Recreational boating is widely popular in the Bay of Plenty yet only around 5 per cent of boaties have a coastguard membership.
According to Water Safety Bay of Plenty, 29 per cent of preventable drownings in the Bay of Plenty in the past 10 years involved recreational boating.
They are encouraging boaties to become members of coastguard and also enrol in a Coastguard Boating Education course.
Regional Water Safety Strategy Manager Dave White said Coastguard Boating Education had some fantastic courses for not only beginners, but also experienced skippers.