Marine Info
volunteer marine rescue
Local Weather
Boating Guides
The Department of Transport has published boating guides that have been developed for popular boating locations and contain local marine safety information including boating hazards, facilities, speed restricted areas, water-ski, PWC and closed water areas.
Going to an unfamiliar area? Need some local knowledge?
Regional Boating Guide
Coastal Data Charts
Recreational Skippers Ticket
The Recreational Skipper’s Ticket (RST) is a nationally-recognised certificate of competency which shows that the holder has the minimum knowledge and practical skills needed to operate a powerboat safely.
It is the minimum qualification needed to operate a powerboat in Western Australia.
A person must have a Recreational Skipper’s Ticket (RST) if:
- He or she is the person in charge of an RST vessel.
- The vessel is being operated in the water.
An RST vessel is any boat that is:
- Registered with the Department of Transport, or required to be registered.
- Used for recreational purposes.
- Powered by has an engine with more than 4.5 kW (6 hp).
Only the person-in-charge of the boat (the ‘skipper’) needs to have an RST, but he or she must have it with them the entire time the boat is in operation. The skipper is responsible for what happens on the boat during the voyage, but this doesn’t mean that he or she must be at the wheel the whole time.
As part of its commitment to improving ensure greater marine safety NVMR group provides training and assessment for RST’s.
Skippers Ticket Theory assessments are conducted each Thursday after 4.30pm. The practical assessment is conducted as soon as possible after that, usually the following weekend, weather permitting.
Appointments are not necessary simply read the Workbook and turn up. Workbooks are available from Department of Transport offices, Regional Transport offices and the RST hotline on 92 168 966.
The cost is $140.
RST’s are also conducted by the other South West groups. A complete list of authorised assessment providers can be found below resources.
RST Workbook
How To Get RST
Radio usage
REMEMBER TO LOG ON AND LOG OFF
Volunteer Marine Rescue state-wide encourages all boat owners to log on and off when going to sea. Logging on could save a life.
NVMR does not monitor radios but ACRM (Australian Coast Radio Monitors) in Capel provide 24 hour a day monitoring with coverage on:
- VHF Channel 80 – from Hamelin Bay to Dawesville.
- VHF Channel 16 and 27mhz – from Cape Naturaliste to Preston Beach, north of Bunbury.
Procedure for logging on and off:
- Select appropriate frequency (VHF Channel 16 or 80 / 27 Mhz Channel 88)
- Listen for a break in radio activity
- Call ACRM Base (pronounced “ACK-RUM BASE”)
- Provide details of your voyage, such as:
- call sign or vessel name.
- departure point and time.
- intended destination.
- trip intention.
- number on board.
- fuel amount
- expected time of return.
- On your return, remember to LOG OFF.
Logging an Emergency Marine Call
Logging
If an emergency arises whilst on the water, contact the police on 000, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this will initiate our call-out procedure.
Alternatively you can contact ACRM or any nearby vessel for assistance on VHF Channel 16 or Channel 88 on a 27Mhz radio.
The following information will need to be given:
- Vessel name/registration and description
- Your position (visible landmarks and/or Lat/Long)
- Nature of emergency
- Number of people on board and if there are any casualties
- Contact details i.e. mobile phone number or radio channel
Difference of Pan Pan and a Mayday
Use Pan Pan (spoken three times) before your broadcast if you are in trouble but at the present, is not life threatening. An example would be if you are taking on water but you are taking steps to set up manual bilge pumps to get rid of the water faster. Instead of calling one rescue organisation, you may wish to use `All Stations, All Stations, All Stations’ so that multiple marine rescue organisations pick up your call.
Use Mayday (spoken three times) before your broadcast if you are in trouble and you can not save your boat and your life, or your crews lives are at risk. An example would be if you are taking on water faster than you can pump. You have made the decision to put procedures in place to abandon ship. It is unnecessary to address `All Stations’ for a Mayday call s this could lead to confusion over which station is in distress.
Abandoning Ship Checklist
- Ensure everyone has brightly coloured fully operational life jackets on and they activated. Life jackets should be to Australian Standards and have reflective tape.
- Ensure you make a radio call to a local marine rescue organisation on VHR channels 16 or 63 or dial 000 or 112 from your mobile phone. You can dial 106 if you have a hearing or speech impairment.
- Set off EPIRB, flares and use horn to attract attention of nearby boats if required.
- Try signalling another vessel with a heliograph (mirror), V Sheet or flash a torch at night.
- Stay with the vessel as long as you possibly can.
- Set up life raft after the decision has been made to abandon ship.
- Collect your survival grab-bag which should be water resistant and buoyant. Your grab-bag should contain flares, first aid kit, torch, mirror and water.
- Grab your EPIRB and mobile phone if safe to do so.
Recreational Boat Users if you are involved in a Marine Incident involving death, injury or damage to a vessel including grounding, sinking, flooding capsizing or a close quarters situation, you are by law required to fill in the Marine Incident Report form within 48 hours.
Commercial Boat Users If you are involved in a Marine Incident involving death, injury or damage to a vessel including grounding, sinking, flooding capsizing or a close quarters situation, you are by law required to fill in the AMSA Incident Report form within 72 hours.
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Contact Information
- Paul Bresland
- 0407 081 965 | 0438 553 594
- admin@naturalistevmr.com
- Lot 502 Geographe Bay Rd, Quindalup
- PO BOX 411, Dunsborough. WA 6281
Training Schedule
- Every Thursday at 16:00
Emergency Contact
- All Marine Emergencies: 000
- Dunsborough Police: 9781 3030
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