App aims to improve safety for boaties

Boaties heading out on the water in Southland could be an extra step safer with a new app launched by Coastguard New Zealand.

Coastguard Southern region manager Cheryl Moffat said the app was designed to be used in conjunction with other safety measures.

Nationally, more than 5000 people had downloaded the app which allows them to log a trip report from their smartphone, as well as other features including upto-the-minute weather, wind, swell and tide information.

Asked if the app would take away from the role of radio operators in the region, Moffat said she did not think so, and encouraged people to use the app to complement her services. ‘‘You can never have too many people knowing that you’re going out.’’

The app’s reception in Southland is off to a slow start but is expected to pick up as boating season nears.

Until now, boaties logging trip reports have done so through their VHF radio or by calling the coastguard on the phone.

The app offers a choice for people who do not have a radio or who want to utilise both.

Coastguard New Zealand chief executive Patrick Holmes said one of its core safety services was taking trip reports.

‘‘Over 250,000 trip reports are logged with Coastguard each year, which include information on where the boatie is heading, what time they expect to get there or return, and how many people they have on board,’’ he said.

‘‘This ensures that should anything go wrong while they’re out on the water, we have a solid starting point to enable a quicker rescue.’’

The app received funding the Community Trust of Southland, BayTrust, the Auckland Maritime Foundation and several other community funders.