An on-water state-wide awareness campaign this weekend will focus on making sure boaters are traveling at safe speeds and following towing rules while remaining aware of their surroundings - including what lies beneath the water's surface.

Roads and Maritime's Northern Principal Manager, Sonia McKay, said boating is a favourite past-time in the area even in cooler months, and so it was timely to remind boaters about the importance of keeping a proper lookout to help reduce the number of propeller strikes.

"Boating and swimming near boats can be dangerous. Boat propellers can too easily be ignored because they are 'out of sight and out of mind'," Ms McKay said.

"A strike from a propeller spinning at around 3200 rpm can cause serious injury or even death.

"In the past five years in NSW, there were 18 propeller strikes on NSW waters, resulting in two fatalities - one on the Williams River in January last year, and one at Swan Bay in Lake Macquarie in November 2014 - as well as 15 serious and three minor injuries.

"Propeller-related injuries are preventable and the skipper should take precautions to ensure the safety of all on board.

"Many vessels are fitted with an automatic engine cut-off device called a kill switch, activated by a lanyard attached to your arm, leg, clothing or lifejacket. A kill switch can save your life and should always be worn.

"The skipper should consider the area around the propellers as a 'hazard zone' and be vigilant in not allowing anyone to come near a spinning propeller.

"Being aware of this hazard zone is particularly important for people involved in tow sports like water-skiing and wakeboarding or where powerboats are used near swimmers or children such as during sailing school or surf club activities," Ms McKay said.

Propeller strikes and collisions are examples of what can happen when boaters don't keep a proper lookout, and could result in serious injuries and fatalities, but these are easily avoided.

The safety awareness campaign will continue until the end of the Easter long weekend.

Propeller related incidents in the Northern Region in the past five years include:

A boy died after he fell from a vessel and was struck by its propeller on Williams River at Raymond Terrace in January 2018.

A man died after he fell from a boat while travelling alone and was struck by its propeller in Swan Bay at Lake Macquarie in November 2014.

A man was taken to hospital by helicopter after he fell from a boat he was skippering and was struck by its propeller on the Myall River at Pindimar in October 2014.

FIRST HAND ADVICE FROM THE SURVIVOR OF A PROPELLER STRIKE INCIDENT

Valentine's Day 2010 is one that Ollie Minchin will never forget - for all the wrong reasons.

Ollie, 28, was participating in an Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) training exercise on Lake Burrinjuck when he and another cadet fell from the side of the boat they were travelling on and ended up in the water.

The boat and propeller circled across Ollie's body in the water, causing extensive injuries and almost rendering him a paraplegic.

"I felt a sudden rush of cold water into my body and saw a lot of maroon fluid in the water," Ollie remembered.

"I realised I could move my toes and knew that was important. I was in survival mode and just kept wading."

Ollie nearly died from blood loss but an emergency helicopter ride followed by seven hours of surgery, a month in intensive care and another two months in bed saw him survive his ordeal. After three months he was able to walk out of hospital and went back to ADFA, where he ultimately received a medical discharge.

"I ended up being known as the 'boat guy' around ADFA. I'm aware I was super lucky, it could have been a lot worse," Ollie said.

"Dad always had a boat, a little runabout, so I was familiar with boats and maybe I should have known better about the dangers of high speed manoeuvres, showing off and the risk of propeller strike."

Ollie now works in finance and recently moved back to Sydney after a stint living in New York. He's still not comfortable swimming near boats.

"I didn't get on a boat for a couple of years but my brother and friends have boats and hopefully I will own a boat one day," he said.

"We went out boating at Christmas time last year and though I didn't say anything, I wasn't feeling great about it at first.

"Boats are fun but they aren't toys. People can focus too much on getting the maximum amount of fun, and go too fast and forget about safety.

"Propellers are inherently dangerous and we don't think about what is going on beneath the water."

Ollie is also an advocate for the use of propeller guards.

"I don't think I would have been hurt with a prop guard on," he said.

"Recreational boaters should sacrifice speed for safety - do you really need the fastest boat possible?"

Roads and Maritime Services is reminding the boating community across NSW this Easter long weekend about safe boating practices and behaviours including the risks of boat propellers. The on water campaign is all about educating people on the best ways to stay safe and avoid an injury, including:

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