Prep, Check, Know

Prep, Check and Know are the steps to safer boating this weekend. File Photo.

Safer Boating Week (October 14-21) ends today but Safer Boating Forum Chair, Maritime NZ Deputy Director Lindsay Sturt, is urging boaties to 'Prep, Check and Know” before getting to the boat ramp at the long weekend.

Statistics show 90 per cent of recreational boating fatalities are men, aged 30-60 years, using boats up to 6m.

Those most likely to wear lifejackets are kayakers – 81 per cent reported they always wore lifejackets. They are also the biggest group of boaties, the fastest growing, most likely to be women (52 per cent), and the youngest.

Least likely to always wear lifejackets are powerboat users – 52 per cent – down from 61 per cent in 2014. Powerboat users are the second largest group of boaties, 64 per cent of whom are male, and are the oldest.

In 2016 to date, there have been 10 boating fatalities. Last year there were 24, down from 27 in 2014.

'Safer Boating Week has been all about encouraging boaties to get ready before going boating but there's plenty of summer to come and it needs to remain top of mind,” says Lindsay.

Coastguard New Zealand CEO Patrick Holmes says last Labour Day weekend Coastguard rescued more than 200 people in more than 80 incidents. In addition, harbourmasters, Police and others also responded to accidents, breakdowns and other incidents.

The theme of Safer Boating Week is ‘Prep your boat, Check your gear, and Know the rules' before you take your boat out.

Three new Prep, Check, Know videos, which feature Milan and Nathan from the popular TV3 fishing show Big Angry Fish, and the Prep, Check, Know guide were launched for use this summer.

'It's all designed to be as simple as possible. On your smartphone you can watch the videos, use the guide's handy checklists, and download the Marine Mate and MetService Marine apps,” says Lindsay.

'Now, you have prepped your boat, checked your gear, know the local rules, and got the marine weather forecast.”

The most important thing to remember is wear a lifejacket.

'Most accidents occur very suddenly and wearing your lifejacket can make the difference between survival or not.”

Safer Boating Forum

The Forum was established in 2000 to coordinate and implement recreational boating safety initiatives. It is made up of government agencies and local government, water safety and recreational boating organisations, and the marine industry. The Forum's work is aimed at reducing boating injuries and fatalities and improving boat safety behaviour. Maritime NZ chairs the Forum and members include Coastguard, Jet Boating NZ, Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers, local and central government, NZ Fishing News, NZ Jet Sports Boating Association, NZ Marine Industry Association, NZ Underwater Association, Surf Lifesaving NZ, Waka Ama NZ, Water Safety NZ, WaterSafe Auckland, White Water NZ, and Yachting NZ.

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