It has been a difficult summer for many on the water.
At least six people drowned during the holiday period, and last week fisherman Will Fransen miraculously survived almost 24 hours adrift at sea after he fell out of his boat.
Amid the high season for water-related accidents, the Coastguard will be visiting boating hotspots under its Old4New life jackets scheme, until Waitangi weekend.
The Coastguard's head of operations, Rod McCaw, spoke to Charlotte Cook.
