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SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 1979
PLEASURE CRUISE
THE SAFE WAY
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GOING OUT ON A CRUISE ON A MOTORISED PLEASURE CRAFT IS FUN, BUT IT MAY END IN TRAGEDY IF THE BOAT IS NOT MANNED BY A QUALIFIED PERSON.
AND THIS IS WHY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IS REMINDING BOATING ENTHUSIASTS THAT EVEN THE SMALLEST VESSEL, IF FITTED WITH OR CARRYING AN ENGINE, IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO BE LICENSED AND OPERATED BY A PERSON HOLDING A LOCAL CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY AS MASTER AND ENGINEER.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT TODAY (SATURDAY) SAID CANDIDATES FOR THESE CERTIFICATES SHOULD APPLY IN PERSON TO THE RUMSEY STREET MULTI-STOREY CAR PARK BUILDING, ROOM 1043, 10TH FLOOR, CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL, BRINGING WITH THEM THE IR HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS. AND THREE PASSPORT-SIZE PHOTOGRAPHS.
SYLLABUSES ARE PROVIDED ON PAYMENT OF THE EXAMINATION FEE, WHICH COSTS $100. CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL MASTER CERTIFICATES WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED TO TAKE AN EYESIGHT TEST,
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT CURRENTLY EXAMINATIONS HAD TO BE SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF APPLICATION DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF CANDIDATES.
BUT HE ADDED THE DEPARTMENT WAS DOING ALL IT COULD TO DEAL WITH THE BACKLOG BY RECRUITING MORE STAFF AND WORKING OVERTIME.
+COURSES LEADING TO THE EXAMINATION OF COMPETENCY AS PLEASURE BOAT MASTERS OR ENGINEERS ARE CONDUCTED BY THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC, THE SPOKESMAN SAID,
CURRENTLY 39,166 MASTER AND 17,727 ENGINEER CERTIFICATES HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN RESPECT OF COMMERCIAL, FISHING AND PLEASURE CRAFT.
PLEASURE CRAFT LICENSED IN HONG KONG TOTALLED 3,350 AT THE END OF NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, COMPARED WITH 2,841 IN 1977 AND 2,508 IN 1976.
+IN VIEW OF THE INCREASING POPULARITY IN BOATING, WE URGE PLEASURE CRAFT OWNERS AND OPERATORS TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE IT A SAFE AND PLEASANT CRUISE AND TO AVOID UNNECESSARY LOSS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE WARNED THAT IMPROPER OPERATING AND HANDLING OF PLEASURE CRAFT MAY LEAD TO SUCH ACCIDENTS AS COLLISION, FOUNDERING, STRANDING AND FIRE.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH ONLY TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED AND SEVEN OTHERS INJURED IN ACCIDENTS REPORTED TO THE MARINE DEPARTMENT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, MANY OTHERS MIGHT HAVE BEEN INJURED IN SIMILAR ACCIDENTS WHICH WENT UNREPORTED.
/HE SAID