North Australian FISH FINDER forums

G'day gents, have a quick question regarding the 2 paddles/ oars fitted with rowlocks required for boats 5m and under. How serious are the water police up here about rowlocks being fitted to the oars? I am not sure how I would fit rowlocks on my boat, what do most of you guys have on your tinnies in the way of oars?

Been stopped a few times and never been asked.
They asked to check my EPIRB (with registered sticker attached) waterproof torch, life jackets for the amount of people on board.


That’s it!

I wouldn't think it's high on their priority, usually a police check on the waters in Brissy are only for life jackets and flares but want to make sure i'm sweet up here

I have a 4.7 trailcraft. I have been checked several times. we carry a set of telescopic paddles. they have little to no hope of helping in a cross breeze but satisfy the requirements of the law and fit nicely up under the front bow rider seats. I think the law was written well before the new age type of tinnies were built, ie very deep pressed plate type boats under 5m with no allocation to fit rowlocks.

Thanks tubbs I guessed as much. I've never seen telescopic paddles, will try and get that type too

I carried oars around for years in my first boat and got asked if I had them but never got questioned about not having rowlocks.

The only time I used the oars was to smack crocs on the head

In my 12' tinny I use one of my oars as a depth sounder in shallow water

If you have a minn kota that counts as an alternate means to your primary motor

Good question
check out the web publication http://www.transport.nt.gov.au/safety/m ... s/?a=22621

It says "two paddles or oars fitted with rowlocks"
like the others have said, no way you will have a chance to move a boat in these tides with a paddle.

Paddles are for retrieving the rope attached to the crab pots!

Seriously though, i think the wording is "an alternative means of propulsion" - like Ben said, minn kota is much better than a paddle.

Id be looking at the real safety equipment needed like epirb and flares. when you get in trouble up here, there arent any rescue mobs like down south that will spring into action to help
you are on your own

Yeah I was running the gauntlet for ages with no safety gear in my small tinnies takes up to much room !!
Only recently that I have been doing more local harbour fishing did I get most of the safety gear
Good to know about the I pilot cos I don't got oars

Does the epirb need to be fixed to the boat? Mine is stored in the grab bag with the flares.

No. as long as its in the boat.
Mines in the grab bag as well
After going for a swim in the harbour, i know just how quick it can happen.
Its surprising just how many have taken a swim when you dig right down into it.

I hope that compulsory wearing of PFD never comes in up here. It would be a nightmare.

After talking some people involved in marine rescues, they said just how hard a boat is to find even in a slight chop when the epirb goes off.
The advice was to get the GPs model. Thee days you can get a good gps model for around $250 - cheap when you really look at it

I just went and got all the safety gear, went the cheaper option on the Epirp, non GPS accurate to 5km. Surely that's the absolute worst it goes, if an iphone can pin point you then surely one of these can. The non GPS is $250 i think you pay $100 or so more for the GPS model.

FYI I just purchased the cheapest kayak paddle you can find and cut it in half= 2 x paddles.

dannott wrote:I just went and got all the safety gear, went the cheaper option on the Epirp, non GPS accurate to 5km. Surely that's the absolute worst it goes, if an iphone can pin point you then surely one of these can. The non GPS is $250 i think you pay $100 or so more for the GPS model.

FYI I just purchased the cheapest kayak paddle you can find and cut it in half= 2 x paddles.

5km is a lot bigger than 100m that the gps do. Is your life worth a hundred bucks?

I obviously didnt get the point across.

The Iphone uses GPS and for $291 you get one delivered to your door in 3 days. You spill $50 at the pub on friday nights

Like a mate said, its really hard to spot a tinny in a choppy ocean when you are looking for something within a 5k radius (ie 10 km area)

When you are in the poop, every second counts


http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/BUILT-IN-GPS ... 4174b6bf7c