As many Australians pull their boat or kayak out of the shed this summer, maritime safety officers are warning people to take all the necessary safety precautions.
On any given day up to 12 boating safety officers are on duty in Sydney.
"In the summer periods you are mixing sail craft, motor craft, ferries, sailing boards, kayaking, stand-up surfing, stand-up paddle boarding all in one area, the harbour is chaos," said Boating Safety Officer Sean Moore.
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Mr Moore says it's important to be aware of everything from boating regulations, to weather conditions, to key safety items.
And this summer the emphasis is on one item in particular: the life jacket. In the last decade, in New South Wales alone 90 per cent of those killed on waterways were not wearing life jackets.
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