MEDIA RELEASE

Friday November 1, 2013

Boat owners signing up to make Lake Hood safer

Powerboat and jetski owners are responding well to a trial to improve safety at Ashburton’s Lake Hood Aquatic Park, with 150 people already signed up to a new registration scheme.

Lake Hood project manager Gary Casey says the trial registration scheme is in response to problems experienced on the lake last summer.

“We had issues with people not sticking to safety rules or going the wrong way around the lake.  We also had a significant number of people not wearing lifejackets – which is compulsory at all times when boating on Lake Hood.

The trial scheme, which is being phased in, is a joint initiative between Lake Hood management and Environment Canterbury.

All power vessel operators who want to use the lake will have to sign-up to the trial scheme and display trailer registration details on their vessels.   Registration and supply of the number stickers is free.  

“The best way to improve safety is to ensure all users understand the rules and to make boats clearly identifiable. 

“We approached Environment Canterbury, which is the regional agency for boating safety, and it supported the idea and issued a Regulation under the Navigation Safety Bylaws to formalise the requirement for boat owners to register for the Lake Hood scheme.”

The registration form is on the Lake Hood website at http://lakehood.co.nz/ .  Registration also requires lake users to sign a declaration that they have read and understood the lake safety rules.   

Environment Canterbury’s Recreational Boating Officer, Evan Walker, says the intention is to make the lake safer for all users.

“We expect that this project will significantly improve users’ understanding of, and compliance with, safe boating practices, as well as making it very easy to identify and follow up with boaties who are behaving badly.”

He says the scheme’s impact on behaviour will be monitored during the boating season.

“If, as anticipated, there are positive outcomes, boat identification may be an initiative which could be rolled out throughout the region.  This would have to be done through a formal Bylaw review, which would involve full public consultation.”

NOTE: Forms are available at the Power Boat Centre, 401 Ferry Road, Christchurch, and at Mr Boats, 74 King Street, Timaru.

ENDS

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