As with other Australian states, the number of Jet Skis in Western Australia has grown dramatically in recent years.
According to data from Western Australia’s Department of Transport the number of personal watercraft (PWC) and Jet Skis registered in the state has grown from 7039 in 2019-20 to 9388 in 2023-24.
This means PWCs (Jet Skis) have gone from representing 7.1 per cent of all recreational vessels registered in Western Australia, to 9.1 per cent of the total number of registered recreational vessels in the state (102,830).
Western Australia authorities have advised there have been two fatalities involving PWCs (Jet Skis) in the state in the past eight years – and 59 deaths involving boaties.
Over the past 10 years the average number of boating deaths in Western Australia increased to 7.1 per year, an increase on the previous 10-year average of 4.7 deaths per year.
Despite the dangers, it seems not all Jet Ski riders know the rules – or have forgotten them after they passed the test to get their Jet Ski licence (known as a Recreational Skipper’s Ticket, or RST, in Western Australia).
Strict rules apply to riders of Jet Skis and personal watercraft (PWC) – and there are big fines for doing the wrong thing after Western Australia recently increased the penalties.
However, the offences and fines for Jet Skis and personal watercraft in Western Australia are not easy to find online.
With the assistance of Western Australia’s Department of Transport, Watercraft Zone has compiled a list of some – but not all – Jet Ski offences and fines in Western Australia.
As there are no national rules for Jet Skis, some offences and fines listed below for Western Australia may or may not apply in other states.
For Jet Ski fines in other Australian states, see the links at the bottom of this story.
In the meantime, here are some statistics published by authorities in Western Australia earlier this month.
“Despite accounting for only 9.1 per cent of the registered recreational fleet in Western Australia, PWC (Jet Ski) operators were responsible for 33.9 per cent of all offences in 2023-24.”
“Further analysis of the data shows that a PWC (Jet Ski) is 3.7 times more likely to attract an offence than another registered vessel.”
“Hooning has been identified as a major problem, with a record number of fines and warnings issued to PWC (Jet Ski) riders for excessive speed on the water last year – accounting for 512 (or more than 40 per cent of the total) of 1191 infringements and cautions issued to operators of watercraft.
“In response, the Department of Transport has adapted a Victorian safety education campaign for use in Western Australia during the summer holiday period with the main message to PWC (Jet Ski) operators: ‘Cool your jets’.”
“The video campaign, fronted by safe boating ambassador David Mundy, highlights the need for PWC (Jet Ski) operators to have their Recreational Skipper’s Ticket, slow down, be courteous and only freestyle in approved areas, wear their lifejacket and ensure others onboard do also.”
In a media statement, David Michael, the Minister Assisting the Western Australia Transport Minister said:
“This is a very concerning long-term trend, where PWCs (Jet Skis) account for a disproportionate level of offences on the water and while some operators do the right thing, clearly many are not.”
“Encouragingly, (authorities) have already been working closely with peak organisations to address the bad behaviour of operators resulting in a slight decline in PWC (Jet Ski) offences from 35.7 per cent in 2022-23 to 33.9 per cent in the past year.”
“The new safety campaign will bolster these efforts and support our safety compliance patrols by capturing and educating a larger audience of users to change behaviours and further decrease the unacceptable offence rates for this type of craft.”
“We’re putting PWC (Jet Ski) operators on notice this summer, telling them to slow down, do the right thing and share our waterways safely.”
“Skippers (and Jet Ski riders) navigating dangerously or under the influence of drugs or alcohol face significantly higher penalties this summer following the successful passage of new laws through State Parliament.”
For the latest Jet Ski safety campaign in Western Australia click here.
Meantime, while authorities in Queensland, NSW and Victoria have the power to confiscate a Jet Ski for dangerous or menacing riding offences, authorities in Western Australia advised Watercraft Zone they currently do not have the power to seize watercraft for similar offences.
Western Australia fines and penalties for Jet Skis:
- Operate a PWC (Jet Ski) while unlicenced: $200
- Operate a PWC (Jet Ski) while it is unregistered: $160
- Not wear life jacket while operating or riding on a PWC (Jet Ski): $200
- Offensive noise (sound system on vessel): Referred to Environmental Protection Agency
- Offensive noise (engine noise on vessel): $160
- Fail to produce licence on demand: $200
- Activate flares when not in distress: $200
- Fail to stop when directed by patrol vessel with lights activated: $100
- Careless navigation: $300
- Dangerous navigation (first offence): $300
- Dangerous navigation (second offence): $300, 12 months licence disqualification
- Dangerous navigation (aggravated offence): $300, 24 months licence disqualification, up to three years jail
- Reckless navigation: $300
- Reckless navigation (first offence): $300, 24 months licence disqualification, up to five years jail
- Reckless navigation (second offence): $300, 24 months licence disqualification, up to five years jail
- Reckless navigation (third offence): $300, permanent licence disqualification, up to five years jail
- Under influence of alcohol or drugs (any amount): $1000, 24 months licence disqualification, up to 10 years jail
- Exceed speed limit by more than 3 but less than 5 knots: $100
- Exceed speed limit by more than 5 but less than 10 knots: $160
- Exceed speed limit by more than 10 knots: $200
- Exceeding 8 knots in:
- Water less than 3 metres deep: $160
- 50 metres of a river bank or low water mark: $160
- A mooring area: $160
- 15 metres of vessel underway: $160
- 50 metres of a moored vessel: $160
- 50 metres of a person in the water: $200
- 50 metres of a jetty or wharf: $160
- Through the arch of a bridge: $160
- Within 50 metres of a diver below flag: $200
- Failure to proceed at a safe speed within the vicinity of a diver below flag: $200
- Causing a nuisance to any person on, in or about vessel, public jetty or bridge: $100
- Vessel travelling so as to cause nuisance or damage: $160
- Navigating vessel so as to endanger safety of vessel or person: $200
- Navigating vessel so as to obstruct, impede or interfere with another vessel: $160
- Irregular riding, surfing or wave jumping in a prohibited area: $200
- Irregular riding, surfing or wave jumping within 30m of another personal watercraft: $200
- Irregular riding, surfing or wave jumping within 50m of another vessel or person: $200
- Failing to equip boat or PWC (Jet Ski) outside protected waters and more than 400m from any shore with (a) an Electronic Position-Indicating Radio Beacon; or (b) a personal locator beacon attached to a person on board the vessel: $200
MORE: NSW Jet Ski fines
MORE: VICTORIA Jet Ski fines
MORE: QUEENSLAND Jet Ski fines
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