Boater judgement
What is judgement?
Keeping yourself and your passengers safe means being prepared and using good judgement when you're out on the water.
Judgement is about making good decisions about safety-related factors on the water which interact with each other – for example, your speed, other vessel traffic, your vessel's capabilities and weather conditions.
We're always exercising our judgement – sometimes automatically when things feel familiar and sometimes more consciously when we perceive more risk.
Good skippers can recognise common on-water risks and apply good judgement to manage them safely.
As the skipper, you're responsible
Boater judgement usually gets better with experience, but even the most experienced skippers can face unexpected challenges out on the water.
As the skipper, it's your responsibility to keep everyone safe - so here's a few things to factor into your decision making every time you head out on the water:
Plan ahead before heading on your trip
- Make sure your vessel is suitable for the conditions.
- Regularly check the weather before and during your trip.
- Ensure you have enough safety equipment on board for you and your passengers, and it is in good working order, including lifejackets.
Be prepared on the day of your trip
- Make sure your vessel is suitable for the conditions.
- Regularly check the weather before and during your trip. If conditions appear unfavourable, consider rescheduling your trip to another day.
- Ensure you have enough safety equipment on board for you and your passengers, and it is in good working order, including lifejackets
- Log on/off with Marine Rescue NSW, or tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll return
- Know your limits and avoid taking risks. If in doubt, don’t go out.
Predict any risk while on the water
- Always keep a proper lookout. If keeping a good lookout becomes difficult or stressful it probably means you are going too fast for the conditions. If so, slow down.
- Regularly check the weather during your trip – conditions can change quickly.
- If you are unsure how to manage any on-water risks, consider slowing down and changing your location such as moving to a protected waterway.
See the essential safety equipment section in the Boating Handbook for more detail.