10 Knot Speed Limit In Hamilton Harbour

May 18, 2017

The Ministry of Tourism, Transport and Municipalities has implemented a “10 knot speed limit to reduce excessive speed in the confines” of Hamilton Harbour.

Hamilton bermuda aerial bam generic 3r354321 boats

A spokesperson said, “A 10 knot speed limit will go into effect in Hamilton Harbour tomorrow, Friday 19 May as per the BR Notice Marine Board [Control Over Maritime Traffic] [Hamilton Harbour] Notice 2017.

“Hamilton Harbour is prone to congestion, especially during the summer months. And this year, the volume of marine traffic will increase substantially as a result of The America’s Cup.

“In the interest of safety, the Ministry of Tourism, Transport and Municipalities has implemented the 10 knot speed limit to reduce excessive speed in the confines of the Harbour.”

The full Marine Board Notice 2017 is below [PDF here]

Read More About

Category: All, News

Comments (20)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. ramblings says:

    About time.. People drive through Hamilton Harbour like it’s a race track

    • My friend says:

      The law before was as long as you were 100 yards off shore you were fine correct? Any collisions? If youve been upset because your boat was rocked by waves think u should sell your boat lol

    • Jp says:

      People race through the sound like its a race track, ohhh they also do that on North Shore, ohh and South Shore.. Better make it all 5 knots….

      Only collision I can recall in recent times was off Riddels Bay, and it included a cabin cruiser.. He must of been flying

  2. wahoo says:

    About time but I think it could have been extended a little further.

  3. bream says:

    really stupid.

    • Hubert Watlington says:

      Yes you are.

      • Squid says:

        I’ll make sure to start climbing on the plane just after Saltus Island so you get maximum wake… Your Fortier should bounce up and down nicely..

  4. NEMO says:

    Is this lifted after AC?

  5. Triangle Drifter says:

    How much wake is created is not simply due to speed. It is a combination of speed & hull type.

    At 10kts a small planing type skiff is going to create a terrific wake for its hull size. Might as well let the little Whalers & such zip around as normal. On the plane they create nothing worth talking about at all.

    Larger boats are another matter. Many of them will create a terrific wake at 10kts. Most skippers, most of the time, are very aware of the wake that they create & run their boats accordingly with consideration of where their wake is going.

    Then there are those who don’t know or don’t care. These are the people the BPS should be after, not somebody in a 13′ Whaler skipping along at 20 kts creating barely a ripple.

    • Hubert Watlington says:

      Agreed make it 5 knots

    • sage says:

      They have effectively doubled the 5 knot no wake zones we have had (and totally ignored) for years. If you draw a line 100 yards from the shoreline around the harbor and Whites Island, there is very little area left edspecially the eastern end.

  6. JP says:

    Speed is not the issue, lack of courtesy is the problem.. If this is being done only for duration of AC then fair enough, but don’t ruin the Harbour for everyone else..

    • Ouch says:

      Lack of courtesy as well as speed is a problem on weekends, especially at dusk or shortly after dark, with boats racing towards the Foot of the Lane without running lights. Woe betide anyone trying to go West or across the race track to Darrell’s Wharf.

  7. My friend says:

    Guess round the island isn’t goin into town this year??

  8. Clarity says:

    A good idea although many boats throw maximum wake at 10kts

  9. sandgrownan says:

    Leave restriction in place post AC.

  10. Triangle Drifter says:

    Does this apply to ferrys? They are the worst offenders when it comes to wake & a lack of consideration of where their wake is going.