Coastguard New Zealand is asking Auckland boaties to take the time to ensure their vessels are fully checked and prepped before they launch, amidst the government’s announcement to ease level 3 restrictions from midnight tonight.

Recreational boaties within the Auckland regional boundary will be able get out on the water for the first time in seven weeks, undertaking boating activities includes fishing, sailing, scuba diving and jetskiing. Coastguard is expecting high boating activity as a result of yesterday’s announcement, so is urging Auckland’s boating community to ensure their vessels are safe and ready for operation.

“For almost two months, boats in Auckland have sat idle which means boaties need to run a full check on their engines and batteries and replace old fuel with clean, fresh fuel,” Coastguard CEO Callum Gillespie said.

“Skippers should also double check the fundamentals of boating safety before launching – lifejackets for everyone on boat, having two forms of waterproof communication and keeping an eye on local marine weather before heading out. Logging your trip with the Coastguard App is a quick and easy way to tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to be back. It also helps to reduce traffic on the VHF Radio with our radio operator numbers limited with the current restrictions.”

In line with current alert level 3 restrictions, Coastguard units within the Auckland region will continue to operate on a reactive basis which means routine non-urgent callouts may experience a delayed response. However, Coastguard units continue to be ready to respond immediately to emergency calls if required.

It's important to highlight that all activities are subject to a number of other government restrictions set to begin tonight, which include:

• Outdoor activities with other people are limited to two households, and a maximum of 10 people.
• If a boat has an enclosed space that would result in more than one bubble mixing in that space, only one household or bubble can go boating.
• If a boat does not have an enclosed space, 2 households or a maximum of 10 people can participate.

For Coastguard’s full preparation checklist, including how-to videos, go to boatiesbestmate.nz.

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