Champagne rained on the Shellharbour Boat Ramp at the weekend as the city's new marine rescue boat was commissioned.
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The $440,000 Shellharbour Marine Rescue 30 was purpose built in Yamba and replaces a rescue boat more than 20 years old.
It has two, 250 horsepower outboard motors and can travel more than 55km out to sea at speeds of up to 74km/h.
It is controlled by a touchscreen that incorporates night vision technology and a new GPS navigational map.
Shellharbour unit commander Richard O'Connor said the vessel's latest-model radio directional finder was a game-changer for people who were in trouble at sea.
"If someone requires assistance and they don't know where they are, we can use our radio directional finder to give us a close idea," he said.
"There's been a lot of advancements from our old vessel to this vessel.
"It increases our capabilities tenfold."
Shellharbour MP Anna Watson poured champagne over the boat's bow on Saturday morning in line with marine nautical tradition, while chaplain Peter Oliver performed blessing duties.
The volunteer-run Marine Rescue unit provides assistance in cases of flat batteries, search and rescues, breakdowns, medical emergencies and persons lost overboard.
Though the Marine Rescue Shellharbour 30 was officially commissioned on Sunday, it has been in regular use since June.
It was involved in the rescue of two fishermen and a child after their vessel lost power in waters between Kiama and Bass Point earlier in the month.