Boating safety initiatives ahead of summer peak
With solid preparation and real time information at your fingertips, leave the boating woes behindBoaters are being urged to make sure they have maintained their vessels and reviewed waterway safety rules before heading back out on the water for the summer boating season.
To assist with the sizeable increase in water traffic, two boating safety initiatives were launched at October’s 2024 Melbourne Boat Show: one a collaboration between Safe Transport Victoria and the maritime smartphone app DECKEE, and the second a seasonal ‘Back to Basics’ program.
DECKEE provides Victorian boaters information on mandatory safety equipment and waterway rules that, thanks to its GPS capability, are relevant to location and vessel type.
DECKEE also has weather forecasts, wave and tide information, boat ramp information, and can record a boater’s trip to allow family and friends to view location in real time.
Meanwhile, Back to Basics provides tips on maintenance and safety equipment, focussing on safe and trouble-free boating.
In 2023-2024, 85 percent of marine incidents were due to vessel disablement, commonly caused by engine breakdowns, equipment failure or running out of fuel.
Back to Basics covers all the essentials to help prevent mishaps, from routine engine, hull and electrical maintenance through to ensuring fuel levels are sufficient and life jackets are ready for use.
DECKEE is available for iOS and Android platforms. Download at?deckee.com.
Click here for the Back to Basics portal on the Safe Transport Victoria website.
Reported maritime incidents 2023-2024
Incident type | Percentage |
Disablement of Vessel | 85 |
Grounding | 4 |
Person in trouble | 3 |
Capsizing | 2 |
Other Personal Injury | 2 |
Flooding | 1 |
Collision | 1 |
Person overboard | 1 |
Fire | 1 |
Number of reported maritime incidents in 2023-2024: 746
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