Waterline Magazine September 2015

The Bay of Plenty & Coromandel’s own watersports news. Phone 07 578 0030

SEPTEMBER 2015

Taupo’s new Naiad Built in Tauranga

Orca up close, page 5

S See page 3

Boat show beauty, page 7

Airlie Race Week, page 25

Seal antics, page 29

02 WATERLINE

SEPTEMBER 2015

The Bay of Plenty’s own boating, fishing, diving, yachting and watersports news.

Phone 07-578 0030 Fax 07-571 1116 No.1 The Strand, Tauranga 3110. PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140 email: brian@thesun.co.nz For advertising, call Katie on 07 578 0030 email katie@thesun.co.nz

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WATERLINE 03

SEPTEMBER 2015

Taupo p harbourmaster’s flash new ride Taupo harbourmaster’s harbourmaste teerr’ss Naiad, undergoing ndergoing ngg sea trials als in Tauranga before ree delivery this hiss month, has ass a couple of uniquee Taupo features.

new neeew n w

Along with ell a serious diesel ter heater/demister mbatt set up to combat n lake patrols in icy weather, the asts four new craft boasts F radios, pluss separate VHF viation channell a dedicated aviation se another skydive radio – in case n th k plane lands in the llake.

Built in Tauranga by Alloy Cats NZ Ltd in Aerodrome Road, the new harbourmaster’s sits on its own custom road trailer – also built by Alloy Cats.

It’s the fifth coastguard/rescue boat built for Naiad by Alloy Cats. The Taupo Harbourmaster’s boat is slightly customised.

At 10.5 metres LOA the hull is larger than the 10.2m rescue twin jet.

The additional length houses the larger twin Yanmar 370 diesels that give the boat a 40 knot top speed. The Hamilton Jet 292s are the smallest jet units that have the Blue Arrow control system, the cockpit mouse control that enables the boat to be powered forward, reverse, sideways…

Inside the cockpit the navigator and helm both have 15” Furuno TZ Touch screens with pinch to zoom capability, and the other touch gestures to make panning and zooming over charts familiar for people used to touch screen controls.

It also has a lock-out for when working a touch screen in a bouncing boat at speed becomes too difficult. Furuno boasts that the NavNet TZtouch’s waterproof display is also “ruggedized” to perform perfectly in wet, harsh conditions.

The screens are also display for the radar, and three cameras; including night vision and infrared. There’s an auto pilot and the engine room has a full fire suppression system.

Colin C li B Bertelsen t l off All Alloy C Cats t and John Cowan from Naiad.

Seating for the crew of four has adjustable suspension seats.

There’s a cuddy cabin forward with a couple of bunk/seats and a toilet. There’s no galley.

“We are making sure everything works, testing all the systems,” says Naiad director John Cowan.

His only complaint was that the weather was too good, the water too flat.

“We want some rough conditions to show it off.”

The new harbourmaster’s boat weighs 5.5 tonnes empty, and a bit over six tonnes with 600kg of fuel and four people on board.

The boat was expected to enter the Lake in the first week of September, but the Taupo harbourmaster’s office says they expect to be running two boats while the new one gets the Marine Operator Safety System sorted.

Their current boat Blue Mist is about 25 years old and will be sold.

By Andrew Campbell

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Bottlenose dolphins near Whangamata About a month ago, my partner Karina and I had the pleasure of walking a stunning coastal track near Whangamata in the Coromandel.

While on the track, and to our delight, a pod of bottlenose dolphins swam by as they hugged the shoreline.

I was able to get some photos, but I remember thinking at the time that I had to get back there at some stage to see that part of the coast from the water line. So last week, I went back loaded with my double kayak and my good friend Jade.

Jade lives here now, but was originally from Zimbabwe and more accustomed to seeing giraffes and elephants and the like, so it was a nice treat to get her on the water to hopefully show some of the marine life that we have here.

We set out and it became apparent that the water visibility was pretty poor after winds and rain the previous days. This meant the chances of seeing eagle rays or stingrays in the shallows were almost non-existent, especially

since there was a decent amount of swell rolling in.

And where Tauranga has a healthy seal population, surprisingly, we didn’t see any seals here on this small 7km route.

As we were paddling back in, we were talking about how beautiful New Zealand is, and how at least we’d managed to get out on the water for a day’s paddle on a bright, sunny day.

But just as I was giving the safety briefing before surfing back in, I spotted a dorsal fin out of the corner of my eye. The bottlenose dolphins had arrived!

It appears from previous photos taken from the coastal hike that this was the same pod, as there was a match in the dorsal fins of a couple of the members.

And on this day, the dolphins did the same thing. They hugged the coastline and were often only a mere metre from the rocks. It was amazing to see, with the stunning background that our beautiful country offers.

We weren’t with the dolphins for too long as there was a workup of birds, meaning a workup of fish underneath that, and the dolphins raced off at speed to get to them.

As of recently, the Bay has been visited by southern right whales, bottlenose dolphins and a pod of orcas, although recent studies show that in some parts of New Zealand, sightings and possibly numbers of bottlenose dolphins are on the decline.

So although whale numbers around the country, especially sightings of humpbacks, seem to be on the rise, we still need to pay special attention to some other species that ‘hang with us’ around our coastline.

Giving this wildlife adequate space and not coming up to them at speed or making sudden turns – especially in ‘powered’ vessels – will aid in helping these magnificent creatures to share our waters for many years to come.

We want them to feel relaxed here. After all, it has been their home far longer than it has been ours.

I’m sure it would be an absolute dream for many of us to see a rising trend for marine life, showing that New Zealand is the place to see some of the best scenery and best nature that the world has to offer.

Be good to the ocean. Thanks friends.

By Nathan Pettigrew

SEPTEMBER 2015

WATERLINE 05

Right place at the right time Every once in a blue moon I’m fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time.

This experience was one of those very rare, but truly magical encounters.

This was to be a day of trialling a new kayak and Kim from Paddling Perfection kayaks drove down from Auckland the night before with a demo boat for me to take out the next day.

Since he was staying with us for the night, it was a night filled with talking about some of my many encounters with sharks, rays and whales.

He explained to me that one day he himself would love to see Orcas as all he had really seen were a few seals in the past, but not much more.

So after getting our gear ready for the next day, we called it a night with the hope that something more than the mostly guaranteed sighting of a seal, might show up.

When I woke in the morning I explained I had had a dream that night. In the dream we launched our kayaks from Pilot Bay and paddled around the Mount where, before too long, we came across a pod of Orca.

This dream was incredibly vivid and as the clear as the water was to be that day. We didn’t think much more about it because, well, it had been 18 months since I’d seen Orca like that, so what were the chances?

We drove to Pilot Bay, just as we did in my dream the night before, and the rest is history.

NZ Orca feed on mostly on rays. On this

day, I saw some incredible sights, as did many of the people watching from the base of the Mount.

Orca were coming up out of the water with Eagle rays in the side of their mouths. One of which was flapping like crazy before an Orca calf came up alongside and bit the ray in half.

Another Eagle ray ‘flew’ out of the water and up onto the rocks in front of the people on the Mount track, in an effort to get away from the large black and white brutes.

To see nature at its finest is incredible to watch and something that I hope will be viewable for many generations to come.

Enjoy the video, at http://www.sunlive. co.nz/news/102952-a-dream-of-orcas.html As always, be good to the ocean.

By Nathan Pettigrew

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SEPTEMBER 2015

New options in fishing licence Two new options are included in the 2015-16 angling licence, as a result of public input bringing the total to nine ways to fish for a trout.

Fish & Game’s 2015-16 trout and salmon licences go on sale today August 20.

“Fish & Game has listened to anglers and the result is that there are now nine different licence options available, from the premium whole season licence covering New Zealand, to a nine day licence and one for a single day’s fishing,” says Fish & Game communications manager Don Rood.

“And the key point is that in some cases, those licences will be cheaper than before.”

The new licences are available on line and at accredited sports shops and other outlets, ready for the season opening on October 1.

“All people have to do is review the new licence options, decide which one is the best fit for them, go online and a few clicks later they will have their licence ordered in plenty of time,” says Don. “Our Whole Season adult licence is still the premium product, providing superb value and flexibility – a year’s worth of fishing anywhere in the country, except Taupo where Department of Conservation administers the fishery.

“W believe the “We fou four new licences on offer will have str strong appeal to di different groups, w whether they ar are long-time vveterans, newbies oor folk planning th their summer h holidays.”

The ‘old’ 24 hour licence is rebranded as a One Day licence and is now a li l cheaper h little at $$20, great for the first time angler giving it a go, or someone going out with a guide or charter boat.

For those who fish close to home there is the Local Area licence, well suited to those who don’t travel far to fish and perhaps are on a fixed income, he says.

“If you are a veteran angler who’s over 65 and bought a whole season licence for at least the last five years in a row we are now recognising your loyalty – you are eligible for a Loyal Senior Licence.”

Both the Local Area and Loyal Senior Licences are cheaper than the premium

Whole Season Licence.

“Fish & Game is also better catering to the Kiwi holidaymaker by providing more options. We are offering three day Short Break and nine day Long Break licences, so again, more options, more choice. With a Short Break you’re geared up to fish a three day holiday weekend,” says Don. And of course children under the age of 12 are entitled to a free fishing licence, he adds.

Anglers are encouraged to go online at www.fishandgame.org.nz and weigh up their options, considering their past fishing habits, how they want to fish in future and how much time they plan to devote to the pastime, says Don. Interest is already high, with accredited licence agents already selling licences and fielding inquiries about them.

“We’ve opened up the online licence buying facility so you can get hooked up early with a licence – and be all set to go on Opening Day, October 1,” says Don The plastic licence will be mailed within ten days orders being completed.

Fish & Game suggests people take advantage of this offer and beat the rush, he says.

“Freshwater fishing in New Zealand is fantastic value. It is regarded internationally as the world’s finest trout angling.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

She’s named Lola and she’s designed as a long distance cruiser, Auckland to Fiji at 18 knots, which builder Dave Pachoud says is enough speed to be able to pick a fairly small weather window.

Auckland to Fiji is about 2,151km, and the time/distance calculation gives a voyage time at 18 knots of 64 hours 35 minutes and some seconds – under three days.

Launched on August 24, Lola underwent a couple of weeks of sea trials before being driven to Auckland where she will feature in the Auckland on Water boat show at The Viaduct Basin over September 24-27.

Lola is built for an Auckland businessman who wants a long range cruiser for South Pacific voyaging.

She carries 12 tonnes or 12,000 litres of diesel and boasts very efficient semi displacement hull forms, says builder Dave Pachoud.

Lola is propeller driven, powered by a pair of Caterpillar diesels.

“The idea is to be able to exploit short weather windows and go at speed so you don’t have to get caught in big seas,” says Dave.

Lola’s got long legs

“Just to be able to have some speed up your sleeve to be able to run weather systems.

“It’s a similar style to a previous boat we built called Voodoo. Voodoo was a different hull shape. It was optimised for speed. It’s got similar styling, the owner loved the styling of Voodoo but wanted to optimise the boat for a different speed range.”

Voodoo was launched in 2011 and cruises at 30 knots with a top speed of 40 knots.

Lola’s cruising speed is 20 knots with a top speed of 25 knots.

The Auckland businessman commissioned a Roger Hill design with a semi-displacement hull form and a similar internal layout.

Living is on the bridge deck, with four cabins, bathrooms and laundry in the hulls.

The master cabin is forward of the bridge deck.

After the boat show the owner is expected to spend summer in New Zealand waters before heading on the first offshore voyage in April or May 2016.

It’s just the latest in a run Dave Pachoud is having with powercats and Roger Hill designs.

Lola was a 14 month build and he’s got

By Andrew Campbell three new orders.

Lola after being lifted into the water by McLeod Cranes.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Live The Riviera Dream!

Ri i 38 Flybridge Riviera Fl b id with i h LOA 12.35m. Launched in 1992 by Riviera Australia constructed in GRP. This respected version still offers a workable cockpit with great beam and depth, sun shade awning and cockpit lights for the evening fish, spacious interior saloon in original leather provides ample room for dining and entertaining, or extra sleeping , while galley boasts ceramic and microwave cooking with an addition of a newer Waeco fridge/freezer to compliment the already large cockpit freezer.

A second helm is a bonus for those wet days with good visibility of 360 degrees.

Sought-after twin Cummins 6BTA 300hp aside diesels on shaft drive assisted by 4 blade props for improved economy and performance. Onan 6.5kw genset supplies ample power for your needs. Plenty of room for family and friends with three single and one

double berths in two cabins and over 6’2” headroom. 2.5m inflatable dinghy with hard floor moves readily with a 60kg Evalift davit.

Lowrance Elite 5 and Furuno NavNet 2 electronics plus solar panel. All set up for fishing or entertaining out enjoying the water.

Vessel will be available with new antifoul

package and a full seaworthy appraisal. Available from mid-August 2015, inspect now, don’t miss this opportunity.

The room you want for the fun you want!

For further information or an appointment to view contact Brett Eaton at Tauranga Boat Sales 0274 592 982

New harbour channel under trial A new channel has been marked to improve high tide travel through the central Tauranga Harbour between Matakana Point and Matahui Point.

The usual central channel through the harbour has become increasingly shallow and is no longer navigable for about half the tide, says Bay of Plenty Regional Council Harbourmaster Peter Buell.

“Another channel has formed which remains accessible for at least another hour either side of the tide cycle, so we’ve marked that up with port (round, red) and starboard (round, green) buoys”.

“The new channel doesn’t give all tide access. It’s only navigable about four hours either side of high tide, but we’ll be monitoring it to see if that improves over time.”

The old channel markers will be left in place for now but may be removed in time if the old channel shoals further.

For boat operators travelling up the harbour towards Bowentown, the new channel branches off to the west at the ME 15 channel marker and re-joins the existing channel at marker MW 29.

“We urge boat owners to continue take great care when navigating through the harbour. Channels and sandbanks are dynamic and it’s easy to get caught out on any tide,” says Peter.

The Regional Council Harbourmasters Office can be contacted for updates on channel changes and harbour conditions by calling 0800 884 880.

Visit www.boprc.govt.nz/taurangaboating for more information about boating safety in Tauranga Harbour.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

CLUB NEWS

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Winter hasn’t damp Sailing hasn’t stopped over the winter and it seems the common weather theme has been either loads of wind or very little at all. There have been a few exciting club race days with a bit of mayhem as the course was hit with gusting westerlies and some very light, beautiful clear winter conditions.

The series attracted a number of competitors from other clubs around the region, who have travelled to Tauranga fortnightly. Winter racing is a great way for our beginner sailors to build on the skills they learnt during summer training and start to understand the basics of racing.

The Greenies have sometimes had a challenging time, but we hope that they will have gained enough experience of racing that they will be really keen to get training and racing in the new summer season. It’s wonderful to be able to welcome so many new families to our club.

There has also been winter training on the same weekend as racing and many P Class and

Opti sailors have been on the water with local youth coaches who have been passing on their expertise. The Burnsco Winter series finished in mid-August – congratulations to the winners of each class. After a short break it will be all systems go with weekly club racing and after the September school holidays the full range of coaching will swing into action.

Maria returns This season the TYPBC is very happy to be welcoming back Maria Ferrario, who has been coaching in the much-warmer Dominican Republic during the winter. Maria will be joined by two experienced coaches from Ireland. We are looking forward to sharing our beautiful sailing venue with them and we hope that many more people will take up the opportunity to get involved in sailing.

September also sees TYPBC host the inaugural AIMS games regatta. While the AIMS games are well established, this is the first year that sailing has been included. There will be 65 young Optimist sailors from around New Zealand descending on Tauranga to represent their intermediate schools including a number of TYPBC sailors.

The AIMS games attract a huge number of Year 7 and Year 8 athletes to Tauranga each year, competing in a wide range of sports.

AIMS is the largest sporting event for this age group in Australasia so it is wonderful to see sailing included this year and it is also exciting for our TYPBC Optimist sailors to be able to sail in a major regatta on home waters. It should be a wonderful sight!

There are lots of other regattas coming up with the 2015-2016 season due to kick off in September. I suspect with the appearance of a number of new P Class boats in the shed there will be some hot competition for the right to represent Bay of Plenty at the Tanner Cup in January 2016.

This year the Tanner and Tauranga Cups will be held in the Bay of Islands, followed immediately by the Starling North Islands. I heard from those that sailed their Starlings there last year in the Starling Traveller series that it is a magnificent place to sail and the Bay of Islands’ buffet for sailors which included beautifully smoked fish still gets the vote for best club hospitality.

Past P Class champion Cole Rippey has been busy coaching P Class hopefuls over

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SEPTEMBER 2015

Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club

pened p sailor’s spirits Photo by Joanna Maidment

the winter so let’s hope this year one of the P Class trophies might make its way back to TYPBC. There will also be strong Optimist and Starling fleets training at TYPBC. The Starling Nationals are heading south in 2016 to Christchurch while the Opti Nationals are back in Auckland at Kohimarama. There have been plenty of opportunities for the Optis to check out conditions at Kohimarama with some of the Winter Sprint races being held there and the Pre Nationals in February 2016.

The Starlings won’t have any chance to check out Naval Point before the Nationals, but in April it’s fair to say they may need some warm gear. From Christchurch many of the Starling sailors will then have to get themselves to Algies Bay north of Auckland for the 420 Teams Racing Nationals. The travel and logistics involved for families with more than one sailor can be daunting but hopefully with some good club planning we can ensure we get as many sailors as possible to these important away regattas.

Competing far from here have been our TYPBC Olympians who have just taken part in the Rio Olympic test event. This was a great opportunity for teams to refine

their understanding of the Olympic venue and try out all their systems and equipment.

While it looked nice and sunny the wind was pretty light at times, resulting in delays and postponements which would have been challenging for the race management and competitors. Also challenging has been the threat of illness from the water pollution and even the need to move race courses because of objects in the water.

20 in a row TYPBC star Peter Burling and partner Blair Tuke competing in the 49er posted a record 20th win a row. This is a feat that no 49er pair has managed before. To win the test event was a goal the pair especially wanted to achieve according to Blair. Molly Meech and partner Alexandra Maloney competed in the 49er FX and finished just short of the podium in 4th, the girls reported that they had lacked consistency and this had made it difficult for them to secure a podium position. They finished on a positive note with a second placing in the medal race.

Jason Saunders and Gemma Jones, sailing the mixed pair Nacra 17 led after the first day

of the regatta and went into the medal race in 6th place. They had an eventful medal race, having to return to the start after thinking they had gone over early only to be second at the top mark but unable to hold that position to the finish, coming in in 4th which wasn’t quite enough to elevate them to a medal position. Their final position overall was 5th.

Winter has seen many of our club volunteers hard at work improving our facilities and equipment, and in particular Nigel Rippey has given many hours to facilitating the complete refurbishment of the TYPBC’s largest RIB, the Jimmy Gilpin. The Jimmy was looking in need of a makeover after a long hard season and Nigel oversaw the process which was made possible by the generosity of the Tauranga Marine Industry Association and the professional services of Rutherford Signs, Matamata Motor Trimmers and Aaron from Marine Reflections.

Coach Maria spent a lot of time in the Jimmy last season as the RIB is ideal for regattas particularly ones where wind and waves are likely to play a part – she will be happy to see her trusty friend looking so fabulous!

By Pauline Barnett

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SEPTEMBER 2015

CLUB NEWS

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Spring checks for trailer yachties

Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club

With the summer sailing season edging closer, trailer yacht owners and power boat users are reminded now is a great time to get the wheel bearings on the boat trailer checked.

Also look for structural areas where rust is taking its grip. Not getting things done because you didn’t bother to check beforehand, can have disastrous consequences.

Check your gear. Sails, that nick or patch that should have been taken care off at the end of the season, is still not fixed? Think of the sail maker.

Communications and safety gear, present and working? Need help with those last minute jobs, please feel to call me to point you in the right direction. Graham on 0274-971-847 The Auckland to Tauranga yacht race is scheduled for Easter 2016. I am hoping to make this a highlight of the sailing calendar.

Auckland to Tauranga yacht race Anybody who is prepared to offer assistance, in the running of the race is most welcome.

Or, if you don’t have experience and want to gain experience in the organization of events, this is a great place to start. Please email me Graham at: a2t2016@xtra.co.nz By Graham Vincent

It’s time to check your trailer.

SEPTEMBER 2015

CLUB NEWS

WATERLINE 13

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Windsurfing clinic inspires

Above and below: Windsurfers from Auckland and Whangarei attended the TYPBC clinic

With a relatively quiet winter coming to an end, the windsurfers were keen to start the summer season early and at the end of August kicked off with an advanced techno/RSX windsurf clinic at TYPBC. This clinic specifically focussed on racing as national and overseas regattas are coming up as soon as September and October.

Natalia Kosinska, number one in New Zealand, came from Auckland to coach the group of eight sailors. Light breezes with plenty of sun gave perfect conditions to be out on the water for practising starts, improving pumping techniques and fine tuning the board handling. The focus on racing and tactics was especially important for two of TYPBC’s national champion windsurfers, Max van der Zalm and Veerle ten Have.

They are off to Sardinia, Italy in October to compete in the Techno 293 world championships. Max has experience in representing New Zealand and competing at an international event, while for Veerle it will be her first overseas regatta. Exciting and a bit scary at the same time. Despite having no coaching support at the moment, both are training hard to get their sailing to the next level to be able to achieve at the best of their ability at the world’s.

It was really nice to have Coral Heady over from Whangarei to join the clinic.

Coral recently moved up north to further develop her RSX windsurf career. Her skills, knowledge and inspiration are dearly missed by the other TYPBC windsurfers and they

Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club

Left: Alex van der Zaln on a RS-X.

really enjoyed being out on the water with her again. Olly Maidment, the youngest in the group and keen as, did extremely well considering he had not spent a lot of time on the water as a windsurfer. He sailed in the P class during the winter series. It won’t be long before he will be using a bigger sail to become a competitor to be watched. Dolf ten Have has just stepped up to the RSX, experienced Alex van der Zalm on his RSX and two other young techno sailors from Auckland strengthened the forces to make the clinic a great success.

Although the group of windsurfers is a consistent and committed group, it is relatively small. With a long term vision in mind, this year the focus will be on increasing the numbers to create the opportunity for a so needed windsurf coach and therefore the basis for high performance at regattas.

One of the ways to get more children into this exciting part of sailing will be another

‘learn to windsurf ’ course during summer season. Another will be the adventure sailing where children can explore the different ways of spending time on the water. This was a great success last year which makes it a well worth project to continue. The windsurf division is keen to get things going and looking forward to another successful summer season. More information can be gained on the TYPBC website.

SEPTEMBER 2015

14 WATERLINE

CLUB NEWS

Women on Water

Ready, set, race!

The days are getting longer and chill is leaving the air, signalling that in just a month’s time, the Women on Water sailing season begins.

This will be the sixteenth year for the WOW series of nine races which runs fortnightly on Thursday nights from October through to April with a break over Christmas and New Year.

Initiated by a group of women keen to ensure they could sail a boat if their skipper partners were to get injured, the series has a cruising division and the race division so caters for complete novices to experienced sailors keen to get on the water.

WOW gives women the opportunity sail in the beautiful Tauranga harbour, no matter their level of experience. You don’t need to have a boat either - the WOW committee have a generous group of skippers who volunteer to take groups out to learn to sail.

And being social, it is a great place to meet like-minded women and have some fun in the summer.

Sophie Headley joined the cruising division of the WOW series two seasons ago and is returning again this year.

“WOW is a great opportunity to get to know others and learn some new skills.

Being from inland England, I didn’t grow up sailing and had never tried it before. My friend suggested we try WOW and I jumped at the chance. We joined a boat with a mix of other novices and some more experienced sailors who helped us learn the ropes - excuse the pun.

“We stayed on the same boat that season forming a ‘crew’ with our sailing mates and

TYPBC Women on Water

WOW crews out sailing in the beautiful Tauranga harbour.

Sophie enjoying a sail with the rest of the crew on board ‘Chaos’ last year. skipper whose ages range from around 30-60.

It’s been a great way to meet some like-minded ladies who I have heaps of fun with. We dig in on the boat to enjoy the race then wind down and catch up over a wine on the boat and enjoy dinner together up at the yacht club.

“We have a great skipper (thanks Zane) who generously takes us out on his boat and teaches us a thing or two throughout each race. He’s a well-experienced sailor which in combination with his relaxed attitude gives us the confidence to get on with the sailing while having the assurance he’ll intervene if we do something wrong.

“The season is about six months long with a break for Christmas and we have a great end of season sail – it’s really a chance to get into fancy dress and enjoy some fun together.

“The highlight for me is the opportunity WOW gives me to learn to sail and to get out on the water in our beautiful harbour.

I’ve lived in Tauranga for nearly 11 years and didn’t make the most the water until I joined WOW – you get to see our home from a completely different perspective.

As well as WOW sailing races each fortnight,

WOW also run a basic skills night at the beginning of the season which covers tying knots and sailing terminology. WOW are also planning to hold a dinghy sailing night to better learn how to work a sail, learn to tack and have some fun!

For anyone, from novices wishing to give sailing a go through to experts wanting to get on the water and meet new people, pre-registration for WOW is on Thursday 8 October 6pm at the Tauranga Yacht Power Boat Club at Sulphur Point. This is also a good night to find out more about WOW. There is no specified age range for WOW, you register the Tuesday prior to each race and have the opportunity to change boats if you want to get experience on different types of yachts.

The casual rate is a bargain $15 per sail, or if you prepay it is $90 for the series of nine races.

There is a great and very reasonably priced dinner available at the Tauranga Yacht Club after each sail and some great prizes from our generous sponsors which include Mills Reef, Slow Fish Café and Scarlet Hair Studio.

For more information, check out the WOW section of the TYPBC website, the WOW Facebook page or email wow.tauranga@gmail.com.

The WOW Facebook page is a great place to find out more information and see photos of the fun we have together.

Remember we welcome and cater for newbies to the experienced - just so long as you want to have fun out on the water.

By Delwyn Keyworth

SEPTEMBER 2015

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CLUB NEWS

Omokoroa Boat Club

Wind holes in winter sailing

The usual suspects, Konini with Brendon, Murray and David; Wayleggo with Hugh and Heather; and Culprit with Lloyd, Alan and John on board under took the tour of Motuhoa Island on a clear ďŹ ne and chilly afternoon, at calm and a very light breeze from the North West.

We motored down the Te Puna Channel and at 14.19 we started the sail home to Omokoroa.

With the tide under us we made a very slow start but as the breeze freshened Wayleggo and Culprit made a move whilst Konini wrestled with the tide.

Finally we got some good pressure and Wayleggo headed out followed by Culprit trailed by Konini.

Wind holes abounded and as Wayleggo found one Culprit found a lift and closed up with Konini close behind. However, wind shifts abounded and the breeze rotated every which way!

So those who led won, well done Wayleggo, Culprit was second and Konini third.

We were all snug in the Club before dusk!

SEPTEMBER 2015

16 WATERLINE

CLUB NEWS

Lakeisha is learning to sail through BOPSAT.

BOPSAT

BoPSAT – not just a Bunch of People Sitting Around Talking A financial surplus through steady boat hire

The Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy Trust is a charity which set up in 2004 to ‘give all youth in the Bay, regardless of means or ability, the opportunity to enjoy the sport of sailing, and to provide pathways to engage them in the sport for life’.

Central to this is the BopSAT fleet of 51 small sailboats and sailboards, which we fundraise for, maintain and make available to sailing clubs, schools and families at concessionary rates.

Our hire rates to yacht clubs are as little as $2 per hour for a $3000 boat. Keeping this fleet in good order is a considerable task and requires a dedicated team of volunteers, which we are very fortunate to have.

From this core activity we also aim to make a surplus which we can plough back into the sport through funding free sailing programmes for disadvantaged children, supporting disabled sailors and youth who are selected to represent New Zealand overseas, and improving our facilities and capability for the future.

We work closely with a number of sailing clubs, particularly the Sailing School coaches at TYPBC in Tauranga but also Port Ohope Yacht Club and Rotorua Sailing Club, and we are keen to work with others.

There are currently six trustees: Fi Charman, Ken Tarboton, Phil West, Roger Clark, Stuart Pedersen and Tina Kennedy. Numerous others help with boat maintenance, most notably fleet captain for our two handed boats, Dennis Webster. Our patron is Dean Barker.

The year in review The 2014-15 year was another successful one for BoPSAT. Highlights included: Providing financial support to four youth

sailors representing New Zealand at international regattas in July/August 2014 New trustees Phil West and Fi Charman coming on board Taking delivery of 17 new rigs, sails and buoyancy aids for our 17 plastic Optimist learn-to-sail boats, funded by grants received from TECT and NZCT. Passing $50,000 in funds invested in the Sail for Life endowment fund, meaning we have started to receive income from the fund, commencing in the 2015-16 year.

Second year of our low decile school sailing programme, which saw seven more children from Merivale School complete a Learn to Sail course at no cost.

Secondary school team sailing growing to the point that we had five teams from four schools at a local schools regatta, ahead of the central North Island selection regatta in April.

The generous gift of a Topaz Omega sailboat ($22,000 new price) by TYPBC members Natalie and James Burt.

Grant applications completed for the purchase of four new 420 team sailing boats, as our current ones have had up to ten years hard use.

BOPSAT students and tutors on Matakana Island adventure. income, ongoing support of our sponsors and careful cost control.

The new season is almost up on us and we are gearing up: • Improvements to facilities including fitting out our storage container and implementing a new faults and maintenance process, and tar sealing the outdoor boat storage area • Engagement with schools in Rotorua to get team sailing started there in the coming season • Engagement with more low decile schools to expand our free sailing programme • Providing financial support to Bay of Plenty blind sailors Ben Geddes and Dave Parker to go to the World Blind Sailing Fleet Championships in Chicago, September 2015 If you’d like to get involved in any way in this rewarding activity, or if you’d like to get team sailing happening at your children’s school, please visit our website or contact Stuart on 021 878882.

By Stuart Pedersen

SEPTEMBER 2015

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SEPTEMBER 2015

Going for the whole of the market

Jared and Gwyn at Tauranga Dive

Going for the whole of the market makes perfect sense when you are a dive gear retailer, and Tauranga Dive is doing just that.

Jared and Gwyn can fully equip a learner diver for $1600 with entry level SCUBA. But if it’s top of the range you are looking for, they can cover you there too.

With dive gear, a cheaper price doesn’t necessarily mean a drop in quality says Gwyn.

All dive equipment sold in New Zealand has to meet the same regulatory standards, whether it’s a top shelf regulator advertised as being tested to 60 metres or a substantially cheaper model that will safely and adequately serve a learner who will not be going much deeper than 18m.

“We cater a lot for beginners,” says Gwyn.

“Someone going into diving, but we also fully cover the experts as well.”

It’s a sales philosophy proving popular with the marine courses student body, many of whom have already picked up a bargain.

Gwyn Brown is a dive master while Jared Ross is an instructor, and both are avid free divers as well, which means Tauranga Dive caters to both specialities. Free diving is hugely popular today and Tauranga Dive carry a huge range of spear guns, camouflage suits, fins and have the in-water experience to back up their advice. They are also running specialised free diving courses, starting the 19 September.

Customers are advised to bring a towel. If you are buying, you are not getting out of the shop without Gwyn and Jared being satisfied the gear fits properly and works for the

customer in the water.

Tauranga Dive’s ‘fitting room’ is a four metre deep training pool, heated to 25 degrees.

“We make sure they put the gear on and get in the pool,” says Gwyn.

The pool’s also where they run PADI dive courses, and there’s an open invitation to anyone to drop by and jump in, or just call in, have a chat and a coffee and play some guitar with the boys…

“With the scallop season fast approaching, now’s the time to get your dive gear serviced.

We have Tauranga’s only in-house technician so you can speak to him if you have any questions about your gear,” says Gwyn.

“Tauranga Dive have tank fills for $5, and if you buy the concession card, it’s even cheaper than that.”

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SEPTEMBER 2015

Eye turning cat attracts comment U21 in the water at Tauranga.

Billionaire Graeme Hart’s 50-knot powercat on the end of the Bridge Marina’s B pier has been attracting comment, with some believing the $8-10 million fishing boat is a military vessel because of the colour.

The 20m U-21 is modelled on Auckland’s maritime police catamaran which cost $2.8m.

The story goes that Hart, who is Australasia’s richest man, saw the police boat while sailing round Auckland harbour and thought it would be a cool boat to have.

Hart approached Teknicraft, which designed the police boat. He wanted a 20m fibre glass boat capable of speeds up 50 knots.

The foiling cat took a year to design and 18 months to build. It was overseen by boat builder Composite Projects.

The boat received its internal fit out in

the Sulphur Point Marina Society sheds, but because Hart is so media-shy, no one wants to talk about it on the record.

On its website Technicraft says the commission is for a motor yacht capable of speeds up to 50 knots and with all the amenities required for deep sea fishing and luxury cruising.

The U21 is fitted with four Hamilton Jets driven by four Caterpillar C15 engines.

Helm is a single joystick for a fly-by-wire sensation. The main deck features a huge saloon area and galley, leading to an upstairs lounge and wheelhouse via a spiral staircase.

There is accommodation to sleep 7 guests in 5 private cabins.

The U21 is constructed in lightweight composite materials and fitted with Tekni-

craft’s unique adjustable hydrofoil system to optimise the vessels efficiency and speed.

Specifications: 20.9m (68.6ft) length overall, 7.6m (24.9ft) beam, 0.8m (2.6ft) draft.

Engines: 4 x Caterpillar C15s, delivering 636kW (853bhp) @2300rpm. Propulsion: 4 x Hamilton Jet HJ364.

Speed: 34 knots (cruising). 49 knots (max) Forbes magazine named Hart as Australasia’s richest man, and 144th richest in the world with a net worth of US$5.3bn ($6.7bn).

Hart’s business interests include printing, bookselling, stationery, a food conglomerate and pulp and paper company.

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SEPTEMBER 2015

Things that goo The blunt bow pushed into the first brown, curling white-capped wave. Tepid mid-summer water and broken fragments of sea lettuce washed over the varnished foredeck, hit the splashboard, and erupted into shards of stinging salt spray.

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I shifted my body back a few inches, and awkwardly arranged my feet around the canvas bags in the cockpit floor in an effort to raise the bow and hopefully, organise a drier ride.

A mental check-list followed....Tent, sleeping bag, billy, baked beans, can-opener, pocket-knife, matches, fishing rod, spinning lure, water....

Oh shit. I forgot the water. Never mind. I read that humans can survive without water for 8 days, so 2 days without should be no hardship.

I glanced forward. Motuhoa Island was a thin, hazy line in the far distance. The incoming tide had pushed up a steep chop against the brisk westerly, it was going to be a hard slog the whole way. Roger, ahead and to leeward, stacked hard, flinging spray over his bow every few seconds. He’s a hard little bugger, and will relish this upwind torture...

“It’s going to blow 40 bastards!”, he had grinned, back at the beach. He knew that’d make me squirm. I leant forward and ducked my head in order to see under the boom... Grant was pitching and heeling into a steady, determined plug forward. He fiddled with his adjustments and constantly trimmed the sail....always experimenting (always the scientist), his mass of blonde curls blowing into an odd, lopsided shape.

I eased the sheet a fraction, and pulled Pipi’s bow down a few degrees.

The thin oregon boom breathed a sigh of relief, and the nose was now pointed towards the urgent incoming current of the Western channel.

Over the stern the thin white slither of Derek’s Australian moth sail began a game of catch-up.

Landfall at Motuhoa Late afternoon and the three P class, and Derek’s moth, stood upright as we closed in on the lee of the island. The bleached white ribbon of sand marked our landing place, and we sculled with our rudders to cover the last hundred yards to the beach. Salt-encrusted, and with sore, tired legs, we helped each other carry the yachts up to the edge of the grass, and doused the terelyene sails which we bundled and tied along the booms with pieces of cord. We sat for some time and looked back over the vast stretch of water...silence, apart from the moaning noise of the wind bending the ancient poplar trees above our landing place.

The orange pup tent was sodden, but Roger and I soon had it up, its entrance facing towards the eastern vista. Derek, quiet and calm began to arrange a fireplace in the sand. He tied his long hair in a headband so he could see what he was doing. He was a couple of years older than us, and everything he did, and said, was cool, even though he didn’t say much. I wandered down to the nearby clay headland with my rod and spinner. There were always kahawai off points, and headlands.

Sure enough, after half a dozen casts, a nice kahawai was beached.

Roger reckoned he was the best at preparing the catch, and Grant became pre-occupied with creating a lattice-work of sticks over the fire-place in order to suspend the catch…(“must remember to bring tin foil next time”.)

The sun dropped behind the campsite, and Derek carefully worked a

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b bump in the night and sailing

Privately-owned Motuhoa Island in Tauranga Harbour. As with any private property, ask the owners before entering. few sparks into a small campfire. The smoke seemed to swirl back towards us wherever we sat. The baked beans were emptied into the billy, which Grant suspended above the flame using an array of sticks and considerable verbal encouragement.

Warm beer The kahawai was similarly coaxed into position onto the light latticework of green sapling wood. Derek produced a well-wrapped transistor radio from a compartment in his moth, and set it up on the beach behind us to listen to the Saturday evening hits of 1971.

Roger produced a couple of cans of warm leopard beer he had ‘’borrowed’’ from his dad’s supply. We passed the frothy cans around, and talked about what we would be, when we were older. We took turns to share the billy of baked beans, complete with the one spoon we had between us, then lay the cooked kahawai onto Roger’s centreboard and picked it clean.

Somehow sand had made it into all the food.

We crunched down the last morsels, and gazed out eastwards at the lights of civilisation as our island blackened into darkness.

The transistor rung out with Arlo Guthrie’s “City of New Orleans”, followed by Roger Whitaker’s haunting baritone cover of “Mammy Blue”. We looked up into the canopy of stars and tried to find UFOs….and grinned at each other….Our little yachts were in fact our vehicles to independence. This was well before any of us owned motorcycles or cars, and our parents had obviously sensed our determination to make a strike for freedom once in a while, by spending weekends away down the harbour.

Roger initiated the ghost stories. By 10pm we were thoroughly petrified. The wind rustled the surrounding foliage, and the sound of moreporks just seemed to add more to our sense of terror. Derek dared us to take turns to climb the embankment and visit the ancient Maori graveyard above and behind the campsite. With eyes like saucers, and dry mouths, we each took our turn to step into the inky night. To this day I’m sure not one of

us ventured more than a dozen paces towards the graveyard. But we all said we went all the way up there, and touched a gravestone. I still live with my lie. I’m coming clean now Derek.

It was time to crash about midnight. Derek elected to sleep under his boat, Grant reckoned he’d be ok wrapped in his sail. Roger and I had the tent (but no pillows). That was ok...but we were to be awoken soon after going to sleep, by a snorting noise very close to our faces. Roger and I sat bolt upright and were confronted by a substantially large cow’s head which seemed to occupy most of the inside of the tent. Our screams of terror encouraged the cow to lift it’s head, and charge off blindly along the beach complete with tent wrapped around its head. This left us with a night in the open, far too close to the ancient Maori graveyard for our comfort, and the shuffling dark shapes of more bovines hovering just beyond our campsite, perpetuating our wildest fears.

Dawn came and our dishevelled, smokeimpregnated forms went staggering down the beach to try to find the tent and poles and pegs, most of which we recovered.

A day was idled away by trekking across to the other side of the island and jumping off the dilapidated wharf into the murky currents. We also built a toilet out of rocks and branches (called “the black bog”,) for future forays to the island, and lay round talking about every subject we knew anything about, as well as making up plenty about things we knew nothing about.

Return voyage At 3pm, the top of the tide, we set off for home. The westerly had built up again to a good 16-18 knots, and our little P class yachts performed at their cranky best while we tried to cross the sandbars towards Kulim Park. Stingrays darted out from under our bows as we charged downwind, and centreboards were raised and cleared constantly of jellyfish and sea lettuce. A large fin and tail crossed my bow at one stage, and I veered to try to avoid aggravating this denizen of the

shallows whatever it was.

We arrived at Kulim Park at about 5pm.

My nose and face was scabbed with sunburn, (must remember the zinc next time), and my clothes still smelt strongly of campfire smoke.

We hadn’t really eaten that day, apart from some peaches we collected from the old tree near the campsite, and a failed experiment to eat some horse mussels we had collected at low tide. No amount of cooking would make these abundant shellfish palatable. My dad appeared in the Holden with the trailer to collect me and he asked if we had enjoyed ourselves. I said yea it was good fun. It was 1971, there were no cell phones, no vhf radios, no viber or cyber anything. We had no watches, and sailed hand-painted wooden boats with timber spars and coloured sails. What we couldn’t make with a pocket knife, some twine, and bits of wire, wasn’t worth making.

I bumped into Roger just recently. He didn’t do very well at school, but he made a lot of money as a house-builder, and retired in his mid-forties. He still still pursues fishing, as he tours the country in his camper-van with his wife of 35 years. I saw Derek on the TV news a few nights ago. Nowadays he is an engineer in charge of much of Auckland’s fresh water supply. I see he’s lost all his hair, but he still holds his head at a characteristic tilt as he speaks in his intelligent, and measured way.

I went to Grant’s father’s funeral the other day. He spoke about how a Flying Dutchman yacht sailed past when his father took him fishing when he was a kid, and how it inspired him into sailing.

I can recall a similar pivotal moment as I fished off Orakei wharf as a 7 year-old...

An Idle-along yacht sailed wing-and-wing downwind past my fishing line. A teenager lay on the varnished deck, steering with his feet, transistor radio propped up on the foredeck, canvas bags of camp gear bundled on the cockpit floor, the nose of the boat aiming out into the Gulf, towards an island….maybe with a graveyard, and a cattle-herd, and moreporks, and horse-mussels.

By Geoff Collins

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SEPTEMBER 2015

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BATTERY WAREHOUSE

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SEPTEMBER 2015

Westerlies win at Opti racing The first yacht race of the AIMs Games was won a by a strong westerly that took out two thirds of the fleet on Sunday, September 6.

Strong winds saw most of Sundays fleet failing to finish.

Tane Herbert of Bethlehem College was among the many who pulled out of the race.

Day two’s race began with calmer conditions.

Tom Haycock of Marotiri School.

Of the 61 starters, only 23 finished the race that saw many capsize and lots of work for the large number of rescue RIBs on hand.

“It was a really good start, with about 18 knots at the start,” says Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club commodore Nigel Rippey.

“It was a good clean start, and the first beat was really cool to watch, but as soon as the boats got around the top the breeze kept building to about 25 knots. It started getting pretty rough.

“A lot of boats capsized going down wind and at the gybe mark there were a lot of capsizes. A lot of them were struggling.

“But the front guys were having a ball. They were just planning down wind and having a great time.“ Francesco Kayrous from Rosmini College in Takapuna, Auckland, won by a big margin, says Nigel.

His schoolmate Campbell Stanton placed in second, with the pair recently returned from the European Optimist championships in Wales, where they were representing New Zealand.

Thomas Mulcahy, of Takapuna Normal Intermediate, finished third, with Remuera Intermediate’s Rebecca Morgan the leading female in ninth. Otumoetai Intermediate’s James Barnett was fifth.

“We called off the second race because it was blowing at 25 knots and gusting to 30 at the pilot berth,” says Nigel. “It got too windy.”

The club had a ‘huge’ number of rescue RIBs on the water, so dealing with the number of capsizes wasn’t a problem.

“It was well managed,” adds Nigel. “We had loads of support on the water, which was really good.”

“Some of those kids are some of the top Opti sailors in the country, so the group of them that are really capable were loving the conditions.

“It’s like all codes – you have quite a broad range of skills from the top to the bottom which is what it is all about in intermediate competition.”

For day two, Tauranga harbour put on a stunner for breakfast guests at the yacht club which included singers Boh Runga, Jamie McDell and 49er sailor Blair Tuke.

Guests were also present from Kamo and Pukekohe Intermediates, which won a competition to have breakfast with the trio.

By Andrew Campbell

SEPTEMBER 2015

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SEPTEMBER 2015

WATERLINE 25

Winter yachtie heaven

When merino gloves were required to operate the keypad of my PC back home, it became abundantly clear that the correct thing to do was to thaw out somewhere tropical in an environment that encompassed racing yachts, music, several great bars, and dancing girls.

Accordingly I fed the afore-mentioned key words into my aging cerebral cortex, and the words “Airlie Race Week” flashed at the top of the list of tempting venues.

A quick email, which included two brief sailing resumes was sent to the Whitsunday Yacht Club; mine and one for my unsuspecting sailing colleague Mark Thomas. Within a few days, the vicecommodore flicked an email back, and we were soon match-made as crew on a local 39 footer called “Dehler Magic.” Tickets and accommodation were organised, then I rung Mark and told him he was off to Airlie Race Week....”I suppose I’d better come then,” was his surprised response.

Airlie Beach is in a setting much like Mercury Bay, with a town the size of Whangamata, and a very pleasant downtown atmosphere with a plentiful selection of nice restaurants and bars.

There’s two marinas and most of the

a accommodation is a few minutes’ walk t town and the marinas. It is well to known as the hopping-off point for countless backpackers who congregate there to socialize and explore the nearby Whitsunday Islands and Barrier Reef.

The race week is part of a series of feeder races that progress up the coast over a few months from as far away as Melbourne, and cumulate with Hamilton Island Race Week and the Magnetic Island race series. Some particularly blessed Australian yachties we met were doing the whole lot.

Airlie this year had 106 entries, divided into about eight divisions. The weather is much like our NZ summer, and the breeze generally kicks in from the SE most days and varies from 10 to 25 knots, shifting to the left as the day goes by. Tide flow is significant, and at times it was crucial to short-tack legs to stay out of adverse current.

Pioneer Bay is the main area out in front of Airlie Beach, and the locals were correct in portraying it as a shifty wind zone. The outer area is blessed with world-class islands and yacht-racing geography.

Mark and I sailed with an all-Australian crew, and quickly settled into our positions as sail trimmers and tacticians. We were in the second keeler division and it became very clear from race one that we were in for very close racing. Accordingly we accepted some “rum” bets, in true Aussie fashion, on each race and the stage was set for some great battles.

The “sheep-shaggers” as we were commonly

f referred to, became popular figures amongst the locals on and off the water, and we tried to stamp our mark at the start line every time much to the delight of our Aussie sailing mates.

The first three races were light and we consolidated in the top bunch in the biggest division in the regatta. Race four saw us shred our no. 1 headsail, and race 5 delivered a punchy 30 knots which flipped an 11 metre catamaran not far in front of us. The last race was down to the wire, and we worked some big shifts in Pioneer Bay to secure a 3rd place overall. Our Aussie sailing buddies were stoked and lots of man-hugs all round made us feel less conscious of our sheep shagger label.

The format and running of the races was faultless, despite the casual, tropical feel of the whole series. The yacht club is in a prime spot overlooking the many moored yachts in Pioneer Bay, and the yacht club frontage featured a large open-sided beer and food tent with a different live band every night. We won all but one of our rum bets with the locals, made some awesome friends and got invited back more times than we could count for various other regattas on the Queensland coast.

Mark and I have had a glimpse of yachtie heaven. If you find yourself in merino gloves on your keypad next winter, you know what to do.

By Geoff Collins

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SEPTEMBER 2015

Updating the Kontiki bible Stephen O’Brien wrote his first book on kontiki fishing 18 years ago, and as it remains the only book focussing on kontiki fishing, he updated it.

Not only has improved and expanded on the original, Steve’s added some fish recipes, a few poems and introductions to some of the leading figures in kontiki fishing.

The main characters are writer Steve O’Brien, Paul Barnes kite fishing, Graeme Pedersen at Bullet Fishing and Phil and Tracey Sherer from Seahorse kontiki and Kyle Parshotam at Aero kontiki.

Steve’s book also talks about the use of the sailing kontiki and the role played by barley sugars and lifesavers in the early designs.

A lot of fish have been pulled across the beach since the only kontiki fishing book was originally written back in 1997. The kontiki designs have become more sophisticated as the technology has improved – another reason for Steve to revisit his book.

He’s included kite fishing because Steve takes kontiki fishing to mean any method used to get the longline out to sea. The name kontiki itself comes from the first, primitive by modern standards, small rafts with square sails used to take a line out in an offshore breeze. The name stuck because of the passing resemblance to Thor Heyerdahl’s balsa wood raft of the same name.

There a kontiki design at http://www. fishnhunt.co.nz/howto/build/kontiki.htm that explains the construction and how it works with the aid of barley sugars or lifebuoy sweets which dropped the sail when they dissolved and allowed the raft to more easily be hauled back to the beach.

Another wind driven kontiki operation is kite fishing. Again using off shore breezes.

A New Zealand manufacturer Paul’s Fishing kites produces a range of kites that can at the smaller end of the scale can take out two or three hooks on as little as an 8kg line, right up to the 100kg lifters that can tow 25 hooks or more up to a couple of kilometres offshore.

The kite fishing crowd say they can catch fish in much lighter winds than any other wind driven fishing system. They also say kite fishing will work where other methods won’t, where the weather is too rough or the shoreline too steep to launch and retrieve a traditional long line rig off the beach.

They have even developed heavy wind super kites that will take a line out in weather that only fishermen are seen out in.

He also traces the design and ongoing development of the most common type of kontiki, the electric kontiki.

An electric kontiki operator today can remotely detect fish from on board the kontiki, and stop the kontiki over the fish.

Some manufacturers have an active naviga-

Author Steve Auth S O’Brien. tion auto pilot to keep the tow craft on a direct bearing. It can be steered from the beach.

Bulletfishing boasts a dual blade rudder between the motor mount and the prop guard, a location they say is less susceptible to catching weed, and avoids damage when launching or retrieving.

The Tauranga manufactured Seahorse™ Electric Kontiki is the world’s most popular beach fishing system. Since 2001 Seahorse Electric Kontikis with a GPS controlled auto pilot system, have been designing and building Kontiki fishing systems that power through any conditions, taking a line up to 2000 metres offshore.

For more information, contact stephenobrien@live.com or phone 022 690 6142.

By Andrew Campbell

Having an extensively stocked shop is one thing, having staff with extensive experience and expertise is another ... because we love boating as much as you do.

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Fishing protest goes pragmatic The budget breaks down as: $250,000 for the research project, $40,000: Scoping and feasibility, $50,000: Fundraising administration, $60,000: Results publicity and promotion.

LegaSea is involved with The New Zealand Marine Research Foundation which funds When quota are allocated and fish sizes research on aquatic plants and animals, and allocated the political decisions on improving the understanding of the interactions are always made in favour of between people and marine commercial fishers. ecosystems. The Marine Successive governments have research Foundation commisignored the economic impact sioned Southwick Associates of recreational fishing and have to gather and analyse the shown no interest in researching information needed to estithe industry. mate the economic impact of One of the issues recreational recreational fishing industry fishing advocate LegaSea comes in New Zealand. As a regisup against again and again is the tered charitable organisation, lack of hard evidence on recreaall donations to Marine tional fishing’s contribution to Research Foundation are tax the New Zealand economy. deductible.

Every trailer towed a boat, every boat has rods, reels, lines, tackle High levels of commercial fishThe New Zealand Sport on board plus safety gear, electronics and engines that require ing catch are strongly defended Fishing Council and 59 maintenance and occasional repair. because their export returns to affiliated clubs with 32,000 the economy can be readily quantified. members has contributed to the Marine “That’s a huge chunk of money that boaties In spite of fishing being recognised as one Research Foundation since its establishment in are contributing in road excise tax for services of the most popular recreational activities in we don’t even use,” says Adam. “When we tow 1996 – currently $1 per annum per member.

New Zealand, we’ve never stopped to add up Southwick Associates is an international our boat that’s covered in our vehicle fuel costs exactly how much it is worth to the country. resource valuation company with more than and our trailer registrations and all of that, so The New Zealand Marine Research Founda- it’s absolutely massive.”

25 years’ experience. This includes production has contracted the international experts ing the Recreational Fisheries Economic A recent US study finds that recreational on valuing recreational fishing to research and Impacts Assessment Manual for the United fishing is 69 times more valuable than compublish a report describing the value of recrea- mercial fishing, on a weight for weight basis, Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization tional fishing to the New Zealand economy. for developing countries. Two New Zealandof fish caught.

“We’ve got this opportunity to have some based research companies will help coordinate A US study puts the value of recreationally really important research done into the ecosurveys and source complementary informacaught fish at $US152 per pound compared nomic contribution that recreational fishing tion from MPI and Statistics NZ, giving the to $US2.20 for a commercially caught fish. has into New Zealand’s economy,” project valuable local input.

This study has influenced a says Mount Maunganui fisher Blue Water Marine Research provides fisherchange in how some US “Recreational and LegaSea spokesman ies management advice and marine research are managed. fishers are gifting the fisheries Adam El-Agez. solutions to government, research institutes, “Where they are really government $67 million ripping us off is not “It’s time for the public charitable trusts, national and regional fisherto step up and partly fund in road taxes on the fuel knowing what the con- ies organisations. that research given they Moana Consultants has 14 years’ experience tribution is, not studying they use in their would probably be one of in providing advocacy, liaison and a range us,” says Adam. “If this boats.” the main beneficiaries of that of communications services to fisheries and was any other industry there research.” environmental organisations. would be massive studies being Adam, being a bit of a numbers person has The Research is expected to quantify what done as to what this humungous industry is worked out he spends $200 for every crayfish recreational fishing is worth to retailers, supactually worth to the country. And you kind he catches in the Bay of aplenty. pliers, boat builders, manufacturers, media, of have to question why it hasn’t been done in “There was another guy reckoned every fish charter operators, hospitality, accommodation, the past and why the government won’t fund it he catches costs a $1000. He was joking but transport and tourism. either or don’t seem interested in finding out. there’s a degree of seriousness there, and a As well as providing valid estimates of “The real challenge is for the penny to drop degree of highlighting the fact that we spend a expenditure, jobs, tax revenues, income and for the public to really take this by the horns ship load of money chasing fish. other contributions to the national economy and say this is a really great way I can help the “And more often than not it doesn’t actudue to recreational fishing, the information recreational fishing industry. ally make economic sense to go fishing if we gained is expected to be useful for enhanced “It’s not protests and screaming. You’re not just want to eat fish. We do it because it’s a fisheries management, help bring about a waving flags and demanding I want this and passion. It’s a lifestyle, its part of being watermore profitable use of marine resources, for I want that. It’s a practical, pragmatic way for loving Kiwis.” the benefit of the country and in the allocapeople to help which people want to do.”

A survey last year shows that of the $3 billon tion of marine protected areas for conservation The research project is costing $400,000 with spent every year by New Zealanders on recrea- LegaSea raising the money by partnering with and non-commercial use – as well as promottional fishing, there was $300 million spent ing greater public and government recognition the New Zealand Marine Research Foundation each year just on fuel for fishing trips. of recreational fishing’s importance. to make the public appeal, talk to local busi“That’s fuel for boats not tow vehicles, just nesses, and write all the grant applications.

By Andrew Campbell

LegaSea is seeking public support for research pushing the economic weight of recreational fishing in the national economy.

on the water,” says Adam. “The majority of that will be petrol which comes with a hefty road excise tax. Road excise taxes are for roads.

Based on a petrol price of $2.10 a litre and a 70 per cent spend on petrol, recreational fishers are gifting the government $67 million in road taxes on the fuel they use in their boats.

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SEPTEMBER EPT 2015

Hargreaves (7) Harlem Field – Reef Kingsford hooked it and nice Snapper off (10) reeled it in, ia. ks the roc at Paih

ht he caug Kahawai ld (9) with Beach.

Tisharn Fie t of Waihi the coas up se clo

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Motuhoa yoga: A seal basks in the waters between Omokoroa and Te Puna.

Lucille, a winter visitor in Whitianga.

Seals are common in the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel, more obvious to landlubbers in winter when they naturally head ashore for a session of R and R. This year they seem particularly prolific and have made some high-profile ventures; not just on beaches and seawalls, but strutting the high street.

This winter seals have made cameo appearances in Tauranga’s Chapel Street, around the Mount Base Track, up estuaries throughout the region and taken up station on several rock outcrops and beaches in Whitianga, Tairua and Whangamata harbours.

One especially delusional seal decided he’d get some rest in downtown Auckland, and ended up all over the telly news with

thousands of bewildered jafas armed with cellphones and cappuccino intruding into his personal space.

According to the Department of Conservation, it’s a good idea to give the animals plenty of space.

Fur seals are numerous in the Bay of Plenty during winter, as they escape harsher conditions further south, and beachgoers can expect to see seals enjoying local waters and beaches over the next few months.

DOC Ranger Pete Huggins advises people to give them a wide berth of at least 20 metres, as seals can be aggressive and will bite.

It is an offence to harass or injure a fur seal, which means people need to act responsibly.

Dogs are a particular problem and need to be tightly controlled around seals.

The DOC takes a minimum-intervention approach to seals, which means leaving

them alone unless they are clearly physically injured or are being attacked or harassed by people or dogs.

“A lot of people aren’t used to seeing seals and often report them as stranded or sick,” Pete told SunLive, in the Chapel St case.

“But when you get to know them you realise this is just normal behaviour. They can often have weepy eyes, and they sneeze and make coughing noises but that’s all part of being a marine mammal.

“It’s great that seal populations are growing strongly after they were hit hard by the fur trade in the 19th Century and it’ll take a while for people to get used to them again.”

If people see a seal that needs intervention, such as suffering from an open wound or being caught in netting, please call the DOC on: 0800 362 468.

By Brian Rogers

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The vessel was built by Lidgard brothers for HS White in launched as Tuarangi on November 25, 1950.

She was 42’LOA x 12’ beam and a draught of 4’3” and powered by twin 90hp six-cylinder Red Wing petrol engines.

It was sold to Bruce Winstone in 1951.

In the later 1950s she was re-named Silver Fin and owned by Dr RL Kennedy of Tauranga.

Silver Fin is currently on the market now powered by twin 110 hp Hinos.

Game rigged, dive compressor, two stations auto anchoring electronic control, holding tank, electric toilet, fridge. Freezer, two burner oven, accommodation for four singles and two doubles. Electronics include VHF, GPS/ Plotter, depth sounder, fish finder, stereo.

Silver Fin is a great family boat suitable for fishing and diving.

For more details contact Brian Worthington, Gulf Group Marine Brokers, Tauranga.

Celebrate YOUR WAY

SEPTEMBER 2015

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SEPTEMBER 2015

SOLE AGENT

SOLE AGENT

SOLE AGENT

SOLE AGENT

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