The Marine Safety (General) Regulations 2009 and the YA Special Regulations

The new NSW Marine Safety (General) Regulations 2009 (‘the Government Regulations’) came into operation on the 30^th March 2009. They may be accessed at www.legislation.nsw.gov.au

These Regulations have in some cases reduced the number of items to be carried or removed previously required items that were required by the previous Government Regulations.

Some examples of items not now required; a lifebuoy with 30 meters of line is no longer required, but note Racing Rule of Sailing 1.2 which requires an item of life saving equipment to be ready for immediate use and Government Regulation 84(6) which requires a ‘lifejacket’ to be within quick and easy access. A vessel over 12m in length in open waters is not now required to carry a life raft or life boat.

Each Aquatic Licence issued to a Club to conduct racing may contain exemptions from carrying the Government required equipment.

YNSW will be making representations on this matter to NSW Maritime for standard clauses to apply to sailing Clubs conducting racing.

The Government Regulation 84 requires all vessels to carry the equipment listed in Schedule 5 of Regulations. The standards which the items of equipment must meet are set out in Schedule 4.

The requirements for PFDs (lifejackets) were mentioned in the Special Regulations Newsletter March 2009. The Regulation requires ‘an appropriate life jacket’ for each crew. The term is defined in Regulation 83 and or sailing generally the Regulation is specific that , SOLAS or USL Coastal life jackets are included as an ‘appropriate life jacket’ as well as the standards which were listed in the March 2009 Newsletter. But for racing the YA Special Regulations do not permit for ocean races SOLAS, USL Coastal because they are over the head types, or from 07/2011 Type 3 for inshore racing.

Under Government Regulation 5. vessels are to comply with the Collision Regulations which includes the light and sound signals even though navigation lights are not listed in Schedule 5.

Certain equipment for all racing yachts is required by the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) which may not be itemised in the YA Special Regulations for some categories, eg sound and light signals.

The following Table is for information and compares the Government Regulations and the YA Special Regulations. Unless an Exemption is granted in a Club’s Aquatic licence any item in the Government Regulations list not included in the YA Special Regulations must be carried in addition to the YA requirements for racing yachts.

Item	Qty	Enclosed water	YA Cat 5	YA Cat 6	YA Cat 7	Open waters	YA cats 1-3	YA Cat 4
Anchor/chain/line	1	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes (2)	yes (2)
Chart	1	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes	yes
Bailer/bucket/fire bucket Capacity not specified	1	yes	Yes (2) 8lt min	Yes (2) 8lt min	Yes (2) 8lt min	yes	yes (2) 8lt min	yes (2) 8lt min
Bilge pump for each compartment if covered bilges or closed under floor compartments	1	Yes	yes	no	no	yes	yes	yes
compass	1	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes (2)	Yes (1)
Flares orange smoke	2	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes	yes
Flares red hand	2	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes	yes
EPIRB 406	1	no	no	no	no	Yes 2nm + offshore	yes	no
Fire extinguisher + extra unit/s depending on potentials sources of fire hazards	1 +	Yes If electric stater motor ,gas, fuel stove or battery carried	Yes If auxiliary engine or naked flame	Yes If auxiliary engine or naked flame	Yes If auxiliary engine or naked flame	yes If electric stater motor ,gas, fuel stove or battery carried	yes	yes
Drinking water Per person	2 Ltrs	no	Yes 9ltrs total	no	no	yes	Yes 2.5L + 9ltrs	Yes 2.5L + 9ltrs
PFD Type 1 for each person	1	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes	Yes
PFD Type 1,2, Or 3 for each person	1	yes	Yes but not Type 3	Yes but not Type 3	Yes but not Type 3	no	Yes but not Type 2 &3	Yes but not Type 2 &3
Marine radio	1	no	yes	no	no	yes	yes	yes
V sheet	1	no	Yes	yes	no	Yes 2nm + offshore	yes	yes
Sound signal	1	Yes	Yes RRS 48	Yes RRS 48	Yes RRS 48	yes	Yes Cat 1 &2 Cat 3 RRS 48	yes RRS 48
w/proof torch	1	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
Paddles or oars For boats 6m or less without a second means of propulsion		yes	no	Yes if 5.5m or less	Yes if 5.5m or less	yes	no	no
Navigation lights to be illuminated Not itemised in Schedule 5 but required		Yes under Col Regs	Yes (N) +RRS 48	Yes RRS 48	Yes RRS 48	Yes under Col Regs	yes	yes