Collisions and near misses increase on harbour

This motor launch was cut in two in a collision with the Waiheke ferry. Photo / Natalie Slade

Six collisions on Auckland harbour in six weeks have sparked calls for boaties to take more care on the water.

The spate of collisions and near-misses includes small craft near swimmer-only areas and speeding vessels too close to shore, or in narrow waterways.

At least one collision is being investigated by police and could lead to prosecution. Others will be given infringement notices by the harbourmaster, who wants people to understand the rules better before they go on the water.

"A lot of different varieties of water craft all mixing in the same space ... as time goes on we're getting more and more craft out there and the margins between the two are slimming down,"Auckland Council Harbourmaster John Lee-Richards said.

Also of concern was the time it took to patrol the area with limited resources.

He said the size of modern boats was also a problem because it was not just the classic "tinny" or yacht on the water any more.

When swimmers and divers were added to the mix, the chance of collisions grew much higher - particularly when boats came too close to shore.

"Getting excited and carried away by the day and ripping in too close to shore, and then you get people who are swimming being suddenly confronted by a jetski ...

"There's a lot more activity out there and because of that the margins are getting slimmer, and therefore much more caution is required," Mr Lee-Richards said.

The officer in charge of the police maritime unit, Senior Sergeant Martin Paget, told the Herald there was "no question" there were more collisions.

"There are more and more people using boats. It could be weather related - and probably is in some cases - but the problem is the area in which they are going boating isn't getting any bigger, so we are getting more congestion."

With that in mind, Mr Paget said the requirement for boaties to be competent had became more important.

"Unfortunately we not seeing an increase in level of competence across all sectors in recreational boating ... We are seeing complacent people who are lulled by the nice weather and not complying with their legal responsibilities to have a proper lookout."

There were others who were "simply incompetent and shouldn't be out on a boat anyway".

The water could be just as dangerous as the roads, he said. "If you have slow collision in your car you can usually stop and sort it out."

But even a low-speed collision between boats could prove fatal if one of them sank.

Meanwhile, Maritime New Zealand is still investigating the collision of the Waiheke ferry and a 7.5m launch last September which injured two boaties.