Ban on windsurfing in the Lorient channel
On June 9, 2023, the Préfet Maritime de l'Atlantique and the Préfet du Morbihan published a joint order concerning navigation in the entrance channel to the Lorient roadstead. The decree prohibits the navigation of the following boats and water-based leisure craft: aerotracted boards (kitesurf, wingsurf, wingfoil, windsurf...) and water-propelled levitation craft, in a defined area between Larmor-Plage and Port-Louis, from the potée du beurre turret to the port of Kernével.
More and more incidents
Although the risks have been identified for some time, the recent situation has motivated the publication of the decree," explains Melaine Loarer, head of the maritime prefecture's rescue office. "The decision was triggered by the increasing number of incidents and risk situations in recent months and weeks. We are targeting gear involving vulnerability of the practitioner in the event of a fall into the sea."
A local, proactive approach
The intensification of wingfoil, foil board and kitesurfing in the channel had already prompted discussions with local players since autumn 2022, as the head of the salvage office reminds us: "The Morbihan Maritime and Coastal Authority has launched a consultation process with identified representatives of the various practices, focusing on local risks and issues. This is not a broader approach to Morbihan or the maritime façade. As with all new regulations, we will take into account feedback and analyses from the Direction de la Mer et du Littoral."
While the case of Lorient was particularly flagrant, with a large number of sailors, this new decree is the first translation of a broader reflection, often emphasized by Affaires Maritimes, on the safety of navigation linked to new practices, and in particular fast foiling machines.
