Articles

Avoid ruining a day on the water by making sure your battery is in good nick.

If you're in an emergency and you need to attract attention, you need to know how to use flares safely and effectively.

While it’s true that any lifejacket is better than none when you head out on the water, it’s a good idea to select the best lifejacket for your activity.

If your boat has been laid up over winter, now’s a good time to check over it before you head back out. 

Crossing a bar can be very dangerous. Check out our tips for getting across safely.

All VHF radio transmissions in New Zealand are legally required to be individually identifiable, and the best way to do this is with a callsign.

At Coastguard we’re all about people being responsible boaties, but we also want you to be responsible fishos out there.

You're going to need to know some practical knots for boating.

A lifejacket is only good for saving your – or your child’s – life if it stays on snugly when you need it.

Read our tips on how to best care for your lifejacket over the years.

The role of boatperson is a key one for a safe and enjoyable dive. Establish and agree on a plan before leaving the boat.

Crossing a bar is dangerous. A Bar Crossing Report can be made via VHF radio or cellphone, to let Coastguard know and keep watch as you head out over a bar.

A list of handy contact details to make sure you know who to get hold of when out at sea.

Here are three easy ways to keep yourself out of trouble and our marine environment clean.

To help keep you safe out on the water, Coastguard Northern Region – with the help of our friends at Hutchwilco – operate a lifejacket rental service to cover you no matter what situation you're faced with.

Just like driving a car on the road, there are a laws and safety regulations for when you’re out on the water.