Boat Owners Association NSW

13/06/2026

What do you check before you head out?

Before you head out, be prepared:
✔️ Check the weather forecast
🌬️ Look at wind, waves & tides
⚠️ Watch for warnings
🌅 Know your sunrise & sunset times
🧰 Make sure your safety gear is ready
📱 Log on/off with Marine Rescue (app, VHF 16 or phone)
🦺 Always wear your lifejacket

12/06/2026

Major Milestone Reached for Queensland’s Waterways

Queensland celebrated the removal of more than 2,000 derelict vessels from state waterways.

The Queensland Government has reached a major milestone in protecting the state’s waterways, with safe removal of more than 2,000 derelict and abandoned vessels.

The milestone was marked with the removal of the abandoned yacht The Hoodlum from the southern end of the Pumicestone Passage near the Turners Camp Rest Area.

Abandoned yacht removed from Queensland waterway under Keeping Our Waterways Safe program.

Delivered through the Keeping Our Waterways Safe program, the achievement highlights years of sustained effort to remove hazards from Queensland waters.

Since 2018, Maritime Safety Queensland has cleared more than 10,000 tonnes of abandoned vessels and hazardous materials, improving navigation safety and reducing the risk of marine pollution.

On average, around 257 vessels are removed each year — equating to about two every three days.

Among the significant achievements of the Keeping Our Waterways Safe program is the successful removal of the nine-metre sailing vessel Waylander in Moreton Bay, and the 50-metre ex-commercial vessel Endeavour Bay in Trinity Inlet, Cairns.

Waylander broke free during severe weather and was pushed into mangroves on the northern side of Coochiemudlo Island, creating a serious safety and environmental hazard.

The removal of Endeavour Bay was one of the program’s most complex operations, involving the extraction of 37 tonnes of hazardous materials and 98,000 litres of fuel and contaminants from the unseaworthy vessel.

Derelict and abandoned vessels can pose significant risks to both waterway users and the environment, particularly as they deteriorate, leak pollutants or break free from moorings.

Maritime Safety Queensland General Manager Kell Dillon said the milestone highlighted the importance of ongoing action to protect Queensland waterways.

“Every derelict vessel removed is one less hazard for boaties and one less risk to our marine environment,” Mr Dillon said.

“Queensland’s waterways are central to our lifestyle and economy, and programs like Keeping Our Waterways Safe help ensure they remain clean, safe and accessible for everyone.”

Alongside removal efforts, Maritime Safety Queensland is working on strengthening vessel owner accountability to prevent vessels becoming derelict.

A suite of regulatory reforms is being explored to enhance enforcement powers, clarify owner responsibility and enable earlier intervention for high-risk vessels.

Owners remain responsible for their vessels. Where they fail to act, Maritime Safety Queensland can intervene and pursue cost recovery.

Maritime Safety Queensland continues to work with vessel owners, councils and communities to identify and remove hazards as part of its ongoing commitment to safer waterways.

To report a suspected derelict or abandoned vessel, contact Maritime Safety Queensland.

This information was supplied by Maritime Safety Queensland. AFLOAT Magazine will continue to share important marine news Australia updates. Read more coverage at AFLOAT Magazine News & Events.

06/06/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1D7P1StuFp/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Heading into open waters?

Here's your checklist:

✅ Your vessel suitable for open waters
✅ Appropriate safety equipment and lifejackets
✅ Check weather before and during boating
✅ Check local conditions and monitor bar crossing prior to attempting
✅ Keep a lookout

Open water boating can be dangerous and present challenges and hazards not encountered in enclosed water locations. Make sure you are prepared and if in doubt, don't go out.

01/06/2026

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TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Book now & save with first release tickets. The wait is over! Tickets for the 2026 Sydney Boat Show are officially on sale. First Release tickets are limited, so get in early and book now to save! BUY TICKETS If you have purchased a ticket for the incorrect day, you can

30/05/2026

Marine Rescue State Communications Centre is looking for more volunteers to help keeping everyone safe on the water.

They are a 24x7 operation from their radio base in Belrose.

Please reach out to their email or phone to join their team.

30/05/2026

Item 4 - May 2026: Vessel washing and cleaning facilities – mooring and license compliance

A big issue that concerns the ability of boat owners to maintain their vessels to a proper standard as there has been the significant reduction in the number of slipping facilities throughout the state.

This obviously impacts on the ability of owners to appropriately service their vessel. Much of this of course comes down to the economic reality that a waterfront slipway will yield a far higher return on capital if its purpose can be switched to a block of home units.

Eventually this “best and highest use” economic model will ensure that, with the passage of time, there will be nowhere for the average boat owner to slip a boat - making it increasingly difficult for some boat owners to be able to comply with their mooring license obligations.

Thoughts..............

28/05/2026

Item 3 - May 2026: Dinghy Storage:

Issues concerning dinghy storage continue to attract comment, the main one being that there just aren’t enough racks available along the foreshores near to where they are needed. Most facilities are provided by local councils who in turn register each rack space for a specific owner who is then charged a monthly fee. The NSW Government plays an important role in this through its Boating Infrastructure for Communities Grants Program - an important initiative providing local councils, government agencies and community groups with funding to facilitate boat ramps, pontoons and dinghy storage.

Reviewing this issue from the BOA’s perspective, the best advice on the matter would be that boat owners, looking for somewhere to store their dinghies, should make their first port of call the local council responsible for the foreshore land closest to where their boat is moored.

Many councils post their current position regarding dinghy storage on the council’s website but a simple phone call to that council would, most probably, be the best course of action. However, to the extent that a council is demonstrating little or no interest in facilitating dinghy storage arrangements, the BOA’s involvement might be useful.

Let us know your thoughts...........

27/05/2026

Item 2 - May 2026: Offshore wind farms – a navigation hazard:

One of the solutions proposed by Australia’s federal and state governments to meet net zero carbon emission goals is to install offshore wind farms off the coast. As it concerns NSW, the first two of these wind farms are proposed for the Illawarra and Hunter regions. The BOA’s position is that that such windfarms would constitute a very significant safety hazard to navigation. Although the BOA supports the introduction of renewable energy, we believe that as it concerns the establishment of offshore windfarms the process to date has inadequately addressed the needs and safety of recreational and commercial boaters.

The recent Senate inquiry into offshore wind farm consultation highlighted widespread dissatisfaction with stakeholder engagement. Boaters, marina operators and recreational boating clubs were not directly consulted, nor were they invited to participate in forums or briefings on the subject. Reliance on digital platforms and general public consultation sessions failed to properly capture the specific operational and safety concerns of the maritime community.

Offshore wind turbines pose significant navigational hazards, especially in poor visibility or emergency situations. There is no clear public information on whether turbines will be adequately lit or marked for night and low visibility conditions. The potential for radar interference from turbine structures is of serious concern. It remains unclear what mitigation strategies will be implemented to preserve vessel radar functionality and ensure safe passage.
Proposed exclusion zones may disrupt traditional boating routes, anchoring areas and access to fishing grounds. There is insufficient clarity on how turbine layouts will accommodate emergency access corridors, seasonal boating patterns and offshore yacht racing. The cumulative impact on fishing, commercial vessels, yacht racing, passage making and recreational boating in general has simply not been addressed.

With all this in mind, the BOA is requesting the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to take the following steps:

1. Establish a dedicated maritime stakeholder panel including the BOA and other boating representatives.

2. Provide clear, accessible maps showing proposed turbine zones in relation to known boating routes.

3. Publish detailed plans for lighting, radar mitigation and emergency access protocols.

4. Conduct in-person consultation sessions at marinas, boat ramps, and sailing clubs affected by the installation of the turbines.

What are your options? How should we deal with this situation?

We value your opinion. So please have your say....

27/05/2026

Item 1 - May 2026: End of Life Vessels (ELVs)

In NSW, the subject of end-of-life vessels (ELVs) is attracting more and more attention from at least three quarters – a) environmental groups looking to clean up waterways, b) boat owners wanting to secure access to private moorings and c) regulators under pressure to satisfy each of these.

NSW has about 23,000 private and commercial registered moorings. Many these accommodate ELVs. According to Transport for NSW, anecdotal evidence suggests that up to 15% of all moorings accommodate ELVs. But what is an ELV? The most common definition seems to be “any vessel that has reached the end of its serviceable life – is no longer seaworthy and poses significant risk to both safety and the environment.” No longer seaworthy of course signals risks to personal safety, whereas risk to the environment concerns what might fall off or leak out of the vessel into the waterway it inhabits.

ELVs represent a challenge to jurisdictions worldwide. And, for most of these the issues are much the same – particularly regarding sea worthiness and risks to the environment. Many European countries, Japan and the United States have policies and procedures in place to deal with the matter already. NSW it seems is still grappling with it. In 2022 it circulated a “public consultation policy options paper” on the subject, inviting public input. But what became of this in terms of policy settings is not clear. This year however, the NSW Government introduced a Maritime Safety Amendment Bill - enabling legislation required by Transport for NSW to be in place to facilitate the drafting of enforceable policies and procedures.

Ridding the waterways of ELVs brings with it a number of issues that regulators and stakeholders must deal with. Amongst others, these include defining what an ELV is. Starting at the bottom end of course it comprises vessels that are derelict and abandoned. And moving slightly further up the scale, they include those that are no longer fit for purpose – no longer seaworthy and clearly a risk to the environment. Then there is the issue of logistics and funding – how to deliver an ELV to an approved collection centre for waste processing and how is this and the processing paid for? In those countries where procedures for this are already in place, the question of who pays involves a mixture comprising owners, manufacturers of the original vessel, government entities and, moreover, investors in entities involved with the actual waste processing itself. Needless to say, for such a program to be successful, public policy must involve a well calibrated stick and carrot approach.

Most countries, where this issue is further down the track, are starting to adopt a “circular (sustainable) economy” approach. The economic cost of a vessel under this approach is measured and accounted for right through its life and, very importantly, its ultimate disposal.

This approach ensures that the management of ELVs is fully accountable and fully funded. Vessels constructed of wood or metal are far better suited for recycling than those constructed of glass reinforced plastic (GRP) commonly known as fibreglass. But although the process of breaking down GRP is more complex and requires a more industrial approach, properly costed and appropriately funded, it is a sustainable economically viable business. In other words, if properly calibrated, the cost of disposing of ELVs can be factored into the whole life of a vessel – from and including its manufacture to its ultimate end.

This should involve an accrual accounting discipline whereby the costs of dealing with the future (end of life disposal) is funded over the life of a vessel. Financially and politically, policies and procedures adopted to achieve this make good sense and should be vigorously encouraged.

Of course the most important issue that must be taken into consideration here is how an ELV program should be managed?

What process has been (or should be) adopted to identify ELVs and advise an owner that his vessel has been so designated?

And what are the options that the owner is invited to consider to deal with the situation?

We value your opinion. So please have your say....

26/05/2026

BOA Alert May 2026

A note from our President:

Firstly, we at the BOA owe all our members our sincerest apologies for our tardiness in communicating with you over the past few months. We have no excuse other than, being volunteers, sometimes life gets in the way of good intentions.

However, notwithstanding the “radio silence” as it were, much has been happening at the Association.

Follow us to make sure you keep upto date with all that is happening, as new news items will be published this week provide updates on several projects.

As a very quick overview, the Association continues to be very much involved in several discussions important to boaters including end of life vessels (ELVs), dinghy storage and, particularly given the current energy situation, revisiting the very important issue of fuel quality – particularly in regard to biodiesel and ethanol blended petrol. Watch out for what we have to say on this matter in upcoming newsletters.

The other big issue in our sights right now concerns boating infrastructure. It continues to be a source of frustration for us all. What we are doing here is trying to obtain verifiable data on the amount the RMS collects from boaters and how it is being spent.
Of course, it follows that all of us pursuing these projects are developing a lot of grey hairs in the process.

In addition to the various projects mentioned that affect all boat owners, we also continue to deal with matters of a more specific nature – specifically referable to the concerns of Individual members seeking our assistance in regard to their relationships
with RMS.

Suffice it to say, the BOA always stands ready to assist members with any issue. It’s just a matter of making contact!

Andrew McKinnon
President Boat Owners Association of NSW

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A note from our Secretary:

Your Association was formed over 35 years ago to promote and protect the interests of recreational boaters. A great deal has been achieved on your behalf in that time and your current committee is committed to continue that.

As you will know, there has been much membership attrition in this period, due to founder members passing and older members selling their boats or moving away from waterfront properties. Therefore, current membership has been declining. However, I want to assure you that your continuing support of the Association is greatly appreciated. The strength of the BOA is very much dependent on numbers. The more members the Association has the more leverage it can exert in regard to its dealings on your behalf with those that directly affect boaters – particularly with those institutions that tax and regulate our activities.

It is with this in mind that we ask you to consider whether any of your boating friends and acquaintances could be encouraged to join us. We have survived a low point in 2024/2025, but we are back on course again and hoping to attract more members to
support the work of BOA.

Importantly, your committee has re-established this page which you can access via Boat Owners Association NSW. Please feel free to access and contribute.

Finally, I have been privileged to serve the BOA as its Secretary for the last 25 years and, although I have only met a few of you, I feel I know you all and wish you well.

Joann McKay
Secretary Boat Owners Association of NSW

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A quick reminder of who we are!

The Boat Owners Association Inc is an organization founded in 1990. Its establishment was deemed necessary to more effectively fight the then NSW Government regarding its proposal to massively hike mooring fees and to prohibit moorings for vessels under 5.2 meters in length. Although many public meetings were held to voice objection, it soon became clear that to win this battle the protest needed to be more organized.

History records that this battle ended up as one between the (then) NSW Maritime Services Board (MSB) and the newly created BOA. It was hard fought but ended up well – to the mutual satisfaction of both sides.

The BOA is a not for profit and non-aligned organisation. Its objectives are to represent the recreational boating community of NSW before the NSW Government, its various departments, the media, industry and other community organisations for the
betterment of recreational boating in NSW. Over the years the BOA has represented boat owners in dealing with any number of significant issues.

Many have concerned matters dealing with public administration – the giving effect to badly thought-out laws and the failure by public administrators to properly carry out their responsibilities.

Significant battles that the BOA has fought on boater’s behalf
include:

• Dredging of waterways in Lake Macquarie, Brisbane Water, Bateman’s Bay and the Manning River.
• Adequacy of boat ramps.
• Adequacy of boat ramp parking.
• Marine radio communication.
• Bio fuels.
• Life jackets.
• Sea grass and anchoring restrictions.
• Financing “Marine Rescue”.
• Courtesy moorings.

Most of the issues referred to above have been satisfactorily dealt with although some, obviously, still represent work in progress. But it should be mentioned here that most, if
not all, of those that have been successfully dealt with were because of good working relationships developed with Maritime in respect to those issues.

Right now, issues that the BOA are dealing with include the following:

• Dinghy storage.
• End of life (ELV) vessels.
• Vessel washing and cleaning facilities – mooring licence compliance.
• Offshore wind farms – navigational hazard.
• Adequacy of boat ramps.
• Adequacy of boat ramp parking.

Make sure you follow us on this page so that you'll see more information on these project in the coming days.

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