Kayakers and Boaties Putting Themselves at Risk

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Harbourmaster is warning kayakers and other boaties to stay well out of the way of ships in the pilotage area, especially the port and channels leading into the port.

“The Port of Napier pilots have alerted me that several kayakers, high speed boats and other small craft have got in the way of shipping recently, and there may soon be a serious accident,” said Harbourmaster Captain Charlie Rycroft.

Captain Rycroft says that during summer people are going out further into the Pilotage area in kayaks, often to fish and sometimes at night - but they are nearly invisible to shipping.

“They have been asked to move out of the channel by Port of Napier Pilots on many occasions. Large ships are too large and heavy to stop or steer quickly out of the way. It has been falling to the Pilot boat to quickly take action and get people out of the way – they don’t want to be attending to a fatality. ”

Captain Rycroft says the Navigation Safety Bylaws set the rules for small craft to keep clear of shipping in this area, and if any kayaker or boatie is not sure of the rules, they can contact him or the Regional Council for a free copy.

“While the bylaws do not specify the following safety devices, have some sense when you go out on the water. The best practice is for kayaks to be seen so show chopper flags, hi-viz paddles or PFDs (personal floatation devices or lifejackets) and strobe lights at night to help avoid collision - they may save your life.”

The bylaws state that small craft must not impede shipping in the Pilotage area, which includes the Port and the shipping approaches to the Port. Small craft must keep more than 500 metres ahead of and 100 metres away from either side of any ship moving within the Pilotage area. At night, the correct navigation lights must be switched on between sunset and sunrise.

Kayakers and boaties that offend are reported to the Harbourmaster by the pilots and can be fined $200 or prosecuted.

“Collisions can cause fatalities – small craft come off a very distant second best when run over by a ship. The best advice for people taking out kayaks, canoes and small boats onto the ocean, even during the day, is to be seen and keep well out of the way of commercial shipping,” says Captain Rycroft.

Boaties can also check the Port of Napier website or newspaper shipping news for details of vessels arriving and departing so they know what is happening out on the water before they set out.