When Police called a Hamilton man about his boat and
trailer in November 2024, he was sure it was still in his
driveway. It wasn’t. Officers had already found it 90
kilometres away in Tuakau. The theft had happened in the
previous 24 hours – and the boat was already back home
before he even knew it was gone.
He’s one of just
14% of owners who ever see their stolen boats
again.
Right now, it’s easy to assume more vessels
and gear are missing than sit on the NZ Police stolen
vessels database. Most vessels will never be seen again.
Thieves strip them for parts, ship them offshore, or repaint
and rename them. Even when police recover vessels, many
can’t be returned because no one can prove
ownership.
That’s exactly what NZ Boat Register
built AquaTAG to fix – turning every smartphone into an
instant boat ID tool.
Why Your Current Boat ID Will
Fail You
Picture this: Your tender drifts away from
the marina. Someone finds it three days later on a beach 15
kilometres away. They want to return it; they’re honest. But
how?
Decals peel. Paint fades. Sticker curl. When it
matters, nothing’s left to identify your boat. They could
call the coastguard, file a report with the police, post on
Facebook community pages… or simply leave it there. Too
hard.
AquaTAG’s NFC chip survives what the sea
throws at it: salt, sun, and time.
AquaTAG
works differently. Each tag contains an embedded
NFC chip. The same technology in your bank card, sealed in
ultra-rugged, waterproof PVC that’s built to survive the New
Zealand marine environment. Salt spray. UV exposure.
Temperature extremes from -25°C to +70°C. Getting bashed
on trailers. The tag may just outlast the boat.
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“We
needed something that would survive when everything else
fails,” says Nick Walton, Co-Founder & Technical
Director of NZ Boat Register. “Stickers fade. Paint
wears off. Paper gets soaked. But an NFC chip sealed in
marine-grade PVC? That is downright
hardwearing.”
Anyone who finds your boat simply taps
their smartphone against the tag. No app download. No
account needed. Just tap and they’re instantly connected to
your vessel’s secure profile with a direct way to message
the registered owner.
Choose Your Level of
Security
AquaTAG comes in three formats, each
designed for different vessels and security
needs:
Bolt-On Tags for high-impact
surfaces (hulls, trailers, floats, rugged kayaks). With a
hardened plastic shell, industrial-strength 3M™ VHB
backing, and twin mounting holes for riveting or screwing,
this tag stays put.
Stick-On Tags for
clean installation anywhere on your hull, deck, or cabin. 3M
adhesive bonds extremely well to flat surfaces. Perfect for
the boat itself.
Tie-On Tags for gear
that moves: kayaks, SUPs, lifejackets, even your favourite
fishing rods. Thread through any D-ring or handle. Goes
where you go.
Your Privacy, Your Control
When
someone scans your AquaTAG, they see: boat type, information
you have chosen to make public, and a secure message
button.
They don’t see: your name, address, phone
number, or any personal details you haven’t chosen to
share.
The secure messaging system works to protect
privacy. Scans show your boat info, not your personal
details. A secure message lets finders contact you without
exposing your identity.
Could You Prove That’s Your
Boat?
If your boat disappeared tonight, could you
prove it’s yours tomorrow? Most owners can’t. AquaTAG
connects every proof photo, serial number and records to
your digital boat ID.
One place, always accessible,
always yours.
Your AquaTAG connects to a permanent
digital record on the NZ Boat Register that can include all
of this:
- High-resolution photos from every
angle - Hull, engine, and trailer serial
numbers - Manufacturer details and
specifications - Maintenance and purchase
records - Safety equipment inventory
- Emergency
contacts
All the proof you need for ownership,
insurance, or emergency response—linked to a single
waterproof tag that costs just $20.
When your boat
changes hands, the new owner can verify its complete history
and soon update the registration instantly. For buyers, it’s
transparency. For sellers, it serves as proof of proper
care.
Real-World Reliability
Each AquaTAG uses
the NTAG213 chip. Proven technology used in access control
systems, transport cards, and authentication products
worldwide. The marine-grade package
is:
- IP67 waterproof
(submersible, not just splashproof) - UV
resistant (won’t degrade in
sunlight) - Temperature stable
(-25°C to +70°C) - Universal
compatibility (any NFC smartphone, no app
needed)
Unlike QR codes that fade after one
summer, or RFID tags that need special readers, NFC is the
perfect balance of durability, accessibility, and security.
Your phone already has the reader built in.
When No
One Can Identify a Boat
Whangamata, March 2025. A
brand new Highfield tender with a Yamaha 15-horsepower
outboard – worth thousands – was moored to a yacht on the
Wentworth River. Overnight, thieves paddled out, cut the
chains, and disappeared into the dark.
The tender’s
bright colour made it easy to recognise. However, when
someone spotted it, there was no way to know it was stolen –
or how to contact the owner. It simply vanished.
Bay
of Islands, September 2020. Police uncovered a stolen
12-metre yacht being used as a floating warehouse. It’s
packed with dive gear, fish finders, electronics, and
property stolen from over a dozen boats and
baches.
The yacht had been renamed. Sail numbers
altered. Classic identity obfuscation. When ownership
couldn’t be quickly verified, the yacht became invisible,
just another boat in the bay, filled with hundreds of
thousands of dollars in stolen goods.
These stories
share a common thread: when no one can quickly
identify a boat and contact its owner, the boat is
effectively lost.
Right now, over 1,200
stolen vessels are listed with the NZ Police stolen vessels
database. Only 14% are ever recovered. The rest vanish –
because without fast identification, thieves know boats are
untraceable.
AquaTAG changes this equation. One tap.
Instant owner contact. Whether your boat drifts away, gets
stolen, or is found abandoned. Anyone with a smartphone can
notify you immediately, without exposing your personal
details and without needing to find serial numbers stamped
under layers of marine growth.
From Northland to
Southland, inland lakes to coastal waters, AquaTAG gives
every Kiwi boat owner one thing that’s been missing from
marine security: a quick, undeniable way to prove
and protect ownership.
Don’t Wait Until It’s
Gone
AquaTAGs start at $20, with lifetime
registration on the NZ Boat Register. Less than a tank of
fuel. Less than a day’s marina fees. But it might be the
difference between losing your boat or getting it
back.
But it’s the difference between getting your
boat back and adding it to the 86% that are never
recovered.
One tag. One tap. Your boat can be
identified.
About NZ Boat Register
NZ Boat
Register is New Zealand’s first nationwide platform for
recreational watercraft identification and registration.
Operating as a profit-for-good venture, the company provides
free boat registration and develops innovative products like
AquaTAG ID tags and AquaGPS location tracking to support
boat owners, emergency services, and the marine industry. A
portion of all revenue is reinvested into New Zealand’s
boating communities.
Website: nzboatregister.co.nz
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