Campaign images and videos

Prepare to Survive: Know the Five

Ending up in the water is one of the greatest risks to the safety of boaters and paddlers in cool Victorian waters.

It happens to the best of us. And often for reasons out of our control.

Preparing to survive is a skill.

Preparing to survive is part of mastering your control of your vessel, and your knowledge of the environment.

Prepare to survive campaign

Maritime Safety Victoria experts advise that there are five fundamental steps to help ensure your survival.

Know the five

  1. Know the weather
  2. Practise getting back on
  3. Carry a distress beacon
  4. Lock in a buddy plan
  5. Wear a lifejacket

Each step is being promoted by MSV and partner agencies, alongside expert advice and personal survival story videos.

Find out more and watch the videos on the Prepare to Survive microsite

Stakeholders can download assets to share from our Campaign kit

Ride Right

Maritime Safety Victoria is helping personal watercraft (PWC) riders play by the rules.

Learn more: Ride Right - PWC rules and advice
Share: Download the Ride Right social media kit DOCX, 8.5 MB

Carry your licence

Follow speed and distance rules

Wear a lifejacket

Respect others

Carry a torch

Paddle Safe Paddle Smart

Figures show that the fatality rate among paddlers is increasing. Maritime Safety Victoria is determined to alert paddlers to the importance of wearing a lifejacket and carrying multiple means of raising the alarm.

Be able to raise the alarm

Paddling profile

Paddling profile behaviour

Paddling profile demographic

Paddling profile fatalities

Paddling behaviour and incident reports

David Hourigan, Director of Transport Safety Victoria (TSV), said he was concerned by study findings that come at a time when kayaks, canoes, sit on top kayaks, stand up paddleboards and surf skis are increasing in popularity.

"I welcome the Coroners Court report that examined data from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2016 and found that, of 107 recreational boater deaths, 19 (17.8 per cent) were paddlers.

"The 19 deceased paddlers were all males and not one had a means of raising the alarm.

"Eleven of the paddlers had a lifejacket with them and seven were wearing them - but only five had them correctly fitted."

A market research study commissioned by MSV found that paddlers thought their activity was low risk and this attitude is at odds with the Coroners findings.

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