Coastguard Kawau – Volunteers keeping boaties safe

Coastguard Kawau hasn’t written an article for the Mahurangi Matters for sometime, but having been given the opportunity, here is the first of an occasional column.

Coastguard Kawau is based at the Sandspit Marina. Initially, we launched from the beach but since last October, we have been renting a berth at the marina. The unit has some 25 volunteers who are divided into three crews, as well as some shore crew who don’t go out in the boat. Each crew is on call for one week in three. As people work, often in Auckland, to ensure cover during the day we have crew who are often retired or self-employed, and also able to respond during the day.

We try to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and have a good history of responding even over statutory holidays. During the last two years, for example, we attended serious events on Christmas day, and that is not unusual. Similarly, we always see callouts over Easter, Auckland Anniversary weekend, and other holidays.

Over the year, we respond to around 100 callouts, an average of two a week. You can’t predict when a callout will occur, or if it will be minor (such as a flat battery), or a situation where lives are at risk.

Our boat is a 10.3 m Naiad with two 315HP engines and jet propulsion units. It is a registered commercial vessel so it is surveyed and run under Maritime New Zealand regulations.

Everyone in the unit is a volunteer and they come from all walks of life. Volunteers donate 150 to 200 hours a year.

Our skippers are certified by Maritime NZ and complete a rigorous training programme. The crew also have training programmes to achieve various levels of competency to ensure the safe operation of the boat. Generally, most crew take around a year to become “Qualified Crew” and then around another three years to get the training and experience to become a skipper.

Crewing the boat requires at least one skipper and two qualified crew. However, in some circumstances, like a search for people in the water, we take at least six people with us to ensure all duties are covered, especially lookouts.

We rely mainly on donations and fundraising, with fuel for callouts and some maintenance funded by Coastguard New Zealand. Boat maintenance alone can run to $40,000 annually. Apart from normal servicing, there is always equipment failure. For example, we replaced our radar transmitter last year after around eight years of service.

We have a Golf Day at Omaha links course coming up on the May 8, so reserve that day and come along to support Coastguard Kawau. More details in the coming months.