What’s wrong with fishing for the pot when at sea? Absolutely nothing most reasonable people would say; but don’t bank on this as it’s against the law in this country - unless you have a permit.
A sail-training yacht from Chris Bonnet’s Offshore Sailing Academy was doing a routine training passage between Durban and Maputo when boarded some 2.5 nautical miles out to sea by the Water Police. Obviously miffed that their paperwork was all in order, Sergeant Mbanjwa then bust the skipper for fishing with a handline, not even a fishing rod, without a permit, in terms of the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998 (section 13.1). He issued the skipper with a R1,000 fine!
What utter rubbish!

I would like to believe that this incident regarding our Government’s laws is an isolated action rather than routine, but it is not. What’s more, there are undoubtedly other laws we are not even aware of lurking out there, waiting for some over zealous ‘Mr Plod’ to enforce.
The days of people with a passion for the sea being able to enjoy themselves in their chosen sport are obviously over. I know that the Offshore Sailing Academy’s boats are boarded regularly, and I know of other individual recreational boat owners who have, when on a day sail, been boarded on numerous occasions by the Water Police to ‘check their paperwork’.
This, too, is totally unacceptable.

Few countries in the world have the laws we do governing recreational boating. Our sport has a good track record of safety going back over 30 years, so the need to legislate is unjustified. In the UK a certificate of competence for recreational sailors is voluntary, while owners can take their boats to sea without referencing tomes of written laws before proceeding.
It’s now time our sport fought for its rights and the freedom to go to sea without the fear of being boarded by some officious policeman, and without unenforceable and impractical regulations.
If SAS was serious about serving all its constituents, and we keelboat sailors (not all ‘high performance’ types whom they appear to favour), still pay our dues to the organisation, we need to have our interests and rights protected too. SAS needs to collectively or individually engage the Ministers of Sport, Transport and Police, to register our protest at the treatment we are receiving.

Come on SAS - you owe it to your constituents!
In similar vein, we have an article entitled ‘Save Vetch’s’ on page 56.
The City of Durban and the KZN legislature have consistently ignored the voices of those concerned that the Vetch’s Pier beach at Durban’s harbour mouth will be turned from a pristine recreational beach and boat launching area into a concrete jungle.
Fourteen objections to this development were recently rejected out of hand, and development seems inevitable - unless the likes of the ‘Save Vetch’s’ organisation are successful in their court challenge to have this development stopped once and for all.
Tons of sailors have used that wonderful area over the years - so please support the ‘Save Vetch’s’ initiative before all is lost forever.

Finally, and on a far more positive note, we can be proud of boatbuilders Robertson & Caine for winning two ‘Boat of the Year’ awards. See the report on page 16. This, despite the tough times they have been through recently. It is a feather in the cap for the entire boating industry in this country as it shows the world that we have an industry worth considering when wanting a boat built.
Well done to all who made the winning of these two awards possible.