While Auckland Coastguard is complaining about being swamped with calls to assist with flat batteries, Tauranga Coastguard volunteers are having a quiet summer.

'We've just had a very quiet weekend and it has been for a while,” says Tauranga Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker.

The Coastguard TECT Rescue boat is having a quiet time this summer.

'There's still not too many people going out, really. I think the radio operator calls are down on what you would normally expect for this time of year.”

Simon's blaming the Rena. The bad weather over Christmas and the new year holiday putting a dampener on boating, but activity should have recovered since then.

'I think a lot of people still have concerns about the Rena,” says Simon.

Tauranga Coastguard is still fielding calls from people asking if it is okay to go boating and if the harbour is open.

He thinks many boating holidaymakers are going elsewhere, like the Rotorua Lakes.

Comparative figures with last January will be available at the end of the month.

Auckland Coastguard answered 28 calls on Saturday and a further 15 by Sunday afternoon, with most of the calls being for flat batteries.

People go out all day and run electrical accessories; fish finders, radios, audio systems, and find they have no power left to start their motors.

The advice for all-day fishers is to reduce electrical use, or run the engine from time to time.