NSW licencing issues

The Maritime Management Centre in NSW is reviewing boat driver licensing and has released an issues paper. The required date for submissions is December 19. 

The Boat Owners' Association (BOA), which will be preparing a submission, has identified what appears to be a proposal that licensing be required for every operator of a powered vessel – a power-driven vessel with an engine of more than 4kW (5.5hp) or longer than 5.5m.

A licence is currently NOT to be required if you drive any vessel less than 10 knots in NSW, period. Yachties don't licences either.

But the BOA says this could change with the proposal and that would raise some serious concerns such as:
<< How will kids (<12yo) ever learn boating if they can't drive an outboard-powered tender (or any boat including your yacht) with more than 5.5hp?<< One assumes powered boats exclude yachts, but this isn't made clear and indeed yachts seems to be included with the definition above.
<< RTA said it wants to align boat rego with boat licensing but why? Licencing all potential 'drivers' means more licences/revenue.
<< The definition of "operator" needs to be changed from the person with hands on the wheel to a licenced person in charge of vessel. But even this raises questions in remote places and with insurance, i.e., cruising on a yacht and hitting the bricks if no-one is licenced aboard.
<< There was no consolation or draft and no prior warning with boating groups. 

Statistics quoted in the discussion paper indicate that licensing contributes to safer boating, and licensing operators would certainly simplify the legal procedures that sometimes follow from boating accidents. Extended licensing can increase the funds available for investment in boating.

But on the other hand there is the impact that a licensing requirement would have on many boaters who operate powered vessels but are presently unlicensed.

Unlicensed visitors or children would not be able to take the helm of a sailing boat, even while being sailed, unless the definition of ‘operator’ specifically allowed for it.

The discussion paper is somewhat lacking in discussion of the impact of these changes on the number of people who could actively engage in recreational boating or the changes that may be required in the way that people currently enjoy their boating, the BOA says.

If licensing requirements are extended as suggested then it is likely that fees will reduce to some extent, but families will likely be paying more in total. Extended licensing should improve the overall skill levels, but that depends on other changes suggested in the issues paper.

We will add that it an extended licence requirement taking in all boats with engines greater than 5.5hp would have a negative impact on boat sales.

There are suggestions in the issues paper for extending the ways in which operators can obtain their licence, and there is reference to a transition period to allow unlicensed operators to obtain their qualification. 

In addition there is a proposal to extend the maximum renewal period to 10 years, and to drop the requirement to complete a boating safety course. It is worth asking whether these changes have the effect, at least in part, of removing the benefit of improved competence that extended licensing is intended to provide.

Other administrative changes include making requirements for boating safety course a part of Government Regulations, adjusting PWC license fees to twice the general fee, adjusting child concessions, electronically verifying concessions, and upgrading and improving the on-line licence knowledge tests.

These latter proposals are generally in line with incremental improvement in the management of the licensing system and are not likely to generate a great deal of discussion.

Boat owners are encouraged to download the discussion paper available at http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/mmc/review-nswboat-driver-licensing
and to provide feedback to the Maritime Management Centre by the closing date of December 19.

By Jeff Richards, reproduced from the newsletter of the Boat Owners' Association, December, 2014. 

"Most people who own a boat licence also have a drivers licence and under the previous system each licence had to be renewed separately," Mr Gay said.

"From today, a drivers licence holder who also has a boat or personal watercraft licence can have the two combined on one card with one expiry date, reducing the amount of paperwork they need to complete.

"This will apply to drivers licences issued for car, truck, or motor cycle where the motorist has a boat licence and will be available when a customer’s driver licence is up for renewal.

Mr Gay said he is also working to fix boaties licence frustrations by improving the NSW boat licence system to make is simpler, cheaper and more accessible.

"A full review of the NSW boating system is long overdue and I want to work with boaties to fix it and cut out the red tape where it’s not needed," Mr Gay said.

"To improve the licensing system, I want to extend the current paper test to an online version so it’s accessible to a wider audience and encourages even more people to get involved in this great activity.

"I’m also interested in hearing from boaties on what they think of introducing a 10-year boat licence, this would add to the current one, three and five year licence options.

"On top of this I want to cut down fees for personal watercraft licences and streamline the training and testing systems to make them simpler.

"Also, our boating kids (age 12-16) currently renew their licence each year – this isn’t necessary and I’d rather these kids spent more time on the water building their skills, rather than worrying about a licence renewal.

"Boating shouldn’t be about renewing paperwork – it should be about enjoying a safe and enjoyable time on the water. I encourage all boaties to provide their feedback on the proposed licensing reforms, which are outlined at http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/mmc/review-nswboat-driver-licensing.