KEY POINTS:
The actions of a West Auckland brother and sister are a great example to boating families everywhere.
Edwin (11) and Kathlyn (8) Delaat from Waiatarua, have both passed their VHF radio operating licence. Edwin has also gained his Day Skipper qualification.
The pair won the 2007 Captain Mike Little Award for outstanding student achievement, created to honour the work of one of Auckland's premier marine educators.
Then came another win, this time a family affair. At this year's New Zealand Boat Show Edwin, Kathlyn and parents Adrian and Margaret won a boating marine safety quiz sponsored by the Auckland Regional Council, Maritime New Zealand and Environment Waikato. The prize was a family pack of Hutchwilco lifejackets.
The four called at the Marine Rescue Centre at Mechanics Bay to collect their prize from harbourmaster John Lee-Richards, who echoed the contest judges' praise of the Delaat family's boating safety ethic. He rewarded them with a trip by patrol boat to the Viaduct Basin, where Edwin had an 11th birthday treat booked: A harbour cruise with Sail NZ aboard the America's Cup yacht NZL 42.
The Delaats do their own boating in a more sedate motor-sailer, spending as much time as possible on the Hauraki Gulf with the children, particularly Kathlyn, showing a particular interest in exploring the islands and studying the flora and fauna.
Parents Adrian, a property developer and multi-lingual Margaret, a MAF airport quarantine officer, have always emphasised the safety afloat messages to the children on boating expeditions.
Adrian: "When they first showed an interest in the radio as a piece of electronic equipment that seemed the next best thing to an X-box on the boat it was easy to explain how vital a link the radio was.
"I pointed out than only people with a VHF licence could use the radio other than in an emergency and Edwin asked who would call the coastguard if there was a problem on our boat. That's when we decided to make doing the course a family affair."
The children have been doing the trip reports since completing the course and have also been helping out in the Taikata Yacht Club control tower on race days and operating the VHF from the chase boat.
Edwin sails an Optimist at the club and has a P-class ready for his next step up the sailing ladder. His hero is Sir Peter Blake and the new Day Skipper graduate hopes to follow the Blake example and progress to a professional sailing career. Before achieving that goal Edwin plans to continue his boating education and as soon as he is old enough become a coastguard volunteer.
Neil Murray, Coastguard Boating Education training and development manager, welcomed the example set by the Delaat family for other boaters. "It was great to see the two children completing the VHF course last year and to have Edwin go on to get the Day Skipper ticket. Young people are often really receptive of safety messages, whatever the activity, and have a great capacity to learn.
"I'm sure I am not alone as a parent having been on the receiving end of a cautionary comment now and then from one of my sons. CBE offers a wide range of courses, both theory and practical, to suit all types of boating.
"We hope more families will follow the Delaats' lead," said Murray.
