Surf lifesaving efforts at up to eight Coromandel summer hot spots will remain severely hampered for the next month following the theft of solar panels used for emergency radio communications.

Surf lifesaving clubs stretching from Waihi Beach to Tairua and beyond are resorting to an old analog radio network following last Thursday's theft of solar panels for the emergency radio network from the radio repeater site on the Whangamata peninsula.

Trust Waikato Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club members. Photo: Supplied.

The site serves as an antenna for the radio communications network for a number surf lifesaving clubs in the Coromandel and Northern Bay of Plenty.

Two large solar panels and the brackets holding them in place were stolen. The brackets will need to be reconstructed and will take up to four weeks to get back up and running.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand lifesaving manager Allan Mundy says there has been no word on the devastating theft, leaving officials scrambling to ensure the service is sufficient in the meantime.

He says this theft is going to really compromise the organisation's communication ability between rescue bases, and with the popular summer spots set to fill up in the coming days, the link is vital in saving lives.

'We are looking at eight clubs that are out of commission at the moment from our network,” says Allan.

'And if you look at some of the beaches, they are some of the busiest in New Zealand; Whangamata, Pauanui, Tairua, and Waihi.

'It's not just the patrolling, it's the amount of afterhours work we do from now until the second week of February. It skyrockets and that's when that network is essential.”

He says the clubs have gone back to an old analog network, meaning lifeguards have to jump between channels which proves problematic with certain 'black areas” of transmission.

Also, thanks to a strong relationship with coastguard, the clubs are using their frequency to try and keep on top of radio communication.

Allan says if push comes to shove, SLNZ will have to fork out the replacement cost from the theft, just eight weeks after the site was set up.

'It's a real kick in the guts,” he says, 'as it's something we have been working towards for the last two years.”

Anyone who has information about the Whangamata theft is urged to contact police immediately.

Contact Whangamata Police on: (07) 858-6200 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on: 0800 555 111.