$626,570 safer boating grants
This year, safer boating grants coordinated by Maritime NZ will provide 3,000 new lifejackets, support lifejacket loan hubs, help create new, at-the-beach, training programmes for boaties using jet skis, standup paddleboards and kayaks, and much more!
These are some of the initiatives from right across New Zealand that are receiving $626,570 in safer boating grants.
Maritime NZ Director, Keith Manch, said the purpose of these grants is to improve safety for the over 1.5 million Kiwis who get out on the water each year. They are a practical way to support boating organisations and council programmes that work directly with boaties.
The Government provides the funding for safer boating grants through money collected from the Fuel Excise Duty (FED) on petrol. A proportion of this duty is paid by recreational boaties fueling power boats. Some of this money is provided to Maritime NZ and used to support recreational boating safety initiatives including regional programmes focused on promoting safer boating. This year there is continued funding for some existing programmes, and some new initiatives getting started.
“Boating is changing and we are seeing big increases in jet skis, standup paddleboards and kayaks – we are supporting new, at-the-beach training for boaties using these small craft.
“These will be national pilot programmes run by Tasman District Council, NZ Standup Paddle boarding and the Kiwi Association of Sea Kayakers.
“Lifejackets are boaties single most important piece of safety equipment on all boats – sailing, powered or paddled.
“That is why, for the first time, Maritime NZ is supporting Drowning Prevention Auckland’s ‘lifejacket hubs’ and a similar programme run by the Harbourmaster in Gisborne where lifejackets can be borrowed. We are also proud to continue supporting Coastguard NZ’s successful ‘Old4New’ lifejacket upgrade campaign,” Mr Manch said.
Coastguard will receive $80,000 to help provide 3,000 subsidized lifejackets to Kiwi boaties.
“We also fund several children’s boating education programmes because in New Zealand people often start boating quite young and children can positively influence the safety behavior of their families,” Mr Manch said.
There is funding for Folau Malu programme for Pasifika boat users, Survive the Dive for divers and Waka Ama safety basics courses.
The ‘No Excuses’ campaign received $70,000 funding to enable 18 councils and the Taupō Harbourmaster to carry out on-water enforcement with a ‘no excuses’ approach to compliance being taken with boaties found in breach of key safety regulations. The campaign focuses on consequences for those breaking the rules.
FED funding provides support funding for campaign initiatives based on priorities decided by the Safer Boating Forum. The Forum is made up of boating organisations, the marine industry, and local and central government agencies. It has led the campaign over the last two decades through partnership activities to reduce the number of fatalities on our waters.
Summary of grants:
Council | Programme | Funding |
Northland
Regional Council Maritime Officer, Tammy Crookshanks | Be a Safe Boatie, Mate Continuation of campaigns from 2017/18 and 2018/19 using radio, on-water patrols, ambassadors, marketing and promotional material, as well as video production. | $28,500 |
Waikato
Regional Council Marketing & Project Advisor | MarineMate app upgrade MarineMate update and promotion and data collection. MarineMate is a smartphone app that provides information on tides, boat ramp locations, VHF channels, and local boating rules for the whole country. | $34,500 |
Bay of
Plenty Regional Council, Peter Buell, BOP Harbourmaster | Towards Zero: Recreational
Boating Safety Programme Boat ramp workshops, roadshow presentations (clubs, groups, boat shows), college visits, and distribution of promotional material (including advice and training of retail staff on lifejackets). | $50,000 |
Gisborne
District Council Harbourmaster Sonny Ali | Lifejacket Hubs A new programme that will provide “life jacket hubs”. These will be places where people can borrow lifejackets. | $10,000 |
Hawke's Bay Regional Council | Recreational Boating Safety Education Safer boating education in local schools (for up to 12 years old), with Coastguard volunteers to present the programme. This programme will be extended to include regional swimming pools which have the Coastguard Boating Education Kit. | $12,000 |
Greater
Wellington Regional Council, Harbourmaster, Grant Nalder | Summer Safety Campaign Enforcement programme based on the Safer Boating Forum and Council’s priorities, including partial funding of the summer ranger, providing safety material, on-water interactions, discounts for courses, and promotion of boat safety checks. | $45,000 |
Tasman District
Council Harbourmaster, Dan Cairney Deputy Harbourmaster, Jimmy Mackay | Jetski Training Course National pilot for a jet ski (personal watercraft) training course on skills and knowledge to enable safe and competent operation of a jet ski. Includes practical on-water component, instruction ashore, collision avoidance, weather and safety, control at speed, emergencies and recovery. | $10,000 |
Tasman District Council Harbourmaster, Dan Cairney Deputy Harbourmaster, Jimmy Mackay | More patrols on the water Increasing on-the-water patrols over summer. | $15,000 |
Council | Programme | Funding |
Nelson
City Council Manager Consents and Compliance, Mandy Bishop | Responsible Recreation Targeting skipper responsibility with harbourmaster patrols, safety rewards and skipper education including workshop and 50% discounts on VHF courses. | $36,400 |
ECAN Navigation Safety Officer, Gary Manch | Canterbury Safer Boating
Programme Focusing on carrying two waterproof ways to call for help. The programme will use media, face to face promotions at boat ramps and camp sites. This will be a collaborative approach with the Otago Harbourmaster. | $50,000 |
Environment Southland Maritime officer, Ian Coard | Safer Boating
Promotions On-water and boat ramp checks targeting skippers' safe boating knowledge and responsibility, waterproof communication and safety equipment, wearing lifejackets and checking marine weather forecasts. Also face to face public interaction at events, delivery of school programmes where students are shown how a lifejacket is correctly fitted and given boating safety advice. | $16,700 |
18 Councils and
Department of Internal Affairs (DIA): Environment
Canterbury, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Marlborough District Council, Nelson City Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Tasman District Council, Waikato Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Taranaki Regional Council, DIA’s Taupō Harbourmaster, Otago Regional Council, Environment Southland, Gisborne, Buller District Council,Auckland Council, Bay of Plenty, Horizons Regional Council and Northland Regional Council | Enforcement of “No
Excuses” campaign Five additional days of on-the-water “No Excuses” enforcement. | $70,000 |
Boating organisations | Programme | Funding |
Coastguard
Boating Education General Manager, Mike Brown | Folau Malu (Journey Safely) -
Pasifika Boating Education The project will include day skipper training, water survival and VHF radio operator certification for 90 ‘community champions' and boatmaster training for five. | $47,200 |
Coastguard
NZ, Communications Manager, Shelley Ashdown | Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade
Campaign Continuation of the Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade campaign, will distribute 3,000 lifejackets and visit 50-60 NZ locations. Contact with boaties as part of this campaign includes the provision of key safety messages, and widespread media reporting. | $80,000 |
Drowning
Prevention Auckland, Business Manager, Sam Gunther | Lifejacket Hubs Drowning Prevention Auckland, in partnership with local boat clubs, surf club, community and church organisations, will provide five hubs where people can borrow lifejackets. | $26,220 |
Jet Boating
NZ, Administration Manager, Stephen Woodside | Jet Boat Safety Production of an updated annual jet boat safety handbook (including lifejackets, skipper knowledge, communications, river rules, alcohol, cold water immersion etc). Driver training designed to take new members from knowing nothing about their boats to become competent, capable and safe drivers. | $2,500 |
Kiwi Association of
Sea Kayakers (KASK) Shaun Maclaren | Meet the People A national pilot with trainers visiting beaches to provide kayak training. Locations will be publicised beforehand. | $ 5,600 |
NZ Underwater
Association Marketing & Media provided by Fathom, Auckland | Survive the Dive programme This programme centralises diver safety messaging in order to ensure the NZ underwater community is exposed to a broader message including: Health and fitness, medical checks, training, refresher courses, equipment checks and maintenance, diver best practice, boating safety and on-water best practice. | $17,950 |
NZ
Standup Paddleboarding, Safety officer, Bill Dawes | SUP SAFE A national pilot with trainers visiting beaches to provide standup paddle boarding training. Locations will be publicised beforehand. | $35,000 |
Waka Ama
NZ, Chief Executive, Lara Collins | Waka
Ama Safety Workshops Training leading to certification on areas such as waka specific information, maritime safety rules and procedures, emergencies, communication, weather and trip planning. | $9,000 |
Yachting
NZ, Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Clouston | Volvo Sailing…Have A Go! A training programme is for 8-12 year olds It offers a one-day experience for children to become familiar with vessel, learn basic sailing skills, water safety, wearing a lifejacket, weather forecasts and identifying hazards. | $25,000 |