Waterskiing
The historical background
The Broads' rivers have been a venue for waterskiing since the early days of the sport’s development. Waterskiing was taking place on the Broads as long ago as 1951 when the British Water Ski Federation was formed. There was considerable increase in the activity during the fifties and sixties. Waterskiing gained in popularity and by the 1970s the British Water Ski Federation viewed the Broads as possibly the most important centre for recreational waterskiing in the eastern region of England.
Just as many skiers in the north-west were given their introductionon to the sport on Lake Windermere, so many skiers in the eastern region were given their introduction to the sport on the Broads' rivers. Up to this time access to the sport was largely without restriction in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. In 1977 the first waterski club in the area was formed, the Great Yarmouth and District Ski Club. Speed limit byelaws to control the activity were introduced by the Great Yarmouth Port and Haven Commissioners in 1978.
These had the effect of limiting the times when waterskiing was permitted and restricting it to 10 allocated zones, five on the River Waveney and five on the River Yare. These restrictions were reluctantly accepted by the water skiers, who considered that time zoning had the effect of concentrating the activity and therefore increasing the potential for conflict with other river users.
The eighties and nineties continued to see an increase in waterskiing activity. The formation of the Yare Users’ Association by the Broads Authority in 1992 was seen to be an important contribution to the management of waterskiing on the Broads' rivers, with the important role of bringing river users together.
In 1993, the Draft Broads Plan set out the Broads Authority’s Strategy and Management Plan for the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. The result of many years of consultation, the plan set out a vision for the Broads area and explained how, through a series of aims and policies, the Broads Authority intended to achieve that vision. Policy 70 of the Draft Broads Plan stated: 'The Broads Authority views water skiing as an inappropriate use of the Broads and will actively seek alternative venues in the vicinity with a view to removing the sport from the Broads in the near future.' (No Easy Answers, 1993, Policy 70.)
The proposed policy on waterskiing provoked widespread response and comment, notably from the water skiers themselves. Waterski representatives attended all public meetings held as part of the Draft Broads Plan public consultation. As a result of the strength of feeling evident from the debate, two special meetings were arranged between the waterski representatives and the Authority’s management team to discuss policy and to take representations from the water skiers.
One of these representations took the form of a document entitled the Future of Water Skiing on the Norfolk Broads (December 1993), drawn up on behalf of the British Water Skiing Federation in association with five local waterski clubs. This document contained a number of proposals for the further control of waterskiing on the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, presented by the water skiers themselves. And so it went on with the water skiers and the Broads Authority having many consultations until a solution was sorted out in 2003.
Waterskiing today
Although heavily regulated, water skiers still have the use of the original 10 ski runs and are able to pursue their sport at the times stated in the byelaws.
The Eastern Rivers Water Ski Club (ERWSC) is now the only recognised club on the Broads. This club was created through an amalgamation of the existing clubs. They continually strive to maintain the management measures which have been implemented since 2003. These management measures are as follows:
- Skiers must be members of Eastern Rivers Ski Club;
- Skiers must adhere to byelaws laid down in the Speed Limit Byelaws;
- Boat drivers must have British Water Ski, Ski Boat Drivers Award;
- Skiers must have compulsory third party insurance.
The data the Broads Authority is able to collect comes from the waterski logbooks that the water skiers are obliged to maintain and that they submit each time they renew or register their Light Sport Vessel licence. These logbooks should be filled in by the skier each time they go out to enjoy their sport. The information to be logged includes dates, start and finish times, and the run they have been using for skiing. The logbooks have to be carried when skiing so skiers can prove to any authority they are a genuine skier.
The Future
A review of waterskiing took place in 2007 in which a review panel consisting of nine different interest groups and an independent chairman examined the suitability of the sport on the Broads over an eight week period and concluded it was safe enough to continue.
During the review, held in spring 2007, panel members produced evidence on how their interest was affected by waterskiing and considered complaints, waterskiers’ logbooks and use of zones and times.
The Broads Authority agreed that the management of waterskiing on the southern Broads has been so successful that the sport should be allowed to continue, although wakeboarding should be permitted under careful management on the Broads for a one year trial period after which it will be reviewed to test the effectiveness of management measures.
You can assist the ski club by reporting bad behaviour to Broads Radio Control on 01692 678459. Indeed, you should report all instances of dangerous helming and bad behaviour by any boat.
Details of the ski club are available from www.erwsc.co.uk
