Tauranga Coastguard is experiencing its quietest summer in years and it appears a ripple effect from Rena is playing its part.
While there has been an increase in water-related callouts for Tauranga police's search and rescue team, the organisation is finding things remarkably non-eventful.
Operations manager Simon Barker said it had been one of the quietest Christmas and New Year periods he had experienced at Tauranga Coastguard.
The callouts coastguard have helped with this summer, including four on Boxing Day, were mostly due to mechanical or technical difficulties.
"A lot of them are just down to wear and tear on boats," Mr Barker said.
"We have had a faulty gear box, we have had a jump start, we have had a jet ski with a rope wrapped around the propeller. We had a flare set off on the 23rd but other than that they are small mechanical things."
The impact of Rena's grounding had also been felt.
"It has been a bit patchy over the last few months. Certainly when the exclusion zone was large, there were very few boats going out. When they reduced the zone we noticed an increase with boats but it was still not massive and it hasn't been as busy. It is the quietest it has been in years."
Mr Barker said there had also been occasions when the coastguard was not needed for stricken vessels because other boaties had come to the aid.
However, Sergeant Craig Madden of Tauranga police search and rescue said there had been an increase in water-related callouts that had resulted from poor planning.
Mr Madden recommended boaties joined Coastguard.
"For a small fee it is peace of mind, that if you do break down they will come and tow you back to shore," he said.
"They also monitor your trip if you log your intentions with the radio room as you leave and return."
Mr Barker said keeping a close eye on the weather was a crucial aspect to boaties' water safety.
Tauranga Coastguard duty radio operator Mike Eades said there had been a large decline in the number of callouts, which he put down to the Rena disaster. During the past five days there had no callouts for assistance.
Despite the weather conditions being nasty, miserable, and drizzly there were a number of boaties out in the harbour yesterday.
"It was good day for fishing as long as people kept themselves nice and dry and played by the rules including wearing their lifejackets," Mr Eades said.
Staying water safe
- Tauranga police search and rescue