Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
MSA
Text
Due to the high level of commercial and pleasure boating activity in the Great Barrier Island and Eastern Coromandel areas, as part of MSA's upgrading of coastal VHF coverage, ... produce a Marine Notice (Boats) and an MSA Circular Letter to surveyors reminding mariners and surveyors of the importance of checking and maintaining the quality and accessibility of life-saving and signalling appliances on all boats at all times, and that this be included as a requirement in the relevant rules.
Reply Text
MSA intends to adopt your safety recommendation 086/97 and will shortly be compiling a Marine Boat Notice as a result of its own investigation into the accident. The points which will be covered are as follows:
• An over reliance on GPS plotter information without transferring it to the chart for land referencing can be dangerous.
• The largest scale chart available should be in use and the vessel's position should be monitored at frequent, regular intervals.
• A course should be laid off with a sufficient safety margin for appropriate action in the event of an emergency.
• All navigational equipment should be operational before the vessel leaves port.
• All liferafts which are stowed in a soft valise should not be put where they are exposed to the weather, but stowed in a place where they are readily accessible and sheltered.
• Where a velcro flap is fitted to a soft valise it should be overlaid with reflective tape to enable it to be easily identified in the dark.
• The EPIRB should be capable of being tracked by a satellite and it should be kept readily accessible, e.g. close to the wheelhouse entrance.
• Lifejackets should be kept in a readily accessible place and identified.
• The position, status and operation of all safety equipment should be carefully and regularly checked.
A circular letter to Safe Ship Management companies bringing their attention to these points and the need for them to encompass all the requirements of the code when they conduct an initial audit or inspection of a vessel, will also be compiled and distributed.
• An over reliance on GPS plotter information without transferring it to the chart for land referencing can be dangerous.
• The largest scale chart available should be in use and the vessel's position should be monitored at frequent, regular intervals.
• A course should be laid off with a sufficient safety margin for appropriate action in the event of an emergency.
• All navigational equipment should be operational before the vessel leaves port.
• All liferafts which are stowed in a soft valise should not be put where they are exposed to the weather, but stowed in a place where they are readily accessible and sheltered.
• Where a velcro flap is fitted to a soft valise it should be overlaid with reflective tape to enable it to be easily identified in the dark.
• The EPIRB should be capable of being tracked by a satellite and it should be kept readily accessible, e.g. close to the wheelhouse entrance.
• Lifejackets should be kept in a readily accessible place and identified.
• The position, status and operation of all safety equipment should be carefully and regularly checked.
A circular letter to Safe Ship Management companies bringing their attention to these points and the need for them to encompass all the requirements of the code when they conduct an initial audit or inspection of a vessel, will also be compiled and distributed.
Related Investigation(s)