Messages for boaties, divers

Water safety advocate Rob Hewitt speaks at a bar crossing seminar held at the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club on Monday evening.

Mr Hewitt said his key messages for boaties were to identify local knowledge, check the weather, tell someone where you were going, carry two forms of communication, know your boat’s capabilities and wear a life jacket.

For divers, he encouraged them to stow their gear down low in the boat.

The overall message for people getting out on the water this summer was to understand their strengths and weaknesses, Mr Hewitt said.