Boaties urged to be safe on water

‘This summer’s campaign reinforces the messages in the Boating Safety Code to help keep safety top of mind ’ throughout the season.

Maritime NZ is once again urging boaties to take care on the water during the holidays because “nobody’s faster than disaster”.

The organisation says with the boating season well under way for the summer it is continuing to push the message that complacency or simple lack of care can very quickly, tragically end in disaster.

Maritime NZ director Keith Manch says by taking a few simple steps, boaties can help keep themselves, their friends and loved ones safe.

This summer’s campaign reinforces the messages in the Boating Safety Code to help keep safety top of mind throughout the season. This code has been developed by the 23 boating organisations, businesses, and government agencies that make up the Safer Boating Forum:

■ wear your lifejacket — this is the single most important thing to do to help keep yourself safer on the water

■ take two waterproof ways to call for help — if you can’t tell someone you are in trouble, then no one can rescue you

■ check the marine weather forecast — it is not the same as land and general forecasts, the weather will be different on the water

■ avoid alcohol — you know not to drink and drive, it’s the same on a boat

■ be a responsible skipper — the skipper is legally responsible for the safety of the boat and everyone on board

“While all of these messages are equally important, we are putting particular emphasis this year on the use of maritime VHF radio and maintaining good lifejacket behaviour,” Manch says. “Carrying a VHF radio is your rescue network at sea. Your call can be heard by many people at the same time and the distress channel — channel 16 is monitored 24/7.

“We are currently running a multi-media ad campaign including a TV ad based on the real rescue of three boaties in July this year. They used VHF radio to alert authorities that they needed help and were safely rescued. We are also encouraging people to be vigilant with their lifejackets. Just wearing one isn’t enough and they need to be checked regularly to ensure they’re safe.”

Maritime NZ is continuing to fund Coastguard’s ‘Old4New’ lifejacket upgrade campaign where boaties can trade in their old lifejacket for a discount on a new one. This year $70,000 has gone towards upgrading 4000 old lifejackets to new ones.

“We encourage boaties to keep an eye out for their van that is touring the country, visiting 56 locations this summer. If you miss the van, you can still receive the offer at participating retailers. ”

Boating by the numbers:

• 1.5 million Kiwis were involved in recreational boating last summer.

• Last year 19 people died in recreational boating accidents on New Zealand waters. Of these 18 were men — 14 over 40 years (the highest fatality group) • Lifejacket wearing behaviour among recreational boaties is steady at about 75 per cent wearing all or most of the time on the water

• Only one in four (25 per cent) take a marine VHF radio

• In 59 per cent of fatal boating accidents inadequate communications were on board (inadequate communications cannot be said to have caused the deaths but it was an added risk). • The percentage of boaties checking the weather before heading out on the water has risen to 85 per cent in 2018 from 81 per cent in 2017.

■ More information at www.maritimenz.govt.nz click “recreational”, and on the Safer Boating NZ Facebook page. To view the Old4New Coastguard Life Jacket Upgrade — visit https:/ /www.old4new.nz/