Waterline - June 2019

B OAT | FISH | WAT ERSP OR T N Z

W I N T ER 2019

Breath-taking passion Alex Edwards.

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The region’s favourite watersport and boating magazine, Waterline.

Bigger, brighter and with increased circulation, Waterline is making more of a splash in the booming marine market, with a new look and a wider reach.

It’s the flagship of the region’s boating community, embraced by clubs, active boat owners, fishos, divers and

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watersports enthusiasts.

Alex making a splash in Spearfishing scene 4

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Mysterious species encounter

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Living for work and the wake

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Caleb leaves disabilities on dry land

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Kayaking dreams realised

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Paddling a board can take you places

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The importance of having VHF

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Keeping gear in top condition

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Legendary power and torque

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Farewell to summer

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For advertising and to share your stories please contact: Kathy Sellars on 07 928 3053 kathy@sunmedia.co.nz

www.waterline.co.nz waterlinenz Editor: Brian Rogers Advertising: Kathy Sellars and Jo Delicata Graphic Design: SunMedia Ltd Photography: Bruce Barnard, Daniel Hines and John Borren

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Waterline is a SunMedia Ltd publication © All material is copyright and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

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Alex making a splash i Alex Edwards probably is pretty much your typical Kiwi teenager.

Except she’s a kiwi teenager who spends large parts of an average day 15 metres or more underwater, holding her breath for up to two and a half minutes, taking potshots at passing fishlife.

And representing her country while she does it.

Alex never dreamed her passion for spearfishing - nurtured by her parents making snorkelling a favourite part of her childhood, and then finally, at about the age of 12 she thinks, trusting her with a speargun - would turn her into not only a national sporting representative, but surely one of the country’s youngest ever, in any sport.

“Definitely not, I’d never really thought of it.” But after early success in national competitions she realised it was something she very much aspired to.

“So I put my mind to it and worked really hard, just diving all the time. And asking people lots of pestering questions about how they got fish and stuff like that - trying to learn as much as I could.”

National recognition was not long in coming, with a place in the winning New Zealand women’s team at the 2016 Inter-Pacific champs, held in her home waters of the Bay of Islands.

“I started competing for New Zealand when I was 14. I think I was the youngest to make the team, or youngest to win the InterPacifics, because our team won it that year. Which was pretty cool as a young kid.”

Already Alex’s spearfishing addiction has taken her to an assortment of global destinations, including Missouri, Guam, Hawaii, and to Victoria’s Port Fairy for the Australian Spearfishing Champs in March, where she cleaned up with the women’s and junior titles. Then it was Eden on New South Wales’ southern coast in early May for this year’s Inter-Pacifics, where the kiwis gave the home team a good run for their money.

Big plans are in place for next year too, with a goal to try her luck in Mediterranean waters off the coast of Italy at the 32nd World Spearfishing Champs.

“Last year was the first year they let females compete in the World Saltwater titles.

So I’m trying to make the team to head over there to Sardinia for next year.”

Alex’s first long snout boarfish taken on a weed edge in about 18m out from Narooma, NSW.

Alex bleeds a small trevaly in clear water.

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Checking out a small school of kingfish in clear water.

h in spearfishing scene In a traditionally male dominated sport, Alex is doing what she can to raise its profile for women.

“Females haven’t really pushed themselves as hard to compete at that level because it’s fairly new to us but I’m trying to let people know that girls can compete just as well as men can.

“Now quite a few females are getting into it, which is really cool to see.”

In March Alex and partner Gemma Shields achieved a noteworthy tenth place at the World Freshwater Champs in Taupo. It’s just one of many cool locations she’s fished in her home country, from the very top of the North Island and Three Kings Islands to Fiordland.

Bay of Plenty’s welcoming waters are next on the to-do list for some serious exploration this year, she says. It’s a gap year for her after graduating from Kerikeri High School, before heading into serious study - probably something to do with aquaculture at Otago University - next year, so there’s a lot of travel, spearfishing, and adventure to be packed into it.

So what is it about the sport of spearfishing that’s got Alex hooked?

“I guess it’s the fact that it’s quite a challenge, a personal challenge, and it’s a freedom. You’re venturing into a place that’s mostly untouched by a lot of people and you get to explore pretty much a new world.

“The adventure part of it is probably my favourite - exploring new places.

As a competitor who’s already brought home prestigious titles in the sport Alex is clear on the skills needed to succeed.

“Knowing how to hunt is the biggest one. A lot of people think it’s all about being able to hold your breath for a long time and dive deep but it’s really just about the hunt. If you can find fish you can find fish anywhere. You don’t really need to dive deep to get most fish, it’s just about finding them.

“Knowing where they’re hiding and getting to understand how different fish react and where they live.”

Blending into the environment and making yourself as inconspicuous as possible are crucial skills too.

“You’ve got to be really quiet, stay really still with a lot of fish and make yourself look interesting for them so they come and see you but also not scare them away.

“You just have to look really chill and relaxed.”

Training for Alex generally involves more diving. “I’ll be diving quite a few hours most weeks, trying to get on top of the game.”

And it’s not always about shooting anything. Often she gets more of a buzz out just finding fish and observing them.

“A lot of the time I usually just watch them and see how they act, see how they’re behaving. You can learn quite a lot from them when you just watch them.”

Then there’s also the other creatures she gets to hang out with beneath the waves that make it special.

“I’ve had some pretty cool swims with sharks.

“When they’re really friendly, that’s probably the highlight of my sport so far.

If there’s any fear, she says, the feeling is often mutual.

“In the water they’re usually really chill. They’re quite fascinated but they’re also quite terrified of you.

“I’ve never had a shark be so

overly aggressive with me that I’ve had to get out of the water. They may steal your catches a few times but you kind of get over that ‘cos it’s their world you’re playing in.

“I’m not going to argue with them.”

Chris James

Alex with a 10.5kg snapper shot on the snoop in the far north.

The 2019 Australian Spearfishing female and junior trophies are a handful for Alex, alongside men’s champ Rob Torelli. waterline Winter 2019

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Mysterious

species encounter

False killer whales frequently breach, a behaviour that distinguishes them from the similar looking pilot whales.

They usually enter the water with a very large splash that is visible from far away.

False killer whales. They’re killer whales, but not as we know them.

Out in our oceans, masquerading as orcas (but without the distinctive white markings) is a mysterious species known as ‘false killer whales’.

Jetski Fishing Show host Kirk Davis had a close encounter of the false killer whale kind when he was fishing off the top of Great Barrier Island.

Seeing a lot of activity in the water ahead of him, he went in for a closer look and found around 50 of the majestic mammals, accompanied by a large pod of dolphins, feeding on kingfish.

Happy to cruise At his closest, he was just a metre from them, and they seemed happy to cruise alongside the jetski as dolphins often do.

“I was a couple of miles out and I could see a whole lot of something making quite a commotion in the water and I just kind

Kirk Davis has a close encounter with a pod of false killer whales.

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of cruised over towards them,” says Kirk.

“They looked a bit like pilot whales, and they were actually feeding on kingfish.

The birds would follow them... they would bring the kingfish up from down deep, rips its head off and its guts out and give the rest to the birds. It was like they were working in tandem with the birds.”

Unique experience Mesmerised, he put away his fishing rod and sat motionless watching them for an hour.

“It was pretty cool. It’s not something you see every day.”

Accompanied by a film crew at the time, the rare encounter was captured on film.

Kirk posted some still frames from the footage to Facebook, asking if anyone had any information about the intriguing pod.

He was soon contacted by Jochen Zaeschmar, a marine biologist who runs sailing charters in the Bay of Islands and who has been researching false killer whales for the past 17 years.

Jochen’s research is one of only two long term research projects on the species worldwide, the other being based in Hawaii.

“I first encountered them in 2000 and just got intrigued by them. I wanted to find out more about them.

“From what we know they come into coastal New Zealand waters somewhere around Christmas, give or take a week, and generally the first sightings are in the Bay of Plenty. Then they slowly work their way up to the Far North. They stay here until early May and then they go away and we have no idea where they actually go. But we know that the same individuals come back every year.”

a lot because they go for the same food basically.“It would be wonderful to have an idea of where they are. Ideally if people can take a photo or even a video – it doesn’t have to be much – so we can be sure.”

Not easy to find

False killer whales are not easy to find as they have a preference for deep oceanic waters, and groups can separate as far as 20km Bottlenose dolphins while travelling or foraging.

False killer whales are always seen with bottlenose dolphins, but In the Bay of Plenty, they have been seen in waters around the nature of their relationship is not fully Mayor Island, White Island and Penguin understood.

Shoal. The last Bay of Plenty sighting was “I’ve never not seen them together in in February. all those years. Because there are so many “The Bay of Plenty is really important dolphins people literally don’t see the because that’s when all the December/ whales – they don’t realise there’s more January/February sightings are seen. They than one species in the group.” do like warm water,” says Jochen.

There are about 150 false killer whales “They used to be a lot more common in known to visit New Zealand, of which the Bay of Islands but in recent years they Jochen can identify 110 individually from have shifted south a lot, mostly to do with their markings. food. There’s been a similar trend with A false killer whale leaps in the air as it “One of the main questions we are game fish.” feeds on a kingfish. trying to answer is; exactly how many of False killer whales look a lot like pilot them are there? Are they getting more or whales, but once you know what you’re less? And do we need to worry about them? The other question is; looking for they are easily distinguishable, he says. how unique are they to New Zealand?” he says.

“If you can tell a blue marlin from a striped marlin, you can tell “The other thing we are looking at is the social structures. Are a false killer whale from a pilot whale.” the whales we see together related or just playmates?”

The Far Out Ocean Research Collective, has published The research relies on sightings of the whales and Jochen is identification guides on its Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ appealing for those out on the water to keep an eye out for them.

FalseKillerWhalesNZ), along with information, photos and video “This year, sadly, I haven’t seen them myself. Which is why footage.

The collective also has a hotline for sightings: 0800 FAR OUT we are so dependent on and grateful for sightings from the public, especially the game fishing community. They see them Julia Proverbs

False killer whales and bottlenose dolphins have developed a close relationship in New Zealand waters.

The two species are typically seen together, presumably to improve foraging success and predator avoidance.

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‘No’ to removing minimum fish sizes

LegaSea representative Peter Campbell.

Allowing commercial fishers to land fish of any size is not good fishers management.

That was the response from recreational fishers when Fisheries New Zealand suggested removing the minimum size limits for commercially caught fish such as snapper, tarakihi, trevally and flounder. In the Bay of Plenty some of these species are well below sustainable levels so the remaining fish need to be protected, to enable them to grow and breed.

Allowing commercial fishers to sell more small fish will also make it harder for amateurs to catch a fish for dinner, because minimum sizes would continue to apply to recreational catch.

Stocks depleted

Snapper and tarakihi stocks are depleted in the Bay but kingfish numbers are recovering thanks to the dedicated efforts of some of our leading charter boat skippers. Allowing the capture of undersized kingfish while retaining the 75cm minimum size for recreational fishers would be a major, highly unpopular set back.

LegaSea worked with the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council recently to develop a response to the Ministry’s proposals. FNZ made no mention of installing cameras on commercial vessels, yet cameras are the only realistic way to monitor what is caught and discarded at sea.

Smarter way needed

Before a minimum size limit is removed there must be adequate at sea monitoring and enforcement in place, requiring cameras on fishing vessels and increased resources for fisheries compliance staff. The research budget will also need to increase to enable 8

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active monitoring of the impacts on fish stocks. In real terms the research budget has declined by 45% since the early 1990s, while the number of quota stocks has increased by 3.5 times.

Rather than putting more fish at risk we must look for smarter ways to conserve our marine environment. Closing inshore areas to trawling and seining to protect small fish and seabed habitat would start us on the pathway to ecosystem based management fit for the 21st century.

Local representative

Peter Campbell is a LegaSea advocate based in Tauranga. He has also been a leader of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council’s fisheries management team and the Tauranga Sport Fishing Club.

Drone fishing from the local beaches is his passion so Peter was actively involved in the Tauranga Council’s 2018 process to review beach bylaws. Public access to Tauranga beaches must be maintained in the interests of Bay residents and the broader Waikato community.

To achieve a positive outcome Peter and the team proposed a simple Code of Practice applying to all beach users. In September the Tauranga City Council announced its new rules which largely align with the Code of Practice. It is pleasing that sensible rules are now in place to manage people’s activities on the beach.

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Living for work For a national Wakeboarding champion, Darren Bishop lives a far different life to what most people would expect.

The 31-year-old from Tauranga says work takes priority for him these days, and he gets out on the water a few times a week, or whenever he has spare time.

“Last week I won the open men’s national title, and I guess it’s the biggest thing you can win in New Zealand.

“To be honest, this year I wasn’t able to prepare very much and I was surprised I won actually.

“I had done bugger all training because of work and life getting in the way. I probably trained once a week for two months before that, but I planned to do more training.”

As well as work taking priority over training, Darren was struck by an injury in the first competition of the season.

“I had a back injury that put me out for about two months.”

Although Darren’s competition preparation didn’t go to plan, he used his experience and knowledge to take the title.

“I started wakeboarding when I was quite young. My family used to go away waterskiing and I found a wake board and I started doing it more and more.

“Since I was about 16 or 17, that’s when I first started doing competitions, and I’ve been in and out of it since then.”

Darren says he became very competitive in the sport when he began travelling to the United States during their summer for a few months.

“I would be training, working at a Wakeboarding camp and coaching Wakeboarding.

“I first went over when I was 20, and I did seven seasons between then and now.”

Going into the competition, Darren says he wasn’t expecting to take out the title, but he says his experience came into play.

“I had a game plan of what I wanted to do in my head, and I knew what I could achieve, so I just tried to concentrate on that, and it worked out.

“Experience and being a bit older helped, it can be nerve wracking when you get into those situations, I’ve been doing it a while.”

Darren says the competitors are judged on intensity, composition and execution, and a maximum of ten points can be awarded for each of those categories by the judges.

In the final, Darren says he knew he had a good chance of taking out a top two finish as he had come out on top during the heats.

“When I came back in from my final run I was quietly confident, but I knew it would be close.

“There were a handful of tricks in my final run that I knew I needed to get, and I did, but just like anything there’s always things you can do better.”

With conditions playing a big part in how competitors perform, Darren says the weather could not have been better for the open men’s competition.

“The water flattened up at the end of the day for the open men, it was quite nice for a change.

“The water glassed off for us, and when the water’s choppy it affects the wake.”

After the final, Darren says he was relieved and enjoyed celebrating.

Darren says he will continue wakeboarding but his main focus now is work.

“I’m in the situation where work comes first these days and I can’t do a lot about that, but I’m keen to hang on to the title for another year.

“I won’t be able to do anymore trips to America, but I’m definitely going to train hard next summer before these young kids get too good.”

Tauranga’s Darren Bishop is the open men’s national Wakeboarding champion.

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Caleb leaves disabilities

It’s always been difficult for Caleb Evans to focus and ‘get’ something new.

The 13 year-old suffers from an intellectual disability, Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and ADHD – but from the moment he set foot in a sailing boat, he has thrived.

Caleb has been sailing in Hansa 303 boats on Tauranga Harbour since October last year after joining Sailability Tauranga – a volunteer-based charitable trust which provides weekly sailing opportunities to anyone with a disability.

“He feels accepted and valued which is a priceless gift for Caleb in a world that is not always accepting of disability, particularly when you can’t see it,” explains his mother, Maree Evans.

“One of Caleb’s strengths is an ability to watch and mimic what he sees. This is how he learns best – by the physical doing rather than academic learning, so sailing is perfect for this.

Strengthening skills

“He also has a newfound ability to be given constructive criticism and change what he is doing in response. These skills are being strengthened by the coaching he’s receiving at Sailability and we believe will one day assist him into successful employment.”

In fact, Caleb has made such great progress that he was chosen by his Sailability coaches to compete in a national Hansa regatta in March – winning his particular class.

“He was very proud of himself that day. He is a bit of an adrenaline junkie so he gets a rush from sailing. The rougher and faster it is, the more he loves it.”

Sailing Director of Sailability Tauranga, Alistair Eagleson, says there are more than 45 sailing members of the organisation at present, with many additional sailors taking part in weekly sessions.

Aim to help more

Richard and Caleb waiting for a tow out onto the harbour.

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“Most of our sailors are intellectually disabled and we are working to get more physically disabled people who are intellectually capable out on the water as well. Our aim is to cater for anyone with a disability who wants to sail.”

The club currently sails six Hansa 303 which can be sailed either single handed or two handed. Experienced skippers accompany most sailors onto the water where they’re taught how to pull in the sheets, steer the boat, and perform other tasks they’re capable of during their one hour session.

“Our programme ranges from therapeutic sailing through to learning to sail and then learning to race. We talk about possible goals, and by ascertaining their abilities on the water, we’re able to make suggestions as to what their next steps could be.”

Alistair clearly remembers taking Caleb out on the water for the very first time. “I could see straight away that he had potential.

Aside from competing and performing so well in the regatta, he’s now gone on to racing a keel boat in the Wednesday night summer series. So to see that progression over the past few months has been a real highlight for us.”

Caleb trimming the sails.

Sailability operates world-wide and there are now organisations in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Rotorua, Taranaki, Waikato, Wellington and Whangarei as well as Tauranga.

Volunteers manage each sailor’s learning progression carefully in terms of safety.

“But the pure enjoyment, confidence and satisfaction sailors get from sailing is quite heart-warming to see and rewarding for volunteers.”

Highlight of the week

Maree says sailing is now the highlight of Caleb’s week. He was recognised as an ‘Emerging Talent’ finalist in this year’s Bay of Plenty Disability Sports Awards.

“He has been a part of a great team of sailors and enjoys the comaraderie and competitiveness immensely. He’s involved in every aspect – from setting up the boat, to sailing it and putting it away again. Caleb also really enjoys sitting for a chat with the skippers and volunteers afterwards, as well as the fabulous bread rolls!”

She acknowledges that patience and perseverance is required by skippers to help

Caleb checks out the opposition.

Caleb focus and not be distracted by other sailors and boats. “We believe that with practice, new brain pathways are being made or strengthened so again sailing is great for this.”

A slow processing speed also effects Caleb’s ability to respond quickly. This can be frustrating for people trying to teach Caleb a new skill, Maree explains.

“If Caleb is in an environment where he feels under pressure, he will respond with anxiety and sometimes a meltdown.

We have never had this type of behaviour at Sailability and this comes down to the skilled support given to Caleb by the skippers and all volunteers involved.”

Trying something new

Like any other parent, Maree says she’s always keen to expose Caleb to new activities and skills. But when your child has a disability, she says the range of choices is sometimes narrowed.

“Caleb loved sailing from the moment he first tried it. But just as importantly for Caleb is the opportunity to be around great role models and other people of various ages with a range of disabilities.

He has been able to attend trainings by himself which gives him a very important feeling of independence as well.”

Anyone interested in joining Sailability Tauranga’s weekly programme is welcome to contact the club to arrange a free trial session. Because of the size of the boats, children must be at least 10 years-old, Alistair says.

“Similarly, we welcome anyone interested in volunteering to help with sailing days or even assist in an administrative capacity. Eighteen volunteers are required to ensure the sailing experiences we provide are well organised and sailors enjoy sailing in a safe setting.”

For more information about the organisation visit www.sporty.co.nz/ sailabilitytauranga Jo-Marie Baker

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Confidence at sea Jacqui Sinclair knows all too well the panic-stricken feeling of trying to pull a lifejacket on when already in the water.

Jacqui Sinclair.

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“When you’re out of breath and stressed, trying to figure out which way round it goes is incredibly challenging,” she says. “I thought I was fit but it’s a huge physical challenge to get it on so it fits properly and comfortably when you’re already wet.”

Fortunately for Jacqui, she wasn’t fighting for survival – just trying to pass her New Zealand Certificate in Domestic Maritime Operations (Level 4).

As part of the Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology course, Jacqui and her classmates had to swim multiple lengths of a pool and tread water for 10 minutes before attempting to pull their lifejackets on.

She says the experience enhanced her knowledge and appreciation of her own role as Safe Boating Officer for Tauranga’s Harbourmaster. “Now I fully understand why lifejackets work best if you’re already wearing them.”

A diverse range of students typically enrol in the course each year, which comprises 17 weeks of online tuition plus a five week block course at Toi Ohomai.

Students learn about navigation, tides, weather, sea survival, firefighting, first aid, electronic navigation, passage planning, emergency procedures, marine engineering and gain their Maritime Restricted Radio Operator’s Certificate. They must complete written and practical assessments on each topic to pass.

“The tutors are incredibly knowledgeable and it’s really hands-on which is a great way to learn,” Jacqui says. “They also help you apply to Maritime New Zealand for your restricted limits skipper licence at the end.”

Now that she’s graduated, Jacqui can skipper a vessel of up to 12m in length and carry up to 19 passengers out to a distance of 12 nautical miles off the coast.

“The online course gives you a good head start before you get into the classroom. I was most worried about the engineering section because it was all about motors, parts and subjects out of my comfort zone. But the online course explained it all, so by the time I got to the block course and assessment I felt more comfortable and wasn’t completely lost.”

Jacqui says learning to read the weather was another valuable skill she picked up. “Now I fully understand what I’m looking at, what’s coming at me and how to avoid it. It will make it a lot easier to plan trips.”

With her skipper’s licence now safely tucked inside her wallet, Jacqui feels incredibly proud to have completed her certificate. “It was a real challenge but it’s fabulous to have my ticket. This course will give anyone who is working in the commercial maritime industry a great deal of confidence.”

Jo-Marie Baker

Jacqui takes the helm of the Awanui on Tauranga Harbour.

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Kayaking dreams realised As a young kayaker, Geoff Mould used to dream of competing at the Olympic Games.

“My goal was to get into the New Zealand team but I was never good enough even though I was training 25km a day, every day. I spent a lot of time really giving it my best shot but eventually I realised, hey I’ve actually got to work. I haven’t got time to train as much as I need to.”

The 56 year-old Te Puke builder has no regrets about switching focus and is now excited to be coming full circle and renewing his passion for the sport. He’s currently making his presence known on the National Masters kayaking circuit and has his eye firmly on competing in the

Geoff Mould.

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10th World Masters Games in Kansai, Japan, in 2021.

“It’s like I’m getting another chance from the other end,” Geoff laughs.

One of his kayaking heroes, Alan Thompson who won gold in the K1 1000 at the LA Olympics in 1984, is now his coach.

“It turns out I’ve been paddling for over 20 years with the wrong technique. I saw Alan at last year’s nationals and I said ‘bro, I need some help’. So I’ve had a year’s coaching from him and have improved significantly. I’m loving the changes.”

Geoff ’s dad started his son off in the sport when he was just six years-old. “He had this old wooden canvas canoe and we spent a lot of time paddling down the Rangitikei River when I was a kid.”

At Massey University, Geoff began to

compete in triathlons which featured a kayaking leg instead of a swim and began to do well on the national scene.

“Like any young guy I thought I was useless at everything in terms of athletics but when I started to train, I started to go quite well and it was very encouraging. It was good for the self-esteem. It was never about winning because I never won, but I came reasonably well placed and I just loved working out on the water and my love for flat-water racing grew from there.”

Geoff moved to Gisborne in the 1980s where he first met local kayaking stars and Olympians Alan Thomspon and Grant Bramwell. With their encouragement, he got involved in K1 flat water racing and began to train hard every day.

Grateful connection

While his initial dream didn’t pan out, Geoff ’s grateful to have reconnected with Alan all these years later.

“Alan has great coaching skills and is very generous about passing on his knowledge to me.

“It turns out I was doing seven or eight things wrong. I wasn’t driving with my legs at all. If you watch Lisa Carrington racing, her leg drive is incredible. Your leg drive locks your whole core and brings your upper body and back into the equation.

I was using my arms and shoulders too much and didn’t have enough back and body twist,” Geoff explains.

Kayaking is all about having a nice long rhythmical technique, being relaxed and catching plenty of water, he says.

“Your back muscles are the strongest muscle group in your body so having the

technique is everything. If you watch any race in the Olympics, it’s poetry in motion and it’s a beautiful rhythm.”

In February this year, Geoff competed in the National Masters Championship and came away with 4th and 5th placings and two personal bests in the 1000m and 5000m events.

“I was obviously competing in the Masters class but it was amazing to watch the young guns race, including my coach’s son who took out the 1000m NZ title again for the second year in a row.”

Geoff ’s time in his 1000m race was 4:40sec. “Just to give you an idea, two years ago when I raced at the World Masters Games in Auckland, I made the final of the 1000m and my time for that event at this year’s nationals was 40 seconds quicker. All of that is just through better technique.”

Gaining skills and endorphins

He currently trains almost every day in an “ideal” man-made lake behind Pak n Save, Papamoa, alternating between sprint work to build endurance, and drills to improve his paddling technique.

“I always do a 5000m time trial on a Wednesday and last night I bet my old time by 45 seconds. It’s easy when you’re training under the stop watch to rush your stroke but it’s actually about slowing it down, being more relaxed and catching more water.

“It’s a buzz. It can get addictive because you feel stronger and you’re producing endorphins after a good work out.”

Geoff acknowledges he’s lost some of his natural sprint ability compared to his younger days, but believes his endurance is better than ever.

“My coach said give me another year and I could be dangerous; I could be getting somewhere.”

He’s currently training for an upcoming 10,000m series and plans to compete in the sprint series at the Blue Lake (Tikitapu) in Rotorua later this year before tacking the Nationals again next February.

The World Masters Games are also on the horizon, and Geoff is hoping to compete in Japan alongside his best paddling mate from the Coromandel.

“I’ve got nothing to prove in a kayak, I’m just loving it. My ego and my self-worth isn’t tied up in this but I’m loving the journey and I’m loving the improvements. It’s not about ‘hey I’m going to beat you’, it’s about staying humble and just being blessed with Jo-Marie Baker the increases that are happening.”

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The Marine trades and the Geoff Collins

The rudder shaft was well seized in the tube.

“We’ll get the bastard” growled my boss, as I held the solid stainless steel drift on top of the offending shaft with both hands, gritted my teeth and looked away.

The sledge hammer came through a full arc, and missed the dump entirely, to connect with my forearms at full force. Luckily, when you’re 23, you have rubber bones, so you run your arms under a cold tap, (not sure how that was supposed to have relieved the pain), and go back to have another crack at it. We got the bastard out on the second attempt.

Earlier that week we slipped a vessel unfamiliar to us. Standard practice was to tell the apprentice to strip to his “gruds”, and swim under the boat to inspect it, and ensure it didn’t become “bilgebound” as it was eased up the slip. This was normal procedure, (summer or winter). Damage to the bilge planks involved a costly repair, and was not an option.

A normal working day commonly involved constant close brushes with potential injury. But this was some time ago, we were young, and as such, had fairly quick reaction times. Deep underneath, we were uncertain about our chances of survival beyond the age 40.

The workings of the boat building industry, and its sub-trades, encompassed a lethal combination of rather testing things...

Walked with gait

Firstly our mentors. Our bosses were invariably short, gruff, and about 2 axe-handles in width across the shoulders. They spoke in an odd combination of swearwords and technical terminology. They walked with a gait, which made them look partially inebriated. We were never sure why, but this seemed to

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be a common theme amongst older marine tradespeople. Their forearms reminded me of Popeye’s, and they were masters of monosylabic, dry observations. They didn’t suffer fools, and were quick to throw a hammer through the workshop radio, if the music didn’t appeal to their palate. This included all music with the exception of anything from the early 60s.

Physical exertion The normal daily routine involved trying to out-work the boss, who came from a generation of men who refused to display any weakness. Hence it was not uncommon to spend a 9 hour day grinding anti-fouling off a boat, or hand-planning a 50 foot hull, or board-sanding sometimes every day for a week, or lifting and milling massive baulks of timber for hours on end. Typically if you performed adequately, nothing was said, but if the boss shouted you a couple of cold quart bottles of DB beer on Friday at the end of the working week, your performance was probably deemed to be “a bit better than a poofter.”

The tools

Much of the workshop machinery was capable of terminating your life, or at least your limbs in a nano-second. A bench-saw could spear you in the stomach with a kick-back of timber if you didn’t line things up properly. A buzzer would take all your fingers off if you tried to “buzz” a piece of timber that was too short. Stand to the side of a large bandsaw, and you would be speared by the blade if it broke on a difficult cut. Spindle moulders...well, if the blades flew out, you were dead. Squarehead thicknessers, ditto. Routers were clamped upside-down in bench vices for most moulding work, with great risk to fingers, and electric planes could shave off a section of body flesh in a second. Skill saws and chainsaws could kick back and cleave your limbs or skull quicker than you could blink. Grinders could jam up in a tight space, and kick back into your face or legs.

e

natural selection process And that was only the machinery. Scaffolding was a big player in the natural selection process. Commonly, it was knocked up out of 4x2 timber and planks, or 44 gallon drums balanced on top of each other. It was “one hand for the tool, and one hand for yourself ”.

It wasn’t entirely uncommon for scaffolds to partially collapse while mowing down a gun’ale with an electric hand-plane. We were quite adept at grabbing the edge of the boat and trying not to connect with the electric planer as the scaffold tumbled away. Some jobs would involve using power tools while standing in the water out of the end of slipways. Electric shocks were entirely commonplace. We would try to gauge the risk factor by trial and error. A good kick of an electric shock was a bit of an indicator that we might need to wear thicker rubber footwear in order to complete the job.

Dust and aroma

Dust masks were largely unheard of until the 1980s. As boat builders, we breathed in quite an array of fine dust.

Kauri, mahogany, teak, totara, tanalised kahikatea, iroko, Karri and spotted gum were part of the daily “aroma”. Dust from many lead-based paints, fibreglass dust, antifouling dust and carbon dust. Tanalised timbers were full of arsenic, and we machined countless lineal metres of this material.

a while the crane would sometimes tip and threaten to fall on the boat. As apprentices, we were always on board the boats to position the lifting slings, and always ready to jump for our lives if the crane came down upon us. Once on the hardstand, we would position or construct a cradle, while the vessel swung close by in the strops. Just one slip by the crane-driver would have resulted in serious injury during parts of this process. We fashioned Tauranga’s first travel-lift utilising a redundant hopper from the wharf, a tractor, and a hydraulic drive system. This rudimentary contraption lifted all of the local pleasure-vessels for many years, with a zero injury record in thousands of hours of operation.

Under the radar

During the 1980s a government department called OSH started to take an interest in health and safety in the trades. It created an interesting division.

On one hand you some small business managers trying to stay under the radar,

Solvents

Quite a nasty line-up really. We regularly used epoxy resins and solvents, carbon tetrachloride, acetone, turps, meths, polyurethane thinners, and isocyanate based products. Polyesters, Methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (we nick-named Irish eye drops because one drop would blind you). Epoxy hardeners proved to be the most lethal even though they were relatively inert smelling, followed closely by isocyanates, which put an almond-like smell through the workshops and hardstand areas. Naturally, the Accident Compensation Commission became very shy of the resultant casualties of these chemicals as the toll mounted up. So many workers were alienated, and suffered in silence with job loss and sometimes relationship breakdowns as the cocktail of solvents were increasing in the industry. Interestingly, not all workers were affected too adversely, but at least 50% were forced out into other careers, or, in some cases, were no longer able to work at all.

Hard on ears

Then there was noise...machinery and electric hand-tools made for a noisy work environment. Commonly workers in the industry had to wear ear-muffs dawn till dusk, otherwise significant hearing loss was a guarantee. Communication was commonly by an array of hand signals, largely based on the signals that evolved as related to our regular work with crane drivers.

Moving boats

The marine trades regularly involved crane lifts and moving of vessels up to about 600 ton. There was little room for error when slipping a 600 ton vessel. A 10 degree list to one side could collapse a slipway cradle. We checked vessel list usually by eye as a boat was slipped. Often uneven slipway rails meant several adjustments were required as the boat was hauled. It was possible to crane 25 ton boats up and over a slipway apron, but once in

(because safety procedures invariably cut into the already slim profit margins), and on the other hand there were the workers, who needed the job security to feed the family, but also needed to preserve some semblance of health and some sense of longevity.

Consequently health and safety evolved rather slowly in some of the marine trades.

As time went by, industry and trades in general shifted from the “Gung Ho” status to the regulated status as we see today.

As much as my workmates largely survived the old school work environment, there were some casualties, and some mental health issues, more especially from excessive exposure to epoxies and isocyanates.

Some would say that the natural selection process was alive and well in the early days of Tauranga boat building and it’s sub-trades. Amazingly most workers have survived to well over 40 years of age, and most got to reproduce. Some of us even have sons in the industry, but nowadays they are much less least likely to experience scaffold collapse. And the other hazards tend to be better managed nowadays, (with considerably greater operating cost accordingly).

I still see my old boss regularly, 40 years on. I still have “the stainless drift”. We still both have all 10 fingers and are both still on the “right side of the grass”. And we have sons in the industry.

I’m unsure what Charles Darwin would have to say about our role in the natural selection process. waterline Winter 2019

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BOAT OF THE MO

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NTH

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Graceful Bay veteran ready for next chapter of colourful life If you’re looking to get out on the water in a bit of comfort and style, and bring back a few fish to fill the freezer or maybe win a prize or two, you might as well be accompanied by a veteran.

And as a vessel which has been hunting out the fishing hotspots of the Bay of Plenty for over 60 years, Moana fits firmly, and elegantly, into that category.

Alan Hunter of Tauranga commissioned Moana in 1954 from the celebrated Lane’s Motor Boat Company of Panmure, Auckland, for the purpose of game fishing around Mayor Island. Since then it’s passed through the hands of a number of caring owners, and spent a fair few successful years as a charter vessel. During that time Moana has made quite a name for itself, and broken many a game fishing record along the way.

As genteel as it is, Moana is no lightweight.

It’s 13 metres of solid displacement vessel

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built - in the traditional New Zealand way of 1¼ inch Kauri carvel planked – for those who prefer the steady reassurance of gliding through the waves, aided by her 1.1 m draught, rather than bouncing off the top of them.

And with 4.12 metres of beam, Moana has more than enough room to accommodate a fishing party of eight, with six single berths and one double. Over the years the interior has been finished in a manner befitting such a graceful vessel, and now boasts all amenities for comfortable cruising including an electric toilet, shower, fridge, freezer, and four-burner oven/grill.

Up top there is a roomy bridge equipped with good electronics.

The 127 HP Gardner 6LXB diesel, giving the boat a reliable cruising speed of 8 knots, might not get you to the fishing grounds first but will make it a stress-free journey.

Moana is now looking for its next satisfied owner, so if you like the idea of cruising and fishing the coast in a genuine classic full of history, make contact with Brian Worthington at Gulf Group Marine Brokers Ltd.

Bag limits begin

From this month onwards recreational anglers are only permitted to catch one bluefin tuna per person, per day, with Fisheries New Zealand introducing a daily bag limit from June 1.

The new rule, which was announced by FNZ on April 18, now applies to all amateur fishers in New Zealand fisheries waters.

Southern bluefin tuna is a high value species, currently subject to a regional rebuilding plan under the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, which internationally manages the specie and sets global total allowable catch rates in three-year blocks to individual member countries, using a management procedure.

All countries have a binding obligation to manage their catch of southern bluefin tuna within their national allocation and the rules of CCSBT regarding under and over catch.

According to the 2018 FNZ discussion document, the most recent stock assessment suggests the stock is at 13 per cent of the initial spawning stock biomass, which is below the level able to produce the maximum sustainable yield.

The discussion document also states for the three-year block from 2018 to 2020, the CCSBT raised the global total allowable catch by 3000 tonnes, to 17,647 tonnes per annum. As a result, NZ’s national allocation increased by 88 tonnes, to 1088 tonnes per annum.

And previously, NZ’s recreational catch for southern bluefin tuna was typically low, with no catch reported in 2014, then 1.1 tonnes reported in 2015, and 1.4 tonnes reported in 2016. This formed the basis of FNZ’s decision to increase the recreational allowance from eight to 20 tonnes.

“However, in 2017, this increased substantially to an estimated level of 24.3 tonnes. Social media posts, good catch rates, and favourable weather conditions attracted hundreds of anglers to the Eastern Bay of Plenty to target these fish,” according to the 2018 FNZ discussion document.

FNZ funded a research project in 2018 aimed at estimating southern bluefin tuna recreational catch. This included a boat ramp survey at Waihau Bay/East Cape, with other information collected from a variety of sources including sport fishing club records, authorised recreational take from commercial vessels, amateur charter vessel reporting, and anecdotal reports. The results were used to inform the development of the options

proposed in the decision document.

The project resulted in an estimate of 15 tonnes of southern bluefin tuna landed by recreational fishers in 2018. Between June 23 and August 5, 2018 – the survey period – 676 recorded recreational vessels, with an estimated 1856 fishers on board, launched and targeted southern bluefin tuna from the Waihau Bay boat ramp. “This is a significant level of effort that has the potential for high levels of catch if combined with fish availability,” according to the discussion document.

“Although Waihau Bay is where a significant proportion of effort occurs in this fishery, this is not the only place where effort is taking place. Other areas include Fiordland, Gisborne, Northland, Mahia, and other locations around East Cape. Survey data was not directly collected from these secondary locations but catches from these regions were estimated and are included in the overall estimate of recreational catch.”

Acting director of fisheries management Steve Halley says NZ is a founding member of the CCSBT this is the first time a catch limit has been put in place for the recreational southern bluefin tuna fishery and reflects the need to carefully manage the rebuild of this stock.

“Estimates of recreational catch in this fishery have been low in previous years, however, in July 2017 we saw a substantial increase in how much was being caught.”

Steve says following consultation and receiving responses from tangata whenua and submissions from stakeholders, FNZ advised the Minister of Fisheries to introduce a daily limit for the recreational fishery.

“Introducing a bag limit will ensure that NZ continues to meet its international obligations under the CCSBT. “NZ is a founding member of CCSBT, which regionally manages this highly migratory species and we have an obligation to manage our catch of southern bluefin tuna within our national allocation.

“FNZ will be looking at longer-term measures to manage this fishery, but in the interim, a bag limit will be in place until we understand more about this highly variable developing fishery.” waterline Winter 2019

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Paddling a board Phil Phish

“Like water which can clearly mirror the sky and the trees only so long as its surface is undisturbed, the mind can only reflect the true image of the Self when it is tranquil and wholly relaxed.” - Indra Devi.

For a human who lives with the water, in the water, on the water, and from the water there is no end to the experiences that the medium offers.

The elation of riding a perfect wave, the tranquility of a still morning as the boat slides off the trailer in a remote bay, an evening spent gazing across a calm patch of water as the sun lends its last rays to the day; hooking, fighting and catching a dream fish… it’s endless.

The last few months have provided endless opportunities to experience water from all angles.

Our region offers boundless environments, both fresh and salt, in which to enjoy a day that people come from all over the world to take part in. Closely watching weather reports and looking for the perfect days to put a plan in place will be rewarded.

Adventuring on Paddle Boards is not new. It is just another way of getting to places with little impact on the environment. From the off shore islands such as Mayor and Motiti, the Tauranga and Ohiwa harbours to the lakes inland... you can put yourself into some incredible places.

Motiti Island.

Insurance Brokers Bay of Plenty

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Motiti Island.

Unlike sitting in a kayak, standing up proves a better view of the surrounding. We spent a lot of time this summer going to places throughout the region with the boards.

It’s a great work out, the stealth has allowed us to get up close and personal with the wildlife and get into places the boat just can’t go.

It is very cool to paddle up on a school of normally timid snapper

only for them to see you at the last minute and slowly move away.

We have had the juvenile kingfish that inhabit the shallows of the harbour swim up to and under us in two feet of water.

There are places to hire and get lessons for paddle boarding around the bay and it is not a hard thing to get started in.

Autumn and winter offer some excellent weather day....Go have a crack!

Lake Ohakuri.

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Best summer fishing Raewyn Ensor, Blue Ocean Charters

for years

There has been a bit of a glitch in the weather recently resulting in the cancellation of a few trips but prior to that, we would have to say it has been the best summer for years.

A five-day charter last week had mixed conditions but managed to do a range of fishing from harbour, inshore and offshore reef fishing and enjoyed a day bluenose fishing trip near Mayor Island as well. They caught 14 bluenose over a three hour period plus five gemfish. The rest of the afternoon was spent at Mayor Island successfully fishing for snapper.

The crew were from various places around New Zealand.

Most of them have been doing Right: Roger Togiato-Kingi this yearly trip together for is proud of this beaut the last 34 years and have kingi he caught. experienced fishing all over the country.

Generally, we have had consistent fishing with good hauls of snapper and kahawai.

Vinny Haynes with two blue maomao.

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Anchoring on the sand in about 25 metres of water has been working well. With the darker, cooler mornings we have also been going out further to Motiti, fishing on the edge of the kelp for snapper. The results have been nice size, excellent condition fish.

Trevally have been pan sized in the 35-40 cm range. They fight really well for their size and add some excitement to the day.

Kingis have been caught as well, rats have been the norm up till recently when the size has increased. Lately we have been getting some really good specimens. Barnaby Cooper had never been fishing before and even though he was feeling a bit seasick, he managed to catch a 10 kg kingfish and wind it in by himself!

Dexter Cooper aged 10 with his big snapper.

Barnaby Cooper aged 7.

Maritime Radio VHF coverage

Maritime Radio VHF coverage

Cape Reinga Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 68

Kaitaia Maritime Radio

VHF stations

VHF CH: 16, 71

HF site (Taupo Maritime Radio – SSB)

Whangarei Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 67

Maritime Operations Centre

Great Barrier Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 69

Maritime Operations Centre Phone/Fax

Plenty Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 68

Runaway Maritime Radio

Auckland Maritime Radio

Phone: (04) 550 5280, 0800 MARITIME (0800 627 484) Fax: (04) 550 4001

VHF CH: 16, 71

VHF CH: 16, 71

Taranaki Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 67

Cape Egmont Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 71

Tolaga Maritime Radio

Wanganui Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 69

VHF CH: 16, 67

D’Urville Maritime Radio

Napier Maritime Radio

VHF CH: 16, 67

VHF CH: 16, 68

Farewell Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 68

Wairarapa Maritime Radio

Westport Maritime Radio

VHF CH: 16, 67

VHF CH: 16, 71

Wellington Maritime Radio

Greymouth Maritime Radio

VHF CH: 16, 71

VHF CH: 16, 68

Picton Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 68

Fox Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 67

Kaikoura Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 67

Fiordland Maritime Radio

Chatham Islands Maritime Radio

Akaroa Maritime Radio

VHF CH: 16, 71

VHF CH: 16, 68

VHF CH: 16, 60

Waitaki Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 67

Chalmers Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 71

Puysegur Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 67

Bluff Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 68

Stewart Island Maritime Radio VHF CH: 16, 71

Pitt Island

VHF CH: 16, 62

Note: gaps in coverage may exist within the areas shown, due to terrain ‘shadows’ (which can occur under cliffs close to the shore or in bays and fiords) and occasional system maintenance. waterline Winter 2019

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The importance of having Alan Winstanley, Mobile Systems

As a Coastguard Skipper, I am amazed at the number of recreational boaties who do not carry a marine VHF radio for their own safety.

VHF radios are cheap to buy these days, have a long lifespan, and are easy and quick to use.

The beauty of using a VHF radio is that it is a “one to many� communication system. This means that if you broadcast on Channel 16, the call up and emergency channel, other VHF radios turned on in your area will hear you. If you need assistance quickly, then other boats in your area are your best option.

Telephone calls can only be made to one contact at a time and typically this help needs to come from shore.

VHF radios are also made for the harsh marine environment.

Most are fully waterproof, and are made to withstand salty conditions well protected against oxidation and seizures. The equipment is more dependable and is more likely to work when you need to use it in a hurry. Prices for radios are reducing over time. You can now purchase basic fixed radios for under $200.

And handheld radios start from a similar cost.

Fixed VHF radios versus Handheld radios

Alan Winstanley.

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The reach of a two-way radio is largely dependent on the output power of the radio. This is measured in watts. As an example, a typical fixed mount radio outputs at 25 watts and is good for a range of in excess of 50 km unobstructed. Handheld radios typically transmit at 5 to 6 watts and are therefore good for a range of 12 to 18 km. This is only a rough measure as other aspects affect the effective range of a VHF radio. The antenna type, design and length will have an effect on range.

As with all wireless devices, radio waves can be interrupted by hills. I call this shadowing, much like a shadow from the sun.

g

VHF radios on board If your radio is situated behind a hill or other obstruction, then the radio waves will be interrupted and communications may not be clear. Moving further away from the obstruction will typically bring you out of the shadow and communications will come back. A longer antenna will help with this to a small extent.

Another advantage of a fixed mount VHF radio is that they are powered by your vessels electrical system and therefore is generally less likely to be interrupted. A handheld radio runs on rechargeable batteries and you will need to ensure they are regularly charged for effective operation. One could also argue that a handheld VHF radio on board provides a good backup for your fixed mounted unit. If your electrical system goes down, then your handheld VHF radio will operate stand-alone.

Fixed VHF Radios are easy to install. They just need a 12V power source and an antenna installed.

Handheld VHF radios have the advantage that the radio goes with you if you get thrown out or fall off your vessel . It is recommended that you have a backup handheld radio that you have tethered to your person or keep in a grab bag. A grab bag is a waterproof carry bag easily accessible if need to abandon ship in a hurry. Typical items you would keep in a grab bag apart from a handheld VHF radio would include a knife, flares, a personal location beacon, a torch and anything that could aid your survival and assist with your rescue.

Why do some boats have such tall antennas?

The length of your VHF antenna is not as important as the height at which your antenna is mounted on your vessel. Yachts have a distinct advantage here as they are able to mount their antenna on the top of their mast. The height helps minimise shadowing and allows you to see over the horizon, thereby improving your range.

With modern antenna designs, manufacturers are able to attain better performances from antennas of shorter lengths. In days gone by, better performing antennas were generally longer in length. Other factors that can affect the performance of your antenna is the condition of the cable linking the antenna to your radio and the condition of your cable connectors.

the main brain of the radio in a black box that can be hidden behind a dash, or under a seat out of harm’s way, and the only visible sign of the radio is a remote speaker microphone.

Digital Selective Calling – More and Good value waterproof more radio models on the and floating handheld New Zealand market have marine radio.

Digital Selective Calling, often known as DSC. This is simply the ability for a radio to transmit an emergency signal to all other radios in its locality as well as transmitting its coordinates. This system is widely used in the USA, however to-date, New Zealand operators have primarily used voice on channel 16 in emergencies.

Please note that the DSC transmissions from VHF Radios in New Zealand are not currently monitored by emergency services.

Quality of Build – As you would expect, paying more for a piece of electronic equipment for your vessel should mean a better build quality and level of performance. In my experience, this is generally the case. You can expect a better voice sound quality and better background noise filtration with higher end radios. This is usually backed up by a lengthier warranty period also and one would assume a longer life expectancy.

Having mentioned the reasons why you could expect to pay more for your VHF Marine Radio, you are definitely better to have a low end radio fitted to your vessel than have none at all!

Wishing you all safe boating!

Why cost of VHF Marine Radios varies The low cost VHF Marine Radios, whether they are fixed or handheld, provide you with basic functionality. This means, that they will provide basic communications well, but will not likely to have additional features. The performance of the radio will be quite adequate and help keep you safe while on the water.

Additional features and functions that more expensive radios may have may include…

Level of waterproofness – This is obviously important when dealing with a handheld radio but is less important for a fixed radio if mounted inside a cabin where it is kept dry.

Capacity to Float – This relates to handheld radios which are more likely to be used over and in the water. A Floatable handheld radio will cost more but enables the radio to be retrievable if dropped over the side.

GPS Receiver – GPS receivers maybe found in fixed or handheld radios these days which enables you to display your current position. This function allows you to relay your position to rescue authorities without having to rely on another electrical piece of kit such as a Chartplotter.

Remote Controls – Some models of VHF Radios offer additional controls on the microphones to provide better ease of changing channel and/or volume. In addition, some radios have

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Brian Rogers

Those who spend time at sea and working in other testing environments know how demanding the elements can be on any electrical equipment.

Cellphones particularly take a hammering in the outdoors, on the ocean and on worksites.

The latest rugged Caterpillar smartphone, the Cat S61 is perfectly suited to thrive in those harsh conditions. We took the latest upgrade, Cat S61 for a test drive.

Caterpillar claims to be the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, now has launched its flagship rugged smartphone, in New Zealand. It is the upgrade to the Cat S60 with enhanced FLIR® thermal imaging capability, built-in laser assisted distance measuring, and an indoor air quality sensor.

This unit is waterproof to 3 metres for up to an hour, featuring an underwater 16MP rear camera.

It’s rated drop-proof up to 1.8m and has dust proof, vibration, sand, salt, mist and pressure resistance to cope with the most rugged environments. A stonking 4500mAh battery claims up to 37 days standby time and 35 hours talk time on 3G, allowing users to go off-road and off-shore with no worries.

robust, a handful and weighty. Not surprising, with the features built in.

As a habitual Apple user, the android system took a bit of getting used to, but it wasn’t long before I had my head around the system and it seems quite intuitive. I followed the tried and true procedure of most Kiwi blokes and read the instructions last, relying on infallible sixth sense and sheer stubbornness to figure out things in our own time; ie, the long, hard way.

The laser measuring tool was first to find a proper use. We quickly sized up a workspace for new flooring, clicking off the laser measure tool for a fast and accurate measure up. Please note this a serious piece of equipment that should only be used for its intended purpose, which is why we had to then try teasing the dog and cat, an essential role for any laser equipment. You should see that mutt go after that little red dot!

Next up it was air quality check time. The S61 checks levels of VOCs, which include cleaning agents, solvent, paint, cosmetics and glue. It also gives an instant readout of air temp and humidity. You’ll be pleased to know I wrote this review in excellent air conditions with only 8 parts per billion of anything remotely offensive, which was probably just lipstick on my collar.

Cracker camera

The camera is a cracker, easy to use, zooming from 1x to 8x and high quality results. We used some shots in the latest edition of Waterline, Impressive finding the waterproof and First impressions of the Cat S61, the weight and size are sand/salt proof attributes of the impressive. Especially if you’re used to an ordinary phone most useful. Without slim townie phone. This machine is seriously the need for a casing, the camera is a lot easier to use.

There’s options on screen for shooting underwater, scenery and snow, video and standard camera. (There’s probably a lot more in the instruction book but we haven’t read that yet.)

The FLIR function . re found its first task, in tu a fe aging thermal im locating a cat up a tree in in ilt u b IR - the the dark. The cat was last Flo on FL seen pursuing a red dot up there, but it was quickly located by the thermal imaging function. This would be a useful tool for anyone working at night, in low light or navigating close to shore or obstructions.

The FLIR function is great on close objects but further away tend to be less well defined.

Oh, and the Cat S61 also has another useful trick: it makes and receives phone calls!

The only issue I found was the weight. This thing packs a serious battery along with all the features and it takes a sturdy pocket to carry it and it’s noticeably hefty to hold up compared to a standard girly cellphone. But, tough and durable is the aim and the Cat S61 (RRP: $1,599) is perfect for the outdoors, farming, adventure sports enthusiasts, from hiking to kitesurfing. Thanks to its waterproof and reliable features, the S61 is the ideal device to take on any task or adventure.

Rugged communications for work and play in the outdoors.

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Keeping gear in top condition Keeping your scuba equipment in good working order is not only about safety but well worth it financially. Well serviced dive equipment will last you thousands of dives.

Winter is the perfect time to dig out your dive gear and drop it into Dive Zone Tauranga for an annual safety check or full service.

Regulator on test rig.

Most manufacturers require BCD and regulators to be maintained annually to meet warranty conditions, however if your equipment is outside of the warranty period the general guideline is to have it serviced every two years or 100 dives, with an annual safety check.

An annual safety check checks for performance and condition of clips, hoses, and mouth pieces to look for wear and tear or deterioration in order to maintain safe and proper functioning of your equipment.

A full service of your equipment involves dismantling the first and second stage of your regulator, giving it a full clean to get rid of salt, sand build up and corrosion and replacement of all O rings and diaphragms with manufacturer supplied service kits.

Whilst a small

amount of corrosion on the metal components is to be expected we often find when equipment hasn’t been properly cared for there will be an increased build

1st stage after cleaning about to be put back together.

up of salt and sand which can cause issues when taking the regulator apart for servicing.

If you have any questions about maintaining your dive gear come and have a chat in store at 213 Cameron Rd.

SPECIALISTS IN: › Padi Training from 8 years old to instructor › Local Boat Charters › Dive the Rena › Mayor Island Live Aboards › Full onsite servicing › Free diving gear and servicing › Extensive retail shop with leading brands

For all things Diving in the Bay of Plenty

CONTACT US: Phone: (07) 578 4050 213 Cameron Rd Tauranga www.divezonetauranga.co.nz facebook/divezonetauranga divezonetauranga

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Ramp works alleviate pressure in Whitianga Work is underway to ease pressure at Whitianga’s boat ramps.

A rebuild is in progress at Robinson Road Boat Ramp to improve it and take pressure off the boat ramp near the wharf.

Schick Construction is reshaping the boat ramp and installing a floating pontoon. The work is expected to take 8-10 weeks but is weather-dependent.

“We expect the disruption to the existing ramp facility to be kept to a minimum; however, the site for the new facility will be fenced off along with an adjacent site area on the reserve land,” says Andrew Scobie, Council’s project manager.

“Where possible, the existing ramp and/ or adjacent beach will still be able to be used for launching during most of the construction period; however, there will be times of restricted access and parking,” says Mr Scobie.

The plan helps alleviate congestion at the Whitianga Wharf Boat Ramp, which is a busy area with tourists, ferry passengers and children.

The work happens during low tides.

Excavators have built a rock causeway to access the deepest point.

Once contractors reach the end of the ramp area they will excavate the seabed to

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The rebuild is in progress at Robinson Road Boat Ramp.

form the new boat ramp approach. The GPS excavators will shape and form the new ramp as it works back to a level above the high water mark.

The rock causeway will be progressively removed and used to form the new ramp shape and upper harbour revetment. Silt will be managed with silt fences and a tepidity curtain and monitored throughout the process.

A large crawler-type crane is on site to install sheet piling and sand bags to form a coffer dam which will be emptied of water for the ramp construction.

Once dry enough the construction of the ramp can start with concrete footings and precast panels to form the retaining wall between the old and new ramp. Then final shaping and trimming of the ramp will be done before the boxing, reinforcing and concrete is poured for the new ramp surface.

Once the new ramp has cured, the timber fencing and piles can be driven for the floating pontoon before the sheet piling is removed.

The new floating pontoon will be floated into position. Finally the reshaped road kerb can be poured and the new asphalt vehicle staging area formed and laid.

Whangapoua upgrade

Design consultation and consenting for work to rebuild the two-lane concrete boat ramp at Whangapoua and install a floating pontoon is happening this financial year.

Stage one re-construction of the concrete boat ramp is planned to start in the next year, stage two of the boat ramp upgrade installation of the pontoons is scheduled for 2022/2023.

The existing boat ramp is in a deteriorating condition with cracks in the concrete at the end of the ramp and in between the ramps. is cracked and breaking.

The existing boat ramps were poured at two different levels, which has caused some safety concerns for boat ramp users.

The proposed concrete boat ramp will eliminate these issues and the addition of a pontoon will make the boat ramp more user-friendly for boaties

Legendary power When Bombardier Recreation Products acquired Evinrude after the demise of OMC, few could have predicted what effort and dedication the company would put into their family of brands.

Evinrude in particular has enjoyed a steady increase in demand over the past few years and this increase is very apparent in New Zealand. It seems more and more of our boaties are recognizing the particular point of difference Evinrude offers.

With the Global drive to preserve our planet’s environment in full swing, the Evinrude E-TEC G2 is gaining popularity as the cleanest burning outboard on the

planet. However, we have found that this is not the biggest motivation for the increase in Evinrude fuel-injected twostroke technology.

The fact is, our engines go farther on a tank of gas than any of our competitors.

The fuel saving is still measurably more than comparable four-stroke engines even when the cost of the oil is calculated in.

Then of course, there’s the legendary power and torque delivered by our engines. As anyone crossing the Manukau bar will attest to, this is when you need two-stroke power the most.

But, back to BRP. In a massive show of strength, the company recently purchased

torque eighty percent of Telwater, the biggest boat manufacturer in the Southern hemisphere. BRP now includes Stacer, Quintrek, Savage and Yellowfin in its stable of brands.

Even if the acquisition will have little immediate impact on Kiwis heading out for a spot of fishing or taking the family on a cruise, it does show that BRP are heavily invested in the marine industry and this filters down through all its brands.

So, keep an eye on this space and visit our website at www.evinrude.co.nz for regular updates on what’s happening in the world of Evinrude.

When we say spend more time on the water…well you know what we mean.

EcoQuip©EQ300S and your vessel: Working on any substrate the Ecoquip Vapor Blaster profiles your vessel for the best coating adhesion.

It is safe to use on fibreglass, wood, aluminium & steel boats. Using a rust inhibitor on all steel surfaces, it provides a 24 hour window for re-coating.

Most vessels will need to be stripped of antifoul and taken back to a sound substrate every 15 to 20 years, depending on the paint system you have been applying.

I Ph: 021 685 900 I E:info@aquagritblasting.co.nz

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Effective in rain and high humidity.

The EcoQuip©EQ300S Trailer Mounted Unit with 185CFM Air Compressor is a cleaner alternative to dry blasting units.

The mobile EcoQuip© Vapor blasting unit uses a combination of water & garnet. Consuming less media than dry blasting it eliminates up to 92% of airborne dust.

Working on any substrate the EcoQuip© Vapor Blaster profiles surfaces for the best coating adhesion. Completely mobile, the blasting unit can be brought to you to provide on-site blasting. With an adjustable range of blasting pressure for the finer detail blasting work through to the heavy industrial steel blasting, the EcoQuip© Vapor Blaster is perfect for exposing welds for inspection purposes.

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supported by

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Winter a great time to catch up with boat maintenance Dane Robertson, Operations Manager

Since the beginning of 2019 Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard has attended over 80 call outs, which is an average of 1.5 call outs a day.

Our crew volunteers have given over 570 rescue hours so far and have logged over 15,450 radio trip reports. This has all been done by volunteers who give up their own time to help ensure boaties on the Tauranga waters are looked after.

During the winter months, we at Tauranga Coastguard, see a drop in boating activity. For many people, they choose to park up their vessel and wait for the warmer weather to return. Winter is a good time to do some important maintenance. Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, it can be a starting point.

Clean and check

Clean your boat, it may not be the most glamorous of tasks, but it is worth it. Getting into a boat that is grimy and smelly is no fun, so take the time over winter to look after your valuable asset. Clean and treat any fibreglass or wooden finishes. Check seals and canvas covers for any wear and tear. Clean and drain the bilge, check any seacocks the vessel may have, clean and lubricate them. Check all storage areas, and empty them, leaving them ajar for air flow, this includes your fridge if you have one.

Check your first aid equipment on the boat. This is something that we often purchase, store and forget about. Check expiry dates and look at what needs to be replaced.

Also check your fire extinguisher expiry date, if it needs replacing, then do so.

Small systems are priced as low as $40 and are essential on a boat. flares, don’t come cheap, but are If the vessel is going to sit for some often overlooked. Not all PDFs time, prep your engine. Add a fuel are the same, you pay for what you stabiliser and top up your diesel to get, and unfortunately for some reduce water vapour occurring. If people they don’t understand this your engine runs on petrol, run the until they are in a life-threatening levels to a minimum as modern fuels situation. Going to a specialist can cause engine damage when stored boating equipment store, you can get Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard will continue over a prolonged period of time. Also sound advice and purchase products to service the waters of Tauranga throughout flush your engines thoroughly to remove knowing they are fit for purpose. the winter months. any salt, corrosion or dirt. Check, and if I encourage you to obtain a Marine needed, replace any filters and spark plugs. Also if your boat is Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Certificate. This course on land, remove and store your battery in a cool and dry place, teaches how to use Medium Frequency and High Frequency radio charging every month or so. It may even be worth checking the operations correctly. Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard offers the health of your battery.

MRROC Course for only $70 per person. This course covers routine operation, safety, distress and urgency calling as well as Buying for summer alarm signals. Once you obtain this certificate you are able to If you are buying a vessel over the winter, ready for the summer, purchase a call sign, which belongs to you, and you can then then consider these few things. attach a vessel to your call sign. The call sign is yours and you Make sure you understand the limitations of your boat, what have the ability to transfer the call sign to a different vessel if you it is suitable for, what kind of water conditions it can handle, ‘upgrade’ over the winter, but it is important to note that legally a maximum number of people it is suitable for, and most of all call sign can only be attached to one vessel at any one time. know your limitations as well as your responsibilities as the Lastly check your Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard membership skipper of the vessel. This means ensuring all the necessary details. If you are not a member of Tauranga Volunteer equipment is on board and in working condition.

Coastguard, get in contact with us on 07 578 5579 or visit us at I would encourage all boaties to invest in safety. Safety 72 Keith Allen Drive, Sulphur Point. Many times we have people equipment such as reliable marine VHF units, life jackets/ in need of our assistance only to face a large assist bill because personal floatation devices (PDFs), navigation equipment, they had let their membership lapse or had been meaning to get Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), and around to it. waterline Winter 2019

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to summer The weather is gloomy and passing autumn squalls are drumming on the roof as I write this, so it feels as if summer sailing is but a warm and distant memory.

Wizard moored alongside the pitch.

Christmas on the bank - lowest tide of the year and plenty of real estate.

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It was a busy summer for the Mount Maunganui Yacht Club. This summer we added several Adventure Sailing days which were not purely related to racing.

The two highlights were the Christmas raft up and the Beach Cricket day.

Several boats made the journey to Omokoroa to celebrate the end of 2018 and enjoy the sun and full tide at the beach. Wizzard provided the strong anchor (much needed in the swift current in the channel) and also the water taxi to uplift the non sailors from the wharf and the beach. The day featured the inaugural Annual Coke Bottle boat yacht race. The rules were simple – make a sailing boat from a single coke bottle with no motors nor glues. The first boat over the line gets the prize. The innovators quickly worked out that a multi hull will always beat a keeler on a downwind slide. Gary from Wizzard took the prize because his waka was the one that didn’t fill up with water!

To close the summer another annual event was inaugurated. With a super moon there was a super low tide in late March and the cutter channel bank was exposed sufficiently for a game of mid

Bottle boat winner Gary Bishell.

harbour beach cricket. With the steep sides of the dredged channel even the boats with deep keels were able to anchor up against the bank and virtually step off onto the pitch. A boisterous game of cricket, more akin to old fashioned rounders, went off a treat. The result was that the drinks trolley made more runs than any team. Everyone enjoyed the several hours of low water and bright sunshine before the rising tide and setting sun chased the players to the other shore for end of match, and season, drinks at Pilot Bay. Everyone agreed that the novelty of playing cricket in the middle of the harbour means this will be an annual occasion.

And so, to winter sailing.

The Mount Yacht club is renowned for its Winter Sailing Series. The sailing is held for boats of all types to participate. Racing is designed to be less combative than that normally expected with an emphasis on participation and camaraderie. There are no mass starts (with consequent danger to brightwork) with all races being Mark Foy starts.

Mark Foy means that the boats are handicapped by having differing start times. This means that there are no crowded start lines and the fast boats are set to chase the less swift.

The club runs two series; the open series, held every 2nd Sunday and the 2 handed series, held every third Saturday.

The open series is run in two divisions – the A division and the Cruising division, where spinnakers are not used.

The opening day for winter was held on May 5 and the season is now in full swing. Entries for the series are still open for any boats and skippers which are keen on entering. Invitations are being made to all yacht owners in Tauranga to join in the series.

All new boats entering for the first time qualify for a free meal at the Mount Ocean Sports Club restaurant.

Contact Commodore, Adam Yates for information: 027 534 9913 or info@mmyc.org.nz The Christmas raft up Taiore, Pork Chop, Wizzard, Hanse Free and River Rebel.

Holding over fish and easy controls It is a must have accessory when fishing, and it doesn’t matter if you’re fishing saltwater or fresh the Minn Kota will amaze you on all expeditions.

For the Rotorua lakes district it’s a definite game changer whether holding the boat exactly over the trout for jigging, trolling that lure at the precise speed or using a downrigger to follow a specific depth contour.

The Minn Kota will do all this plus more. You can record trolling runs and save these for future trips or even set a course in any direction. Operated by a simple remote control that can be hung over the neck by its lanyard or on your mobile phone by downloading the free app or even by the Humminbird sounder fitted to the dash.

There are freshwater options that are a lot cheaper than their saltwater siblings and we have some great deals on these

Minn Kota linked to Humminbird.

Jigging with Spot lock function.

units in stock now. They are super easy to manually deploy or upgrade to a selfdeploy and stow model that will do this at a push of a button. Once you get one you won’t be disappointed and you will kick yourself that you hadn’t got one earlier.

Do yourself a favour and contact the team at Telfer Marine, we have fitted these to a huge range of different vessels and not only can we install but we are a authorised repair centre for all Minn Kota models.

Amazing detail with Mega imaging.

If you’re thinking about getting one or interested in a on-water demonstration, call us to arrange and we can even provide a quote to get one fitted to your boat.

Tony & Aaron, Telfer Marine

with

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Tauranga yachties praised as superb hosts of Hansa champs The New Zealand Hansa National Championship Regatta Committee is heaping praise on the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club for being a superb host.

The shout-out follows the New Zealand Hansa Class National Championship on March 29-31. The regatta caters for disabled and able people who sail as equals.

Regatta chairman Peter Dallimore reports: Tauranga turned on good sailing conditions with wind and tide in the same direction and sufficient wind, with gusts up to 18 knots.

Rain preceded and followed some of the racing but did not dampen spirits. Eight races were programmed and eight races were sailed. There were 20 entries from Wellington to Auckland.

The Liberty National Champion is Tony Vaka from Auckland, closely followed by Daryl Smith from Wellington.

Doubles champions

The 303 Singles National Champion is our own Sailability Tauranga skipper Paulien Chamberlain closely followed by John Williams, a Wellington Sailability Trustee.

The 303 Doubles National Champions are our own Sailability Tauranga crew Caleb Evans and Alistair Eagleson, closely followed

by Christina Hansen and Rhonda Ritchie, also from Sailability Tauranga.

The Kiwi Cup, which is awarded to the disabled person with the lowest score when the Liberty and 303 Singles Classes are combined, was won by Tony Vaka. Our congratulations to them all.

Our Tauranga Sailability sailors were Paulien Chamberlain (303 Singles) and Tom Scott (Liberty). Our Sailors in the 303 Doubles were Devlin Proctor, Caleb Evans, Christina Hansen, Dennis Young and Alice Eminson, assisted by skippers Alistair Eagleson, Rhonda Ritchie, Ian Ritchie, Peter Decke, Richard Miller, Peter ward and Stu Keat.

What a great showing from the Tauranga locals.

Special thanks must go to the team at the club; Lynne, Ada, Tracey and Jo for their warm reception of the contestants and ‘nothing is too much trouble’ attitude. We are so grateful to Jo for standing in for our chef Ken who was away. Jo turned on a magnificent buffet on Friday night for the members, the contestants and their supporters. There were more than 60 people in the club that night.

Barbecue team

We are grateful to the Sailability Tauranga barbecue team who, with the help of the Duncan & Ebbett barbecue trailer, masterminded the beautiful selection of food, cooked to perfection on Saturday evening. Organised by Bill and Laura Whitiskie and Barbara Dallimore, salads were provided by Amelia de Ridder, Myrna Mitchinson, Rhonda Ritchie, Anne Wise, Alison Kehely and Sherry Anderson. The Duncan & Ebbett barbecue was manned by Alison and Sherry.

The NZ Hansa Class National Championship Regatta was part of the 2019 Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport organised by Parafed Bay of Plenty, under the brilliant guidance of chair Bryce McFall and his team led by Claudia West. We are privileged to have been part of their festival and very much appreciate their help and financial support.

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Disability Sport Awards Dinner was also held on the Saturday night. Sailability Tauranga had five award nominees: Paulien Chamberlain, Caleb Evans, Devlin Proctor, Alice Eminson and Coach Alistair Eagleson.

Alistair Eagleson received the Tauranga City Council Coach of the Year Award. What a well-deserved recognition for the man who so successfully leads our sailing, racing and coaching activities and chairs the Sailability Tauranga Charitable Trust meetings.

Our Organisation, TYPBC Club Members include the On the Water Team, led competently by Bill Whitiskie and our Shore Team led capably by Darryl McManus. Our Kitchen Team - Laura Whitiskie, Barbara Dallimore and Judy Eagleson - did an excellent job. Our Sailability Tauranga Sailing Team is led successfully by Alistair Eagleson. They made the regatta the success it was and we have already received a number of very positive accolades. What a great club the TYPBC is.

Sound buoys pioneering

National contests require considerable organisation and we were assisted by many TYPBC and Sailability Tauranga Volunteers.

Grateful thanks to the regatta committee, Bill Whitiskie our OD, Bill Mitchinson, Paulien and Richard Chamberlain and Alistair Eagleson (sec).

Richard and Paulien, aided by Gary Smith were responsible for the pioneering construction of the sound buoys which, as they are developed, will be a ground breaking aid, nationally if not worldwide, for sailors who are vision impaired.

Joint TYPBC/Sailability Tauranga Volunteers: Bill and Laura Whitiskie, Bill and Myrna Mitchinson, Rhonda and Ian Ritchie, Alistair and Judy Eagleson, Paulien and Richard Chamberlain, Peter and Barbara Dallimore, Richard Burling, Alec McNaull, Hank Hodge, Jimmy Gilpin, James Stewart, Natalie Burt, Dave Peet, John Buck, John Hubner, Richard Miller, Bob Wise.

TYPBC Members who volunteered their time to help; Commodore Andy Knowles, Warren Belk, Gary and Leanne Smith, Richard Dent, John Burns, Roger Rushton, Lyn and Bob Smyth, Tina Kennedy, Anne Wise, Richard Dent, Roger Clark, Murray de Lues, Debbie Denney, Braedyn Denny, Kerrie Rippey, Anne Marie Mouat, Darryl McManus, Steve Wagstaff, Ian Watson Sailability Volunteers; Brian Clark, Mike Manuel, Alison Kehely, Amelia de Ridder, Jane Cope, Ricque Shadbolt, Peter Ward, Stu Keat, Sherry Anderson, Tim Lip, Tom Wain.

Finally, a big thank you to our sponsors: Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport, Steve’s Marine Supplies, Burnsco, Burton Sails and BDO Tauranga.

Grateful thanks to all, apologies to anyone who has been missed, you are all very much appreciated.

The Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club and Sailability Tauranga both need volunteers of all capabilities to assist them to provide the opportunity for people of all abilities to sail. If you enjoy water-based activities and would like to give back they would welcome your interest.

Contact details are on their websites, just Google ‘Sailability Tauranga and TYPBC’. We look forward to meeting you.

We’d love to hear your Fishing, Boating, Diving or Watersport Story...

email kathy@sunmedia.co.nz or phone 07 928 3053

Are experiencing contamination?

Tell-tale black spots in the filter?

Give us a call we can help.

Call 0800 482 652 / dieselclean.co.nz

Classifieds Batteries - Battery Direct NZ www.batterydirect.co.nz sales@batterydirect.co.nz Phone 0800 267 468.

Boat Maintenance - Matamata Motor Trimmers & Upholstery. Boat clear, canvas work, upholstery. Phone 07 571 4421 Cnr Mirrielees & Cross Roads, Tauranga.

For Sale - Lasers for sale - Two to choose from. One classic older beach boat, perfect for cruising around the harbour/lake. $1000 ono. Another highly spec’d Laser, former national champs boat. Been in storage for several years. Heaps of gear, several sails and spares. Also a complete Radial rig and sail, never used. Would suit aspiring racer as this boat has plenty potential. $5000 ono. No beach trailers. Both Lasers in Tauranga.

May deliver in BOP-Coromandel.

Phone 027 4 99 6747.

Mooring for Rent - The Strand, Tauranga. $35 p/w. Phone 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712.

Wanted - Volvo 200 or 230.

Phone 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712.

Contact Jo 07 557 0506 or jo@thesun.co.nz

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