Good news for Norfolk

[Boaters]

At last a good season for the tourist trade but hire boats down,moored at Ranworth and there was still room on the Island over night but lots of day boats.on the river one had twelve on a boat which should have had eight to ten at most .Can the rangers stop them if seen.

Bhttp://www.edp24.co.uk/news/bumper_bank_holiday_for_region_s_tourism_businesses_1_2354494

[Paladin]

Boaters, is your comment based on your opinion of how many passengers should have been allowed on the boat, or the number following the registration number of that boat, which gives the maximum number of passengers for which the day boat has been licensed? I only ask because the licensed number is finite and the number you suggest, 'eight to ten', is rather less definite.

[Hockham Admiral]

Hi, Diane and Roy... Yes, they certainly can and usually do but if it's in the middle of nowhere they can't just make them offload onto the bank, can they?

 

But that's an idea! Offload them onto Ranworth Island! :

[Boaters]

Paladin,they were the smaller boats that normally only hold up to eight ,i know what you mean about the numbers,but I have seen these stop and pick extra people up possibly this weekend as nearly all boats were out and they may not have been able to get a larger one.i

[Paladin]

Thanks for that, Boaters.

 

I don't know exactly how the rangers deal with overloaded boats, but, bearing in mind the tragedy that can easily occur, I hardly think they would allow a boat to return from, say, Ranworth to Wroxham in a potentially dangerous state. Also, the rangers can't be everywhere at once, so it might be a good idea to give Broads Control and ring, and report such a situation.

 

Heaven forbid that anyone should just shake their heads and give a tut tut, only to read later of a sinking/drowning that they may have been able to prevent.

[ranworthbreeze]

A few years ago we were visiting Wroxham staithe and a BA ranger was turfing out the large number of people on a day boat out of Horning all of the group had six packs clutched to their chests and were asking crews if anyone would take them back to Horning?

Needless to say we did not offer.

Regards

Alan

[trambo]

I'm sure the boatyards, which are responsible, would ensure that only the permitted number of persons was carried at the point of leaving the yard.

 

Fred

[MauriceMynah]

_{The "Darwin Awards" spring to my mind on topics like this.}

_{These people obviously know that they are overcrowding the boat, otherwise they'd all get aboard at the point of hire.}

_{They know that what they are doing is wrong, yet they still do it. This is not 'ignorance' this is stupidity.}

_{How about a large sign stating that overloading the boat is an offence (if it isn't, make it one) subject to an 'on the spot' fine of say £500.}

[Paladin]

JTF, hire boats are licensed and the licence specifies the number of passengers that can be carried. The licence can be suspended or revoked, but the sanction is, therefore, against the licensee, not the hirer.

 

Creating an offence under these circumstances is problematic. A day boat, in hire, may be swamp-tested and a licence restriction of, say, eight passengers imposed. That boat is then sold into the private market and the owner can take as many passengers as he likes. Hardly fair to impose a penalty on a hirer for exceeding the licensed limit, when the same number in an identical private boat would be lawful