Jet Ski's

Whats the low down on Jet ski's, is there laws controlling there use, like how close they can come to the shore, Do they have to obey speed limits entering piers.

Last year I had my rod ripped of the stand at Culdaff pier by said machine, a discussion followed on the merits of a 6ounce lead and a full blown pendulum, (deemed it unnecessary to explain that i was in more danger of getting hurt than any one else if i attempted said maneuver).

There is plenty of room for them to enter and exit the pier so I deemed this just plain bad manners. It's got so bad that the pier has become a no fish area on most summer evenings, even the noise makes it unbearable.
So imagine my dismay on bring my 5 year old down to the beach to teach him how to catch flounder in the waves on Sunday and finding two Pratt's doing donuts 50 yards out up and down the beach. What was more there was a total of nine people fishing along the beach.

The commercial skippers have had enough as the jet ski's come seriously close to them when there coming in to land.
I understand that everybody has a right to enjoy the pier/beach and it's good that they do. But there has to be a happy medium to this.
ie. if people where swimming near the pier i would fish around the back off the rocks.

I know Culdaff can't be the only location that has this issue. So is it a case of grin and bare it until somebody gets killed or is there action that can be taken.


Rant over.

Hi

Yes, a bete noir for me too...

Sligo Co Co have a law that states they must not come within 200 metres of the public beach (tide line)... but it is the only one I am familiar with....

A five ounce gripper is the best option, but my aim has been very poor of late! jk :wink: On a more serious note it will probably take some tragic accident before someone develops the will to introduce proper laws... and not just for jetskis but for boats, whether powered by sail/engine. I am always horrified when I see some of the behaviour of peopel on RIBs around Mulranny in the summer - it is stupid and should be prosecutable.

FWIW...

On Rossnowlagh Donegal County Council have a designated zone for motorised craft/jet skis and they aren't allowed on other areas of the beach. Sounds like Culdaff could do with the same.

Pete

Appalling machines.
A friend of mine was killed when one hit him in the head when he was on holidays. I'd ban them.

Best thing to do is go to the county council and put in an official complaint as a swinner and fisherman (swimmer workes best for some reason!!!) and check with them if there are any by-laws in relation to jet ski's, you might be supprised, also write in to the local paper with a letter of complaint you'ld be supprised in the amount of support you'll get, i know this from experience..

also if there are any bird, seal, wildlife sanctuaries near the area get there support... the swan foundation in galway got jetski's banned from the corrib river and estuary...

Jeez JD , that puts it into perspective !
Mine is a small issue by comparison but I'd like to know where anyone stands if a skier does literally get hooked . Ok , you'd probably be able to drag him in and whack him with something if you use the same gear as me but , seriously , who is liable ?
A/ If your line is there before he is but he runs across it and gets hooked that way ?
B/ If you do inadvertently hit him with a lead or string of feathers while he is passing ?
Presumably the same rules ( if any ) would apply to boats and the idiots who jump off the pier straight in front of where you are fishing .
Presumably there's a precedent in this litigatious society .

Ooops ! THIS IS NOT AN INCITEMENT to do anything which might join the ever growing list of things we're not allowed to do .

Speedboat caught my line when I was a kid . First rod , only bit of end tackle I could afford etc so I hung on to it . Got a nasty friction burn . Was VERY lucky not to loose my fingers .
Where have all the fish gone ?

Over to those at the IFSA who charge us insurance to provide this answer....

OK. So ive sent an email off to Donegal County Council looking for information on any restrictions or laws regarding there use in Donegal.

I update here if i get any info.

I don't know about Ireland, north or south, but in England on the river Tyne if they started to annoy anyone, boaters or anglers, a quick call to the river Police soon stopped it.

Offshore may be different. I do know that in Florida & California it is LAW not to interfere with either anglers or hunters, that does include offshore. They brought the law out when all the that organisation beginning with P idiots were on the warpath. They do police it too, very strictly.

My crack with a council would be, the kids cant go fishing for this mob, you may have to build a youth club for them if they cant fish, either that or take the chance on them getting into trouble around the doors, brave councilor who would not take heed of a warning for the sake of him making a complaint to the police.

My 2 bobs worth :)

Tom.

Downings Peir has also had guide lines laid down for watercraft...dosent seem to matter though they just hammer into the peir :evil: :evil:

Just 3 questions;

What is the minimum size for a (jet) skier?
How many points do you get for one in competitions?
Does the usual catch & return etiquette apply?

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

The best method for catching one, is to use 100lb shock leader attached to a building brick, make sure you have enough wraps around your spool, and make sure the leader is not attached to your main line.

Frozen Brick is best :lol: :lol: :lol:

there have been several instances over the last few years on benone beach of jet skiiers interefering in competitions wheteher it be riding them in close or actually launching them in between 2 anglers in the middle of the ulster championships!!!
there were a few heated moments and choice words between the parties i can assure you!!
since that it seems to be that the jet skiiers have actually learnt to respect the point that we are there before them and they go to another part of the beach to get on with their sport.
confrontation with the parties can sometimes work!! 8) :wink:

Was in Culdaff for a comp a few weeks ago and two eejits on jetskis spent some time running around in circles in front of me. Probably didn't help my catch rate....

Then we had a few quad bikers hammering up and down the beach and through the dunes - which ARE protected. A few of the locals who were fishing nearby and who passed me as they headed home stopped to comment on it. I pointed out it was illegal but they laughed and said the Gardai were just behind us but plainly didn't give a flying one, so it's obviously been reported to them before.

It's the same with dogs. People take them to the beach to do their business and don't have them under control. There are laws about dog control.

Bottom line, the law doesn't care. Wouldn't matter if being a fool on a jetski carried the death penalty - like most laws in this country, it wouldn't be enforced.

I live near old head (Mayo) and during the winter months there are never any problems as folks tend to keep away from the beach which is understandable - However, during the spring/summer months (if there is such a thing) a number of boats appear and are moored within the bay.

Along with these come the idiots in RIBS and speed boats who decide that they own the beach and the pier and they can pretty much do as they wish. The thing is that none of these people are local! They appear from no-where and are gone just as quick after causing havoc.

On a good day the beach will be full of families and small kids having fun, its just a matter of time untill someone gets seriously hurt if not killed by the stupidy of these poeple.

In my opionion all boats/jetskis etc should be banned from blue flag beaches or any beach where families may congragate to have fun on the beach.

I tend to avoid fishing at places like these when there are a lot of folk around - But if I do fish these spots for what ever reason I tend to keep a sharp knive handy (to cut the line if I need to not the idiot in the boat who has no respect for anyone bar his ego :lol: ) - Better to loose a bit of line than the whole rod.

Carl.

It should boil down to the simple fact that whoever is there first should have priority, saying that, if there is an organised jetski race or fishing match I think we could all move for the other. It's about give and take unfortunately jetskiers seem to take more than give. I would never fish a beach full of holiday makers - most folk go to the beach for peace and quiet not pesky buzzing noises or a 6oz gripper in their head. I would not mind a narrow buoyed off area for jetskis to enter and exit but they must go a mile out to sea away from people.

Like Sandman says - some chance of the law enforcing it though. On Courtown beach the dog law is enforced :D and I have a doggie.

Anyone remember Kirsty McColl?

"Fairytail of New York" great song :lol:

Hi Carl

Yep, seen some choice ones on the Old Head last summer. There was a total idiot loading a speedboat onto a trailer. Making a complete bags of it so he drove his car into the water, I kid you not. We just watched in total amazement, it was an Audi A4 (dublin reg I am ashamed to admit)...

All it needs is a bye law, might be worth a word with the local councillor and TD given there is an election in the offing...

i used to fish quite a few coarse matches at Newferry and we were plagued by skiers and jet skiers ............nothing particularly harmfull , just rude !
the best cure we found was to pelt them , i mean groundbait, with a wet mix full off fish oils , maggots caster and chopped worm . Normally a couple of well aimed catty fulls was enough to do the job , just wave and shout sorry mate and then repeat every time they come near your swim , they soon got fed up with the smell and moved down river a bit ,

i was caught by a V8 powered mastercraft skiboat , he went right across my line seconds after casting and took about 40mtrs before the line had dislodged itself.............put some bend in the match rod too

bs