One of the owners of the Wildcat pleasure boat is to go on trial in January after he pleaded not guilty on Friday to operating the boat in a dangerous manner.

Edward Lawrence, 40, of Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke, is accused of operating the catamaran in a manner that could have endangered the life or limb of people on the boat, or people on other boats, on August 18 this year.

Lawrence, who was represented by lawyer Mark Pettingill, denied the charge and was released on $20,000 bail. A trial has been arranged for Magistrates' Court on January 23.

But a number of other boat operators were also in court on Friday for a variety of offences on that day.

David Michael O'Brien, 38, of Controversy Lane, Pembroke, pleaded guilty to operating a boat when it was not registered, and was fined $150.

James Prescott Skinner, 34, of Town Hill Road, Smith's, was accused of failing to display the registration on the side of his boat, along with travelling in excess of the ten knot speed limit at Ferry Reach, which was near a no-wake area.

He apologised to Marine Police for the excess speed, and said his boat had just been painted, so the licence number was not displayed. He was fined $150 for each offence.

And Michael Lightbourne, 38, of North Shore Road, Smith's, was fined $150 after admitting that he steered his boat in excess of the five knot speed limit when the vessel was within 100 yards of the shore line.