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New to boating

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Century Marine Pro battery

Checking your battery

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

Woman tying a knot

Five handy knots to know

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

Navigation diagram

The give way rules on the water

If you’re looking to take a boat out for the first time, you need to know the rules of the road at sea.

What to do in an emergency

Most emergencies occur unexpectedly and very quickly. Being ready for any issue can help you and your mates survive a dramatic incident.

boat crossing a bar

Crossing a bar

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

Child with lifejacket

How to choose a well fitting lifejacket

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

beautiful NZ weather

Things to check before you hit the water

Make sure you kick off your boat trip smoothly, by checking these key things every time you head out.

fuel gauge on a boat

Top 10 tips for boat maintenance

Check out our top 10 recommendations to keep your boat in tip top condition at all times.

Duty officers in the Coastguard operations room taking trip reports

Trip reporting basics

A trip report (TR) is a message that you pass to Coastguard Radio to advise us of your intended boating activity.

VHF Callsigns

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.

beacon

What you need on your boat

Here's the Coastguard approved list of what you should have on your vessel when you head out.

Lifejackets on a rack

Rent a lifejacket

Drowning Prevention Auckland lend out lifejackets to the public around Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Waikato.

lifejacket

All about lifejackets

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.

clean NZ environment

Protecting our marine environment

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

Two men in a boat following Coastguard safety rules

Safety and regulations

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

Boatie's Best Mate.

Get a Coastguard membership today for peace of mind when you’re out boating.