Harbourmaster of the Port of Milford Haven Bill Hirst has said the successful prosecution of a yacht skipper who obstructed Irish Ferries' Isle of Inishmore, should be a warning to all leisure users to take care sailing in the Port.

Andrew Humble, of Haverfordwest, was fined £200 and made to pay costs of £795 in a private prosecution by the Port after he pleaded guilty to obstructing the vessel as he raced in the Dale Regatta in August. His failure to heed the ferry's warning horn forced it to veer off course and out of its channel.

Harbourmaster Bill Hirst said the skipper of the yacht Selukwe was by no means the first person to have obstructed the ferry in recent years, but that there was an overwhelming public interest in making an example of his actions.

"Mr. Humble's prosecution highlights an extremely important issue of safety of which all users of the river need to be aware. In recent years there have been several incidents where leisure craft have impeded the ferry and other large vessels entering and leaving the Haven. This successful prosecution should act as a warning to others."

Mr. Hirst continued: "The Port of Milford Haven works hard to ensure all river users from kayaks to supertankers can share the waterway in safety. We work closely with leisure users to get this message out. But there are times when your safety and that of others becomes your responsibility.

"The ferry's speed at the time of the incident on August 17 was close to 20 knots. It would be covering one nautical mile in just three minutes. Mr. Humble would have had little time to react to a potential collision if the ferry had not altered course and left the navigable channel."

Port byelaws 20 and 22 state that leisure craft must not impede any vessel that, because of its size, needs to remain in the deep channel and that a vessel should not be maneuvered in a way that causes danger or inconvenience to other users.

"The Port of Milford Haven is supportive of regattas and other events on the waterway," added Mr. Hirst. "We will even, on occasion, limit the movements of large vessels to allow regattas and other events to take place. However, if you are in charge of a vessel, responsibility for your own safety and those with you often comes down to you alone."

Mr. Hirst also urged boaters to refer to the Port website http://www.mhpa.co.uk">www.mhpa.co.uk for a full copy of the Leisure User Guide with useful information on byelaws affecting river users.