MEDIA RELEASE
3 March 2017

Raglan Bar Crossing Awareness Day coming up

Each year Coastguard Raglan, with support from the Waikato Regional Council, holds bar crossing awareness days in Raglan to encourage better boating practices and raise skippers’ awareness of the risks present when crossing the Raglan bar.

Next month’s Bar Crossing Awareness Day will provide boaties with an opportunity to learn how to cross a bar. Experienced Coastguard educators will take multiple groups across the Raglan bar on a boat and share their local knowledge of the area, how to log a trip report and important information on boating maintenance and safety.

Waikato Regional Council’s maritime services team leader Richard Barnett says this year alone the Waikato region has seen a number of incidents involving boaties and bar crossings, with many of those occurring on the Kawhia and Raglan bars.

“Bar crossings can be made safely if skippers are well prepared with the right equipment, the right attitude and have good local knowledge on how to navigate over the bar safely,” says Mr Barnett.

“The bar crossing awareness day is a great opportunity to cross the bar with educators from the Coastguard Raglan team who have valuable knowledge to share.

“We urge all boaties intending to cross the Raglan bar to join in on the bar crossing awareness day being offered. The time invested could equate to a life saved.”

The next Raglan Bar Crossing Awareness Day is scheduled for Sunday 2 April 2017 at the Raglan Bowling Club, on the corner of James and Wallis streets. Registration is from 8.30am with a start time of 9.00am. A lifejacket is required. The cost per person is $35 if prepaid or $40 cash on the day.

Pre-registration is required as spaces are limited. To book a ticket, email raglancoastguard@gmail.com.

For more information about bar crossings, visit https://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/safe-bar-crossings

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