It has been revealed up to 50 per cent of rescues carried out at sea by the coastguard are for flat batteries in boats.
Battery World Bunbury’s Matt Giles said they were on a campaign to improve safety out at sea.
“We tend to forget when we took the boat out last, we might use them frequently for a few weeks at the start of the year – then they sit there for a few months and the battery deteriorates through lack of use at about a rate of one per cent a day,” he said.
Boating enthusiast James McManaway still remembers how awful he felt when he needed to be rescued when his boat wouldn’t start after a days fishing.
“There could be little or no marine traffic where you are and the weather can change and suddenly you are in a life-threatening situation. I always fire the boat up in the yard first to make sure it is good to go and if you don’t belong to the coast guard there is a rescue cost – and a new battery is a lot cheaper,” Mr McManaway said.
Mr Giles said because batteries are hidden away they’re out of mind and get forgotten.
“We offer free battery checks for both marine and automotive batteries.”
Blayde Grzelka
Journalist for the Bunbury Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
Journalist for the Bunbury Mail, Australian Community Media, and Fairfax Media.
