Boaters call for better signage and national regulations – NRK Vestfold and Telemark – Local News, TV and Radio

– I passed the police boats because they were stationary and I also gave fuel after the 5 knot mark,” says boat driver Morten Schøyen.

Then the police chased him.

A few days ago, the boat owner received a speeding fine of NOK 1,500 in Valle, Bamble municipality.

He was driving too fast for the 5 knot limit that applies 100 metres from land.

The entire city government.

I think the signage is terrible.

50 metres to the south, the speed limit along the land is different.

Schoen considered not paying the fine because he couldn’t see any signs of the new speed limit.

– I think it’s totally unreasonable and I must admit I came very close to not approving the simplified proposal. “Because I think the signage here is totally misleading,” he said.

NRK was contacted by several boaters who said they felt disenfranchised at sea.

They are reacting to outdated regulations that are difficult to understand and relate to.

According to police, it came in 2022 A general national regulation describing marine speed limits to make it easier for you to familiarize yourself with which rules apply.

In addition, municipalities are responsible for establishing local regulations for their areas.

That is why there may be differences between neighboring cities, such as Krager and Bumble.

– Boater’s Responsibilities

– I quite understand that, among other things, it can be difficult to find out what rules apply to speeding at sea, ”said p.Police Chief Sigrid Dahl is the acting chief of Telemark County Police.

She said it’s important for police to have a presence on the lake during the summer when activity on the lake increases.

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– At sea, as in traffic, the driver or boater must be familiar with the rules and be considerate and careful to avoid danger or injury.she says.

This applies to different speed limits at sea, depending on whether you are operating a commercial vessel or a leisure boat.

Therefore, police said posting signs in coastal areas is complicated.

Want national regulations

Back at the dock in Bumble Valley, several people were learning about the rules.

The owner, Carl Christian Skage, explained that with a boat this big he couldn’t go as slow as 5 knots.

– If you put both engines of this boat in gear, we are doing 7 knots. Then, theoretically, you have broken the speed limit, he said.

He believes that if marine speed limits were easier to understand, people would respect them more.

He explained that he had been trying to drive sensibly but the rules were too difficult to adapt to.

Also because different cities have different rules.

He advocated a set of national regulations.

I think the city should make the decision

The Norwegian Coastal Administration is responsible for maritime regulations.

They believe that the current arrangement is better than national regulations because Norway’s coast is diverse.

– Supervisor Einar Vik Arset said municipalities assess speeds based on risks and local conditions, which they know best.

He said he understood that the regulations might be considered difficult to understand and asked people to focus on the app “båtfart”.