• Plan your trip - check equipment, weather and vessel
• Tell somebody where you are planning on boating and when you are expecting to return
• Don't drink and drive - less than .05 for recreational vessel operators aged 18 years and over and a person supervising a child operator of a powered vessel
• Keep a proper lookout at all times
• Only carry as many people as are permitted on your boat - and make sure there are enough appropriately sized life jackets for each person on board
• There are mandatory pieces of safety equipment you need on your vessel - make sure you know what they are and always carry every item
• Adhere to speed limits and other navigational signage
• Wear your lifejacket when boating in poor weather conditions, when crossing a coastal bar, if a squall or storm approaches, or when boating alone away from immediate help
• Know your limitations and the capabilities of your vessel - and stick to them.

Marine Crime Prevention

TIPS TO PREVENT THE THEFT OF YOUR VESSEL OR PROPERTY

There are some basic steps we can all take to protect our property from theft.

• Record all details of your boat and equipment - including serial numbers - and keep this list in a safe place
• Engrave any valuable items - you can use your driver's licence number
• Mark your dinghy with an identifying feature, such as your driver's licence number
• Fit an anti theft device to your trailer
• Fit a quality lock to your boat
• Remove valuable items from your boat when you leave it unattended. If you have to leave valuables on board, ensure they are out of sight
• Consider fitting a quality alarm to your boat

IF YOUR VESSEL IS STOLEN

• Contact the Police Assistance Line (PAL) 131 444 to make a stolen report.

• In an emergency contact Triple Zero (000).

When your boat is recovered:

DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING UNTIL A POLICE OFFICER GIVES YOU THE ALL CLEAR (UNLESS IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL)

If the surfaces on your vessel are suitable for printing, and a Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) is available, they will attend to 'dust' for prints.

The dust they use shows any latent prints, ie prints that the naked eye can not see. Once they find a print, it is photographed and compared to prints that are on the NSW Police system.

The SOCO will come to where you are, so if possible please leave the boat where it is. You will be contacted by the specially trained officer as soon as practicable to arrange a time for fingerprinting.

To download a brochure containing Boat Safety and Crime Prevention Information, please go  here:

 http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/community_issues/crime_prevention