Boating safety team out in force this summer

Every summer, Waikato Regional Council’s maritime officers hit the region’s coastal and inland waters in force to help boaties stay safe and comply with the rules of the Waikato Navigation Safety Bylaw.

Recreational Harbourmaster Hayden Coburn says the council’s annual Operation Neptune programme, from Boxing Day to 11 January 2026, includes boating safety checks and enforcement of the region’s boating bylaws.

“It’s the skipper’s responsibility to ensure they know the rules and comply with them on the water,” says Mr Coburn.

“We’ll be pulling over vessels to say gidday and chat about the rules. If we notice unsafe behaviours such as life jackets not being worn, excessive speed, or vessels towing skiers without an observer, there may be some harder conversations.

“We want boaties to have fun, but it’s also a very busy time of year out on the water so we want to make sure everyone gets home safely from their summer break.”

For Operation Neptune, the council has bolstered its Maritime Services team of 12 to include about 28 volunteer staff from other areas within the organisation.

They will patrol popular recreational areas like Raglan and Kāwhia on the west coast, Coromandel Peninsula waters, and the Waikato River between Lake Arapuni and Lake Ōhakuri and from Lake Karāpiro to Port Waikato.

The maritime officers may issue breach notices that can result in fines of up to $200 per offence.

Last summer, Operation Neptune staff had over 1159 interactions with the public. A total of 261 bylaw breaches were identified, resulting in 31 diversions, 74 formal warnings and 156 fines.

Mr Coburn says it’s important for skippers to familiarise themselves with the rules of the region as they may differ.

For example, in the Waikato region, people on vessels six metres or under need to wear a life jacket while the vessel is underway. Larger vessels are required to have a life jacket for each person on board, but they’re only required to be worn under certain circumstances, such as bar crossings or times of heightened risk.

Boating rules can be found on Waikato Regional Council’s website, the MarineMate mobile phone application and are prominently displayed on signage at boat ramps around the Waikato.

This year, two skippers have been convicted in cases brought to court by Waikato Regional Council under the Maritime Transport Act 1994.

In August, a skipper was convicted and fined $3000 in the Hamilton District Court for operating a vessel in a dangerous manner after he capsized on the Raglan Bar in December 2024, putting himself and his wife and son at risk of serious injury or drowning.

Earlier this month, another skipper was convicted in the Thames District Court on two charges of careless operation of a vessel after he failed to ensure the vessel’s propeller had stopped before recovering swimmers from the water at the Alderman Islands on Christmas Eve 2022. He was fined $7200 and ordered to pay $8000 in reparation.

Mr Coburn says bar crossings can be risky and boaties need to be well prepared, properly equipped and ready to change their plans if conditions are unsafe.

“We urge all skippers to follow safe boating practices, avoid alcohol while operating vessels, and ensure engines are off when swimmers are in the water.”

Monitoring officers Fiona Forrest and Andrea Stokes recruited as maritime officers for Operation Neptune in the 2024-25 summer break.