Innehållsförteckning för February 2020 från Boating NZ

This time of the year always presents the crew here at the magazine with a multitude of material in the form of anniversary celebrations, regattas and boat shows. A collection of events that are unique in the sense that they bring together such extraordinary diversity – all within a single industry. It spans everything from small sailing dinghies to luxurious superyachts, from century-old, steam-powered launches to modern cruisers, from meticulously-restored classics to state-of-the-art racing machines. Where else in the world are you likely to find such variety compressed into a few weeks? It all begins with the CRC Bay of Islands Sailing Week – this year in its 18th edition and featuring its biggest-ever fleet of entries. A week later the country’s biggest city celebrates its 180th anniversary with the…

A review of an Etchells mould created by the Australian Association in 2011 is underway, following queries about the symmetry of the mould, along with the laminating schedule used to create the actual vessels. Over its 50-year history the Etchells Class has regularly reviewed itself to ensure uniformity across the three licensed builders (one each in the UK, Canada and Australia). All items that require a modification to the Class Rules (say electric bilge pumps), go through the Technical Committee for analysis before being voted on by the Governors. The Class Measurer also undertakes reviews at World Championships, and liaises with the builders throughout the year, including factory visits. In 2011, the Australian Association produced a new mould from scans of boats produced by all three existing moulds. This was…

New Zealand’s leading Waverunner dealership, Farnley’s Yamaha, is a partnership between Chris Farnley, who started Farnley’s Jetskis in Christchurch in 1998, and James Harmon, Dealer Principal/Director of the Auckland North Shore dealership. We joined Chris, James and the team from Farnley’s Yamaha with a selection of new Waverunner FX models at Takapuna Boat Ramp for a morning on the water. Among them was a Waverunner FX HO JetFish, a fishing model exclusive to Farnley’s. READY TO FISH Fishing from PWCs is growing in popularity, explained James, with demand for suitable models ramping up all the time. Most PWC retailers will equip skis for fishing, adding cool boxes, rod holders, electronics and accessories as specified by the customer, or supplying off-the shelf, do-it-yourself kitsets. But Farnley’s Yamaha has taken things a…

Beautifully-restored, the 32-foot ketch Waka Irie embodies everything romantics imagine when they think about sailing off into the sunset – the graceful clipper bow, the teak decks, the taff rail – and those gorgeous red sails. She’s a Mariner 32 – designed by American Clair Oberly and built in 1972 by the company he established in Japan – Far East Yachts. Now based in the Bay of Islands, she’s owned by Peter Deverell who bought her sight-unseen from a TradeMe listing. That purchase was a daunting punt on his part, but after three years of full-time restoration he’s awash with a huge sense of satisfaction – and a palpable measure of relief. Like many 50-year old boats, the little ketch has had multiple owners. Originally named Serena II, she was…

Once upon a time it took nothing more than a couple of sturdy ropes and a few good knots to ensure your boat would remain safely at the dock until you returned. Today … not so much. The sad reality is that we now live in a less innocent world where boats, like anything else of value, can attract unwanted attention from thieves. Some aim to steal the boat, others, only its contents. In either case it’s the owner who’s left to file the insurance claim and deal with the loss. Little wonder then that many boaties worldwide have begun to show greater interest in boat security systems. The rapid development of marine security systems has been fueled partly by need, and partly by opportunity. With the advent of the…

When Captain James Cook, sailor and impeccable cartographer, sighted Banks Peninsula on his first voyage to New Zealand he uncharacteristically got it wrong and referred to the volcanic form as Banks Island. It was one of those mistakes that seem to stick. Lesser known was his accurate description of the ‘Cloudy Water Dolphin’ as being “…a most playful and comical fish.” The Hector’s dolphin, as it became known, has spawned a dolphin watching industry around Banks Peninsula that is reputed to contribute over $19.5 million to the Canterbury economy per year. With a family history dating back to 1838, Hugh and Pip Waghorn have been running their Akaroa Dolphin business for 16 years. This long history gives them a unique insight into the history and wildlife of the Banks Peninsula…

The 2020 edition of the New Zealand Millennium Cup (29 January – 1 February) has attracted unprecedented interest from the international superyacht market – heralding the start of a bumper series of superyacht events leading into next year’s 36th America’s Cup. The most-recent big name to come onboard is Italian superyacht powerhouse, Benetti Yachts, which joins last month’s signing, Royal Huisman. “Benetti is very pleased to join the New Zealand Millennium Cup,” says Peter Mahony – Asia Pacific general manager at Benetti Yachts. “With the 36th America’s Cup fast approaching for New Zealand, we see the opportunity for superyachts to explore the amazing South Pacific and we hope this will include many Benetti yachts.” “We see the addition of Benetti to the sponsorship family as a significant milestone as we…

The Elite AT43 is a collaboration between Allan Tongs Boatbuilders on Auckland’s North Shore and established designer Bill Upfold. A couple of years ago, Allan Tongs and his son Nigel decided to explore building a production boat, to provide a more consistent workflow and ensure the longevity of their business. They had built several custom Upfold sedans before, so talked to the designer about drawing up a boat suitable for being built from a mould. “Nigel and Allan approached me to say why don’t we look at doing a production boat? So we had a think about it and worked out what would be a good size,” Upfold says. “There are so many production boats coming in from overseas and we wanted to do something that would suit the way…

The Stryda 600C features four-wheel drive technology that gives the boat its amphibious capability. This differs from other amphibians on the market – the double front-wheel provides more lateral stability and improved grip. And the design incurs only a slight overhead in terms of space required for the front-drive mechanism. The powerful 40hp petrol engine provides impressive power for the hydraulic drive and sees a road speed of 9km/h. The engine’s tucked neatly into a purpose-built enclosure in the transom, with a fan-cooled system providing unlimited run-time without risk of overheating. An anti-stall system maintains constant wheel RPM when transitioning between land and sea. Sealed hydraulics, engineered in marine-grade stainless steel, include a traction control system to eliminate slip on challenging terrain. The cat has advanced PLC controllers and smart…

Maritimo’s international race team was crowned UIM XCAT World Champions and XCAT Pole Position World Champions in Dubai late last year – becoming the first team in XCAT history to win both titles and also the first non-UAE team to win a world championship. Maritimo’s lead designer and race team member Tom Barry-Cotter says the win came after a year of high and lows and was a long way from the serious accident that saw the team’s boat destroyed in an accident in April 2018. “We competed in a new boat designed and built by Maritimo on the Gold Coast and first raced in Italy in Round 1 where it secured pole position and second place in Race 1 in its first outing. We developed the boat all year, improving…

Paul (60) and Dawn (55) Widdowson are from the Hibiscus Coast, north of Auckland. While both are experienced sailors (they own a Whiting 45), a bluewater passage was uncharted territory. They wanted to change that – and address other Bucket List items flitting through their dreams. “I’d just turned 60 and felt the milestone deserved a decent reward,” says Paul. “We both wanted to cross the equator under sail – and voyage into the Southern Ocean. Joining the Clipper Race seemed a good way to tick these boxes. It would also see us celebrate our wedding anniversary at sea – albeit on different boats.” “We originally discussed doing maybe two or three of the eight legs,” adds Dawn, “but then Paul came home one day and said why don’t we…

“She did most of the research and made all the calls,” explains Brendan, “because she knew exactly what we needed.” What they needed was a new Beneteau Swift Trawler 35, the first in New Zealand, courtesy of 36 Degrees Brokers. The couple own a holiday home on Kawau Island and an apartment on the mainland at Snells Beach, splitting their time between the two residences. The boat, named Rosé after their favourite summer tipple, swings on a mooring in the bay below the holiday home, ready for Brendan and Vicki and their extended family to enjoy at any time. When we went aboard Rosé her owners had already owned her for a few weeks and were thoroughly at home onboard. While it’s their first launch they are no strangers to…

“We started the company 26 years ago in the yard-arm building on the side of the original yard. We moved out to make way for the existing development so it’s great to be coming home,” says GMS director Roy Chalton. Roy launched the company with business partner Michael Coventry. Both are engineers and met while working on flotillas and superyachts in the Mediterranean. GMS worked on the first two superyachts to come to New Zealand – Freedom and Jagare – and the business grew as the superyacht market expanded. The company specialises in marine plumbing and fluid handling but maintains its roots and expertise in engines, generators and propulsion, offering a complete service. Pumps are core to the brand but other services include certified fabrication, installation and machining. Roy says…

The Dive Cat, a fast, 11.5m power cat that was originally purpose-built for scuba diving, has started offering scheduled scuba diving charter trips from the city. This Max Monkley-designed aluminium vessel was most recently running fishing charters in the Kaipara Harbour, but has previously delivered divers to the Poor Knights, Whitianga and Whangamata. She’s enjoyed a big clean-up, a striking new colour scheme and has had her custom-made dive facilities re-instated. The electronics and interior have been refreshed and she’s surveyed for up to 18 occupants. In addition to the special seating designed to make it easy to gear up, she has an easy-to-use dive ladder. There’s a hot freshwater shower out the back, while a full galley and internal seating makes the surface interval a social event. On board…