Tidelines: To the rescue

Changes are coming to on-the-water rescue services. Auckland Volunteer Coastguard voted unanimously to split its organisation into two entities.

Coastguard Northern region will be responsible for the 24-hour operations and communications centre, air patrol and administration. Auckland Coastguard Inc will run the rescue fleet, including the new 14.6m Naiad, Lion Foundation Rescue.

The move completes the restructure of the coastguard nationally. Four regions will fund and manage the largely volunteer organisation that has provided a search and rescue service for 70 years.

Fleet grows

South Pacific Sailing Holidays, the agents for Sunsail in New Zealand and Tonga, have added three new yachts to their growing fleet.

The boats are a Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 393, a Jenneau Sun Odyssey 35 and a Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 423. They are available for bareboat charter in the Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Islands. The Beneteau 393 will be based at Vava'u in Tonga from March.

Managing director Shane Walker says the company has 16 yachts in two New Zealand ports (Auckland and Opua) and nine in Tonga.

Water-Watch

Coroners have been saying everyone should wear a lifejacket when a boat is under way. The law states that every person aboard must have access to a correctly fitting lifejacket. The onus to ensure this is on the skipper. Jackets can be hired from Coastguard courtesy of Safety at Sea.

Children's jackets cost $10 for the weekend and adults $20 (half price for members). Even babies can be protected with inflatable cots. Call Andrew on 09 357 1306 or call in at the Marine Rescue Centre, 3 Solent St, Mechanics Bay.

* Clubs and organisations planning events in or on the Waitemata or Manukau harbours should register well in advance with the Auckland Regional Council Enviroline on (09) 360 2070. The new 24-hour response number for the ARC maritime unit is (09) 362 0397.

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