A Falmouth boatman with 50 years experience is calling for a speed limit in the harbour after "idiots" in a cabin cruiser nearly overturned his passenger craft.

George Pill Senior was working on a pleasure cruise in the 42 foot open boat Look Ahead last Wednesday, with three passengers on board, when his vessel was hit violently by the wash of another craft.

He said: "I was coming out of the docks basin. A great big cabin cruiser came out and all of a sudden opened up, his wash was a breaking wash. I managed to turn my boat into it, otherwise it would have turned the vessel upside down.

"I've never seen something so stupid in my life."

As a result of the incident, Mr Pill is now calling for a speed limit to be put in place, restricting boats to a maximum of eight knots, all the way from the harbour to Pendennis Point.

And he warned others out on the water to be aware that they could be prosecuted if they are found to have created excessive wash, saying: "They don't realise."

He added that in his opinion 75 per cent of people are "idiots on the water, and said he had been working on boats for more than 50 years and had "never seen anything so stupid in my life."

Falmouth's harbour master, Mark Sansom, said: “We have received a report from Mr Pill about another vessel creating excessive wash which is being investigated.

"All vessel masters have an obligation to navigate at a safe speed at all times, within the harbour, taking into account the prevailing conditions. There is an eight-knot speed limit within the inner harbour and last year we introduced a new maximum speed limit of 30-knots in the Carrick Roads.

"This harbour direction is due to be reviewed shortly, 12 months after it was first put in place. Any relevant incidents that have occurred during this period will be included in the review.”