BOATING ON THE KNYSNA LAGOON

The Knysna Lagoon is managed on behalf of the state as a National Lake Area by South African National Parks. The regulations concerning boating on the Lagoon are laid out in the Lake Areas Development Act (Act 39 of 1975) and in the Merchant Shipping Act (Act 57of 1951)as well as in other, related legislation. We will attempt to summarise what is relevant to the users of the Lagoon and should therefore be read only as a guideline to boating safety.

Map of Knysna Lagoon in Adobe Acrobat Reader format:

[click here for Knysna Lagoon map (1.5mb .pdf)]

Please refer any queries to SANParks at our offices on Thesen's Wharf (Telephone 044 382 2095)

THE REGULATIONS AGE LIMIT & CARRYING CAPACITY

• You must be 12 years of age or older before you may take the helm of a powerboat.
• People between the ages of 12 and 16may drive boats with engines of no more than 5.9 kilowatts (8 horsepower)
• Overloading is dangerous and illegal. Your boat has been built and licensed for a restricted number of people and you may not exceed that limit. And besides, it would be stupid to, wouldn't it?

ALCOHOL

Don't drink and drive. The legal limit is 0.08 grams per hundred millilitres of blood and applies to boat drivers as well as to jet skiers and water skiers. it you've been drinking you may not sit at the helm of a boat.

OPERATING YOUR VESSEL

• Vessels may only be launched and moored at designated launching and mooring points. Authorised SANParks representatives may move any vessel to another mooring place without the consent of the boat's owner if they believe this to be in the public interest.
• You may not moor your vessel to another vessel or to any channel marker or navigational buoy.
• Drivers must ensure that they have full control over their boat whilst they are under way.
• Power boats under way and boats towing skiers must normally remain 100 metres away from any place where people are swimming and 15 metres away from other boats and the edge of the water - except when providing assistance in an emergency or when approaching or leaving a mooring or landing stage. When you're unable to maintain these distances, you are required to slow down to less than 10 knots (about 20 km per hour).
• You may only sit in the bow of a boat under way if the boat is supplied with proper guard rails.
• You may not dive off a moving vessel except in an emergency.
• The rule of the water is to drive on the right - in other words, you should keep the mid-channel markers (red-and-white striped buoys) on your port (left) side where ever possible.
• Make sure that it is safe to do so before you overtake - and then do so on the left (port) side. When passing, you are required to ensure that your wake won't endanger the slower vessel.
• When two vessels approach each other: the boat which finds the other on its port (left) side should maintain its speed and direction, whilst the boat which finds the other to starboard (the right hand side) must turn to starboard (to the right) and stop or reverse if necessary.
• To avoid collisions, the driver of a powerboat must give way to all other vessels and rowing boats and canoes must give way to sailing boats. This of course does not give any driver the right to "obstruct or hinder the passage of any other vessel." Remember that driving with common sense and courtesy will prevent most problems.

WATER SKIING

• If you're following in the wake of a skier, you must remain at least 100 metres behind him or her.
• Skiers must wear "suitable flotation devices" (life vests).
• You may not tow skiers using steel or metal cables.
• Know the skiers distress signal - drawing a hand across the throat.
• Skiing is only allowed during daylight hours. SANParks has the right to restrict skiing at other times, too.
• Boats towing skiers must have a pilot as well as an observer on board. Observers must be more than 12 years of age.
• You are required to pull in the tow rope as soon as the skier has dropped it. If the skier has dropped the rope accidentally, you must immediately turn round to tow again or to take the skier on board.
• Where two or more boats are towing skiers, everyone should move in an anti-clockwise direction.

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