A boatie has been convicted and fined after his vessel capsized and rolled while trying to cross the Raglan bar in poor conditions, trapping himself and his wife under the boat.
Jaswant Chand, who owned the boat, had attempted to cross a sandspit at the southern end of the Raglan bar to go fishing with his wife and son aboard.
Conditions were described as being “hazardous” on the day of the incident.
The boat capsized, trapping Chand and his wife underneath.
He managed to push his wife free before he became trapped himself, needing to be rescued by surf lifesavers.
The vessel was recovered and towed into Raglan Harbour by the Coastguard.
Chand was charged with operating a vessel in a dangerous manner — a charge which carried a maximum sentence of 12 months in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.
“The defendant and his passengers faced a real risk of serious injury or drowning as a result of this incident,” acting Waikato regional harbourmaster Hayden Coburn said.
Appearing in the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday, Chand was convicted and fined $3000.
Coburn said the incident served as a warning to all boaties about the risks of bar crossings.
He said all skippers should be “well prepared, properly equipped and ready to change their plans if conditions are unsafe”.
“There will always be a better day to get out on the water.”
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Sand bars are common at harbour and river entrances throughout New Zealand, and could be a hazardous environment due to a combination of weather, tides, and currents, causing waves to break unpredictably.
In June, two people died and another was injured after a boat capsized on the bar at the mouth of the Pātea River in south Taranaki.
In August 2024, three people were killed when a boat capsized on a bar west of Invercargill. In October of that same year, one person died and five others were injured after a boat flipped on the Manukau Bar.
“For many boaties, crossing a bar is unavoidable to reach open water — but it can be extremely dangerous, even for experienced skippers,” the Waikato Regional Council said.
The council urged anyone planning to cross a bar to:
- check the marine weather forecast within 12 hours before sailing
- check tides and avoid crossing at low tide
- seek local knowledge about conditions, and use live bar camera feeds where available
- secure all loose gear and ensure everyone is wearing a properly fitted lifejacket
- carry at least two forms of waterproof communication equipment
- spend time observing the bar before attempting to cross
- contact Coastguard on VHF to advise them of your crossing plans and report in once safely across.
“If you’re new to an area, it’s always safest to take an experienced skipper with you to help assess the risks and guide your decisions,” Coburn said.
“And most importantly, if you’re in doubt – don’t go out.”