period is from Labour weekend to Easter and so far this year it has attended about three incidents each weekend. Most of these were to pleasure craft which had mechanical problems and needed to be towed back to port, Mr Mason said. Coastguard service members had been surprised by the number of boat owner’s who did not wear lifejackets, and this could lead to tragedy if a boat capsized in rough weather. “We are fairly concerned about the lack of precautions; people have to realise that the sea is a hostile environment.” he said. A recent example of foolhardiness had been a group of people on a small cruiser, powered only by a small

auxiliary motor, which had sailed from Quail Island to Lyttelton in rough weather. On board were six people, including two small children, none of whom were wearing a lifejacket. A coastguard service vessel had kept guard over the cruiser even though those on board had declined an offer of assistance. From Labour week-end to Easter the coastguard, which is a voluntary organisation based at Fisherman’s Wharf, Lyttelton, has a vessel on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week. At week-ends this vessel is backed up by other coastguard members whose vessels can be reached by radio-telephone from the service’s headquarters. In the winter a vessel is available full-time in case of any call-outs, but back-up crews often have to be summoned to take their vessels to sea, Another foolish action which has disturbed Mr Mason is the number of

people who run out of petrol while at sea and do not carry reserve supplies. In spite of some unthinking boat owners, Mr Mason says the service has managed to “cope well.” It " now plans to raise $20,000 to buy a vessel which can patrol Lyttelton Harbour and Banks Peninsula.

Mr Mason said it was not yet known whether dn existing or new vessel would be bought, nor had it been decided what size it would be. Fund-raising might include a public appeal. He said that only 20 per cent of those helped by the service ever bothered to make a donation.