"When we're talking about cultural change and cultural behaviour, these are the things we need to target. Many times I've been out on the boat and I'll see kids wearing their lifejackets, but Dad's not wearing a lifejacket." —
Rob Hewitt, speaking to Waatea News
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Nearly two decades ago, the name Rob Hewitt gripped an entire nation. For 75 hours, New Zealanders followed the search for the former Navy diver, willing him to be found alive, the tension made all the more personal through his connection to All Black legend and brother Norm Hewitt. Against all odds, he was found just 500 metres off Mana Island, near Porirua, alive after days alone in a cold sea. That ordeal has never left him, and it continues to drive the water safety message he carries to this day.
Now, Hewitt is directing that message squarely at Kiwi dads, urging them to rethink their attitude when they head out on the water. The ask is straightforward: put on a lifejacket.
The numbers behind his concern are stark. Data from Water Safety New Zealand shows that over the past decade, more than 76 percent of people who drowned in boating incidents were not wearing lifejackets at the time. Far from improving, the situation deteriorated in 2024, when that figure climbed to 90 percent. The typical victim is a man in a small vessel, often out fishing, caught off guard by a sudden capsize or an unexpected fall overboard with no opportunity to react.
The pattern Hewitt keeps encountering on the water illustrates the cultural problem he wants to address. Children wearing their lifejackets properly while the adults around them go without is a scene he recognises all too well, and it is precisely the behaviour he is asking people to reconsider. His point is not complicated: if a lifejacket is important enough for the kids on board, it is important enough for Dad too.
Water Safety New Zealand, Coastguard, and the NZ Search and Rescue Secretariat, where Hewitt serves as Kaihautū Māori, are consistent in their guidance. Always wear a properly fitted lifejacket, carry two waterproof means of calling for help, and check the marine weather forecast before leaving the shore.
Understanding the equipment you rely on is just as important as having it. A recent event brought together Wild Chix, the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), and Tauranga Coastguard, and the Go Boating NZ team was there to take part. The Coastguard team walked participants through the mechanics, correct fit, and real-world feel of inflatable lifejackets, including a demonstration of how they deploy. It was an eye-opening session and a reminder that familiarity with your gear can matter as much as owning it. More from that day will be shared in a future article.
The experience that nearly claimed Hewitt's life has given his advocacy a weight that few others can match. No amount of time on the water makes a person immune to disaster, and pride is not something that keeps anyone afloat.
