The holidays are here, tourists will arrive on the coast, with dreams of the sea and freedom, especially on a boat. But the sea, shared by all, is not a space without rules, on the contrary. On the water too, speed is controlled by Maritime Affairs. Safety is at stake.
Friday July 9, 10 am, gray but calm weather, weak wind. The Saint-Nazaire Maritime Affairs crew, accompanied by a controller from the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of the Populations, leaves the Pornichet marina for an outing in the bay of Pouliguen.
It’s a usual outing at the start of the season, others have already taken place in June and there will be some all summer: you have to be seen on the water and make all users of the lake understand. mer that rules exist and that to respect them is to participate in the safety of all.
Among these rules, there is the need to be up to date in terms of regulatory papers, safety equipment for the boat and its passengers, and to adapt its behavior.
Maritime Affairs called a jet-ski instructor on the regulated speed in the bay.
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© C. François France Televisions
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Regulated speed in the bay of Pouliguen
This is the big news for 2021: after conclusive experiences in 2020, speed is now regulated in the bay of Pouliguen. Two figures to remember: 10 and 25. This is the speed (in knots) not to be exceeded depending on where in the bay you are.
10 knots: beyond the 300m strip (from the water’s edge, an area where the speed is limited to 5 knots and reserved primarily for swimmers and boats in their access or exit channel), a strip has been added, 100m wide and always parallel to the beach, where the speed must not exceed 10 knots, ie 18.52 km / h. (1 knot = 1.852 km per hour). This strip, 100m wide, is marked with yellow buoys marked: 10.
25 knots: out of the 300 + 100m band mentioned above, and throughout the bay, (between Pointe de Penchateau and Pointe de la Lande), it is now forbidden to exceed the speed of 25 knots , or 46.3 km / h, which is already a fast speed on the water. Both ends of the bay are visible on any nautical chart, paper or electronic.
For the moment, Maritime Affairs is carrying out educational checks, without verbalization, but things could change quickly, with the massive arrival of boaters and, for some, with unconscious and selfish behavior.
During the checks, we noticed that a part of the boaters (of the sector) were aware of changes in the rules but without necessarily having included all the figures or all the details. Hence the repetition of speed controls.
On the repression side, a commission for the suspension of boat licenses meets every Wednesday afternoon at the DDTM / DML in Saint-Nazaire (Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea / Sea and Coastal Delegation) to follow up on the infringement reports. speeding or endangering people in the course of navigation. For any nautical offense, the cases are transmitted to the prosecution of the maritime court of Brest, which decides on the criminal consequences.
The entire bay of Pouliguen is concerned: boats must not sail at more than 25 knots,
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Hello, Maritime Affairs, we will do a check please
The first boat of the morning has a dozen passengers on board. A group of teenagers on board for a day of skiing and fun. The pilot is an employee of a company in the bay, all the papers are on board, the safety equipment, etc … but one detail does not escape the controllers: the instructor does not wear his life jacket. Even if all his passengers are fitted with one, he too must carry one. For his safety and for example.
And the Repression of Fraud in addition
On board the Maritime Affairs boat, the controller of the DDPP44 (Departmental Directorate for the Protection of the Populations of Loire-Atlantique) noted a detail that is important: the young people are transported on a semi-rigid to a boat which moves in front of Le Pouliguen by towing an inflated buoy, thrills guaranteed. The pilot carrying them is in order, but the group of teenagers is missing. Even for a simple transport, he must be there to manage his group, the pilot is not in charge of this mission. In case of disaster or imminent danger, the young instructor would find himself alone to have to manage and the boat and its passengers, nothing more complicated. Again, this is a remark made with pedagogy, without verbalization.
During these few minutes of control at sea, jet skis passed several times at high speed not far from the Maritime Affairs boat. Notice was made to one of them, a jet ski instructor, who had heard of the new regulated speed but did not know how to give the figure for this maximum authorized speed. With more and more powerful machines, in the middle of a pretty bay, remaining in control of your desires and other temptations requires real civic awareness or the prudence of a user of the sea.
The instructor has put on his life jacket, he must now show his safety equipment.
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© C. François France Televisions
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The recreational fisherman’s list
At the exit of the bay, near the Evains plateau located just in front of La Baule, a duo of yachtsmen are engaged in fishing at the level of the rocks which outcrop. A little blow of the horn, a sign with the hands: Maritime Affairs signaled them to leave this pass and join them for a control.
Side-by-side boats, the discussion settles. The owner of the boat is a professional sailor, and hardly will hear any comments. But the list of equipment and papers requested is substantial. For the papers, let’s start with the coastal license, then the boat map. The boater reported that he had just changed his engine and that he went to the Maritime Affairs of Saint-Nazaire to have this change recorded. Then come the life jackets, the hazard lights, the fire extinguisher, the towing rope, the mooring line. Knowing that if boaters go further offshore, the list will grow: crown buoy for the man overboard, … etc.
It is when taking out the waterproof lamp that a remark is made to the boater: the lamp is not only compliant but it is rechargeable on board: a good idea, but it was so tidy and protected in its plastic bag that it Took several minutes to find her, after lifting (two) the cockpit and spreading a few bags. ” UDon’t go out in the middle of the night and in bad weather, you won’t be able to find your lamp, sir. Please put it somewhere more accessible, please ‘‘urge him the Maritime Affairs.
The controlled boater had all his safety equipment, even if it was sometimes difficult to access.
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© C. François France Televisions
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A season of controls for a summer under control
Damien Porcher Labreuille, the head of Maritime Affairs at Saint-Nazaire is very clear: ”the checks will be repeated. Boaters must integrate this speed of 10 knots along the 300m strip and over a width of 100m, the safety of swimmers and users of kite surfing, dinghies, catamarans, sea kayaks is at stake.”.
For the rest and the whole bay, the 25 nodes must not be exceeded. The Maritime Affairs boat, to gauge the speed of certain boats, stands in their wake and aligns with their speed. Overtaking will not be tolerated. Too many risks incurred by both.
With the development of water sports, the bay of Pouliguen has become in high season a kind of play park where young and old, babies and grandparents, teenagers and adults, competent and novice users, cautious and intrepid equipped with machines allowing them to go on the water at extremely varied speeds, in all directions and without prior consultation. How can we imagine limiting the breakage? With rules.
If you do not know all of them or, Maritime Affairs distributes them, or recommends them. Loire-Atlantique prefecture website dedicated to nautical activities. The harbor authorities also have this information.
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