Lack of lifejackets biggest concern for Bay of Plenty Harbourmaster

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Harbourmaster Jon Jon Peters. Photo / Supplied

People not using lifejackets continue to be the biggest reason the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Harbourmaster team has to interact with boat users.

Since Labour Weekend at the end of October, patrols have spoken to more than 11,000 people on 3500 vessels.

Harbourmaster Jon Jon Peters says there's no excuse not to wear a lifejacket.

"Research shows that about two thirds of recreational boating deaths might have been prevented if people were wearing their lifejackets," Jon Jon says.

"Make sure that lifejackets are the correct size, in good condition and suitable for the type of boating you do."

He says the warm summer and largely settled weather has lead to a nearly 50 per cent growth in on-water users compared to last year.

Speeding craft and vessels that weren't registered were the reasons for most of the breaches.

Boats must not exceed 5 knots within 200m of the shore, a structure or dive flag; and within 50m of another boat, raft or person in the water.

Regional water safety strategy manager Dave White thinks a lot of people view lifejackets as a hassle, especially on a hot summer day.

"You never know when disaster will hit and, in the event of an accident, you won't always have time to put one on before you enter the water.

"A lifejacket ensures that you'll be floating face-up and easily visible to rescuers."

When asked how people can tell if their lifejacket need to be upgraded, Dave said to look for wear and tear - split seams and rips - on foam lifejackets and auto-inflate lifejackets need the CO2 canister regularly checking and replaced.

"A lot of people forget to do this, and will leave a CO2 canister in the jacket through the winter and forget to replace it before the next summer.

"If these CO2 canisters corrode, you could be left with a lifejacket that won't inflate when you need it."

Dave says it has definitely been a busy summer.

"We've seen people on the water earlier than usual this summer – due to the high temperatures that rolled through in November and December.

"The water temperatures have also been warm with our beaches and lakes hitting 17-18C by December.

"This has resulted in a larger number of people partaking in recreational water-based activity."

Along with wearing lifejackets, he encourages people boating to be prepared by checking their vessel, checking the forecast and ensuring there's enough lifejackets on board for every person.

"We also recommend that every skipper join Coastguard – it's very affordable and will give you piece of mind knowing they've got your back.

"It only takes seconds for disaster to strike, and by being prepared, you're increasing your chances of survival."