Aoraki Dragon Boat
Association (Inc)
Christchurch, NZ

Safety - Avon River, Kerr's Reach and Owles Terrace

Christchurch City Council's "Community and Recreation Unit Sports Adviser" met with current river users in April 2004 to discuss safety issues for users of Kerrs Reach and the Avon River training and competition area. This was the first time most of users had got together to come to an agreement on these rules.

They agreed that Kerrs Reach and the lower Avon River required specialized traffic guidelines on top of the generic Marine Department regulations.

Direction of Travel

For the purposes of addressing safety issues, the user groups can generally be broken up into two main categories:

• Large fast less-manoeuvrable craft (rowers, dragon boats, surfboats and six-man outrigger)
• Smaller more manoeuvrable craft (kayakers, two-man outriggers).

It is safer to have those forward facing and relatively manoeuvrable craft paddling in the opposite direction to the larger less manoeuvrable and backward-facing craft. The reasoning behind this decision was based on the fact that a forward-facing kayaker will be able to see and avoid a backward facing rower coming towards them instead of the two craft closing on each other unsighted and back-to-back.

Therefore the rowing sweep and sculling craft plus the 6-man outrigger, dragon boats and surfboats will travel in an anti-clockwise direction whilst all other small paddled craft travel facing oncoming large craft above.

Rules and Regulations

During passing manoeuvres, paddled craft will keep close to the bank while larger craft will pass toward the river centre.

Craft travelling downstream must give way at bridges to crews travelling upstream.

Dispute Resolution

Should a dispute over responsibility for a collision occur, a panel made up of a representative from the Rowing, Canoeing and Outrigger groups plus a Council representative will meet and resolve the dispute.

Lighting

A forward facing, red flashing light, worn either on the athlete or fitted to the boat must be shown at all times from dusk to dawn.