Innehållsförteckning för December 2019 från Boating NZ

Like many boaties, you probably have a sense that life somehow seems easier, less complicated – and generally a lot more fun – the minute you get on to your vessel. Even walking along a beach, gulping in the fresh air – or camping near a lake or river. When you’re near or on the water, yesterday’s troubles seem so far away. Well, as it turns out there is actually solid substance underpinning the inexplicable boost to your happiness quotient when you interact with the water – even though you might not understand it. Research being conducted at the UK’s University of Exeter shows that proximity to water – especially the sea – is associated with many positive measures of physical and mental wellbeing, from higher levels of vitamin D…

The project is a collaboration between Royal DSM – a Dutch science-based company – and Starboard, a Bangkok-based watersports company manufacturing paddleboards, surfboards, windsurfers and kiteboards. In addition to the environmental benefit, the collection, sorting, cleaning and processing of discarded fishing nets creates sustainable livelihoods for several local communities in India. The collaboration was born when Starboard selected DSM’s Akulon RePurposed resin. Fully-recycled from discarded nylon-based fishing nets, the resin is known for its sustainability profile as much as its performance. The discarded fishing nets are gathered from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea and are given a new lease of life as fins, fin boxes, SUP pumps and other structural parts in surfboards. “One of the most satisfying parts of our work is the challenge of redesigning our products…

Former Olympian Dan Slater was the big winner at this year’s Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards, scooping the Sailor of the Year trophy. Slater started the year by finishing on top in a fleet of 110 boats at the OK Dinghy world championships in Auckland and backed it up by being tactician for the winning team at the 12m world championships in England. He was also tactician for the second-placed team at the 8m world championships to round out an outstanding 2019. The three-time Olympian collected the prestigious Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy as the Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year at a gala dinner in November, held at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Promising duo Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan were named the Volvo Young Sailors of the Year…

It seems incredible, but every weekend hundreds of boaties on North America’s Great Lakes drive right over people, and often at wide-open throttle. Think I’m kidding? I’m really not. And it’s not just people – boaties plow full-throttle right over trucks, front-end loaders and all manner of construction equipment too. And most of them have absolutely no idea they’re even doing it. Sounds fantastic? It is – and testament to the fact that truth is often stranger than fiction. That’s because all the people and vehicles that these boats drive over are actually located hundreds of metres underground in a series of salt mines that tunnel far beneath the lakes. Understand, we’re not talking tiny tunnels here, but vast systems big enough to accommodate construction equipment like loaders, trucks and…

The Bali catamaran range caused a bit of a stir when it was launched onto the market five years ago, with French manufacturer Catana turning its attention from performance cats to taking on the cruising market – in the process introducing some innovative and controversial design ideas. And now the first Bali cat has arrived here – the 12.1m Bali 4.1 – the baby of the range and a development of the original Bali 4.0 model. The New Zealand agent for the Bali range is Dream Yacht Charter in Queensland, Australia, run by Frenchman Christophe Vanek, a former international yachtie who first came to Australia in 1986 with one of the French challengers for the Louis Vuitton Cup. I meet Christophe and his wife Amara at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, where…

MARINA MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE company Pacsoft International has been acquired by multinational Jonas Software. The well-known PacsoftNG software makes it simple for marina, boatyard, and shipyard managers to run all aspects of their business, including operations, administration, accounting, management and business analysis. PacsoftNG was launched in 1999 and is now used in more than 20 countries by businesses ranging from small marinas and boatyards to major harbours with thousands of berths. “This acquisition gives us the strength, expertise and security to deliver the world’s leading marina and boatyard management software globally long into the future,” says Pacsoft Chief Executive Chris Thomas. www.pacsoftmms.com www.jonassoftware.com…

SENATOR BOATS HAS partnered with OceanHunter, NZ’s leading spearfishing/freediving retailer, to give away three new-model Senator Spearfisher IS380 boats complete with Yamaha 30hp outboards and registered DMW trailers, each worth $23,000. The promotion closes on March 29, 2020. The giveaway celebrates the launch of two new Senator models – the IS380 and IS400 – aimed at the spearfishing fraternity. Based on the Inshore 380 and Inshore 400, they have a number of features designed specifically around spearfishing. These include an extra seat, higher sides (same as the family edition), oversized bow rail/spear gun rack, 4mm hull plate upgrade, swim-on duckboard, fin and buoy storage and additional dry storage. Boats are on display in Ocean Hunter’s Auckland and Wellington Stores, but all sales will be conducted through Senator Boats dealers from…

Cawthron is leading a new research programme – He tipu moana he oranga tangata: Revealing karengo as a high-value functional food – in collaboration with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Wakatā Incorporation. The research is investigating the potential of a modern, high-value industry based around karengo – a native edible seaweed. The facility’s Dr Tom Wheeler says hundreds of varieties of native seaweed grow wild along New Zealand’s coast, but little is known about their composition or bioactive potential. “Our research will reveal the nutritional profile and potential health benefits of karengo, to help Mūori enterprises identify the most promising karengo species for development into high-value extracts. “Karengo is related to nori, a popular Japanese seaweed that’s high in protein with health-promoting antioxidant effects, so this sets some expectations…

Built in Lithuania by a Norwegian company, the Marex 310 SC has won numerous high-profile international awards. It’s not hard to see why: this pocket-rocket packs so much quality, innovation and versatility into its stylish, easily handled 31-foot (9.46m) length, it constantly surprises. Peter and Judy have changed up from a trailer boat, a 6m Buccaneer they bought new and have owned for more than 20 years. They can’t believe how much more boat they get for a few extra metres of length. This is their first launch, but by no means the first one they looked at. What drew them to the Marex initially was its wonderful openness – with its Sunbrella fabric sunroof panels slid back it feels like a convertible sports car. Even better, in this spec…

Puzzle no.266 Across 7. Description of wind blowing from sea towards land (7) 8. Release boat from mooring (5) 10. Rods and _____ - fishing gear (5) 11. Type of boat in photo (7) 12. Sailor’s hornpipe, eg (5) 13. Naval _____ - operational dockyards used by navy (5) 15. Flat watercraft made of planks (5) 17. Provide seafood feast for others, maybe (5) 20. Space for storing gear on board (7) 22. Apparatus used by divers (5) 23. Aspect _____ - relationship between height and breadth of sail (5) 24. Device linking yachtie’s harness to masthead (7) Down 1. Recreational boat with seating area in forward part (8) 2. Near or at rear of boat (6) 3. Leviathans are sea _____ (8) 4. Small wharf where boat can dock…

“IF YOU DO JUST ONE REGATTA NEXT YEAR, MAKE IT THIS ONE.” That’s the message from Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta organisers, as they gear up for the 180th edition of the much-loved event on Monday, 27 January 2020. With the Notice of Race published and entries now officially open, organisers are encouraging Aucklanders to grasp the opportunity to take part in this iconic event. “The regatta has always been an event for all Aucklanders,” says Executive Officer Joyce Talbot. “It’s a chance to get out and celebrate and be part of history, whether you’re on the water or watching from the shore. People have such fond memories of their parents taking them to watch the races on Anniversary Day, and that’s a tradition we’d love to continue.” The…

A 195m liner operated by the UK’s Fred Olsen Cruise Lines – the Braemar – has just claimed the record for the largest ship to pass through Greece’s famous Corinth Canal. The 6.3km canal – which connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf – is 25m wide. The 24,344-ton Braemar has a 22.5m beam, but with precision manoeuvring she managed to carry her 929 passengers safely through the narrow waterway. “This is such an exciting sailing and tremendous milestone in Fred Olsen’s 171-year history, and we are thrilled to have been able to share it with our guests,” said Clare Ward, director of product and customer service for the company. “At Fred Olsen, we strive to create memories that last a lifetime, and with guests on board Braemar…

CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week is on track to achieve Clean Regatta certification in 2020, as organisers strive to leave a clean wake by reducing the event’s environmental impact. “We’ve joined up with Sailors for the Sea to become a certified clean regatta,” says Regatta Chair Manuela Gmuer-Hornell. “We’re sailors ourselves, and we’re all passionate about protecting our oceans. People come to this regatta for the beauty of the Bay of Islands, so we want to do all we can to protect that.” Clean Regattas is the world’s only sustainability certification for water-based events and has been used globally by over 2,000 regattas and 595,000 sailors. The programme helps event organisers improve their environmental footprint, by implementing best practice sustainability policies and practices. CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week…

There was excitement in the air when Aussie/NZ dealer Windcraft Yachts sold its first Solaris 50 this year – understandable given its experiences with the smaller 42 and latterly the 47. Having sailed them and been on the newest (the 44) in France, I had high expectations for the 50. And they were exceeded when I took her to sea off Sydney. A well-proven model, the Solaris 50 has sold strongly since its 2014 inception and our review hull was number 39 – a high number for a hand-crafted performance cruiser like this. The Adriatic-based yard produces about 40-50 of these premium yachts annually from a range that currently comprises nine production models between 37 and 72 feet. The 50 continues the range’s familiar snub bow, low-profile coach roof and…

EXHIBITORS AT THE 21st edition of the Auckland On Water Boat Show (3-6 October), reported strong sales, while visitors enjoyed the new marina position in the heart of the Viaduct Harbour. “We were thrilled with our new location and the chance it gave visitors and spectators alike to get closer to more boats,” said show organiser Stacey Cook. “The move allowed us to increase marina space which saw the show accommodate 120 boats on the water, making it easily the biggest on-water show ever staged here.” The show will be held in the same location next year. Exhibitors were just as pleased with the results. “It was great to connect with existing clients and meet people new to the Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders brand, showing off the custom boats that we…

THE NEW Excess Catamaran has been nominated for a string of prestigious international awards after its debut release at the Cannes Yachting Festival. First release models 12 and 15 are both set for their first-ever award nominations on the back of a successful run of appearances at recent International Boat Shows. The Excess 15 has been selected in the crème de la crème of international yacht awards – European Yacht of The Year – having been nominated in the Multihull category. The smallest in the range, the Excess 12, has been selected by Sail magazine in the Multihulls Cruising category and is looking to win the title of ‘Best Boat 2020’. Other nominations include Multihulls World magazine and the British Yacht Awards. Award announcements are set for December through January.…

MERCURY MARINE IS proud to support ETNZ as the Official Outboard Supplier for the defence of the America’s Cup in 2021. Mercury will provide all the outboard engines needed for ETNZ’s chase and support boats. “We’re honoured to be part of the defence,” says Dean Harris, Mercury Marine’s NZ manager. “ETNZ has an incredible record in the America’s Cup and other international yachting classics, and there’s no doubt it is going to do New Zealand proud once again, so it’s wonderful that Mercury is going to be there as well, doing our bit to help keep the Cup where it belongs.” Of the boats powered by Mercury, two are quad-rigged catamarans – each sporting four 400hp Verado engines. The other craft are monohulls with twin Mercury 250hp V8 Verados. Why…

UWhilna is a North American Indian word for the osprey or ‘graceful bird’ – and that she is. Even with her missing masts and the extensive life scars, the grand old dame’s former elegance shines through. The scars are the reminders of an extraordinary past. She’s survived 10 owners over the first 100 years of her life – roughly one per decade – and her current owner (a syndicate headed by Wellington filmmaker David Holley) is the 11th. She’s covered a lot of miles since her 1909 launching. She was built in China by the Shanghai Kwong Fook Cheong boatyard (it no longer exists), constructed with 30mm teak planking over iroko frames. She was commissioned by the then Commodore of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC), Richard Henry Alexander, who…

A Saildrone – SD 1021 – has set the record for the fastest unmanned Atlantic crossing, and then immediately broke that record on the return crossing. It also became the first autonomous vehicle to transit the Atlantic in both directions. Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), the US-manufactured Saildrones are designed for the planet’s harshest ocean conditions. They’re powered exclusively by the wind for propulsion and use solar energy to run onboard computers and navigational instruments. They are equipped with a suite of science-grade sensors to collect oceanographic and meteorological data above and below the sea surface, including wind speed and direction, air and sea surface temperature, atmospheric pressure, photosynthetically available radiation, wave height and period, dissolved oxygen, salinity and acidity levels. In addition to the standard Saildrone sensor suite, SD 1021…

A British sailor has raised £20,000 for a prostate cancer charity by circumnavigating his country in a Laser dinghy. Eastbourne’s Neil Peters (53) who uses the alias ‘Stick Daring’ when he’s at sea, began his voyage on July 17, sailing his Laser anti-clockwise around the Fair Isles. He arrived back home on September 30, having completed it in 76 days, six hours and 15 minutes. Given a Laser’s limited storage facilities, Neil had to travel light. Essentials included a tent, some food, a pair of trousers, a T-shirt, a spare pair of shoes, a micro towel, a radio and some mobile phones. His wife drove part of the route – so he was able to sleep in the van overnight. But for much of the journey he camped. The trip,…

Rotor technology used to enhance a boat’s stability sounds kind of counter-intuitive – wouldn’t rotors encourage roll? Well, to understand how this system works you might need to revisit your high-school physics syllabus, but believe me the performance is impressive. Tawaki is a luxuriously-equipped Dyna Laguna launch built in Taiwan in 2008. She displaces 65 tonnes and at 81ft LOA caters to a range of charter requests – from boutique, 10-day excursions for couples, through corporate cruises for up to 50 guests, to private fishing trips. Her motion in a beam or head sea is fine, says owner-skipper Steve Cockeram, but with her deep V bow and flat bum Tawaki rolls in a following sea and that sometimes creates a little unease among guests – or more precisely, their tummies.…

Marine equipment trade shows are kind of like boat shows for boatbuilders. It’s where the manufacturers go to see the latest and greatest in marine parts and accessories, and where they find the cool components that they’ll install on their next new model. That makes big trade shows like the International Boatbuilders Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) and the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) among the best places on earth to get a look at the future of boating. IBEX, held in the US in October, and METS, held in Europe in November, are where you see all the newest technologies, materials and approaches to doing things. These shows are off-limits to the public, so when Boating New Zealand got an invitation to walk the aisles and see what’s behind the…

BALEX MARINE SHOWCASED its new Balex Dock at the Auckland On Water Boat Show. Managing director Daniel Given sees Balex Dock as a key addition to the company’s Balex Automatic Boat Loader (ABL), which automates the launch and retrieval of a trailer boat. “Balex Dock is a customised floating dock solution that allows people to safely launch and retrieve boats on the waterways, lakes and marinas.” The system’s made from marine grade materials, and can be customised to the boat/storage requirements of each customer. The Automatic Boat Loader is available through over 40 boat and trailer manufacturers and marine dealers across New Zealand, Australia and Europe. www.balexmarine.com…

The Henley Group – comprising Henley Engineering, Pacific Driveline, PacFlange and Kiwi Shaft Seal – has won the prestigious ‘Star of Excellence Award’ for 2019 at the annual Thordon distributors conference in Montreal, Canada. Mark & Jacob Power were there to receive the award at a gala function. The award is given for excellence across a range of criteria including achieved sales in your area across a range of markets and innovative use of the various Thordon products. The Henley Group has developed a number of uses for Thordon bearing material including shaft and rudder bearings in marine applications, PacFlange conveyor bearings for use in food and potable water environments and industrial bearings to replace greased bronze bearings. Henley Group has also been successful in supplying Thordon bearings and seals…

Garry and Bev Swney enjoyed their Image Fishmaster 9m so much they commissioned Invercargill-based Image Boats to build their next step up. For a company that’s renowned for its ability to customise designs to suit the client, Garry and Bev’s next boat has taken the idea to the extreme. Image Boats has created the new Prestige 10.75m – the company’s flagship – packing launch-like comfort into the convenience of a trailable boat. CONSTRUCTION Being the first of its kind meant the build process for the 10.75 was closer to a custom design than a production boat with significant input from the owners. “The build process could not have been better,” says Garry. “We were in there almost every day and not once did they baulk at our suggestions for improvements…

One such person is Robert Griffiths, a Hawke’s Bay orchardist and jeweller who has boated out of Waimarama for years. Robert’s latest boat, Memories II, a custom 6.5m Senator Typhoon with waterjet propulsion, is built to operate in this challenging environment, as well as on Lake Taupo fishing for trout, which could include camping and overnight expeditions. When it became clear just how much Robert wanted to pack into his new vessel, the team at Senator Boats tried to talk him into a larger Typhoon or a Senator pontoon model. Typhoon models share a similar hull profile to the company’s pontoon boats but offer more deck space and higher sides, which is what Robert was after. He was adamant however, that 6.5m was the maximum length – any longer (and…

Penned by Auckland design team LOMOcean, Zorro is equipped with two foils between her hulls – one around midships (V-shaped, oriented to the rear) and a second (straight across) trim foil near the stern. LOMOcean is internationally-renowned for its multihull designs, many of which use foils and/or wave-piercing hulls. I’d heard a few rumours about Zorro – mainly relating to her owner’s enthusiastic right hand and need for speed – and was keen to check her out. And experiencing her foil performance began fairly innocently. She lives up Auckland’s Panmure estuary and the trip down-river to the Hauraki Gulf was without incident – cruising sedately in a 20-knot westerly wind. By the time we’d reached Browns Island to meet the waiting photo boat, the wind and seaway had become decidedly…

The official boat-count was 144 but reducing the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival to statistics – albeit significant ones – wouldn’t do justice to the event. What best captures the essence of this gathering is not the number of boats, but rather those that are part of the ‘natural’ environment of this unique maritime centre – a region that was once, before the 1929 Great Depression – a thriving commercial hub. Organised by the Northwest Maritime Centre, a non-profit organisation established in 1978, this is a typical maritime event of Anglo-Saxon culture – convivial and friendly, and one also contrasting with the European ones that, by definition, focus on exclusivity rather than inclusiveness. The event is the most important of its kind on the west coast, and is a brisk…