Offshore rescue a timely warning

South West skippers are being urged to check the safety of their boats ahead of summer following a lengthy rescue at the weekend.

Bunbury Sea Rescue volunteers performed a six-and-a-half-hour rescue on Saturday after a fisherman’s boat broke down about 37km off the coast.

The fishermen were able to contact rescue crews to notify them of their engine troubles and provide exact coordinates before volunteers set out to tow the boat back about 1pm.

While the rescue ran smoothly for the volunteer group, the situation could have been worse, according to training skipper Brett Ladhams.

“Most of our rescues are breakdowns that could easily turn nasty if the conditions turn bad,” Mr Ladhams said.

“Saturday’s rescue-tow was what we train for, but our principal rescue boat was out of action due to maintenance so we had to use our second rescue boat which is substantially smaller.

“If the weather was bad we could’ve opted out of the rescue altogether.”

Mr Ladhams said it was essential boat owners made sure safety checks were done before hitting the water, including battery checks, fresh fuel and checking flares, vests and radios were in good condition.

“While good maintenance is essential, breakdowns can’t always be guarded against, so keeping a safe boat and knowing how to contact rescue organisations and the police is good insurance,” he said.

The State Government has ramped up its boat safety campaign reminding skippers of the importance of regular boat maintenance and the checking of safety equipment ahead of the boating season.

According to the Government, boat breakdowns accounted for 639 rescues in the 2015-16 year.

Former Transport Minister Dean Nalder last week said the majority of last year’s rescues could have been avoided.

“Unfortunately skippers who fail to do this put their safety and those on board at risk and also waste the precious resources of our volunteer rescue groups,” Mr Nalder said.