Around 1.5 million kiwis get out on the water in a boat each summer resulting on average in about 20 deaths.
This weekend for the first time, maritime authorities are launching a TV campaign promoting the use of vhf radios to keep recreational boaties safe alongside the annual message to wear lifejackets.
Watch as 1 NEWS reporter Paul Hobbs finds out more about the lifesaving campaign in the video above.
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