Boaties are being reminded to check their gear after four people fishing on the Matakana banks had to be towed home when the engine of their five metre boat failed to start.

Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker says the coastguard skipper made the decision to tow the boat back into the harbour because of deteriorating weather conditions.

Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard TECT Rescue boat towed in a boat stranded at Matakana overnight. Photo: File.

'The weather was cutting up a bit,” says Simon.

'So rather than try and jump start it (the boat), they just stuck it on the back of the boat and towed it home. He (the fisher) was on the Matakana banks and it was not looking too good.”

It was an electrical fault, but it's not know today if it was a flat battery or another electrical problem.

The coastguard was called at 7pm, and the boat was towed back by the TECT Rescue about 8pm.