Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i Boating NZ

36 Degrees Brokers invites Maritimo owners to an exclusive Maritimo Muster at Man O’ War Winery, Waiheke Island, March 29-30. Whether cruising on your own Maritimo or taking the ferry, enjoy two days of fine wine and dining, adventure and great company at Man O’War. Saturday, March 29 will feature a scenic cruise through the Hauraki Gulf to Man O’War Bay to enjoy wine tastings, a delicious four course lunch at the Tasting Room (RSVP required), and time to relax on the lawn or take a dip in Man O’ War Bay. Sunday, March 30 offers a Lucky Door Prize for the new Forest Flight Zipline, where winners will soar through ancient kauri canopies and stroll through native bush. This is an unmissable opportunity to connect with fellow owners and…

Marra Marine, Tauranga NZ, has delivered a 14m Elite named Kaeā to a Wellington based owner who holidays in Tauranga. The boat will stay in the Bay of Plenty for a year before heading down to live in Picton. Kaeā, meaning ‘leader’ or ‘to lead’, is the first new-build for Marra Marine, after years of specialising in refit work. Displacing 11.5 tonnes, Kaeā is powered by twin Cummins QSB 6.7-litre 480hp diesels. “Kaeā is a beautifully crafted, traditionally styled sedan with a strong focus on performance – designed to cruise efficiently across the Cook Strait with speed and ease. We’re incredibly proud of this build; Kaeā is a true reflection of our commitment to excellence, precision craftsmanship, and performance on the water,” says Tim Marra, Marra Marine owner and CEO.…

The passage from Opua to Savusavu was coming to an end. We had been underway for about seven days already and within AIS range of numerous sailboats from the Pacific Rally Fleet for most of the 1200-mile run. We were ahead of Aldabra, a Catalina 42, for most of the trip, and following Womble, a 50-foot Seawind Offshore sailing cat. We averaged 6.5 knots in the sloppy and rather unpleasant conditions, but we were not sailing. Instead, we were passage-making aboard a Long-Distance Power Cruiser (LDPC), as coined by Robert Beebe in 1975 in his book, Voyaging Under Power. Finally, on the eighth day, we cleared in with Fiji officials at Nawi Island Marina and were slowly coming back down from the offshore watch schedule, in the twilight zone of…

Whether it is an adaptive foredeck lounge, more natural light in the reconfigured galley (M version only), new overhead panelling, gunwale doors, aft boarding gates, or substantial entertainment module with inbuilt lazarette access, this names but a few. They are all brilliant and can be packaged up to suit your very needs. Of course, they also bring the vessels (M and S [Sedan] versions of 55, 60 and 600) into the same realm as the distinguished M and S75 by adopting some of the styling cues, and hence the ‘Black Edition’ name. That means enriched practicality walks hand-in-hand with Maritimo’s distinct and sleek style. Ultimately it is versatility that becomes the big winner for you. Whether you’re a multigenerational boater and need to account for children and fur kids or…

ORGANISERS OF THE HUTCHWILCO New Zealand Boat Show, May 15 to 18, have announced the Grand Prize Boat for 2025. The brand-new Surtees 770 Gamefisher, worth over $360,000, is the biggest prize ever offered at the show. This top-tier vessel combines cutting-edge design and exceptional functionality. It includes the most powerful Yamaha engine yet, over $25,000 of Garmin Electronics, a high-quality GFab aluminium trailer, as well as a bow thruster, drum winch, Zip Wake trim control and much, much more. Simply purchase tickets to The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show online and the Grand Prize could be yours. Every ticket bought online before Monday May 12 gives you a bonus entry into the draw*. Early Bird online tickets: Adults $25 | Children 6 -15 years $5 | Children 5 and…

Distributed by Volpower NZ Limited for New Zealand & Pacific Islands ph. 0800 865 769 or 092744305 www.volpower.co.nz Authorized dealer for Volvo Penta Introducing a new generation of our D4 and D6 propulsion packages, from 150–480 hp. After having spent years refining and developing the proven platform ever further, this complete system delivers new exciting features – from helm to propeller. All to offer you the ultimate boating experience. Visit our store or www.volpower.co.nz to learn more. NEW D4 & D6 PROPULSION PACKAGES…

NEW ZEALANDERS get the opportunity to embrace the superyacht life with the presentation at this year’ Auckland Boat show of the NB77 Wildcat project, a Riechel-Pugh 42m superyacht that started life at Navi Perini in Italy. This luxury sailboat was 30% complete when Navi Perini went into receivership, but the unfinished yacht was bought off the receivers by Omani billionaire businessman Mr Al Barwani for family cruising. He decided to finish it at Turquoise, his Turkish shipyard, but Mr Barwani has since decided the yacht is too small and offered it for sale. McD Yachts will present the Wildcat project to New Zealand at the Auckland Boat Show. Completion is expected mid-2026. For more details on the vessel checkout Boating NZ’s dedicated website or scan the QR code below. www.boatingnz.co.nz/AucklandBoatShow…

THE NEW ALUMINA SERIES from AB Inflatables is the most complete aluminium console boat on the market. Combining exceptional strength and durability with a lightweight design, the new 13 and 14 Alumina offer unmatched ease of handling. This makes launching, lifting onto davits, or simply pulling up to the beach a breeze. A new console provides ample room for your favourite accessories, and comes with an integrated handrail and cupholder. For even more flexibility, customers can opt for a removable lateral seat which offers a convenient spot for an extra passenger without compromising space. It can easily be detached and stored away to create a clear walkway. In addition, the rear area is equipped with a flat platform and optional stern ladder for convenient boarding. See the new 13 and…

Joining a regular volunteer crew of four, plus two trainees, and Coastguard NZ’s communications Manager Kimberley Waters, Newstalk ZB’s Tyler Adams and I spent several hours on the bridge of Trillian Trust Rescue (TTR) watching, talking and listening to the crew in action. The 15.5m monohull with an inflatable collar was purpose-built for Auckland Coastguard. Powered by twin 700hp engines, TTR is propeller-driven, has a maximum speed of 33 knots, and features a comprehensive galley and sleeping facilities for the crew (minimum crew of four). Like the other two vessels in Auckland Coastguard’s fleet – the 14.95m foil-assisted catamaran Lion Foundation Rescue and 9m Protector RIB Trillian Rescue Alpha, she boasts premium navigation and communications equipment with redundancy built in to all her major systems. We left from Auckland Coastguard’s…

An impressive fleet of tugboats and classic launches put on an exciting show for the crowds of spectators gathered on the Westhaven breakwater to watch the racing on Auckland Anniversary Day, January 27. While the windy conditions prevented many of the classic yachts and keelers from taking part, there was still plenty to watch and enjoy throughout the City of Sails on her 185th birthday. Among the stars of the day were the Waka Ama fleet who bravely paddled against strong winds from Orakei to Westhaven to start their race, with all ages from teenagers to those in their 70s represented among the crews. In the Viaduct Harbour the Dragon Boat racing was fiercely contested by scores of colourful crews, much to the delight of onlookers around the shore. Meanwhile…

January 16, 2025, was a historic day for Coastguard Tautiaki Moana, with the charity’s radio operators recording 675 bar crossing reports – the highest number ever logged in a single day. So far this year, Coastguard has seen no major bar crossing incidents on the water. This reflects the impact of boaties’ proactive efforts to prioritise safety, supported by Coastguard’s Bar Watch service and education initiatives, such as its Bar Awareness Seminar Roadshow and bar crossing video series. Coastguard’s Bar Watch provides a vital safety net where boaties log their crossings via VHF or *500 from a mobile, ensuring someone is keeping watch. If a crossing report isn’t closed within 15–30 minutes (depending on the bar), Coastguard initiates a search operation, offering peace of mind and rapid response in case…

Waiheke Island is one of Auckland’s favourite recreational boating destinations. Now the new facilities at Waiheke Island Marina, at Kennedy Bay in the island’s southwest, are offering shelter and convenience to not only those who live on the island or owners who want to leave their boats there long-term, but also the hordes of visitors who flock to its shores. The marina is marketing itself as “New Zealand’s first true destination marina” – as not only a place for boats to ‘live’ but welcoming guests for short and longer stays. It offers Aucklanders and those from further afield a place to base their boat while they head off to enjoy the land-based delights that Waiheke has to offer – and there are many. Top of the list for many people…

The 3.1-tonne VS-9 was designed and built by Auckland start-up Vessev, in partnership with Fullers360, as a prototype/proof of concept. It proved so capable that Fullers decided to get Maritime NZ commercial approval for it. This is the first time a certified electric hydrofoiling vessel has been delivered to a private operator, said Vessev CEO Eric Laakman. Vessev’s backers include Icehouse Ventures, Sir Stephen Tindall’s K1W1, Australasian VC firm Blackbird Ventures, US VC firm Shasta Ventures, founder and original CEO Max Olson (now Chief Technology Officer), and Laakmann himself. Laakman was development lead for the Apple Watch before embarking on a sailing sabbatical and becoming stranded in New Zealand by Covid border closures. He loved it here and never left. Based in Mt Wellington, Vessev is in a major growth…

AS DEMAND FOR FAR-FLUNG ADVENTURE and one-of-a-kind experiences grows, leading yacht company Y.CO has brought two of the largest luxury sailing yachts in the world, the 81m Sea Eagle and 86m Aquijo, to New Zealand this season for charter work. Their arrival coincides with a spike in New Zealand tourism, as the number of overseas visitors to the nation last year was reportedly up 25% on 2023. Sea Eagle was the largest yacht to participate in the Millennium Cup in Auckland in early February and is available to charter in New Zealand until May. For all her sailing prowess, there is no compromise when it comes to comfort on board, says Tamsin Priestley, from the Y.CO Charter Team. “Sea Eagle, although very much a ‘super’ yacht in her proportions, hasn’t…

I have always been around boats under construction. My earliest childhood memory is the taste of sucking on a Resorcinal lollipop. The discarded bright red glue from a cup tossed into a heap of wood shavings with an ice cream stick set in place was way too tempting for a toddler and the father way too involved in what he was doing to notice – a narrow-minded focus on one goal that I inherited from him. I built a Starling sailing dinghy while still at school and could have had a boat building apprenticeship, but I realised, as much as I enjoyed building boats, it was not what I wanted to do for a living. When still in my early twenties, the first boat to consume all my cash was…

Puzzle no.328 Across 1. Steel rings around which loops of rope are spliced (8) 6. ____ Mug - nickname for America’s Cup (4) 8. Boat _____ - shiny new stuff on board! (5) 9. Sideways drift of vessel towards sheltered side of desired course (6) 10. Port on boat (4) 11. Fish shown in photo (8) 12. _____ anchor - releases anchor cable from windlass (5) 14. Place where vessels can be loaded and unloaded (5) 16. This describes tensely exciting situation during boat race (8) 20. Lean like vessel with leak or unbalanced cargo (4) 22. Ship converted to permanently moored accommodation (6) 23. _____ boat - vessel that follows yacht competing in sailing race (5) 24. Back and ____ - let sails draw and spill wind to keep…

A fleet of Queensland-built luxury motor yachts valued at more than $45 million were driven onto a semi-submersible ship in the Port of Brisbane, ahead of their 8000 nautical mile voyage to Mexico and the east coast of the United States. A total of 10 Riviera motor yachts will utilise the unique DYT Yacht Transport float on/float off method rather than being craned in the traditional manner on to a container ship to be positioned either under deck or on deck amongst containers. Four of the motor yachts will be floated off the ship in Ensenada in Mexico where they will be driven north to their final destinations in California. The remaining six yachts will be offloaded in Port Everglades, the cruise port in Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Australia exported…

The name may be a few decades old, but this new flagship bears little resemblance to the Viscounts first built back in 1972, due to a seismic shift in design, construction, technology and fit out. I suspect Fi-Glass Managing Director Griff Simpson looked on with some pride as the Boating New Zealand team pored over the newest model in the company’s diverse trailer boat range. And I have to admit to feeling a sense of nostalgia because there’s just so much history and pedigree to the name, with the original Viscount designed and built by Griff’s late father, Frank. Before they were discontinued in 1993, about 1300 in both sterndrive and outboard options were built. At that point the company concentrated on developing the Warrior as their flagship model, based…

THE NEXT GENERATION of adventure-ready BRIGs is nearing arrival in New Zealand. The BRIG Navigator 22 and 24 are more rugged than ever, built for thrill-seekers who demand performance and versatility. The all-new Navigator 22 and 24 models replace the acclaimed Navigator 700/730 series, delivering an enhanced experience with a reinforced deep-V hull, inviting helm seating, and a spacious front deck. These BRIGs transition seamlessly from an adventure RIB to a capable day cruiser or fishing platform. Arriving in February 2025, the new BRIG Navigator series will be available to view at the Family Boats showroom and on display at the Auckland Boat Show from March 6-9. www.familyboats.co.nz…

TOP OF THE SOUTH MARINE has relocated to a new, larger facility located in Havelock, Marlborough. The move represents a significant milestone in the company’s growth, allowing it to expand its operations, enhance production capabilities, and better serve its customers. The new facility comprises a heated 890m2 building allowing year round maintenance and repaints, as well as a 3,000m2 hardstand area. The new location will allow Top of the South Marine to increase its production capacity, streamline operations, and continue delivering the exceptional quality and craftsmanship our customers have come to expect. The larger facility will also create new job opportunities. totsmarinecoatings@gmail.com www.totsmarinecoatings.co.nz…

Toad’s famous quote is something that most readers will hold close to their nautical hearts, but for many Kiwis getting into their first craft can be a step too far. Boating is no different from the property ladder, you must start somewhere and for many of us this was a second-hand unit or the family rig. ‘Dad, can I borrow the boat’ was a not infrequent request in the Dixon household, followed by ‘and can we swap vehicles so I can tow it!’ Growing up, ownership of a new boat that could be used for fishing and diving, as well as pulling skiers and water toys, was for me out of the question. With affordable finance options, getting a new rig like the Proline 1860 is much easier than before,…

ACTISENSE, A LEADING and innovative manufacturer of NMEA products, has appointed Advance Trident as its exclusive distributor for the New Zealand market. Following successful negotiations, Actisense and Advance Trident joined forces with a goal to upscale New Zealand sales through proactive distribution. Actisense was formed in 1996 by Phil Whitehurst, an electronics engineer and avid sailor. Phil recognised there was a need for innovative and reliable marine electronic equipment. Actisense has a rich history of designing and manufacturing an entire range of NMEA products dedicated to making every journey on the water safer and more efficient. Utilising nearly 30 years of specialist experience designingf DSP software and hardware, as well as in the field of smart sensors and underwater acoustics, Actisense is a market leader in manufacturing intelligent marine electronic…