Welcome to the Skipper's Questionnaire 2021 What is your name? What is your email? Race Number? At what distance during the race must all yachts and all other boats >10m, leave their swimmer (or swimmers)?They do not need to leave their swimmer (or swimmers)The support boat can leave whenever as long as the swimmer is with their paddlerAll support boats must leave their swimmer (or swimmers) at the 19km gateAt the 18km gate (Phillip Rock Gate) At the beginning of the race, when may support boats meet up with their swimmer?500m (marked by yellow buoys)1000m (marked by red buoys)1500m (marked by icon vessel)Boats may meet swimmers as close to the beach as they wish, provided it is safe to do so Support boat skippers can only consume alcohol:When there is an alternative skipper on boardWhen they are clear of the Start ChannelWhen there is other support crew on boardSupport boat skippers are not permitted to drink alcohol during the event During the changeover process (duos & teams): Boats should slow down so that swimmers can avoid the propellerBoats may have their transmission engaged, provided it is not in reverseBoats may reverse to pick up the swimmer which has just completed their leg, provided the 'new' swimmer is in front of the boatALL support boat motors MUST be disengaged and in neutral, including those using multiple outboard motors where swimmers access the boat via the stern If a commercial ship passes through the channel:Get on the radio and warn everyoneSkippers must give way at all times and will be advised by Channel Swim Base of shipping movements during the dayThe ship should give way to swimmers, approach with caution and stop if the ship fails to give wayPick up their swimmer and get past the ship in time to drop them off on the other side What is the event VHF channel?VHF 74VHF 77VHF 16VHF 7 What is the emergency VHF channel?VHF 17VHF 16VHF 15VHF 77 During the day all skippers should tune their radio to VHF Channel 74 and: Leave the radio turned on, but turn the volume down should excessive transmissions occur which are not relevant to their boatReport to Channel Swim Base at all cut-off pointsLeave the radio volume at a sufficient level at all times and respond to situations per the Support Boat Protocols. It is also important that your radio is ‘dual watching’ with Channel 16 (emergency channel)Inform Channel Swim Base when you reach the 10km & 15km buoys The rhumb line buoys indicate:The southern boundary of the swim course and swimmer/s must stay between these and the northern boundaryDistance markers only, which are placed at the most direct route to the finish lineMeeting points for swimmers and skippersThe exact route of Gerd von Dincklage’s crossing to Rottnest in 1956 If my boat is under 10m and proceeding beyond Phillip Rock, I can help ease congestion in the Finish Channel by:Keeping to the extremities of the course and coming in to change swimmersStaying next to my swimmer and paddler until the 19km markSpeeding up to get out of the way of other boats and swimmer/sStaying inside the buoys set at 18.25km, 18.5km and 18.75km What is the speed limit in the Swim Channel?There is no speed limit in the Swim ChannelMy speed depends on how fast my swimmer is goingThere is a 6 knot speed limit at all times during the swimI can go as fast as I like on the course All boats must be equipped with all the required mandatory marine safety and emergency equipment as per the WA Navigable Water Regulations. The minimum boat size in length is? 4 metres for solos; 5 metres for duos and teams8 metres for solos; 12 metres for duos and teamsDependent on your manufacturer’s plate or the DoT schedule of permitted numbers for boat lengths. The boat must be licensed to carry all 'team' members, including those in the water.There are no minimum boat lengths The northern boundary buoys are in place to:Mark the swim channel boundary and show the start of the rescue corridor and ferry channelGive the swimmer milestones to look forward toLet other vessels know that there is an event onProvide a visual guide for navigating to Rottnest Island All yachts and 10m+ power boats:Aren't allowed in the eventThere are no restrictions if they have a tenderMust stay to either the north, or south edge of the fleet, subject to the northern boundary, and must have a tenderAren't required to give way to ships Making way astern (reversing) is permitted during the race when:There are no boats or swimmers within 10 metresYour boat is in danger of colliding with another boatSupport boats MUST NOT make way astern at ANY TIME. This means they must not move backwardsYour spotter says it is safe to do so Engaging the reverse thrust of your engine is:Not permitted at any timePermitted, provided it is only used to stop or slow the vessel’s forward momentum and it is safe to do so. The boat must not make way astern at any timeSomething which should be done regularly to reverse back to a swimmer awaiting pick-upA good way to remove seaweed from your propeller If a swimmer requires medical attention:Ring 000Proceed immediately to Fremantle or Rottnest, whichever may be closerPhone the Race Director immediately, describe the situation and await further instructionsContact Channel Swim Base and await further instructions When waiting off Cottesloe beach for their swimmer’s wave, support boats should:Wait in the ‘North’ Boundary for waves before 7am, and the ‘South’ Boundary for waves after 7.00amWait anywhere beyond the boundary (north or south of the start channel) until called by the Boat Coordinator via VHF 74 to move into the Start ChannelMove as close as is safely possible to the swimming channel, while still remaining in their respective boundaryI can go in whenever I’m ready The equipment specified in the Department of Transport's list of safety equipment is:Required by law for all vesselsOnly for first time skippers of the eventRecommended for support boatsRequired for all solos/duos/teams that haven’t completed a crossing in under 7 hours in the past two years Do support boats need navigational lights on event day?It is recommended, but not mandatoryI navigate using my GPS, not my lightsNavigational lights are required between dusk and dawn. As support boats will likely be launching during this time, navigational lights are required. The Department of Transport (Marine Safety) may prosecute those without working navigational lightsThe event takes place during daylight, so I do not need navigational lights Do support boats have to stay south of the northern boundary buoys, or is that rule only applicable to swimmers?Ideally, all swimmers and support boats would remain south of the northern boundary. However, in the event there is significant congestion around a northern boundary marker, support boats are permitted to go around the buoy, but paddlers and swimmers must stay to the south at all timesYes, at all timesSupport boats and swimmers must stay north of the northern boundaryThe northern boundary markers are not relevant to me Tenders are exempt from registration if:They adhere to the Department of Transport (Marine Safety) guidelines stipulating it is no more than 3.1 metres long and has a motor no bigger than 5hpThey have lifejackets on boardTenders are not required in this eventAll tenders are exempt The Rottnest Channel Swim is:Is a community event from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest IslandThe largest open water swim event in the worldIs a safe event because skippers make it soIs a great day outAll of the above Can jetskis be used as tenders?YesNo, they are not permitted to be used in the Rottnest Channel Swim as tenders Paddlers must:Enter the start channel before the 500 metre YELLOW buoyUse balloons for visibility purposesCarry a life jacket at all times during the eventNone of the above Time is Up!
