Labour Weekend heralds the start of the Otago Regional Council’s summer safety campaign, led by the Harbourmaster team, who patrol coastal Otago and Central Otago lakes. 

This year the focus is on wearing a properly fitting lifejacket, and, making sure that if you fall off your boat, or paddleboard, you’d know what to do to keep yourself safe.  

 Otago Regional Council Harbourmaster Steve Rushbrook says, “Heading out on the water this summer? You need to know your lifejacket works before you leave the land. The only way to know is to check it regularly.”

Too loose? You may as well not be wearing one. Check children’s lifejackets are correctly sized. 

Kapok lifejackets (pictured below) are unsafe: check, destroy, replace. Used to fill lifejackets 30 years ago, we now know kapok can absorb water and cause wearers to sink.  

Cotton straps rot over time: even if a lifejacket is not used. In an emergency, cotton straps can tear or break off.  

 Mr Rushbrook says lifejackets with either kapok filling or cotton straps should be destroyed and new ones purchased.

Replacing lifejackets Coastguard’s highly successful Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade will be back this year from December 1, visiting communities throughout the country. Simply bring your old, damaged out-of-date lifejackets in and receive a great discount on brand-new Hutchwilco lifejackets.