FREE EVENT AT THE TOWN BASIN!
12 Oct 2025, 10.00am - 3.00pm
CommunitySpiritKeeps theMaritimeFestivalAfloat
When the Whangārei Maritime Festival team began planning this year’s event, there were real questions about whether they could pull it off for a third consecutive year. Rising costs and tightening budgets had left the crew wondering if this celebration of the sea could stay afloat
But thanks to the commitment of generous local sponsors and supporters, the festival is not only happening - it’s shaping up to be the best one yet
Festival organisers say their Anchor Sponsors, Patrons, and Friends of the Festival have once again proven how much the community values the event “Without them, this simply wouldn’t be possible,” says festival spokesperson Kara Gribble “They’ve seen the difference the festival makes - filling our town with visitors, supporting local businesses, and creating pride in our maritime identity”
The festival’s success is built on collaboration From major sponsors who fund key attractions to small local businesses that donate goods and services, every contribution plays a part in bringing the waterfront alive Their support ensures the festival remains free for everyone to attend, a point of pride for the organising team and the community alike
Sponsors will be celebrated throughout the weekend with special acknowledgements on signage, social media, and the main stage - a visible reminder that this event is powered by Whangārei’s own
“This festival belongs to the whole community,” Gribble adds “It’s a story of resilience, teamwork and shared passion for our harbour
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who believed in us and made this year’s festival possible”
So, as boats fill the basin and crowds gather to celebrate, one message rings clear - the Whangārei Maritime Festival sails strong on the winds of community support
Ngataki:AVintage KeelYachtGraces theFestival
This year’s festival is set to welcome a truly special guest: Ngataki, a beautifully restored 1933 gaff-rigged yacht, will be arriving to take pride of place at the show Her presence is a tribute to New Zealand’s maritime heritage and a living link to a golden age of Kiwi boatbuilding
Designed and built by John W G “Johnny” Wray during the harsh years of the Great Depression, Ngataki was born out of vision, resourcefulness and sheer determination Wray constructed her in Auckland from kauri, using salvaged materials, fencing wire, and even old clothes for caulking Despite humble beginnings, Ngataki went on to sail vast stretches of the Pacific, including expeditions to Tonga, Norfolk, and voyages across to Tasmania
After a long, storied life under various owners, the yacht was donated to the Tino Rawa Trust by Debbie Lewis in 2010 and has since undergone a meticulous restoration to return her to her original 1933 configuration In late 2024, Ngataki was sea-freighted to Hobart to appear in the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, where she again raced alongside her old rival Te Rapunga, rekindling memories of their 1935 TransTasman contest
Festival goers will have a rare opportunity to view Ngataki up close: her sleek lines, classic rig, and the stories she carries will be on display The Tino Rawa Trust hopes visitors will be inspired by the craftsmanship and spirit she embodies There will also be information available about her restoration, her voyages, and her place in New Zealand’s maritime story
Don’t miss your chance to meet Ngataki at the festival - she’s more than just a vessel; she’s a living chapter of Kiwi yachting history
FREE EVENT AT THE TOWN BASIN!
ThrillsontheWater:Races, Rescues&SpecialEvents attheFestival
Prepare for a weekend of high-impact action on the water: the Whangārei Maritime Festival brings together racing, rescue demonstrations and a slew of special events designed to thrill, educate and engage visitors of all ages
At Rescues & Racing on Hihiaua Park, sponsored by North Tugz, expect to see dynamic live displays combining maritime skill, speed and precision The water will be alive with vessel manoeuvres, challenges and showcases that highlight both competition and emergency response capabilities
One of the festival’s showpieces is the Great Boatyard Challenge - teams will hammer, saw, rig and improvise to build a boat from scratch over the weekend It’s a test of ingenuity, teamwork and speed, drawing hearty cheers and laughter from the crowd
For the tech-minded and youngsters, there’s the RC (remote control)
Boat Challenge in the Festival Lake by the Canopy Bridge Practice sessions run Saturday and Sunday mornings, with timed trials in the afternoons a fun, competitive distraction where nimble fingers and steady nerves count
But it’s not all competition. The Tales from the Sea speaker series offers a quieter but compelling contrast Among the speakers is retired Master Mariner Kevin Judkins, who will share his firsthand experience during the Rena salvage, oil spill response, and maritime rescue operations
These stories bring depth to the festival’s theme, reminding attendees of the real challenges faced on the seas.
12 Oct 2025, 10.00am 3.00p
Through this mix of spectacle and substance, the festival raises awareness of maritime safety, celebrates seamanship, and invites everyone to appreciate the craft and courage behind marine endeavours
SATURDAY 11th
Don’t miss the action - whether your heart races for competition or softens at a rescue tale, there’s something this weekend for everyone
10 15am Ocean Adventures – A Life at Sea
Magnus O’Grady
11.15am Sailing the South Pacific
Viki Moore, Island Cruising Association
12.15pm Water as a Way to Escape That is Always Open – Hundertwasser, his Art and the Regentag Joost De Bruin, Hundertwasser Arts Centre
12.45pm
Training for Today, Skills for Tomorrow
Joe Daw, Mast Academy
1.15pm Three Seasons in South Georgia
Nick Atkinson
2.15pm Crossing the Bar
Simon Marshall, Coastguard
3.15pm Te Karanga O Te Rā – The Call of the Sail
Ruth Port
SUNDAY 12th
10.15am Experiencing Marine Reserves
Samara Nicholas
11.15am From Smugglers to Security –The Story of NZ Customs on water
Nicholas Sparey
12.15pm Training for Today, Skills for Tomorrow
Joe Daw, Mast Academy
1.00pm 1998 Sydney to Hobart Race –Surviving the Storm
An interview with Jason Rowledge
2:00pm Crossing the Bar
Simon Marshall, Coastguard
2.45pm 120 Days at Astrolabe Reef – Salvage of MV Rena in 2011
Kevin Judkins
VRWorkshop
FREE EVENT AT THE TOWN BASIN!
12 Oct 2025, 10.00am - 3.00pm
MASTAcademy:SkilledTrades–StrongFutures
s New Zealand’s only provider of training in marine and specialised technologies, MAST Academy partners with ndustry to pass on knowledge and skills to the next generation while keeping our nation’s proud legacy alive! eaching, Tools and Eureka’ Moments
When Roger Rhodes walks into a MAST Academy lofting class, he ings with him more than just tools nd large sheets of brown paper – he ings decades of experience, stories om boatyards across New Zealand, nd a down-to-earth teaching yle that makes even the trickiest oncepts click
For more than 25 years, Roger has been at the heart of boatbuilding training and education He began teaching the first pre-trade boatbuilding courses in Whangārei at Northland Polytechnic (now NorthTec), during a time when the marine industry was thriving Having just stepped out of boatbuilding himself, he felt it was time for a change, and teaching was a whole new challenge
“Conveniently” Roger says, “our training workshops were then located just across the path from New Zealand Yachts, so many of the trainees naturally stepped straight into work there” He recalls how Robert Brooke, then General Manager of the Boating Industry Training Organisation (BITO), played a pivotal role in shaping these foundational courses “It was the hub,” Roger reflects “We set up the courses to prepare young apprentices, and from there the lofting block courses just kept growing We’ve refined them year after year to meet industry needs”
Today, Roger teaches MAST Academy’s scale drawing and lofting block courses, where apprentices engage with scaled exercises that teach fundamental concepts of proportion and measurement without requiring the space and materials of full-scale construction
Lofting is the traditional skill of drawing a boat’s full-sized lines on the loft floor, “it is one of those crafts that separates someone who just
RogerRhodes(right)watchingapprenticesinactionduringaloftingclass
builds boats from someone who truly understands them,” says Roger It’s also the moment when many students experience what he calls the “eureka” moment
“You can see it happen,” he says “They’re sitting there, maybe struggling, and suddenly it clicks –they see the boat in three dimensions, like they’re inside a glass hull And usually, they’ll say something a bit stronger than just ‘wow!’
Preparation, says Roger, is everything From, long flexible battens to overing the floor with sheets of brown paper, he’s meticulous about setting the stage so learners get the most from their time on the block course
Through his teaching, Roger has helped hundreds of apprentices gain not just technical skills but also the confidence to see themselves in the industry Whether they go on
to become boatbuilders, welders or designers, his impact is clear As he puts it: “I just do what I do and move on But seeing those lightbulb moments – that’s the part I’ll never get tired of”
Roger’s passion for training also goes beyond teaching the MAST Lofting course to apprentices. From his early days teaching in the community, he now spends one day a week introducing school students across Northland to carpentry “often it’s their first hands-on experience with tools,” says Roger
One of Roger’s favourite moments is always MAST graduation, watching former lofting students cross the stage. “I remember the faces, though not always the names,” he laughs. When someone calls out, “Hey, you taught me lofting,” it’s a reminder of why he teaches – those moments make it all worthwhile
Visit us at the Whangārei Maritime Festival!
Hear about our training models, career pathways and how we connect learners, employers and technology to build tomorrow’s skilled marine workforce
Training for Today, Skills for Tomorrow: The MAST Academy Approach
SESSION TIMES: Saturday 11 October 12.45 – 1.10pm Sunday 12 October 12 15 – 12.45pm
Hundertwasser Art Centre. 81 Dent Street, Whangārei
MAST Academy trains apprentices in:
Boatbuilding Composites
Marine Interiors
Marine Engineering
Powerboat Systems
Sail & Spar Making
Marina Operations
Industrial Textiles
Marine Coatings
Yacht Rigging
