Table 1

Comparison of the profile of boaters, trip purpose (boater activity) and power vessel types observed in the preobservation (2005)/postobservation (2007) periods for small (S) and large (L) vessels

	Vessel length	Preregulation profile (2005)		Postregulation profile (2007)
	Vessel length	N	Per cent	N	Per cent
Number of observed boaters
	S	1196	44.6	1062	45.2
	L	1486	55.4	1285	54.8
Gender
Male	S	977	81.7	853	80.3
	L	1130	76.0	929	72.3
Female	S	212	17.7	199	18.7
	L	350	23.6	353	27.5
Undetermined	S	7	0.6	10	0.9
	L	6	0.4	3	0.2
Age group
0–9 years	S	110	9.2	84	7.9
	L	135	9.1	110	8.6
10–17 years	S	165	13.8	132	12.4
	L	183	12.3	118	9.2
18–59 years	S	813	68.0	773	72.8
	L	1041	70.1	971	75.6
60 years and older	S	100	8.4	65	6.1
	L	121	8.1	78	6.1
Undetermined	S	8	0.7	8	0.8
	L	6	0.4	8	0.6
Type of vessel
Open/‘tinny’	S	565	47.2	577	54.3
	L	320	21.5	313	24.4
Cuddy/half cabin cruiser	S	340	28.4	222	20.9
	L	636	42.8	459	35.7
Full cabin cruiser	S	20	1.7	19	1.8
	L	191	12.9	169	13.2
Ski boat	S	45	3.8	39	3.7
	L	194	13.1	229	17.8
PWC	S	163	13.6	166	15.6
	L	–	–	10	0.8
Yacht (motor/trailer sailer)	S	3	0.3	–	–
	L	67	4.5	86	6.7
Other/unknown	S	60	5.0	39	3.7
	L	78	5.2	29	2.3
Trip purpose (activity of boater)
Fishing	S	562	47.0	489	46.0
	L	637	42.9	534	41.6
Towed water sports	S	41	3.4	69	6.5
	L	187	12.6	135	10.5
Pleasure cruising/general	S	381	31.9	287	27.0
	L	501	33.7	438	34.1
High speed/racing	S	8	0.7	6	0.6
	L	38	2.6	34	2.6
PWC riding	S	163	13.6	161	15.2
	L	–	–	–	–
Sailing	S	3	0.3	–	–
	L	67	4.5	86	6.7
Other	S	30	2.5	39	3.7
	L	30	2.0	41	3.2
Missing	S	8	0.7	11	1.0
	L	26	1.7	17	1.3

PWC, personal watercraft/jet ski.