Speeding jet skiers “show-boating” along the beach will have their registrations taken so they can be reported, the council says.
Swimmers and paddleboarders have complained about near-misses with the powerful motorised crafts, which have been seen driven at speed recklessly close to the shore during the recent heatwave.
In previous years, antisocial riders have been banned from launches, including Brighton Marina and Shoreham.
Brighton and Hove City Council is hoping to reintroduce its patrol boat soon to enforce bylaws, which include no motorised within 200m of the shore unless in a designated boat lane – and no speeding within 400m of the beach.
One swimmer, Matt Walters, said he was compiling complaints from fellow swimmers to send to the council. He said: “There are reckless jet skiers out there showboating, jumping over buoys. It’s a cliche, but it’s an accident waiting to happen, and it’s not going to be pretty.
“I’ve been swimming in the sea properly for about six year and there wasn’t too much of a problem then.
“We started seeing it in March when there were no buoys about and we thought they’re a bit close in.
“There was a swim event around the pier, and they had a lifeboat there trying to get them to stop, but they didn’t listen to anybody.
“On a jet ski, you are raised up and you are going much faster, so it’s more difficult for them to see swimmers, especially if there’s a bit of a swell.
“They come really close and then branch off and create a wave.
“It’s just something else to worry about when you are swimming out there.”
Cabinet member for tourism David McGregor said: “Unfortunately we’ve received several complaints about anti-social riding of jet-skis recently.
“Jet skis and other motorised craft are not permitted within 200 metres of the shoreline unless using a boating lane for launching or returning to shore, and then they must not exceed five knots.
“We’re taking steps to reintroduce our patrol boat soon to enforce the bylaws and educate those seen breaking them about water safety.
“We also have regular contact with local launch and hire companies to ensure their customers are made aware of the rules before launching and to help us create a database of repeat offenders we can send to the coastguard.”
Why are we allowing these at all ? They are high impact activities enjoyed by a few privileged individuals, but spoiling the enjoyment of the sea as a peaceful nature space, and exercise and play facility for everyone.
I don’t understand either, lives are being put at risk on a daily basis, I truly hope it doesn’t take a fatality for action to be taken immediately. On a lesser scale it ruins the atmosphere for those on the beach and endangers wildlife, and as you said it’s just for a privileged few.
We have regulations in place, quite rightly, re food hygiene and strict licensing laws to protect the community, why can’t the license be withdrawn from the company that hires the jet skis?
If the jet skiers or anyone else does other motorised craft user stays outside the swim zone then there shouldn’t be an issue. Nobody owns the sea. You can’t prefer swimming so choose to ‘ban’ vessels from the sea anymore than you would want to ban swimmers if you were a motorised vessel user.
Swim zone for swimmers and non swim zone for motorised craft. Sadly you see a lot of boats in the swim zone and likewise swimmers in the boat zon
Nobody follows the rules
If motorists behaved in such a way on the roads, the authorities would be down on them like a ton of bricks. Further than that, anyone out on the sea for a bit of fun, who gets into trouble and has to be rescued by our noble rescue services should be charged a big fee
Thanks for writing about this, Jo. But I wonder if there’s a bit more background detail to add.
As I understand it, the yellow swimming zone buoys are in place from May 1st, and they are supposedly set at 500m from the average high tide shoreline.
From May 1st to the end of September, no motorised or wind powered craft is allowed to come within that 500m line except at specific launching areas, with those motor boat lanes traditionally marked on the prom by yellow signs, and by a channel of special buoys marked with speed limit signs.
Those launching and beaching channels follow traditional fishing boat beaches, even under the reworked EU regulations which came in in the 1990s. We also have specific windsurfing and kiting beaches, agreed at that time, but jet skis have always been banned from most areas unless they stay outside the line of yellow swimming buoys. Paddle boards, kayaks, and surfboards are allowed within the swimming zones.
Budget cuts have meant these yellow swimming buoys are not always in place – and one example of that is on Southwick beach, which is now under the Shoreham Port Authority, having been sold to them by Adur council.
Shoreham harbour then becomes important here, because that’s where most jet skis are launched from, with a Jet Ski sales and storage facility found near the Victoria Beach lighthouse. The lack of clarity, is no doubt setting up a new lawless free for all.
Owning a jet ski is fun, and they can be good safety vehicles in the right hands – but they are powered to be like motorbikes, and so some riders like to show off, and they sometimes ignore any seamanship or common sense safety rules rules.
They also know that, with no inshore lifeguard inflatable on the water, they are unlikely to be told off, or indeed caught.
As with illegal electric bikes or scooters ridden on our city pavements, it will probably take a fatal accident before existing jet skis rules are enforced.
In Brighton the nearest buoys are 150m and the further ones 200m from the beach – and motorcraft (including jet skis) are banned except in the boat lanes.
200-400m (approx the end of the Palace Pier) boats (and jetskis) are supposed to keep their speed below 10 knots.
Apparently this was new law in 2023. Why do we then see so little / zero enforcement now?
‘anyone riding a jet ski recklessly or causing harm to others could now face up to 2 years in prison and an unlimited fine, thanks to a change in the law
the introduction of new legislation follows growth in the use of watercraft during the pandemic
Maritime and Coastguard Agency to be granted more powers to prosecute, as government works to ensure the UK’s waters continue to be some of the safest in the world
New legislation is being introduced to crack down on the dangerous misuse of watercraft such as jet skis, with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency being granted more powers to prosecute perpetrators of accidents.
The new law will come into force on 31 March 2023’
They are supposed to stay far away from beaches!
But the owners never monitor them!
I was a visitor to Brighton Beach on Sunday – lovely day with happy families enjoying the water. I was alarmed to see jet ski riders showing off by driving at speed close to shore. I see there are laws in force – why is no action being taken. Are they waiting until a tragedy happens?