Boating NZ June 2021

Yesterday, while scrolling through a few of my go-to online news sites, I stumbled across one of the most disturbing images I’ve seen in a long time: an aerial photo showing scores of bodies lining the banks of India’s Ganges River. All victims of that country’s impossibly daunting Covid struggles. The deceased are typically cremated on makeshift pyres in India – but that’s become increasingly difficult because wood is in short supply. Families have no option other than to commit the dead to the Ganges and let Nature takes its course. Somewhat ironical – given that submerging yourself in the Ganges is usually associated with spiritual cleansing and rebirth. More depressingly, it’s hard to see the situation getting better any time soon in a country of around a billion inhabitants.…

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…as you’d imagine, manoeuvring her to the North Sea required exceptional care. Initially identified only as Project 817 (she will be called Viva), the vessel was built by Dutch shipyard Feadship – the yard is inland, at its Kaag Island facility. To get to the North Sea – only a few kilometres away – Feadship’s creations have to negotiate a labyrinth of narrow canals. Designed by Azure Yacht Design & Naval Architecture and De Voogt, Project 817 features a hybrid propulsion system. She is one of the biggest superyachts ever produced by the shipyard, and as you’d imagine, manoeuvring her to the North Sea required exceptional care. The operation took four days. In fact, it seems the vessel’s dimensions (beam 13.6m) were designed around the width of the canals and…

The developers of Waiheke’s Kennedy Point Marina have welcomed a penguin expert’s recommendations following an independent review of the project’s approved plans. A seabird ecologist, Dr Leigh Bull is an authority on the penguins and has significant experience in managing construction activities near penguin burrows. She found that while the project’s plans relating to the monitoring and management of the little blue penguins during construction addressed its consent conditions, the plans could be improved. Existing penguin monitoring and construction management plans were approved by Council, but following concerns from several local interest groups for the welfare of the penguins using the rock wall at Kennedy Point, Dr Bull was engaged to review the plans and identify if they could be strengthened. “One of my key recommendations involves the preparation of…

Napier-based Firmans Marine’s 50-year partnership with Mercury began when someone saw a Mercury outboard in a window. “The history of Firmans Marine,” says owner Brian Firman, “can be traced to my grandparents – Fred and Jean – who originally ran Caltex service stations before adding a caravan rental fleet. As the caravan business began to boom it became more attractive than the seven-day-a-week service station. They put all their energy into caravans. “In 1968 my dad Ray – working in the family business – traded a caravan for a wooden launch called Vagabond. It started the Firman family’s love for fishing. Then, in 1971, another deal ended with Ray trading a 9.8hp Mercury outboard which he displayed in the showroom shop window. “Coincidentally, David Reynolds – the marine division manager…

Elusive to New Zealand sailors for many years, the prestigious Finn Gold Cup has been claimed by Kiwi Andy Maloney – the second Kiwi in 18 months to get his hands on the trophy. Maloney went into the final day in Porto (Portugal) with a narrow five-point lead but banked three solid scores to win his first world title. What made it even more special was that Josh Junior, who went in as defending champion after his historic victory in 2019, finished third. The pair have a unique relationship, working extremely closely together, and it’s clearly paying dividends. It just means the Olympic selectors now have a very difficult decision to make with only one able to compete at the Tokyo Games. Maloney finished seven points ahead of Spain’s Joan…