Hiring a Boat - RST Explained
Submitted by Dreamweaver on Thu, 2008-01-24 14:48
Thanks for your interest and we will certainly be looking at updating our webpage ASAP to reflect your enquiry.
In February 2006, the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure introduced the Recreational Skipper’s Ticket (RST), a competency based qualification aimed at ensuring recreational boaters have the minimum skills necessary to be safe on the water.
Under the new regulations, the skipper of a registrable recreational vessel with a motor exceeding 4.5kW (6Hp) will be required to hold an RST. Skippers on vessels that do not have a motor, or vessels with a motor 4.5kW (6Hp) or less will not be required to hold an RST.
In addition, skippers aged between 14 and 16 years old will be restricted in their use of a boat to daylight hours and to a maximum speed of 8 knots.
The regulations supporting the RST come into effect on 1 April 2008 (1 April 2007 for under 25’s).
People travelling in Western Australia from overseas or interstate will be able to operate on their boat driver’s licence or certificate issued by their home state for up to 3 months, after which they will need to apply for a Western Australian RST.
Vessel hire and drive businesses operate under licence to DPI and are governed by the WA Marine (Hire and Drive Vessels) Regulations 1983.
All hire and drive vessels are subject to pre-operation and annual inspections by officers or representatives of DPI and are required to carry mandatory safety equipment.
Hire and drive licences issued by DPI also mandate a range of operating parameters, including the minimum age of hirer (must be 17 years or older), hours and area of operation, and vessel type, depending on the classification of the hire and drive operation. There are three broad categories of hire and drive operations:
Hire and drive licence holders will be affected by the RST initiative and operations will need to be altered depending on there licence type as follows:
· any hire and drive vessels with an engine capacity of 4.5 kW (6Hp) or less, or no motor attached, will NOT be affected by the RST;
· vessels hired from a “trailerable hire and drive business” (that is hook up the boat and trailer, drive away and go wherever you want in the boat) with an engine capacity greater then 4.5 kW (6Hp) will require at least one person on board having the responsibility of skipper/master to hold an RST when operating in Western Australian navigable waters;
· vessels hired from an “on site hire and drive licence”, (including houseboats, pontoons and personal water craft (PWC) operating in restricted areas) regardless of engine capacity, will not require a skipper to hold an RST subject to appropriate alternative safety interventions being in place. All on-site hire and drive operators will need to provide training and assessment to each person operating a hired vessel. This can be in the form of a safety briefing which must be approved by the Department for Planning and Infrastructure. In addition, operations hiring out PWC will need to ensure each water craft has an operating safety cut out system on each vessel.
Hi Gang
Someone recently asked the question,
'Do you need a Skippers Ticket (mn RST) do drive (skipper) a hired house boat.....the RST workbook says anything over 6hp, someone needs a RST'
A lot of people hire boats and are probably even unaware of an RST.
So I emailed the DPI RST Coordinator last night and she was kind enough to have just sent me this very prompt reply:
Hi Mr Molloy
Thanks for your interest and we will certainly be looking at updating our webpage ASAP to reflect your enquiry.
In February 2006, the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure introduced the Recreational Skipper’s Ticket (RST), a competency based qualification aimed at ensuring recreational boaters have the minimum skills necessary to be safe on the water.
Under the new regulations, the skipper of a registrable recreational vessel with a motor exceeding 4.5kW (6Hp) will be required to hold an RST. Skippers on vessels that do not have a motor, or vessels with a motor 4.5kW (6Hp) or less will not be required to hold an RST.
In addition, skippers aged between 14 and 16 years old will be restricted in their use of a boat to daylight hours and to a maximum speed of 8 knots.
The regulations supporting the RST come into effect on 1 April 2008 (1 April 2007 for under 25’s).
People travelling in Western Australia from overseas or interstate will be able to operate on their boat driver’s licence or certificate issued by their home state for up to 3 months, after which they will need to apply for a Western Australian RST.
Vessel hire and drive businesses operate under licence to DPI and are governed by the WA Marine (Hire and Drive Vessels) Regulations 1983.
All hire and drive vessels are subject to pre-operation and annual inspections by officers or representatives of DPI and are required to carry mandatory safety equipment.
Hire and drive licences issued by DPI also mandate a range of operating parameters, including the minimum age of hirer (must be 17 years or older), hours and area of operation, and vessel type, depending on the classification of the hire and drive operation. There are three broad categories of hire and drive operations:
Hire and drive licence holders will be affected by the RST initiative and operations will need to be altered depending on there licence type as follows:
· any hire and drive vessels with an engine capacity of 4.5 kW (6Hp) or less, or no motor attached, will NOT be affected by the RST;
· vessels hired from a “trailerable hire and drive business” (that is hook up the boat and trailer, drive away and go wherever you want in the boat) with an engine capacity greater then 4.5 kW (6Hp) will require at least one person on board having the responsibility of skipper/master to hold an RST when operating in Western Australian navigable waters;
· vessels hired from an “on site hire and drive licence”, (including houseboats, pontoons and personal water craft (PWC) operating in restricted areas) regardless of engine capacity, will not require a skipper to hold an RST subject to appropriate alternative safety interventions being in place. All on-site hire and drive operators will need to provide training and assessment to each person operating a hired vessel. This can be in the form of a safety briefing which must be approved by the Department for Planning and Infrastructure. In addition, operations hiring out PWC will need to ensure each water craft has an operating safety cut out system on each vessel.
All safety training and assessment delivered by the hire and drive operators must be approved by the Department and cover off the safety aspects of the RST and take into account the area of operation. The safety training and assessment are auditable items for their hire and drive licence renewal. If a business fails to meet any requirements their licence can be revoked or not renewed.
So the answer, above exceptional circumstances nowthstanding, is YES.
So the answer, above exceptional circumstances nowthstanding, is YES.
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Dreamweaver
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Colin RECFISHWEST Member
Colin
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fishy fingers
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Open waters?
is'nt the rst to cover only open waters ie: the houseboats in walpole and the peel inlet, albany Kalgan river etc would be exempt as they are inland I understand or amI mistaken?
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Dreamweaver
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Nope
Nope FF - as far as I understand - it's basically down to the motor. Type of waters does not come into it.
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fishy fingers
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Ok
I just thought the guy who hires out the houseboats in walpole said they would be exempt last year when we hired one I cant remember now, but we were talking about it to him and I think he said he's not worried about it affecting his hire buisness and I thought I read somewhere it was only open wateres but I cant find that info now.
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Neander
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Hire
Nope I read it as house boats WONT need a RST
vessels hired from an “on site hire and drive licence”, (including houseboats, pontoons and personal water craft (PWC) operating in restricted areas) regardless of engine capacity, will not require a skipper to hold an RST subject to appropriate alternative safety interventions being in place.
Dreamweaver
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My Apologies
Thanks Neander!
) - so YES they are exempt.
My apologies- you ARE correct (should read my own bl**dy emails LOL
Be interesting to see what DPI seen as an approved safety briefing under those circumstances. One presumes there would be a minimum form of standard etc.
Colin
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Rodrat
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No RST
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fishy fingers
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But
what if the houseboat was in open waters ie: Dampier (and I'm not talking about dampier houseboat hire as that dose'nt have a motor) but if it did what then? (but it's gone now or at least sold so all that is irellavant)
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Dreamweaver
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Houseboat
FF :
vessels hired from an “on site hire and drive licence”, (including houseboats, pontoons and personal water craft (PWC) operating in restricted areas) regardless of engine capacity, will not require a skipper to hold an RST...
I can't see where the above covers house boats and open waters. Is it legal to take a house boat in open waters? Do such operations exist?
Rod - you post has been covered by mine above yours.
Colin
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fishy fingers
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Not in wa
I dont think there are any in wa only in queensland I believe but they are more like low powered boats they call houseboats
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Dreamweaver
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Interstate
FF :
People travelling in Western Australia from overseas or interstate will be able to operate on their boat driver’s licence or certificate issued by their home state for up to 3 months, after which they will need to apply for a Western Australian RST.
This would suggest that each state has their own set of rules. Altough you'd expect (hope) some commonality - other than that - don't know - never owned by boat interstate.
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ody
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Hi Ya, Correct me if I'm
Hi Ya,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see reference anywhere in the e-mail quoted to open water or otherewise so I don't understand the relevance of the 'open water' question. It appears to me to be a motor size thing irrespective of where the boat will be used.
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Dreamweaver
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Oh Hec LOL! - NO
Hi Ody
I think FF's question (as to open water) came perhaps from another (geographical) state.
As to motor size being the only deciding point.....
NO it is not. Per:
vessels hired from an “on site hire and drive licence”, (including houseboats, pontoons and personal water craft (PWC) operating in restricted areas) regardless of engine capacity, will not require a skipper to hold an RST...
Therefore, if vessels satisfy the above, the skipper does (will) NOT require an RST.
Colin
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fishy fingers
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Ody & dreamweaver
The reference to open water is just something I heard mentioned from the operator of walpole houseboats and I thought I'd read it somewhere early on in the process of talking about licencing
As I said I cant find any reference to it now though obviously I got my wires crossed somewhere........................which in my line of work is'nt good!!!!
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Dreamweaver
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Wires crossed
Thanks FF - jeez mate, hope you are not a sparky
As I already posted - don't know if houseboats could (should) be licenced for open water - or indeed, if there are any with such a licence.
If there were, then maybe further clarification is required.
Colin
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VMR 610 - Albany Sea Rescue - Mariner 421
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