Safer Boating Week - Grants for over 10,000 children and boaties

An Old4New lifejacket upgrade program operating in Australia NSW Maritime http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

This year, up to 10,000 more children will be taught boating safety, and how to sail; thousands of boaties will receive face-to-face training; hundreds of old lifejackets will be replaced as Coastguard’s “Old 4 New” upgrades continue; the popular MarineMate app will be upgraded; and there will be much more!

These are all programs receiving community safer boating grants from Maritime NZ.

As part of Safer Boating Week (October 13-20) Maritime NZ has announced $493,000 dollars in grants – a continued increase in national funding for community recreational boating safety programmes.

Last year safer boating grants totaled $470,000, in 2015 they totaled $124,000, and in 2014 $77,000.

“Our aim is to support community programmes that help boaties be safer,” the Chair of the Safer Boating Forum, Lindsay Sturt, said.

“We are helping groups and regional councils to do more to interact directly with boaties.

“It’s about learning practical skills, having some fun doing it, and being safer in boats.”

The Government provides the funding for safer boating grants from the Fuel Excise Duty on petrol. A proportion of this duty is paid by recreational boaties fueling power boats.

Safer Boating Week, October 13-20

Safer Boating Week is the week before Labour Day weekend, the traditional start of recreational boating in much of the country. The aim is to encourage boaties to take simple steps before getting back on the water: Prep your boat, Check your Gear, Know the rules.

Lots more information at www.saferboating.org.nz and on our Facebook Safer Boating NZ click here
* Prep– service the engine, check and change the fuel, check the battery and just generally give the boat a good onceover.
* Check– make sure your lifejackets are still fit for purpose and you have enough. Service any inflatable lifejackets and ensure you have two reliable forms of communication equipment. Check the marine weather forecast.
* Know– ensure you know the “rules of the road” on the water, and check your local bylaws to make sure you understand what the requirements are in your area.

Safer Boating Forum

The Forum is made up of boating and water safety organisations, the marine industry, and central and local government agencies. It works to reduce boating injuries and fatalities, and improve boat safety behaviour.

Forum members are: ACC, Coastguard Boating Education, Coastguard New Zealand, Drowning Prevention Auckland, Jet boating NZ, Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers, local authorities, Maritime NZ, New Zealand Jet Sports Boating Association, New Zealand Marine Industry Association, New Zealand Police, New Zealand Search and Rescue Council, New Zealand Underwater Association, Surf Lifesaving New Zealand, Water Safety New Zealand, Whitewater New Zealand, and Yachting New Zealand.