Appledore

[jakew009]

https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/...ki-ban-7298840

“Jet ski ban for Appledore Churchfields slipway”

Thin end of the wedge if you ask me.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jakew009

https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/...ki-ban-7298840

“Jet ski ban for Appledore Churchfields slipway”

Thin end of the wedge if you ask me.

Let’s hope it’s a sharp wedge[emoji57]

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by jakew009

https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/...ki-ban-7298840

“Jet ski ban for Appledore Churchfields slipway”

Thin end of the wedge if you ask me.

I wouldn't panic...pretty popular slipway for Boats and RIB's over the years and they bring plenty of Business to the Town.... and that area of the Chanell Coast ....which hasn't got a lot of other decent jump offs OR slips.

[jakew009]

Originally Posted by Maximus

I wouldn't panic...pretty popular slipway for Boats and RIB's over the years and they bring plenty of Business to the Town.... and area of the Chanell Coast ....which hasn't got a lot of other decent jump offs or slips.

Well indeed but they are basically on about closing it to boats by putting bollards in.

How do you design a bollard that stops a jetski but doesn’t impend a boat?

[spartacus]

Most of what the councillor says is probably right. He probably owns the hotel across the road!

[willk]

Less skis has to be a good thing :-)

That said, slipways are for boats to get to water. Not old for old Grans to walk down and ask "are there any fish in there?" I had a fat burd plonk her arse on my SIB one day while I was recovering on the local slip. She seemed to think the local council had put it there for her arse to catch its breath on. She was well miffed when I told her to hop it...

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Let’s hope it’s a sharp wedge[emoji57]

I know plenty of responsible pwc owners - also witnessed a minority being idiots isn't it always the few that spoil it for the many?

But then, who hasn't seen a RIB, power boat, gym palace etc been driven irresponsibly - there's plenty of documented accidents inc fatality's that verify its not just Ski's that can kill

[treerat]

There goes my local launch site and the boating/diving to Lundy options.

I've emailed my local councillor to ask how I can launch a dive boat, safety boat, family boat through a bollarded slipway.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by treerat

There goes my local launch site and the boating/diving to Lundy options.

I've emailed my local councillor to ask how I can launch a dive boat, safety boat, family boat through a bollarded slipway.

Have you had a reply ???
Get active if it really is a threat!!!....these people really need to wake up and see the big picture!!
Please keep us posted....and let us know who we need to put pressure on

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Fender

I know plenty of responsible pwc owners - also witnessed a minority being idiots isn't it always the few that spoil it for the many?



But then, who hasn't seen a RIB, power boat, gym palace etc been driven irresponsibly - there's plenty of documented accidents inc fatality's that verify its not just Ski's that can kill

I’m sure there are responsible, considerate jet skiers out there, that aren’t complete terwats. I’m sure they don’t block the slip with their tricked up pickup trucks whilst they take an hour to launch something the size of a domestic fridge, whilst being adoringly admired by their tricked up wife/girlfriend. Or do donuts in the harbour or ignore the harbour speed limit. Because let’s be fair, a wet suited fat bloke with his equally fat mini-me sat behind him ain’t a good look, so pulling a few donuts is cool, innit.
Yes, I’m sure not all jet skiers are like my stereotype generalisation......I just haven’t met one yet[emoji6]

[Allye]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I’m sure there are responsible, considerate jet skiers out there, that aren’t complete terwats. I’m sure they don’t block the slip with their tricked up pickup trucks whilst they take an hour to launch something the size of a domestic fridge, whilst being adoringly admired by their tricked up wife/girlfriend. Or do donuts in the harbour or ignore the harbour speed limit. Because let’s be fair, a wet suited fat bloke with his equally fat mini-me sat behind him ain’t a good look, so pulling a few donuts is cool, innit.
Yes, I’m sure not all jet skiers are like my stereotype generalisation......I just haven’t met one yet[emoji6]

100% accurate! I’d argue a much high proportion of ski owners are silly Billy’s compared to other water craft. Just attracts that crowd. Half the slips around here have banned them.

[treerat]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Have you had a reply ???
Get active if it really is a threat!!!....these people really need to wake up and see the big picture!!
Please keep us posted....and let us know who we need to put pressure on

Had a response, decision going to be reviewed as the tabled motion only discussed jet skis using the slipway, not ribs, fishing boats, gigs and the RNLI!!

[HDAV]

A lot of propulsionist nonesense (powered craft are powered craft jetski is a Kawasaki brand name)

Plenty of twonks on and off the water

Shame the RYA and PWP weren’t represented at the meeting but this is a long running disagreement over the fundamentals of slops being used for launching rather than ice creams

Anywhere you can get a kayak you will get a standup ski this is proved by the bollards elsewhere that where positioned to allow wheel chairs and skis.... but stop boats............

[jakew009]

As said above, this decision is going to get knocked back as it’s frankly ridiculous. But maybe it is an opportunity to change things for the better.

It’s a fantastic slipway but the management of it is a complete clusterf***. No consideration given to parking / safety / improving the facility.

The car park is currently mostly a campsite for all the motor homes that park there.

[jakew009]

Originally Posted by HDAV

A lot of propulsionist nonesense (powered craft are powered craft jetski is a Kawasaki brand name)

Plenty of twonks on and off the water

Shame the RYA and PWP weren’t represented at the meeting but this is a long running disagreement over the fundamentals of slops being used for launching rather than ice creams

Anywhere you can get a kayak you will get a standup ski this is proved by the bollards elsewhere that where positioned to allow wheel chairs and skis.... but stop boats............

The councillor who proposed the motion’s mains evidence of jet skis being dangerous was (and I quote)

“A Devon man got injured by a jetski while on holiday in Dubai”

It’s insane

[Oldman2]

Our local slip was closed with concrete blocks last June (and still is) as the area was being misused. It made some difference but all the determined ski'er did was wheeled the trailer to where the shingle met the prom edge and launched there.
So now the council are bringing in compulsory insurance and £160/yr launch fee for slipways or beach launches of any powered craft.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/herne-b...t-back-228892/

[Ferryman]

This is ridiculous, all they need to do is patrol the river with a couple of harbour master’s assistants in the summer, set a speed limit if necessary and enforce the car park regs.
If it’s that busy, get someone charging £10 to use the slipway and look after safety.
It’s a great slipway, I’ve used it and there’s loads of space. The one thing that part of the coast doesn’t need is less access to the water!
I would have thought the Appledore gig racing club would have an opinion as well as all the other river users.
The harbour master’s in Biddeford and IMO they need to spend a few quid and sort themselves out.

[jakew009]

Originally Posted by Ferryman

This is ridiculous, all they need to do is patrol the river with a couple of harbour master’s assistants in the summer, set a speed limit if necessary and enforce the car park regs.
If it’s that busy, get someone charging £10 to use the slipway and look after safety.
It’s a great slipway, I’ve used it and there’s loads of space. The one thing that part of the coast doesn’t need is less access to the water!
I would have thought the Appledore gig racing club would have an opinion as well as all the other river users.
The harbour master’s in Biddeford and IMO they need to spend a few quid and sort themselves out.

The issue runs much much deeper than that. You need to remember that boats are a tiny fraction of the leisure industry on the North Devon side compared to South Devon.

Basically the council have the following problem:

- lots of people like walking up and down the slipway paddling in the water
- lots of people like going swimming and kayaking off the slipway
- lots of people like jumping off the quay wall and slipway steps into the water directly in front of the slipway
- lots of people like using the slipway car park as a campsite
- lots of people like sitting on the slipway to go fishing
- lots of people like sitting in the hotels opposite and don't like the noise and commotion of vehicles using the slipway

AND lots of people like using the slipway to launch their boats / jet skis / sailing dingies / canoes / floating cardboard abortions. Some people would happily pay a lot for the privilege, other's think they have a god given right to launch for free.

Parking is impossible, and that's one of the complaints (boat trailers blocking the busses from turning around - which is a problem - because the boat trailers have literally nowhere to go).

Once you get out on the water it's basically a non issue because it's a massive estuary with basically no other boats there. That's why there's no harbour master. He'd be patrolling an empty river 99% of the time.

[Ferryman]

In that case, I guess they either staff it on busy days to create some order or close it as necessary. Banning jet skis is fine but if there’s no one there, it’s pointless.
It would be a great shame though!

[gtflash]

I witnessed a jet ski accident at calshot. A small child was taken away in an ambulance after the new jet ski owner/dad ran through another jet skis anchor line to shore, he snapped his handlebars, barrel rolled and whipped his kid off with the mooring rope around his neck Moments before that t a friend of mine had to do an emergency stop whilst trailering their boat as two other jet skis zipped across whilst they were trailering. She immediately complained and the calshot management responded to my friends concerns, by patrolling the slip and spending half hour looking for the owners of the parked cars in the no parking zone and on the slip. Then the accident happened and they panicked before the ambulance arrived.

After years of paying my fees and putting up with anti social jet ski behaviour, I recently had to do an emergency stop myself for the same jet ski, I was angered by calshots lack of adhearance to their own published bylaws, speed limits and I made an official complaint. Their response was..... it’s ABP waters not ours. Long and short of it is no one wants to patrol the waters, or the slips, or loose revenue by sending away irresponsible customers, until a death occurs.

Boating and jet skis are probably equally dangerous, I even engaged in a race with a jet ski last summer because we seek similar thrills as I was fed up with him splashing me in my own wake (obviously I won) . BUT the slip owners and harbour masters should take responsibly or they will be liable due to lack of duty of care. If managing that risk is a significant cost then I understand why they would make dodgy suggestions that impact many boat users.