NSW Maritime News - Australia Day on Sydney Harbour / Tall Ships Race, Australia Day 2009 on Sydney Harbour.


As always, Sydney Harbour will be the place to be on Tuesday, 26 January, with an exciting schedule of events to celebrate Australia Day afloat.
Yacht racing events include the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Short Ocean Race from Sydney Harbour to Botany Bay and return which starts at 11am, and the 174th Australia Day Regatta, which will take place throughout the afternoon from 1.15pm, with events for all classes of yachts and 18ft skiffs conducted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron on behalf of the Australia Day Regatta Inc. races for Classic Yachts and Historical 18ft Skiffs.
Australia Day satellite regattas will be held on the Parramatta and Lane Cove Rivers, at Manly and Rose Bay and on coastal waterways and lakes.
The day’s program for Sydney Harbour includes a Best Dressed Vessels competition sponsored by Sydney Ports, with cash prizes of $500 each for the winners in four separate categories.
The AAMI Ferrython starts at 11am, while the Tall Ships Race starts at 1pm.
A series of aerial displays are scheduled throughout the afternoon, and the Sydney Ports Jazz on the Water Concert kicks off at 4pm and will be best viewed in Johnstons Bay.
From 7-9pm the Darling Harbour Australia Day Spectacular show of light, sound and fireworks will provide a grand finale.
In the interests of safety, each event will have special traffic coordination arrangements, with exclusion zones and navigation restrictions planned. When moving throughout the Harbour, skippers must observe the 6-knot “no wash” speed limit near the exclusion zones around Tall Ships, ferries and other key vessels.
NSW Maritime is also urging caution in relation to passive craft such as kayaks, canoes and surf boats. The congested area within 100 metres of exclusion zones is considered unsafe for passive craft.
Skippers are reminded to make sure everyone has a lifejacket. Because it’s a long day on the water, to be mindful of fatigue and sunburn and keep under the 0.05 alcohol limit.
Also essential is to ensure you have appropriate working navigation and anchor lights particularly if you intend to watch the night-time events.
There are plenty of quiet spots where you can take a break, and relax from the day’s activities on the Harbour. Rest spots include Berrys Bay and Snails Bay to the west and Taylors Bay and Athol Bay to the east.
NSW Maritime’s free booklet Sydney’s Aquatic Events – A Boating Guide 2009-2010 has maps and details for all the major summer events including Australia Day and can be obtained from NSW Maritime offices, harbourside fishing and boating clubs, marinas and chandleries, as well as online at www.maritime.nsw.gov.au.

Tow sports ‘slingshot’ warning for NSW waterways

Ports and Waterways Minister Paul McLeay has called on skippers of boats towing skis, wakeboards and inflatable tubes to take extra care following a serious incident at Nowra in November.
Mr McLeay said NSW Maritime figures show an average of 26 tow-related incidents occur statewide each year.
 “NSW Maritime is particularly concerned about the use of inflatable tubes that have become increasingly popular over recent years,” Mr McLeay said. “These inflatables have no method of steering, so in a turning manoeuvre the boat and tow line can act like a slingshot, sending the towed device and the person on board on a short but uncontrollable ride.”
Mr McLeay said as part of its promotion of a safe boating culture, NSW Maritime is supporting a tow sports safety campaign which can be found at www.dontcrampyourstyle.com.au/
Other information on towing safety can be found at
www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/docs/publications/whatknowbeforetow.pdf

New Boating Handbook

NSW Maritime’s 2009-2010 Boating Handbook is now available in print and online.The annual handbook contains essential information for safe and responsible boating, such as what safety gear to carry, boating and navigation rules and what to do in an on-water emergency.
This latest edition includes comprehensive information about the new, tougher boat license testing procedures, with a practical component introduced in 2009 to ensure people going out on NSW waters have the best possible boating safety knowledge.
The new Boating Handbook is available free from all NSW Maritime offices, and is also available on-line at www.maritime.nsw.gov.au.