ADVERTORIAL Boating Apps
IN THE HALLS
SAIL SAFER
SPENDING TIME ON THE WATER IS PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN WAY OF LIFE. SMARTPHONE APPS CAN HELP MAKE THE MOST OF THE BOATING LIFE. ON HAND: Marine Rescue NSW can respond more quickly to emergencies if they know where you are.
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oating is all about freedom. Getting on the water and enjoying our fabulous waterways with family and friends. A great day however is a safe day and there are some leading boating apps available that can truly help deliver a safe, responsible and enjoyable time on the water. In NSW the Marine Rescue NSW log on/ off app provides boaters with a valuable safety net. When you log on with Marine Rescue NSW, they know where you're heading and when you're planning to return. In just a few minutes you can be on your way, knowing more than 3000 trained and equipped search and rescue personnel are watching out for you. The Marine Rescue NSW app also offers you a live safety tracking option, automatically updating your position every 30 minutes. Knowing where to start searching for you if you’re missing can mean the difference between life and death. There’s also a range of valuable safety tools and information in the app: • Local tide, weather and sea conditions; • Boat ramp locations and popular fishing spots; • Safety checklist; • Emergency call procedures and more. The Marine Rescue NSW app is a great addition to your marine radio and EPIRB. But remember, it doesn’t replace these items and you should
always ensure you’re carrying all required equipment to request help in an emergency.
GET APP-DATED
Download the free app today from the App Store or Google Play: www. mrnsw.com.au/app While you’re about it, the Bureau of Meteorology and several other providers offer very useful weatherforecasting and tide-predicting apps too. Having an idea about what the rest of the day holds may influence where you go, when you leave and crucially, when you return.
Testing time
At the start of every season, it’s worth taking the time to check and test all your safety equipment and replace anything which is beyond its recommended best-by date, has
been opened and partially used or has been damaged over the previous season. Besides the radio and EPIRB, things to check especially include fire extinguishers, First Aid kits and emergency flares. Having these and other pieces of safety equipment on board but not knowing how to use them makes them effectively useless. Take the time to find out how they work, take a First Aid course and perhaps train up another responsible adult also likely to be aboard. Brush up on navigation and radio procedure skills too, if appropriate. Stowing safety equipment in a logical, accessible place helps when you have seconds to act, perhaps with adhesive vinyl pictogram labels to alert other people to their location. And, before setting off on the water, make sure everyone on board knows what to do and not to do when away from land. Find Marine Rescue NSW at Stand 600 in the Halls. Visit marinerescuensw.com.au
APP INNOVATION
Deckee is a free boating app used by more than 300,000 boaters so far and earning the support of several state governments for its innovative capabilities. The Deckee app is built to be a swiss army knife for anyone spending time on the water – it’s the ultimate companion app. It’s a situational awareness tool, an activity tracker, a marine weather dashboard, and its a source of local knowledge, heatmaps, real-time alerts and official information. Deckee also supports further education by delivering a growing list of online boating courses via its
education partners, such as Above & Beyond Boating. From marine radio use through to safety and sea survival (naturally such courses have practical in-person components where appropriate). The app was accelerated into the public domain after winning the Transport for NSW Innovation Challenge. Download from the App Store or Google Play 'Deckee Boating'.
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