Maritime Safety Community Consultation Live stream

 If you attended the Centre for Maritime Safety Community Consultation Live stream at 6:00 pm on Tuesday 14 September - few people actually did, then the following data or was it statistics, were presented:

*  131 boat fatalities over the 10 year to June 2020 They claim 79 were preventable and that 56 were in vessels less than 6 m

*  There are 1/2 million NSW recreational boat driver licences 12 years and over (adults)

 *  260,000 registered vessels (excludes SUP, Kayaks - on and in, rowing sculls and others)

 *  There are 56,000 registered vessels between the length of 4.8 to 6 m (the new limit)

 *  170,000 "safety" interactions undertaken place (I think in the previous year?)

  *  42,000 compliance audits

  *  13,000 fines/court attendance issued (Value of these is not given but may be between $1/4 to $1 million)

The data did not identify cold water shock deaths because this was grouped (if even identified and recognised by some local ambo or doctor) into drowning because that was the only appropriate box to tick.  This gives a false impression of the data.

 Neither did it identify if the body had suffer a stroke, heart attach or a medial event.

The fundamental unanswered question which is central to their drive of "Lifejackets save lives"  is how?  A lifejacket only gives the wearer additional flotation.  It will not save your life if you are far from help in cold water.  It will not notify the authorities that you need help.  In some circumstance it is a real disadvantage - trapped in or under an overturned vessel, trying to climb back into a high sided vessel or even stop you and others from pull you into a liferaft, Steber rescue vessel or over the flotation pontoons of a rescue RIB.

Maritime is looking to "simplify" the regulation to find a one size fits all silver bullet which as we all know is just the marketing spin.

The Association strongly support the appropriate use of the appropriate lifejacket - not only those with Standards Australia labels.

Do you have an experience or knowledge where the wearing of a lifejacket did not save the persons life?

This link will give you an idea of the dangers of being at sea? 

 Would a lifejacket have saved their lives?

https://www.maritime-executive.com/.../vlcc-s-chief-mate...

Swells in Drake Passage (file image courtesy Christopher Michaels / CC BY SA 3.0)