Marinemate app adds VHF channels

Boaties will have extra help staying safe this summer with VHF radio channels information added to the smartphone app MarineMate.

Developed by Waikato Regional Council in co-operation with other agencies, the app also includes weather, tides, rules and other boating safety-related information.


To help boaties stay even safer this summer VHF channel information has been added to smartphone app MarineMate. Photo: File

WRC maritime services manager Nicole Botherway says they hope the app will make it even easier for boaties – and their friends and families - to stay safe out on the water.

'MarineMate has been proving very popular with boaties nationwide with more than 21,000 downloads since its release late last year.”

Nicole is also encouraging anyone planning to cross bars in Waikato and Bay of Plenty to check out the popular and award winning bar crossing films developed by the council and partner agencies.

The films pass on expert knowledge for boaties to upgrade their safe boating skills and apply them when crossing notorious ocean bars at Raglan, Tairua, Bowentown and Kaituna.

'Already the films have had about 21,000 views and the more people see them the better,” says Nicole. 'We're confident MarineMate and the films will contribute over time to safer boating and fewer boating-related injuries and fatalities.”

'Boating is a great part of the kiwi way of life but we need to do it safer by following simple rules like wearing lifejackets, knowing what to do when crossing bars and paying close attention to weather conditions.”

All the bar crossing films are linked at: www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/barcrossing.

The MarineMate app is available as a free download for Android and iPhone smartphones.


Screenshot of the MarineMate app for Android.

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