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Coastguard Mangawhai is hosting a free workshop next month, giving local boaties the chance to learn crucial skills and gain the confidence needed to take over from a skipper if an emergency happens while out on the water.
Coastguard volunteers across Aotearoa regularly respond to incidents where a skipper becomes unwell or injured, leaving someone else on board to take over with little or no warning. Without the right knowledge or confidence, these situations can quickly become stressful and potentially dangerous.
The Suddenly in Charge workshop, to be held at the Mangawhai Boating and Fishing Club on September 12, is aimed at the local boating community, including trailer boat owners, day-trip fishers heading out across the Mangawhai Bar, and the growing number of larger vessels moored in the estuary.
“Most of our boaties are out on trailer boats for a day’s fishing, often with a mate or family member on board who isn’t the regular skipper. If something goes wrong out there, we want that person to feel confident enough to take charge, call for help, and bring everyone home safely,” Coastguard Mangawhai president Ron Lucca says.
The hands-on session will cover essential boat-handling basics, emergency communications, including VHF radio use and distress calls, and how to prioritise actions under pressure.
“It’s not about turning everyone into an expert skipper overnight. It’s about having clear steps, some practical skills, and the confidence to act calmly if you suddenly find yourself in charge,” Lucca says.
The workshops have already been successfully rolled out at Coastguard units across the country, including Waiheke Island, Rotorua Lakes, Gisborne and Queenstown. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees describing the sessions as empowering, welcoming and a genuine confidence boost.
“We’ve seen how much value people get out of these sessions in other parts of the country, and we’re looking forward to bringing that same practical approach to our own boaties here in Mangawhai,” Lucca says.
The workshop is part of Coastguard’s wider focus on prevention and preparedness, recognising that many boating incidents start with human factors rather than just bad weather, and that confidence can be as important as skill.
“If you’re thinking about it, come along. It costs nothing, it could make all the difference, and there’s already a lot of interest among our club members,” Lucca says.
While the workshop is free, donations will be gratefully accepted on the day to help fund Coastguard Mangawhai’s ongoing work saving lives on the water.
There is limited capacity, with participant numbers capped at 25. To register for the workshop, visit events.humanitix.com/suddenly-in-charge-mangawhai
Suddenly in Charge workshop
When: 1pm–3.30pm, Saturday 12 September
Where: Mangawhai Boating & Fishing Club, 2 Alamar Crescent, Mangawhai Heads
Cost: Free (donations welcome)
Register: events.humanitix.com/suddenly-in-charge-mangawhai
