Innehållsförteckning för April 2023 från Boating NZ

Like many readers I’m sure, I was glued to coverage of the SailGP event in Christchurch, March 18-19. What a spectacular event and didn’t Lyttelton Whakaraupo turn it on for both the fans and the sailors? The weather wasn’t too shabby either – sunny skies with a solid 15 knots of wind, but enough shifts to keep the sailors on their toes on such a short course. The upshot was some of the closest, most exciting racing so far this season. It was gratifying to see so many people packing the sold-out grandstand beside the finish line and gathered in the event village, along with all those crowding aboard the spectator fleet, all clearly enjoying the brilliant weather and great atmosphere. Also great to see three Christchurch-built King Watercraft K5000…

The popular Parque del Drago de Icod de los Vinos (The Dragon Tree Park) on Tenerife in the Canary Islands is the result of more than two decades of ecological restoration of the last thousand-year-old dragon tree of the archipelago and its habitat. An international design competition won in 1984 by the architects Fernando Menis, Felipe Artengo and Jose María Rodríguez Pastrana saved the mythical tree of the Canary Islands. The tree, which nearly died in the 1980s, is the oldest specimen of Dracaena drago in the Atlantic archipelago, Their design was based on removing a road from which vibrations and fumes were affecting the tree, which also allowed the biodiversity around the unique specimen to recover. An exhibition, open until April 28 at El Laboratorio de Tenerife, will celebrate…

Held in La Grande Motte, France, April 12-16, the International Multihull Show is in its 14th edition. France is the spiritual home of multihulls and the headquarters of many of the world’s leading multihull builders, both power and sail. The show will feature all the leading French brands, along with vessels from other European manufacturers, South Africa and North America. The organisers report that the enthusiasm for multihulls continues to grow internationally and that the two-year absence of this event entirely dedicated to multihulls has had no impact on the commitment of exhibitors, partners, or the general public. Worldwide, there are 2,425 multihulls listed on YachtWorld as of January 2023, which is 10.9% more than January 2022 (2,168). In Europe, this number is 1,670, which is 8.6% more than 2022.…

Luxury boat manufacturer RAND, best known for providing electric boat options on all its models, has announced the new RAND Breeze 20. This vessel boasts a ground-breaking eco-boating design that allows for effortless cruising without compromising functionality, comfort or performance. The RAND Breeze 20 has a clever layout centred around a picnic table that transforms into a sunbed and a flipping pilot backrest, massive storage rooms, an integrated fridge, and a hidden bimini top. These features make the Rand Breeze 20 highly adaptable. Available in both electric and petrol versions, the 20-foot boat offers 20 hours of electric power on a full battery, with a four knots average cruising speed and a 10 knots top speed. The 115hp petrol outboard version has a top speed of 30+ knots. The Rand…

Set in South America, Bond’s mission (played by Roger Moore) involves finding an obscure orchid which the villain (Drax) plans to use to eliminate humanity. Moonraker ll is the 1979 Glastron-Carlson ski-boat Bond uses to outwit one of Drax’s thugs. After a thrilling, high-speed river chase, he escapes thanks to a hang glider fitted to the vessel, launching the contraption into the air just as it plunges over a waterfall. The boat was bought from the movie’s producers in 1980 by Picton’s Peter Carrington and immaculately restored over many years. He still owns her today, 43 years on. And as the Lake Rotoiti show demonstrated, Moonraker ll still has the ability to turn heads. This year’s show (March 4-5) – the 23rd edition – provided a welcome return to normality…

Elan has brought in the big guns for this 47-footer: next-generation hull design by Humphreys Yacht Design (HYD), high-tech construction engineered by composite gurus Gurit, and styling by Italian designers Pininfarina. The result is a yacht designed to be powerful yet easy to handle, with a significantly lighter displacement than similar yachts in its class – and one which will turn heads. The designers took a strict approach to weight-saving, using Elan’s VAIL (vacuum-assisted infusion lamination) process for the hull and the yacht’s internal structure. This system basically creates a one-piece laminated structure out of all the load-bearing elements of the yacht, increasing stiffness and lightness and creating improved performance. Tom Humphreys of HYD says with the lighter displacement the design team were able to be ‘a bit more aggressive’…

YACHTFINDERS GLOBAL has moved into a new office, right next to Swashbucklers Restaurant & Bar in Westhaven, Auckland. With over 26 years of experience in the yacht sales and brokerage industry, Yachtfinders Global is dedicated to helping clients find the perfect yacht for their needs and taking the hassle out of the process. The team of experts has a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to buying or selling yachts. Yachtfinders Global understands that purchasing a yacht can be a big investment, and make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. With access to a wide range of yachts, both new and used, the team will work with you to find the perfect yacht to meet your needs and budget. www.yachtfindersglobal.com…

DREAM BOAT 1 Ferretti 720 WOULDN’T IT BE NICE? We’ve all done it – spotted some big luxury yacht and launched into daydream mode, wondering what it might be like to actually have a floating palace like that. But why wonder? Boating New Zealand recently enjoyed the opportunity to toddle aboard not one, not two, but a trio of magnificent luxury yachts and take a good look around – opening doors, rummaging through wardrobes and lockers, and otherwise making like we were actually in the market for a dream-like showboat with a seven-digit price tag. Fun? You bet. You expect boats in this league to be nice and none of these failed to delight. But in view of the high cost, are they really all that they’re cracked up to…

RNZN Commander Walter Willis met Englishwoman and WREN Doreen Wilson in Ceylon [Sri Lanka] during WWII and married her in the UK. After the war, the Willis family shifted to New Zealand, where Simon Willis was born in 1950 in a small Navy Maternity Hospital at Narrow Neck Beach, now long gone. “Bit disappointed there’s not a plaque there,” Willis chuckled. After stints in the UK and Wellington, the Willis family moved to Auckland in 1963. Attracted to sailing from an early age, Willis’ first boat was a one-off 2.1m scaled-down version of an OK Dinghy. “In hindsight, that forced me to do my own thing. If I’d entered the P Class scene, I might have gone down a different path.” His first keeler was equally non-mainstream, a 4.2m Frank…

Sauvage must be CAT 1 certified, but right now she falls short, mostly in the areas of electronics (AIS, RADAR, auto-pilot), and in formal certification. So, over the coming months I will be driven by my desire to tick off the CAT 1 requirements. But have I left my run too late for this year? Before I can even start looking at what I need, I need to complete a ‘last few’ onboard jobs, some already started, and one now finished. A prerequisite to CAT 1 is to have functioning water tanks. We have five water tanks on Sauvage, four centrally located in the bilge under the saloon, the fifth under a bed in an aft cabin. Of the four saloon tanks, there are two internally connected tanks on the…

Annually hosted at the Whangarei Deep Sea Angler’s Club (WDSAC) in early March, 36 Degrees Brokers Tutukaka One Base Tournament attracts anglers from across the country for a keenly contested, fun-filled event on one of Northlands’ most beautiful coastlines. Thirty entered boats saw anglers rigging their gear and selecting their favourite lures in preparation for a whirlwind few days of fishing with loads of great prizes up for grabs. The event delivered an action-packed competition, managing a contest tally of 14 marlin, alongside a collection of tuna, mahimahi, kingfish, shortbill spearfish and snapper. www.36degrees.nz…

The ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in March was the platform for launching reZHIKle, a programme created by Zhik to recycle all makes of old wetsuits. Working with UPPAREL, leaders in textile recovery and garment recycling, SailGP’s New Zealand debut acted as the pilot for the new reZHIKle scheme, where people can drop off any brand of used wetsuits or skiff suits to be recycled or repurposed and used again. The inspiration for reZHIKle came about as a result of Zhik’s close association with Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and the New Zealand SailGP Team. Burling and Tuke founded the Live Ocean Foundation in 2019 to raise awareness of the issues facing the oceans. The charity is the New Zealand SailGP Team’s ‘Race For the Future Partner,’ with the team…

U-Boat Worx Cruise Sub 7 submarines have completed more than 1,000 Antarctic submarine dives in a single season, thereby granting thousands of guests an unparalleled underwater view into one of the world’s most remote and pristine destinations. The Cruise Subs were aboard cruise ships operated by different owners. Scenic’s submarine was first introduced on the Scenic Eclipse back in 2020. Viking Expedition cruises followed soon after with their Viking Octantis; and not much later, Seabourn Venture embarked upon her maiden voyage. The three cruise lines together have completed more than 1,000 dives, taking guests on immersive underwater journeys to explore the mesmerising marine life and spectacular natural wonders of Antarctica. Scenic, Seabourn, and Viking’s submarines are U-Boat Worx’ Cruise Sub 7 model – submersibles that can dive to 300m below…

When we arrived on a bright, sunny Sunday W morning, the Parker 920 Explorer Max was tied up to the jetty beside Richard and Suzie Wardenburg’s Pauanui Waterways home, all ready to go. The Wardenburgs are the New Zealand representatives for Parker, a brand that is perhaps still relatively unknown in New Zealand, but with a global presence that’s particularly strong in its native Europe. The Polish-built Parker range starts at 6.6m and includes a variety of centre-console, cabin, pilothouse and weekender models, right up to the 11.2m Monaco in sedan and flybridge versions. Based on the popular 790 Explorer, but extended aft, the 9.95m 920 Explorer Max is one of the company’s bigger models, benefitting from a vast cockpit with an extremely versatile modular layout. The 920 Max is…

Dave is an ex-boatbuilder who trained under John Lidgard, while Dick has been a trout fishing guide and fishing writer, among other things. Both now live in Tauranga and enjoy spending their days chasing sportfish with a flyrod on Tauranga’s doorstep, often aboard Dave’s new boat Filly. We met up with Dave and Dick at Sulphur Point Boat Ramp with a plan to enjoy whatever flyfishing opportunities presented themselves inside Tauranga Harbour while experiencing first-hand Dave’s new Tristram ‘at work’. A Tristram may not seem an obvious choice for a ‘flats’ boat, one that will spend a lot of time targeting kingfish in shallow water inside the harbour. Most such boats are low-sided and flat bottomed with minimal draft for good stability at rest, but the Tristram 600 Cabriolet has…

HALF MOON BAY MARINE ELECTRICAL is one of Auckland’s leading marine electrical specialists. To offer its services to a wider range of boat owners in the Auckland region, HMB Marine Electrical opened a new workshop at Tamaki Marine Park late last year. Simon Jennings, HMB Marine Electrical owner is a seasoned expert in all things marine and electrical. His experience includes navigating race yachts in the Sydney Hobart, designing electrical and electronic systems for super yachts at Alloy Yachts and skippering the 80ft luxury game fishing vessel Ultimate Lady. “We understand the importance of a safe and reliable marine electrical system, and we’re committed to ensuring that every boat is ready for any adventure on the water. Plus our team are boaties themselves, so they know how important it is…

WITH CLOSE TO 20 YEARS SPECIFIC marine experience, Onfire Design was selected to undertake the brand refresh of New Zealand’s iconic Haines Hunter boats. Sam Allan and the Onfire team undertook a full brand refresh that included a new brand positioning, logo, boat graphics, marketing and sales collateral, video story-telling and social media management. As part of the refresh, Onfire also rebranded Seacraft to Haines Hunter HQ, positioning them as the headquarters of Haines Hunter in Auckland. New websites were built for both Haines Hunter and HQ, that included an interactive boat quoting system. In just 12 months the new websites generated over 1,500 leads. Since the rebrand, Haines Hunter have experienced strong demand. Denis Kendall, CEO, said “In the first three months, Onfire learnt more about our business than…

WELLINGTON-BASED BOAT PAINTING COMPANY Top of the South Marine Coatings has shifted its operation to Greymouth – a move owner Greg MacDonald says is aimed at expanding the business into boatbuilding and training apprentices. “I’ve wanted to adjust the direction of the business for quite a few years now. I’m a qualified boatbuilder and I believe there’s an opportunity to offer new builds for clients. And given the real shortage of boatbuilders – especially timber boat specialists – throughout New Zealand, offering a formal training programme could help to bolster the ranks. “I’ve considered introducing the change while we’ve been in Wellington (based at the Seaview Marina), but the facility is too small and it’s very difficult to find bigger, affordable premises.” Greymouth had friendlier options for MacDonald, and thanks…

Sometimes with boats, you don’t know how good they are until you give someone else the helm, hop off and take a look for yourself. Watching your boat go by is the best way to get an honest appraisal. At least that is what crossed my mind as we bobbed around in a RIB with owner Randall Diggs, while the designer of the new L980 Emocean, Dan Leech, did whistling flybys for the camera. When good design and innovative technology meet meticulous boat building and finish, you’re always going to have something special. The meticulous bit belongs firmly to owner and self-taught boatbuilder, Randall Diggs, who has just launched Emocean. The good design bit comes from Dan Leech, who has established himself as a leading name in the growing market…

Puzzle no.305 Across 8. Class of multihull sailing boat (7) 9. Pass nautical line through block or ring (5) 10. Forward motion of vessel through water (3) 11. This describes sailing close-hauled (2,3,4) 12. Radar beacon used as aid to navigation (5) 14. Non-essential boat accessory (5) 16. Apparatus used by divers (5) 18. Small spare anchor (5) 19. Large Auckland marina in photo (9) 21. Sailor who is not amateur (3) 22. Large luxury passenger vessel (5) 23. Recover damaged vessel from sea (7) Down 1. Regatta officials who supervise race arrangements (8) 2. Common NZ name for local marine lobster-like crustacean (4) 3. Cabin area for relaxation and eating (6) 4. Left side of vessel (4) 5. Strong one is good for sailing (6) 6. Detoured from planned…

The founder of the dynasty was Nathanael (Nat) Greene Herreshoff (1848-1938), a graduate of MIT, who set up the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1878 with his older brother John Brown Herreshoff, a blind boatbuilder. Nat rapidly became one of the prominent American designers of all kinds of racing and recreational craft. Nat kept himself at the top of the game with a series of innovative designs. From 1887 he had taken maximum advantage of the new, rapidly internationally accepted yacht rating rules, the Seawanhaka Rule, finally to produce the 71ft keel yacht Gloriana in 1891. She caused a sensation throughout the world. This recognisably modern yacht incorporated all the master’s ideas, light displacement (for the time), long graceful ends with sweet lines, replacing the narrow, deep…

The 2023 ABD Group Classic Yacht Regatta was held in Auckland, March 3-5. Crews from around New Zealand, as well as Australia, raced 26 yachts in a five-race series. Friday’s opening race was a light wind affair, but conditions improved over the Saturday and Sunday with a southwesterly to start Race Two, increasing in the afternoon to fully stretch the sails. With the stronger wind in Race Three, Ariki A3 made an attempt to frighten the photographers on the Boating New Zealand runabout, charging under full sail and taking longer than anticipated to gybe around the Motukorea buoy. Some deft crew work on both boats ensured a safe outcome! Sunday was sunny and again breezy from the southwest. Skippers had a difficult sail selection choice to make as the wind…

Eyachts is bringing Sirena Yachts’ new 48 to Australia and New Zealand. World-class quality and an immaculate finish are as much part of the Sirena Yachts’ brand as bold and distinctive design, exemplified by the Sirena 48’s attention to luxurious detailing and functionality. The boat will also offer two alternative layouts for the spacious aft cockpit – a rarity in boats under 50 feet – and there are more options around the flybridge. Standard spec is for a spacious entertaining area, with alfresco dining and a huge expanse of sun pads forward. Owners are more likely than ever to take the helm of this boat themselves, with an intuitive flybridge helm station. Like her larger sisters, the Sirena 48 has a semi-displacement hull that is efficient in displacement mode but…

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show’s most popular attractions will again feature at this year’s show, Auckland Showgrounds, May 18-21, 2023. In addition to all the latest boats, engines, electronics and accessories, the $300,000-plus must-be-won Surtees/Yamaha Grand Prize, and the fascinating Top Catch Master Class free fishing presentations, New Zealand’s longest-running and most popular boat show will again play host to the Fishing and Adventure Fan Zone, Viking Kayak’s daily kayak giveaways, Lusty & Blundell’s Haswing Trolling Motor Challenge, and the Coastguard No Reserve Auction. Scott Parry and Mig Rumney, from TVNZ ONE’S Fishing and Adventure, will revisit the Ultimate Fishing and Adventure Fan Zone, incorporating the popular Fishing and Adventure Kids Club area. Expect activities for kids of all ages, photo ops, merch, heaps of cool spot prizes to…

The local knowledge from their daughter Olya, who lives there with her Aussie partner Dave, confirmed it. For it turns out Olya and Dave’s favourite surfing spot is the break on the bar at the harbour mouth. So not exactly perfect for incoming yachts, eh? Till now. The sand appears to have shifted recently, opening up the channel somewhat. And Captain Percy, who all the locals said we should contact for further information ‘cause he knows everything about everything – well, he’s had the channel buoy lights switched on again. So, good to go. Sort of. Thing is, I’d still consider it a tricky harbour entrance, especially with a south-easterly swell running, or wind against tide. It would be a passage to double-triple-check for safety for any skipper of a…

Delayne received the Sustainability Award at the Yachting New Zealand AON Excellence Awards in late 2022, for her role in instigating and developing the Clean Clubs programme. This initiative encourages yacht clubs to assess their impact on the earth and take steps to minimise it, engaging with their local communities to improve environmental outcomes and take care of the very natural resources which sustain their sport. The Clean Clubs initiative came to life through the Salthouse family’s involvement with Devonport’s Wakatere Boating Club. Although Delayne herself is not a sailor, boatbuilder husband Greg and kids Chloe (now 19) and Jaek (now 16) were all competitors, and she found herself spending a lot of time there. “The first real awakening for me was one day walking the dog along Narrow Neck…

PUERTO RICO TO PANAMA – 905NM Finally, we’d have an entire passage in the trade winds! We’d be seeing a lot of the trades, almost exclusively from the northeast at 17-21 knots, with gusts (read: squalls) to 26 knots. The course from Bouqueron, at the western end of Puerto Rico, to the entry breakwater at Panama is nearly dead downwind, so we’d be gybing to take advantage of shifts in wind direction and to avoid the near-permanent low-pressure system (possible winds to 35 knots, with steep, ugly current-againstthe-wind seas) that lurks off the northwest coast of Colombia. Our sail-carrying plan called for a single reef in the main, and OCEAN’s 95% overlap jib (on a jib-boom and roller-reefable) and furling Code 0 (non-reefable) to suit the daily variation in wind…

AUSTRALIAN MOTOR YACHT BUILDER MARITIMO has appointed The Yacht Sales Co as its exclusive dealer for Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong. This move is part of Maritimo’s expansion plans for South East Asia. With a long-standing presence in South East Asia with sister company, Multihull Solutions, The Yacht Sales Co is uniquely positioned to assist Maritimo customers. The market is currently attuned to the benefits of traditional, inline shaft drive, blue water seaworthiness, and the volumes afforded by Maritimo’s new styling. Local buyers are seeing big boats very favourably, with much interest in the new M75 and S75. The Yacht Sales Co CEO Mark Elkington said, “Our Group has been working in South East Asia for over 10 years, initially with a focus on the multihull market.…

PRESTIGE HAS LAUNCHED the M8, flagship of its M-Line multihull yacht range. This new model affords the space and comfort equivalent to that of an 85-foot monohull yacht, targeting the market of large models. The M8 offers onboard living in perfect harmony with the sea, more respectful of the environment with a reduced fuel consumption. The new M8 is built in Monfalcone, Italy, on the Adriatic coast. Design is by Garroni Design. The M8 embodies the key aesthetics of PRESTIGE within a multihull configuration. It is a multihull that is less wide, but taller, than a sailing catamaran. Proportions are typical of a powerful, contemporary motor yacht. She offers over 270 m2 of living space. The M8 is equipped with twin Volvo D8 600HP engines, the main deck is laid…

AUCKLAND-BASED BROKERS Your Marine is bringing new stars of the powerboat world to local waters. Finnish manufacturer Quarken has just taken out the 2023 Motorboat of the Year award and is quickly gaining a global presence as a class leader. The essence of the Quarken fleet lies in its beautiful simplicity and state-of-the-art Nordic design, which creates innovative solutions for functionality and practical onboard living. The Quarken 27 will be the first model heading to New Zealand. It features a twin-stepped hull, striking design and a versatile layout with a forward double cabin and head. This model is available in three variants: Open, T-Top and Cabin. At 8.35m in length and 2.55m in beam, it is well suited to both dry-stack and trailer applications. Your Marine were drawn to the…

FINNISH START-UP and shared-use boating subscription service, Skipperi, has raised €7M funding – the round was led by Yamaha Motor, with Baltiska Handels Sverige, Matu Capital, and HP Capital also participating. The company will use the money to fund further expansion into New Zealand, international expansion to Brisbane, Australia, and several locations around the US, while strengthening its platform and tech team. Originally established in Finland in 2017, Skipperi expanded into New Zealand in 2021 and has a growing fleet of Haines Hunter SF545 boats, each powered with a Yamaha 115hp four-stroke outboard. “It has been fantastic to be able to offer something new that opens up boating to more people and to hear all the positive reactions from customers. With this investment, we look forward to speeding up the…

“It’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard life on the hard  Sun and salt take their toll on the boat and me Ain’t no way around it, got to haul out on the hard  It’s time to go a cruising in the working yard…” Some of the words from American cruiser and songstress Eileen Quin. When we left New Zealand in our Colin Child 42-foot steel ketch in 2008 we never imagined we would be spending so much time and money being hauled out – ‘ladder living’, we called it. We thought maybe every two years for anti-fouling, but 10 times in close to eight years?! It is not that Wave Runner is a bad boat, because she isn’t, but sadly there was a recurring problem with her stern…

However, for the sides of the cabin we wanted something more stylish, newer, and much more extensive than the original design. During the post-salvage clean-up, we cut away some of the solid aluminium panels that made the cabin interior dark and gloomy. We will now fit windows running the entire length of the enclosed section of the boat. For this longer section, only tinted acrylic material made sense. Using this thin but ultra-strong plastic for the windows will produce a sleek look with a single black strip running the full length of the cabin exterior. Well, not quite a single strip. Extra-long panels are only available on special order and are considerably more expensive than the standard 2.4m-long pieces (8-feet long by 4-feet wide in the old measurements). To reduce…