Dope on a boat: Rescue services fear COVID-19 breakdown tsunami

The global COVID-19 pandemic has forced Australians to consider how they plan to fill in a summer where even interstate travel may be banned, with new and used boat sales indicating many aim to hit the water during their Christmas and New Year break.

Marine Rescue Queensland said it was anticipating a “record-breaking summer” in terms of the number of missions it would have to rescue stranded boaters.

“COVID in 2020 has seen the cancellation of many overseas and even interstate holidays,” it said in a statement on its website.

“As the warmer months approach, we anticipate that many Queensland families will now turn to recreational use of Queensland’s extensive waterways.

“In particular MRQ cites concerns that many older boats which may not have been used in a long time will now take to the waters over summer as a key means of recreation.”

A record number of waterway users would come with a record number of rescues, it said.

However, the problem is more dire for Queensland-based rescue services as an overhaul of marine rescue funding in the state drags on without resolution.

The Queensland Government’s Review into Volunteer Marine Rescue Organisations, also known as the Blue Water Review, was launched in 2018 to investigate the delivery of marine rescue services in the state.

Two years on, and marine rescue services are still waiting for the government’s release of a plan that will map out how a new volunteer rescue service under the control of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services will work, including the distribution of funds used to provide vital equipment and training.

In the meantime, volunteer rescue services have had to rely almost entirely on fundraising efforts to keep their boats on the water.

“Marine Rescue Queensland is concerned that facing record numbers of waterway users and record numbers of rescues likely to be needed, that resources will be stretched to the limit this summer,” it said.

“The added burden of most of the funds being raised by the volunteers themselves will mean that every single person in MRQ will be very busy in the months ahead.”

Marine Rescue Queensland said the state was already facing a record number of on-water casualties “and summer has not even started yet”.

“We urge all vessel owners to make sure all equipment and vessels are serviced and in good condition,” it said.

The maintenance issue was highlighted in NSW last weekend as thousands of the state’s boaters took to the water to enjoy a long weekend.

Marine Rescue NSW said of 142 rescues performed over the last weekend, more than a third of them related to boats having engine problems, one in five related to a flat battery, and one in 10 due to boats running out of fuel.

“Before you head out, make sure your watercraft has its engine servicing up to date including a battery check and has a full tank of fuel,” Marine Rescue NSW said.

“You’ll have a safer, more enjoyable weekend if you don’t have to call for help for a preventable problem.”

Maintaining boats has been a key issue in greater Melbourne’s extensive COVID-19 lockdowns, with the industry successfully arguing that owners should be able to organise a service during the lock-down phase.

Boaters in the greater Melbourne zone were cautiously allowed back on the water last week, but only if they lived within 5km of a boat ramp and only for a maximum of two hours a day.

Under the changes, boat owners were also allowed to arrange for vessels to be serviced ahead of a planned easing of restrictions due on October 18.

The Boating Industry Association of Victoria argued that servicing should be allowed to prevent a rush of unserviced boats back to the water once restrictions were eased, placing pressure on marine rescue services.