Australian boating safety app Deckee has experienced 120 per cent growth in downloads in Tasmania, after being selected as the official safety app by Marine and Safety Tasmania (MAST).
The app provides official safety information, points of interest and detailed weather conditions, helping to make time on the water safe and enjoyable.
Since receiving the endorsement, the app has helped local authorities to protect thousands of Tasmanians through its safety features. These include access to all MAST marine and safety information, links to boat registration and licensing, trip preparation checklists and navigational rules, to name a few.
Boaters exploring Tasmania’s 4,882 kilometres of coastline can check their surroundings by using its comprehensive satellite map. The app also enables boaters to check weather conditions, speed zones, visibility of restricted locations and be aware of nearby vessels – all potentially life-saving features.
Users can contribute their own knowledge, by providing updates on points of interest, marine facilities and services and add missing information to help improve the map for the community. They can set reminders and expiry dates for their boat licence, boat registration and safety equipment such as lifejackets, flares, emergency beacons and fire extinguishers.
MAST CEO Lia Morris is calling on Tasmanians to ensure they are up-to-date with key knowledge before taking to the water this summer.
“Deckee helps make recreational boaties and fishers time on the water more safe and enjoyable,” Morris said.
“The majority of boating accidents in Tasmania occur over holiday periods, happening between December-January and Easter every year.
“With over 62,000 boating license holders in Tasmania, and 30,907 registered vessels with each taking an average of 18 trips per year, that’s a big number of potential incidents, making water safety knowledge more important than ever.”
