Gulf Harbour Marina News - March 2024

Welcome to the Autumn News

Hi Boaties,

Welcome to the third edition of the Gulf Harbour Marina News - the publication for everyone at Gulf Harbour Marina.

What an incredible summer we’re having! Remember last year, when it seemed like the rainy, windy days outnumbered the sunny ones? It’s a joy to see so many of you out enjoying the long stretches of fine weather, evident from the bustling carpark. This time of year, with its settled weather, brings a buzz of activity around the yard and marina that’s great to see.

At Gulf Harbour, we’re fortunate to host a diverse range of businesses that offer top-notch services to our boating community. Whether it’s painting, boat repairs, engine servicing, brokerage, chandlery, upholstery, or stainless repairs, our tenants excel in catering to your needs. They all fully appreciate the business you bring to them.

Easter is just around the corner and with it we see daylight saving change, I encourage you all to cast off the lines and spend some relaxing time on your boats!

Murray Dixon

Lynette Gordon celebrates 20

years

In a world where career longevity is becoming increasingly rare, milestones like Lynette’s 20year anniversary at Gulf Harbour Marina are truly remarkable!

Lynette, the assistant accountant at the marina, (who many of you will know personally) recently celebrated this significant milestone in February, marking two decades of dedicated service and invaluable contributions to the team.

Long-time colleagues Jan and Maria, who have had the privilege of working alongside Lynette throughout her journey, shared heartfelt sentiments about her remarkable tenure.

“Lynette has a wealth of experience - It was never a problem for her to help with any queries regarding accounts. She has been a cornerstone in ensuring the financial operations run smoothly!”

Maria also laughed. “Good O’l Lynette always got the wages right no matter what! Not sure what we would do without her, to be honest!”

Beyond work, Lynette’s presence has been deeply woven into the fabric of Gulf Harbour Marina’s community. “Lynette lives locally and enjoys living and working so close to home,” Jan shared, underscoring Lynette’s love for her work, her community. and the beautiful area of Whangaparāoa

“Lynette also loves a cheeky red Pinot Noir but it has to be cold!” Maria revealed.

As Lynette marks this significant milestone, the entire team at Gulf Harbour Marina is filled with gratitude for her hardwork and invaluable contributions over the past two decades.

“We would like to thank Lynette for all her dedication and contribution over the years!” Jan expressed on behalf of the team.

As Lynette continues her journey at Gulf Harbour Marina, her legacy of professionalism, reliability, and warmth will undoubtedly continue to inspire her colleagues and enrich the community for years to come. Her contributions have been instrumental in shaping Gulf Harbour Marina into the thriving marina it is today, and we look forward to many more years working alonside her!

Marina Projects Update

As we progress through the first quarter of the year, here are some significant updates regarding maintenance and key projects at Gulf Harbour Marina.

The beautification project on the western side of the marina has reached its final stages, with our dedicated grounds crew now focusing on trimming and tidying up the foliage. On the eastern side, a small project remains to complete the narrow strip of gardens between the car parks and the Fairway Bay containers. Unfortunately, this task has been delayed due to vehicle obstruction and the need for some rainy weather to spoil the fantastic summer we have all had so we may gain access to this area. We anticipate completing these works by late March and early April.

We’re immensely proud of the effort and outcome achieved by our grounds crew, and it’s heartening to receive constant positive feedback from our customers.

The replacement Pier ID project is nearing completion, with new poles already at the marina and LED Pier ID letterheads ready to be affixed. Our aim is to finalize this project by the end of March.

Our sustainability efforts continue improving and we thank all our customers in assisting us with our waste management and recycling.

Please use the waste oil receptacles in the central car parks on the western and allocated bins on the eastern for all waste oil and filters. At no time is it acceptable to pour waste oil out into the gardens and around the pohutukawa trees – this has occassionaly occurred by repeat offenders. If any customer or contractor see anything untoward occurring please report it to our marina office or management staff.

On another note, a reminder for all and for new customers please do check out our website that is in a constant refresh of new and perceived useful information. In particular a number of long-term customers were not aware of the detailed information available on Navigating the Marina gulfharbourmarina.co.nz/navigating/ and in particular the hydrographic data and maps available.

The main channel leads have also had all foliage trimmed to ensure the white triangles and white lights at night are not obscured.

Thank you for your continued support as we strive to maintain Gulf Harbour Marina as a premier destination for all our berth holders and visitors!

By Phil Wiig - Maintenance Manager

Double Rum Fishing Report

January/ February/ March 2024

Throughout Whangaparaoa to Kawau, extending to Flat Rock and the 46-meter mark, anglers have encountered challenges in the waters once known as the golden triangle, particularly with snapper fishing. While catches have been made, they haven’t met our usual expectations.

Currently, on a bad day we would catch 10 undersized snappers for every keeper, A successful day now entails landing 5 undersized snappers for each keeper. The keepers have to be measured / remeasured as they just get 31cm – 33cm fish we don’t normally keep.

Fishing the tidal flow has proven beneficial, particularly two hours before and after high tide. However, targeting solid 40cm to 55cm snappers near Gulf Harbour remains elusive.

In February, our focus shifted to Kingfish trips around Flat Rock, Maori Rock, and Nelson Rock. Despite encountering some Kingfish, we caught 3 and 2 were only heads! Many large sharks around so we stopped these charters so as to not waste the Kingfish.

Exploring the Craddock channel between Horn Rock and Broken Islands has been rewarding, as we have been catching bigger fish there and the area is holding fish. We have also been catching off Fantail Bay and Port Jackson in the 60-meter channel area. It’s a long way out there to catch a decent feed - 2 hours for us to travel there for 4 hours fishing then 2 hours back, but it is worth the adventure as some manta rays are about!

These areas are not good if there is any wind over 10 knots as anchoring is best, and its deep water. Pick your days to venture out wide!

Mullet bait has shown remarkable durability, being our primary choice for bait. Bonito Tuna sightings were prominent in February and were fun to catch, but they seem to have gone now.

While some big catches have been made, they remain sporadic and predominantly out wide. What can we expect in April? Hopefully the fish come in closer, as diesel is getting costly! Fish is the most expensive meal we eat currently.

Let’s stay optimistic for the next few monthskeep those lines tight, and happy fishing!

Report by Double Rum Fishing and Charters

Weber Marine

As a proud family-owned and operated business, Weber Marine are deeply committed to delivering excellence, quality craftsmanship, and great customer service.Since their establishment in 2008, Director Braden Weber has overseen daily operations and provided expert guidance for all your boating needs and is also backed by a dedicated team of skilled boatbuilders.

Weber Marine have recently launched two outstanding boats: the 18m Sportsfisher Elite “Crazy Diamond” in late 2022 and the 16m Elite “Hijack” in late 2023, both exceptional boats & the epitome of perfection and luxury. They curently have a 13.5m Elite Sedan under construction and will be starting a 21m Sedan in a couple of months.

Weber Marine specialise in custom new build boats as well as refits and boat maintenance. They recently undertook an extensive refit project on Opportunity III, a SAlthouse 63, completed in 2023, which was showcased recently at the Auckland Boat Show and will be in the upcoming April edition of Boating NZ Magazine. Wheter revitalising a recently acquired boat or adding personalised touches, they are equipped to turn your vision into reality.

“We are also proud to announce we are the new owners of Hibiscus Marine Coatings, operating as Hibiscus Marine Coatings (2024) Ltd from the 1st April 2024. This is very exciting for us as Boatbuilders as we always need painters- and so this acquisition makes perfect business sense! We will be operating “Business As Usual” at both Weber Marine and Hibiscus Marine Coatings so don’t hesitate to come and see us or make enquiries if you need any of the following work done!”

To Carla and the whole team at Hibiscus Marine Coatings - on behalf of the whole team here at Gulf Harbour Marina we want to say a massive thank you for offering such exceptional service and expertise to the boating comunity

Hijack Elite 15.5m

Crazy Diamond 18m Sport Fisher

Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Update

As we have shared in our previous newsletters, Gulf Harbour Marina works with Forest & Bird’s Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Project to control rats and mice around the marina property.

However, it’s also really important to make sure that your gear is free from pests by setting traps or bait stations at home, and checking your bags and boxes before you come to the marina.

The Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Project (PFHC) can help you protect nature in your backyard by supplying rat traps to anyone living on the Whangaparaoa Peninula, Ōrewa, Millwater, or Hatfields Beach, just click here to order yours. There is no charge, you just need to set it regularly and report your catches. Nearly 2000 people are already doing this, and seeing native birds return to their neighbourhoods.

Seen some cool critters or a beautiful plant but don’t know what it is? Upload a photo to the iNaturalist app or website and get instant recommendations and confirmations from a community of experts across New Zealand. You can also join the PFHC project on iNaturalist to check out what people are seeing in your area.

Give dolphins and whales space

An increase in risky, potentially harmful encounters with marine mammals is prompting a call from DOC to the public to give dolphins and whales space on the water.

“This is something we see every summer, but more people seem to be aware of the rules these days and are contacting DOC when they observe inappropriate behaviour.” says Hannah Hendriks, DOC’s Marine Technical advisor.

“We often get several complaints about the same interactions - showing people understand the rules and care about reducing our impact on these mammals. One of the complaints we are seeing is about crowding of dolphin pods, especially in small, shallow bays. We want these animals to be able to behave naturally and move away if they want to without being chased”, says Hannah.

All seals, sea lions, dolphins and whales are protected

under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978. It’s an offence to harass, disturb, injure, or kill marine mammals.

Hannah Hendriks says although it is exciting and interesting to come across marine mammals in the wild, the Marine Mammals Protection Regulations 1992 states how people can safely interact with them. Young mammals are particularly at risk as they may not be as nimble or may not have learned how to interact safely with vessels. For whales, including orca and pilot whales, the rules require people to be extra cautious and keep further away.

Boats and kayaks should keep 50m away from whales (including orca and pilot whales) and this distance should be increased to 200m if calves are present. Swimming is also prohibited with whales and orca.

Keep boats in neutral gear if possible and avoid sudden changes in speed and direction.

Gulf Harbour Rigging

Established in 1988 at Gulf Harbour Marina, Gulf Harbour Rigging has a rich history stemming from its origins in Auckland in 1971 as Terry Gillespie Ltd.

Founded by the esteemed Terry Gillespie, a prominent figure in New Zealand’s yacht rigging scene. In September 2010, the ownership changed hands when Phil Ash acquired the company’s assets and assumed the lease on the premises. Fast forward 11 years to 2021, Rob Croft, formerly an employee, took the reins, becoming the new owner and lessee.

Owner Rob Croft is not only a seasoned Yacht Rigger but also brings a wealth of sailing experience to the table. Having navigated the Pacific and Indonesian waters and achieved success in local and offshore races with his Farr 38 ‘Coppelia’, Rob is well-versed in yacht maintenance and has extensive ‘big boat’ experience, enabling him to handle extreme rope loadings with precision.

Phil Ash, who initially managed the rigging workshop at Gulf Harbour from 1996 before purchasing the business, boasts a lifelong passion for sailing. Starting with P Class dinghy sailing in Wellington Harbour in the 1960s, Phil’s journey has seen him venture

into keelboat sailing and various dinghy classes. His extensive experience in sailmaking, loft management, and marine industry roles on the US west coast have equipped him with a profound understanding of yacht maintenance and rigging.

Handling office and accounts management is Kerry Davies, a stalwart of the New Zealand marine industry, currently serving as Commodore of the Weiti Boating Club. Together with her husband Mike, they share a love for sailing, having achieved notable success with their Farr 1020 and previously owned Alan Wright designed Marauder, clinching National Championships in 2011 and 2012.

For longtime patrons, the retirement of original owner Terry Gillespie after four decades in the rigging business marks a significant transition. While Terry now enjoys leisure pursuits like fishing and golfing, his wealth of knowledge remains accessible to former customers and friends,. Terry’s expertise is just a phone call away!

Just a reminder...

This is a friendly reminder to all of our berth holders to please assist us with the following:

• A concern raised by the Berth Holders association was that a growing number of boats are oversize in berths which can be a navigation risk. Please ensure your boat is not sitting over your berthstaff will be identifying berths that do and making contact with the owners.

• Trolley Etiquette. Please ensure you return them back to the carpark for the next boatie to use.

• Passing of vessels on open water - please be aware of the impact your wake has on vessels you are passing.

We appreciate everyone doing their part to make the marina an efficent and safe place!

LIMITED DRYSTACK OFFER

New Clients sign up for 6 months and get 1 month free!*

Receive discounts at GoFuel Marinas

Plus one of three chances to win a $200 fuel card credit!

TRAILERPARK STORAGE

If you have a trailer, caravan or RV cluttering up the driveway for the winter or looking for an offsite storage option please make contact with Jan on 09 884 9674 or jan.edmonds@gulfharbourmarina.co.nz