Hutchwilco are NZ’s oldest manufacturer of life jackets. The only problem is their customers keep dying, because the target audience of recreational fishermen don’t tell anyone where they’re going when they go fishing.

The problem is, no matter how good Hutchwilco’s lifejackets are, if no one knows where fishermen go, the likelihood of finding them if they get in trouble is close to impossible.

To combat this, we came up with Secret Fishing Spots, an iPhone app that allows fishermen to log their secret spots, without giving them away to everyone. When they go out fishing, all they do is drop a few GPS pins on the map at their favorite spots, then select the spots they’re going to each time they head out.

The only time anyone can see these spots is if for some reason they don’t come home. A loved one they have nominated can log on to secretfishingspots.co.nz and see all their pins. They can then send these coordinates straight to emergency services with the touch of a button.

While fishermen are out there the app also lets them log the fish they've caught at their spots, as well as connect to Facebook and boast about their catches. Without revealing where they caught them, of course.

Over the summer the app has consistently stayed in the top 10 free sporting apps on itunes, and over 2,000 spots have been registered, quite a big deal for a demographic who tend not to tell a soul where they go. For Hutchwilco, it’s built up a new database and a whole way of talking directly to their customers, as well as learn valuable data about how they behave on the water.

Most importantly, it’s provided fishermen and their families with a valuable tool to keep themselves safe.

It’s a part of boatie folklore not to share their favourite spots. The app lets them keep their spots secret from all their mates while still providing a comprehensive database to be accessed, should they run into trouble.

The app also helps fishermen do what they do best – boast. They can use it to connect to Facebook and boast about the fish they’ve caught at which secret spots. Without revealing the location of said spots, of course.

Over the summer the target audience have kept the app consistently in the top 10 of free sporting apps on iTunes. On the app itself, over 2,000 spots have been registered - a big deal for a demographic who tend not to tell a soul where they go.

For Hutchwilco it’s built up a new database, with 50% of those registering opting in to be contacted directly by the company through this new channel.

Most importantly it’s changed the way fishermen behave, providing them and their families with a valuable tool to keep themselves safe, that they’re actually using.