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Jet skis bye law

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  • 07-07-2013 11:19pm
    #1
    Paddyfield
    Registered Users Posts: 509 ✭✭✭


    I saw a jet ski skimming close to the coastline this evening in Salthill. I know that they have been banned for many years but I wasn't really expecting a Garda jet ski with a blue flashing light to give chase but it made me wonder how the law is enforced.

    The jet skier didn't cause any harm as far as i could see apart from being noisy, but he/she was a potential danger to swimmers.


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    #2
    Zzippy
    Registered Users Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Paddyfield wrote: »
    I saw a jet ski skimming close to the coastline this evening in Salthill. I know that they have been banned for many years but I wasn't really expecting a Garda jet ski with a blue flashing light to give chase but it made me wonder how the law is enforced.

    The jet skier didn't cause any harm as far as i could see apart from being noisy, but he/she was a potential danger to swimmers.

    I think the bye-law is that they cannot operate within 200m of the shoreline. Difficult to catch them alright, but they do have to launch and retrieve somewhere so they could be dealt with there. Not sure if its the gardai or council wardens who would be responsible for enforcing it...


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    #3
    snubbleste
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 31,117 ✭✭✭✭snubbleste


    D'ye have photos?
    Was the Garda wearing a regulation uniform? Did the jet-ski go nee-naw nee-naw? :D

    I brought up this 1997 bye-law before and was told it was invalid
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=53663463&postcount=9


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    #4
    JohnCleary
    Registered Users Posts: 10,210 ✭✭✭✭JohnCleary


    There is no law stating that jet-ski's cannot operate in Galway.

    The City Council do have a bye-law in place, but remember City Council only have rights to the shore-line.

    This City Council bye-law bans the launch of jet-ski's in certain areas of the city such as Salthill / Claddagh etc. however there is no law against launching over the docks side, or anywhere else in Galway. There is a grey area in this bye-law mentioning 200m from the shoreline (but of course they don't mention whether it's high water line or low water line as it was written by some gombeen in an office).

    Galway Harbour Company is in charge of all the water east of an invisible line between Silver Strand and Tawin Point (see attached pic of line)

    So to summarise: Bye-Law would only be in place in this example if the JetSki actually landed on the land. Let the people have their fun, not ALL JetSki'ers are idiots (but there are a fair few out there)

    bay.jpg


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    #5
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    Is there some aquatic reason why shallower water (right in by the shore) is desireable?

    There are a LOT of jet ski plonkers who seem to love 'buzzing' the shore as opposed to just having the craic, and the only reason I can see for it is to show off what w*nkers they are.

    And yeah, it's not everyone, but it only takes a couple of bad experiences to sour the palate.


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    #6
    Zzippy
    Registered Users Posts: 14,166 ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    inisboffin wrote: »
    Is there some aquatic reason why shallower water (right in by the shore) is desireable?

    There are a LOT of jet ski plonkers who seem to love 'buzzing' the shore as opposed to just having the craic, and the only reason I can see for it is to show off what w*nkers they are.

    And yeah, it's not everyone, but it only takes a couple of bad experiences to sour the palate.

    Have seen them coming in close on a beach and "jumping" waves on the way back out, which looks like fun, so I guess there is a reason for coming close on a beach with a bit of surf. Can't see any reason for them to be buzzing the shoreline anywhere else, especially along Salthill, where it can be presumed there will be swimmers in the water


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    #7
    jamesdiver
    Registered Users Posts: 372 ✭✭jamesdiver


    If you see them near swimmers, call the coastguard and report it. It may seem like a waste of their resources but the twat needs to be dressed down before they cause a real situation.


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    #8
    JohnCleary
    Registered Users Posts: 10,210 ✭✭✭✭JohnCleary


    inisboffin wrote: »
    Is there some aquatic reason why shallower water (right in by the shore) is desireable?

    There are a LOT of jet ski plonkers who seem to love 'buzzing' the shore as opposed to just having the craic, and the only reason I can see for it is to show off what w*nkers they are.

    And yeah, it's not everyone, but it only takes a couple of bad experiences to sour the palate.
    Can you give a number when you say a LOT? I ask because i've never seen a LOT of JetSki's on Galway Bay

    jamesdiver wrote: »
    If you see them near swimmers, call the coastguard and report it. It may seem like a waste of their resources but the twat needs to be dressed down before they cause a real situation.
    In fairness since the City Council put out 4 big orange/flourescent mooring bouys parallel to the prom as a swim line, I have noticed a lot less boats (etc.) coming too close to the shore at Salthill.

    On the flip side, I spotted a swimmer half way between the shore and the cruiseliner today. He was wearing a black wetsuit and a dark swim cap. I only spotted him as we were floating and not moving. Suicide attempt IMHO. And if the guy was injured/killed from being stuck by a boat, of course it'd be the skippers fault


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    #9
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    JohnCleary wrote: »
    Can you give a number when you say a LOT? I ask because i've never seen a LOT of JetSki's on Galway Bay

    Sorry, that wasn't very clear. When I say a lot I was talking about all the places I've witnessed jet skis - lakes and seaside, and not just Ireland. I'd say I've seen a handful in Galway (not as many this year but I've been gone a lot), but of the 3 or 4 I've seen 2 were buzzers. That's half.


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    #10
    martin6651
    Registered Users Posts: 1,001 ✭✭✭martin6651


    John, where did you get the chart you posted, but I have to correct you the Corrib Swimming Club put the buoys in place.


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    #11
    JohnCleary
    Registered Users Posts: 10,210 ✭✭✭✭JohnCleary


    martin6651 wrote: »
    John, where did you get the chart you posted, but I have to correct you the Corrib Swimming Club put the buoys in place.

    The chart is from my chartplotter.

    Fairplay to the swim club for putting the bouys in place, I assumed that the City Council put them in place as there is a City Council sign at Blackrock stating the distances each are. Well, I can only assume the City Council put the sign in place as it's on the wall with all the other City Council signs (open to correction on this)

    One observation though.... the distances on the sign at Blackrock don't match the distances of the bouys from Blackrock. I think those bouys are a good thing... they give the impression of a defined 'swim zone'. However you've just confirmed that they are infact not an official definition of a swim zone... could be dangerous knowledge in the wrong hands. It's a pitty that swimmers don't stick to the line of the bouys (or stay the shore-side of them), the guy we spotted swimming today was lucky he wasn't seriously injured (or killed) with all the marine traffic. I think the swimmers swimming so far offshore is as idiotic as the boats going so far in-shore


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    #12
    JohnCleary
    Registered Users Posts: 10,210 ✭✭✭✭JohnCleary


    inisboffin wrote: »
    Sorry, that wasn't very clear. When I say a lot I was talking about all the places I've witnessed jet skis - lakes and seaside, and not just Ireland. I'd say I've seen a handful in Galway (not as many this year but I've been gone a lot), but of the 3 or 4 I've seen 2 were buzzers. That's half.

    Fair enough, i've witnessed some craft hug the shore at Salthill myself for no particular reason... I think it's just one of these things. Must point out though that JetSki's are designed to "buzz"... if they wanted to "creep" i'm sure they'd have bought a barge


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    #13
    inisboffin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,390 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    JohnCleary wrote: »
    Fair enough, i've witnessed some craft hug the shore at Salthill myself for no particular reason... I think it's just one of these things. Must point out though that JetSki's are designed to "buzz"... if they wanted to "creep" i'm sure they'd have bought a barge

    Ha ha! I'm using the word 'buzz' in the same way a plane pilot would 'buzz' a building. Getting unusually close for mischief. Think North by Northwest and a cornfield. :D


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    #14
    martin6651
    Registered Users Posts: 1,001 ✭✭✭martin6651


    Yes they were not placed in the same spots as last year so the signs are wrong. Pity about the chart I would like to have got a printable version.


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    #15
    dloob
    Registered Users Posts: 1,831 ✭✭✭dloob


    martin6651 wrote: »
    Yes they were not placed in the same spots as last year so the signs are wrong. Pity about the chart I would like to have got a printable version.

    You can view charts online.
    http://www.navionics.com/en/webapp

    It doesn't have the line for the harbour company limit though, it just has text saying "Galway harbour company limit" around the same place.
    I think the web app is just missing a few features, it also has tidal currents without arrows, so I wouldn't depend on it for navigation.


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