Waterline June 2016

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

JUNE 2016

The ultimate boat test Lifeskills and more

Sailing the Seventies

Reef open for business

02 WATERLINE

JUNE 2016

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 07 578 0030 email ads@thesun.co.nz

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Edition

Deadline

Sept 2016 Dec 2016 March 2017 June 2017

29 August 2016 25 Nov 2016 20 Feb 2017 29 May 2017

TIDES Date

Time / Height Time / Height Time / Height Time / Height

JUNE 2015 1 We 2:55 1.9 2 Th 3:53 1.9 3 Fr 4:52 1.9 4 Sa 5:50 2 5 Su 0:32 0.2 6 Mo 1:28 0.2 7 Tu 2:22 0.2 8 We 3:16 0.2 9 Th 4:08 0.2 10 Fr 5:00 0.3 11 Sa 5:51 0.3 12 Su 0:32 1.9 13 Mo 1:21 1.8 14 Tu 2:10 1.8 15 We 2:59 1.7 16 Th 3:47 1.7 17 Fr 4:35 1.7 18 Sa 5:22 1.7 19 Su 0:00 0.5 20 Mo 0:45 0.5 21 Tu 1:29 0.5 22 We 2:13 0.4 23 Th 2:57 0.4 24 Fr 3:41 0.4 25 Sa 4:27 0.3 26 Su 5:14 0.3 27 Mo 6:03 0.3 28 Tu 0:44 1.9 29 We 1:37 1.9 30 Th 2:34 1.9

9:08 10:07 11:05 12:03 6:47 7:43 8:38 9:31 10:23 11:14 12:05 6:42 7:32 8:23 9:13 10:03 10:51 11:37 6:09 6:54 7:39 8:23 9:07 9:51 10:36 11:24 12:14 6:55 7:50 8:47

0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 2 2 2 2 1.9 1.9 1.8 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 0.3 0.3 0.3

15:26 16:28 17:29 18:27 12:58 13:51 14:43 15:34 16:24 17:14 18:04 12:57 13:49 14:41 15:33 16:25 17:14 18:01 12:21 13:04 13:46 14:28 15:11 15:55 16:40 17:28 18:20 13:09 14:07 15:09

1.8 1.9 1.9 2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.8 1.8 1.8

21:33 0.4 22:34 0.3 23:34 0.3 19:23 20:17 21:09 22:01 22:51 23:42

2 2.1 2.1 2 2 1.9

18:55 19:47 20:40 21:33 22:24 23:13

0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5

18:46 19:30 20:13 20:55 21:38 22:21 23:06 23:54

1.8 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9

19:14 0.3 20:13 0.3 21:13 0.4

Date

Time / Height Time / Height Time / Height Time / Height

JULY 2015 1 Fr 3:32 2 Sa 4:32 3 Su 5:31 4 Mo 0:14 5 Tu 1:10 6 We 2:04 7 Th 2:56 8 Fr 3:46 9 Sa 4:34 10 Su 5:21 11 Mo 6:08 12 Tu 0:43 13 We 1:28 14 Th 2:14 15 Fr 3:02 16 Sa 3:52 17 Su 4:42 18 Mo 5:32 19 Tu 0:12 20 We 0:59 21 Th 1:45 22 Fr 2:31 23 Sa 3:18 24 Su 4:05 25 Mo 4:53 26 Tu 5:43 27 We 0:25 28 Th 1:19 29 Fr 2:15 30 Sa 3:15 31 Su 4:16

1.9 1.9 1.9 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.7 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8

9:46 10:45 11:43 6:29 7:25 8:19 9:10 9:59 10:47 11:35 12:22 6:54 7:40 8:28 9:17 10:07 10:56 11:44 6:21 7:09 7:56 8:43 9:29 10:17 11:06 11:57 6:35 7:29 8:27 9:26 10:26

0.2 0.2 0.2 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.7 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.8 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2

16:11 17:12 18:10 12:38 13:32 14:23 15:12 16:00 16:47 17:34 18:21 13:10 14:00 14:51 15:43 16:35 17:25 18:13 12:31 13:17 14:02 14:47 15:33 16:20 17:10 18:02 12:53 13:51 14:53 15:55 16:55

1.9 1.9 1.9 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8

22:15 0.3 23:16 0.3 19:05 19:58 20:49 21:38 22:25 23:12 23:57

2 2 2 2 1.9 1.9 1.8

19:09 19:58 20:49 21:41 22:33 23:23

0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5

18:59 19:44 20:28 21:13 21:58 22:45 23:34

1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9

18:57 19:55 20:57 21:59 23:00

0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3

Date

Time / Height Time / Height Time / Height Time / Height

AUGUST 2015 1 Mo 5:16 1.8 2 Tu 6:14 1.8 3 We 0:54 0.3 4 Th 1:45 0.3 5 Fr 2:34 0.2 6 Sa 3:21 0.2 7 Su 4:05 0.3 8 Mo 4:48 0.3 9 Tu 5:31 0.3 10 We 0:02 1.7 11 Th 0:45 1.7 12 Fr 1:29 1.6 13 Sa 2:17 1.6 14 Su 3:08 1.6 15 Mo 4:02 1.6 16 Tu 4:56 1.6 17 We 5:49 1.7 18 Th 0:28 0.4 19 Fr 1:17 0.3 20 Sa 2:06 0.2 21 Su 2:54 0.1 22 Mo 3:42 0.1 23 Tu 4:31 0.1 24 We 5:22 0.1 25 Th 0:06 1.9 26 Fr 1:01 1.9 27 Sa 1:59 1.8 28 Su 2:59 1.8 29 Mo 4:01 1.7 30 Tu 5:01 1.7 31 We 5:58 1.8

11:25 12:20 7:08 7:59 8:48 9:34 10:18 11:02 11:45 6:13 6:56 7:42 8:31 9:22 10:15 11:08 11:58 6:41 7:30 8:19 9:08 9:57 10:48 11:40 6:14 7:09 8:07 9:07 10:08 11:07 12:02

0.2 0.2 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.7 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.3 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

17:53 18:47 13:13 14:02 14:49 15:34 16:18 17:01 17:45 12:30 13:16 14:06 14:59 15:53 16:46 17:37 18:26 12:47 13:36 14:23 15:12 16:01 16:52 17:45 12:36 13:35 14:36 15:38 16:38 17:35 18:27

1.9 1.9 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.8 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8

23:58 0.3 19:38 20:26 21:12 21:56 22:39 23:21

1.9 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8

18:29 19:16 20:06 20:58 21:52 22:45 23:38

0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4

19:13 20:00 20:47 21:35 22:23 23:13

1.9 1.9 2 2 2 2

18:41 19:40 20:41 21:44 22:45 23:42

0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.3

Tauranga tide heights in metres. Bowentown: subtract 5 minutes from Tauranga (both HW and LW) Katikati (Kauri Point): add 30 minutes to Tauranga (both HW and LW) Whitianga: High Water subtract 2 minutes from Tauranga HW tide; Low Water add 2 minutes to Tauranga Low Water. Every effort has been made to ensure that these times and tides are correct, no responsibility will be accepted for any inaccuracies, omissions, or misuse or misinterpretation of the values for tides and times published. Times used in the tide predictions are in New Zealand Standard Time (NZST1). Daylight savings add one hour.

WATERLINE 03

JUNE 2016

Black swans ‘stinking up the harbour’ A Tauranga fisherman says almost three tonne of excrement is being dumped into the Tauranga Harbour each day – and a group of locals want to put an end to it.

However, Eastern Fish & Game says the group’s figures are incorrect and the amount of waste is miniscule compared with land run-off waste.

Omokoroa resident Kevin Molloy and a number of Tauranga residents are concerned with what they say is an alarming number of black swans taking up residence in and around the Tauranga Harbour.

Kevin claims an estimated 7000 black swan, otherwise known as Cygnus ateratus, reside in the harbour.

He says the swans are decimating the seagrass meadows in the harbour and their waste is going back into the harbour, impacting on the ecological environment.

“One swan can excrete 418 grams of waste a day; with 7000 swans that’s three tonne a day.

That’s 21 tonne a week.”

Kevin, who regularly fishes in the harbour and has lived in Tauranga for about 10 years, says he’s noticed the impact on fish life.

“In the 10 years that I’ve been here it’s gone from seven or eight on a good night to I haven’t seen one flounder this year.”

The Eastern Fish & Game Council, which manages sports fish and game birds in the region, is responsible for keeping populations to a manageable size so they don’t have a detrimental effect on the environment or users of the harbour.

Eastern Fish & Game Council officer Matthew McDougall says swan numbers on the

harbour is monitored by air three times a year and in May there were about 3000 birds.

He says in January the count got as high as 4700 but he expected the number to drop to between 300 and 800 by August, when the birds migrated to breed.

Matthew has been monitoring the birds since 1995 and the highest the population has gotten to was 6500 in 2014.

Kevin says seagrass, or eel grass, is the main diet of black swans in the harbour. An adult swan uses its strong webbed feet to stamp and displace mud and sand to expose the roots of the seagrass.

He says swan cygnets feed on invertebrates and aquatic vegetation stirred up by their foraging parents. These include crabs and juvenile native fish such as flounder.

Kevin says the impact the birds are having on the environment means something needed to be done.

“It is time to choose which is more important, our harbour or introduced swans.

Many people in the Bay of Plenty and indeed regular visitors drawn to possibly the most beautiful harbour in this country have noticed the rapid decline in our richest-yet-

Kevin Molloy says something needs to be done about the black swan population in the Tauranga Harbour.

Photo: Greg Taipari.

most-vulnerable asset.”

“When I first came here, there were swans but in numbers that you thought: ‘Oh that’s cute and that’s acceptable’. But now they’ve burgeoned to such a degree that now they’re unmanageable.”

Kevin says the group want to see the swan deemed a noxious pest or have an open shooting season on the bird.

“You’d need to have a big cull and then control; and an open season would do that. But that would take an act of Parliament.

“At the moment you can only shoot them during the shooting season and under certain rules and regulations.”

Kevin says having a cull isn’t a popular idea with certain quarters of the community but something needs to be done.

“After all, Tauranga Harbour is our slice of paradise and its future is very much in our hands.

“However, the clock is ticking.”

Matthew says most people believed the swan was introduced to New Zealand but it was actually a native self-introduced species and it was natural for the bird to migrate to the harbour.

He says studies show if swan numbers increase to more than 7000, seagrass would die off so Fish & Game have plans in place to cull numbers if it eventuated.

Matthew says Fish & Game monitored the swan numbers for two main reasons; to ensure numbers stayed below 7000 and to ensure the birds were not a hazard to Tauranga Airport.

The environmental impact of the birds’ waste was miniscule compared with what came into the harbour from land run-off, says Matthew.

Greg Taipari

JUNE 2016

04 WATERLINE

Astrolabe Reef, alive and well In the words of the great French explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau, ‘The sea once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever’.

This is certainly the case for me especially when it comes to fishing. Some of my earliest memories are of catching sprats on the wharf behind the Mobil gas station in Chapel Street, days spent with an old green hand line taught me patience and reward and the excitement of hooking the big one is just as invigorating today as it was back then.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that Astrolabe Reef has been closed for just under 4 and half years after some plonker decided to take a short-cut to make up time after getting held up at the port of Napier. The end result being New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster ever.

Heads up

Sitting in the Mount Maunganui Hot Pools last year I got talking to the bloke next to me, his Aussie accent caught my attention so I asked him if he was here on holiday. As it turns out he was one of the top guys running the

salvage operation on the Rena and had been living in the Oceanside Towers for the past few years. “Not long now though he said, I reckon I could be home

by Christmas”. My ears pricked up, I knew what that meant – “you mean the clean-ups nearly done mate?” “Yep, I reckon she could be open again within a few months”. After exchanging phone numbers and promising all the Bunderberg Rum he could drink I spent the next few months waiting for the call from my new found friend and telling my mates that I had the inside word on the opening of the reef.

Needless to say that call never came, obviously my friend wasn’t a Bundeberg fan however I had since sourced a new ‘man in the know’ Andrew Campbell, a reporter for SunLive where I work. I had overheard Andrew talking about a news story on the opening of the reef and had made him promise that I would be the first to know when it was official. Can you imagine my disgust when the first I heard of it was via a SunLive breaking news update on my phone. Storming downstairs to demand answers Andrew

advised he had known for less than 10 minutes, fair enough I suppose I guess the man has a job to do.

My next stop the boss’s office, I have only been at Sun Media for 3 months so asking for time off at short notice to go fishing was going to be long-shot but I thought I would give it a go. Fortunately for me the owners Brian and Claire Rogers are lifetime boaties and mad keen on fishing too so on the condition I take a few snaps and write a few words for Waterline Magazine, permission was granted – Yahoo!

Let’s go!

The reef opening was announced to the public on Monday the 4th of April and by the early hours of Wednesday the 6th of April me and 3 of my mates were anxiously loading the boat in anticipation of an epic day on the water. All the boys should have been at work really, one of the 4 man crew Phil Rutten turned up with a rod and chilly bin looking a little sheepish after being spotted by one of his customers. Troy Marshall my brother in law was also feeling a little guilty after the 2 previous 4 day weeks following Easter.

The guilt was soon forgotten though as we loaded a chilly bin each into the boat

Wasting no time to get to the reef.

Filleting the days catch.

Big fish on light gear – Troy Marshall.

JUNE 2016

What a fatty, not a bad fish either.

– full of our lunch of course. The weather was perfect and we stopped to take a photo of the sunrise over Motiti Island on the way to the ramp, it doesn’t get any better than this boys!

Our skipper for the day is a mate of mine Andrew Wiggens (Wiggie), his 6.7 metre Surtees’s “Momma Bear” (which I hope he didn’t name after his lovely wife) is a beast of a boat with all the modcons and 4-stroke 200hp Yamaha that launched us over the bar at the Kaituna Cut with ease.

“Talking to the guy in the bait shop yesterday, he reckoned it should have been a marine reserve” – I believe it may have been on the cards Wiggie but for today at least I am glad it’s not.

Before we headed out to the reef we spent 30-40 minutes chasing live bait in tide line just off the beach. Looking for shags we soon got onto some small kahwai and jack mackerel, once we had a dozen or so we headed on to the reef.

When we arrived there weren’t as many boats as I expected – maybe 10 at most, obviously not everyone had as understanding bosses as I did. There were however a couple of police boats, my initial thoughts being that they were there to control the masses, I have since been told they were to there to keep an eye on some local protestors from neighboring Motiti Island who no doubt favored the Marine Reserve idea.

Soft baiting produced some respectable

WATERLINE 05

Wiggie and Troy with some well-earned Kingies.

snapper, nothing record breaking but big enough to keep us entertained on light gear. Kahwai were everywhere and we could see them schooling all the way to the bottom through the crystal clear water. We expected to see some sign of wreckage but the cleanup crew has done a remarkable job, there was absolutely nothing to suggest the environmental disaster that had unfolded just a few years earlier.

Jigging Wiggie

After a while the kingfish turned up, this is what we were here for. Jigging for the first time on Wiggies new rig I was introduced to one of the toughest fishing techniques of my 40 years of recreational fishing. Despite some of the enormous fish this strategy produced on the day I prefer the relaxation and anticipation of a live bait myself – cheers anyway Wiggie.

The highlight of the day had to be watching Troy pull in a 8.5kg kingfish on a 4kg soft-bait rod, borrowed from Wiggie this rod was a weapon. Obviously a man who is more passionate than most when it comes to fishing and with a whole lot more time on his hands it would seem, Andrews arsenal is tricked out with ceramic bearings, carbon drag washers and any other add on you can think of. I have to say though, there is something to be said for fishing with

quality gear, my hook up and landing rate was way above my usual K-Mart Shakespeare average. Troy ended up making relatively light work of about 2-3 big kings on this light gear in the end and it was impressive to watch.

Spoils of the day

Finishing the day with 7 different species under our belts we were pretty stoked. The majority of the fish we caught were returned to the reef as we were there for the experience not to fill the freezer. It is fair to say that we expected bigger and more plentiful stocks given the time the reef has been closed however I have no doubt that the activity around the reef over recent times has not been conducive to peaceful enjoyment of life by its residents and I also suspect that my Aussie informant from the hot pools and his mates have probably had first dibs on a few of the reefs larger inhabitants too.

Never the less, Astrolabe is alive and well and I enjoyed one of the greatest days fishing of my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to fish there and I am sure with a little common sense and restraint by all it will continue to produce similar experiences for many generations to come.

This story is dedicated to my step-father Mike Berentson. 1952-2012

Matt Batchelor

06 WATERLINE

JUNE 2016

WATERLINE 07

JUNE 2016

Refurbished and ready to go!

Riviera 38 Flybridge, launched in apx 1988 with GRP hull & decks.

In August 2015 she had new paint to hull, top sides & foredeck along with new non skid to foredeck, cockpit & flybridge. Running on twin cummins VT555’s 320hp diesels, supported by onan genset and briski 4 blade props that were new in Nov 2013. Popular twin helm

design with electronic throttles helps you get to your location faster. With three single & two double berths in two cabins there’s plenty of room for everyone. Supported by Raymarine C120 electronics + Simrad GPS & Sounder NX40 as well as being fully game rigged she is all set up to find the perfect catch. Antifoul & prop speed done in May 2016 she is a stunning vessel from a strong brand. Vendor may look at

a trade on a large (9m) trailer boat if suitable to their needs. Well maintained with a full service in March 2016, she is ready for you now! $239,000 Listing broker Brett Eaton would be keen to show you all her fantastic features, as she is currently sitting on our Bridge Marina Sales Berth, call Brett now on 0274 592 982 or 07 575 0512

Boat forfeited over undersized scallops A 10.8 metre launch is forfeited to the Crown as part of the sentence of a Blenheim recreational skipper, convicted of taking undersized scallops.

Colin James McKinney, 69, self-employed of Blenheim, was convicted of failing to immediately return undersize shellfish back into the waters from which they were taken, after a two day defended hearing in December 2015.

Judge David Ruth fined McKinney $1000 in addition to forfeiting the launch when he appeared for sentence in Nelson District Court recently.

Fishery officers stopped the launch in the outer Pelorus Sound in July 2015 approximately 2km from the scallop bed where those

aboard had been dredging for scallops.

There were 2 bins of scallops on board – 1 containing 104 legal sized scallops, the other containing 155 scallops, of which 133 were undersize. Both bins of scallops were cleaned of mud and other debris.

McKinney stated that they had sorted the undersize scallops into a bin while travelling and that they intended to return them to the water.

Judge Ruth rejected Mr McKinney’s evidence as being “unlikely, nonsensical and unrealistic”, and it was highly likely the undersize scallops “had been specifically cleaned and were ready for consumption by the defendant and others”.

Ministry for Primary Industries District

Compliance Manager Nelson/Marlborough Ian Bright says it is important to return any scallops to the area where they were taken.

“Scallops can’t survive in any old place.

They live in defined beds and it is important undersize scallops are returned to the area they were taken to ensure they have the best chance of survival. Returning undersize scallops to where and when it suits the skipper is not good enough,” says Ian. Size limits are important to protect spawning stock and to ensure scallops can reproduce before they reach a harvestable size, says Ian. “We encourage people to report any suspicious fishing activity to 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224). All calls are confidential.”

JUNE 2016

08 WATERLINE

Compromise is not an option

A line of unique high-end aluminium boats with fibreglass characteristics is in production in Tauranga.

How can the benefits of moulded fibreglass be melded with the durability of alloy? With outstanding levels of build and welding, we had to find out more. Waterline sent Matt Batchelor to check it out.

The Ultimate vision of ‘Compromise is not an option’ came about after they saw a gap in the market for high-end aluminium boats with fibreglass characteristics.

Ultimate Boats NZ Ltd general manager Mark Presnall has been trading nine months but his team has more 50 years of combined boating experience behind them.

A unique fibreglass insert, believed to be the first in the world, gives feel of a fibreglass boat that families and couples tend to prefer – but with the durability of an aluminium exterior.

Cold and noisy?

“The biggest criticism we get from customers regarding aluminium boats is that they are cold and they are noisy,” says Mark.

It was obvious when we hopped into this boat that it was anything but cold and noisy. “You usually can’t get away from cold and noise in an aluminium boat, fibreglass is inherently warmer; and due to the thickness it tends to deaden water noise but we have overcome that with this design” Mark tells us.

I suppose the big question then is – why not buy a fibreglass boat Mark?

“A lot of people want an aluminium boat for its robustness, fishability, they are easy to clean, you can run them up on beaches whereas glass boats tend to scratch; and once the gel coat has been penetrated repairs can be expensive.”

Weight and towing

“How does the weight compare?” I ask him. “This boat is marginally heavier than the all-alloy version we do, by a couple of hundred kilograms, however it is lighter than a glass boat of the same size,” says Mark. “This weight however does make a positive difference to the ride, without making substantial differences to the tow weight, meaning you don’t have to spend big bucks on a tow vehicle”.

The boat itself, with the added weight of the fibreglass liner, cuts through the chop beautifully with minimal noise – it feels like it was planted perfectly in the water. And it also sat better at rest with the majority of the weight distribution down below the waterline, which makes the boat a lot more stable than a normal alloy version would be.

Continued...

JUNE 2016

WATERLINE 09

Aluminum boats with fibreglass characteristics Standard features:

How are they made?

I asked Mark to tell us about the manufacturing process. “We build the hull first but we can build the cabin at the same time, the inner liner is produced off-site so it can be built at the same time as the hull and cabin which reduces the lead time on made-to-order boats,” says Mark. The boat we trialled was 6.3m – although it felt like it was closer to 7m as it was so roomy. The 6.3m is the only option at present, but there is a 7.5m option in the planning stage and also a 5.8m option on the way.

How many horses?

“It is powered by a Mercury four-stroke, 150hp, with a top speed of 44m/hr – but we can do the same boat in an 115hp or 200hp, depending on your requirements and budget,” Mark tells us. The fuel efficiency of the 150hp option is about 1 litre per mile so 23m/ hr cruising speed burns 22-23 litres per hour. Customers don’t have to run Mercury power, although Mark does recommend them. In fact engines, electronics and trailers are fully customisable depending on your preference. Mark prefers Garmin electronics and Enduro trailers with the option of an alloy trailer available.

These are a top-of-the-line trailer with flush system, seal beams, LED Light protection and custom guards.

Matt Batchelor

Alloy bow sprit Alloy rod holders Alloy rocket launche r Battery and switch Bilge pump Bow rail Buoyancy tanks Hydraulic steering Fuel filter Fuel tank Hatches Lined cabin Navigation lights Self-draining anchor Transom storage Tread plate floor Underfloor storage VHF radio Walk-through tran som Wiring and switch Entry level price: $88 panel ,000 RRP upwards.

Ultimate Boats – Pho ne or email sales@ultim 021 138 0870 ateboats.co.nz

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021 138 0870 ultimateboats.co.nz

10 WATERLINE

JUNE 2016

CLUB NEWS

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Four Tauranga sailors in Olympics The summer season has finished but sailing continues at Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club with fortnightly club racing, with the Steve’s Marine Winter Series underway.

We have two junior sailors competing overseas in June; and of course it’s not long now till the Rio Olympics, where we will be ably represented by Peter Burling in the 49er class, Molly Meech in 49er FX, brother Sam Meech in the Laser and Jason Saunders in the Nacra 17.

We wish them all the very best for the games, knowing they’ve been campaigning hard and doing everything possible to bring them to this moment.

Two of our junior sailors, Joel Kennedy and Lachlan Dillon, capped off their Optimist season by being selected to represent NZ at the Asian and Oceania Championship in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Racing begins on May 30. The boys are part of a squad of 10 who will be hoping to foot it with the best Optimist sailors from the region in beautiful Trincomalee.

The TYPBC Optimist squad had a good season with all the sailors making steady improvements due to the efforts of head coach Maria Ferrario with assistance from Cole Rippey. Eleven sailors competed at the Optimist Nationals at Kohimarama at Easter; this was one of our biggest teams for some time.

Most of the Optimist sailors now also own P Class boats courtesy of the enthusiastic campaigning of Greg Scott. Greg engineered the running of the Wihau Shield this year after the shield was ‘lost’ for some time. The regatta is one with a difference, because on the second day of racing the top five boats race separately from the rest of the fleet with each sailor

having to sail the other competitor’s boat.

After each race the sailors come alongside the change-over rib and get into their ‘new’ boat. A few minutes later they go into the next

Joel Kennedy and Lachlan Dillon. race start sequence, so there is very little time to become acquainted with that particular boat’s set-up, sail or feel. It was interesting to see which boats might be fastest overall or which sailor could sail any boat and still win.

It was a very closely contested regatta with Joel Kennedy and James Barnett neck-and-neck, scoring the same results in the swap day. But Joel was overall victorious, having had a point on James in the first day of racing. The other boats completed their second day in a separate series called the Secretaries cup. Once again the racing was very close with a hotly-contested start-line. Winner of the Secretaries cup was Niamh Dillon.

The Starling Nationals was held in Christchurch this year with a small TYPBC group making the pilgrimage together with coach Maria. It was mostly a light wind regatta, a bit nippy at times judging by the sudden appearance of woolly hats and puffer jackets after such a glorious late summer. The fleet was smaller than previous years at 60 competitors.

Jason Hewitt had a very good regatta and at the end of the qualifying round he was in first

position, which earned him a special trophy at prizegiving. Unfortunately, he wasn’t quite able to hold on to that placing and finished seventh. Helen Spencer took up the starling late in the season and looked to be enjoying herself so much we are sure her Laser will not get a look in next season! The other girls in the group were Niamh Dillon, who finished 25th, and Samantha Kennedy was 27th.

The Zephyr Nationals saw a number of TYPBC sailors head north to Manly to sail in the 60th anniversary of the class. There were 86 competitors and Mark Thomas led the substantial TYPBC contingent with first place in his age group and 7th overall.

At the RSX and Techno Nationals run by Murrays Bay, TYPBC board sailors were a dominant force with Alex Hart taking out the U21 division of the RS:X and with Veerle ten Have, Dolf ten Have, Max van der Zalm and Olly Maidment also winning their divisions.

It was a great regatta combining both new and experienced sailors and an inspiration to those coming through the ranks.

Coming together recently to celebrate the end of the summer 2015/2016 season, TYPBC recognised a number of sailors from our new green fleet Opti sailors to our senior sailors. Winners of the Legends trophy this year were Tom Maidment and Dylan McKinlay. Dylan finished eigth overall in the Laser Radial at the NZ Laser Nationals at Muritai (third open) and fourth overall in the Laser North Islands. Tom won the Starling Match Racing Nationals and was fourth at the Starling North Islands and third at the Sir Peter Blake Regatta.

There is still plenty of training opportunities for our youth sailors during winter with Yachting New Zealand running two-day AON training clinics in Auckland. There will be keen interest for young Kiwi sailors as NZ

WATERLINE 11

JUNE 2016

Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club

was recently awarded the 2016 Youth Worlds, to be held at Torbay in December. Like the Olympics only one sailor – or one pair for two-handed classes – is selected for each youth class boat from each country. The NZ youth sailors will be selected at the Youth Trials in October so there is plenty to train for during the next few months. It would be good to see some of TYPBC’s older Optimist and other junior level sailors make the transition to the youth classes, which are the two-handed 420,

well represented with three keen young female sailors in our Open Optimist squad – Serena Sanchez, Teaghan Denney, Anya Pearce – and many more in the youth category.

They have some great young women role models to look up to, in particular current

Dylan McKinlay

Serena Sanchez

29er class, Laser Radial and RS:X 8.5.

There have been some new opportunities open up for our female sailors with the announcement by the NZ Optimist Association of a Girls’ Development squad to be made up of the top 10 ranked girls at the Nationals each year. This is part of an overall strategy to grow female participation in the sport and one of a number of initiatives planned, such as the very successful Kohi Girls regatta.

Congratulations to Sydney Cunnliffe, from Taupo, who also sails in Tauranga, who made the girls’ development squad team this year.

The idea is to give these girls additional opportunities to train together, forging sailing friendships which will help them to stay in the sport and fast-track their sailing development.

This year the girls’ squad is aiming to attend an overseas regatta in Australia. TYPBC is

Tom Maidment sailors Molly Meech and her sailing partner Alexander Maloney (49er FX) and our Olympic Champions Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie (470). Sailing is an awesome sport for young women because it offers the same opportunities at a junior, youth and Olympic level as the men. Plus, it is a great way to build young women’s confidence, keep them active and allow them to test themselves against the ‘boys’ on an equal footing.

Hopefully, we’ll see our girls attaining their

own place in the Girls’ Development squad in 2017.

There have been lots of photos of visitors to our harbour recently; and the sailors have had the privilege of being on the water while Orca swam around them. It’s good to remember sailing is not just about competing but about getting out and enjoying our wonderful environment and the others we share it with.

Hopefully, this way our young people will learn to love and respect our marine environment and protect it for the future.

Plenty of action is continuing at the club with more courses for those wanting to extend their sailing skills during winter, but also including those to upskill youth sailors to become good club and race coaches.

Our young sailors such as Richard Wright, Elly Warren, Jon Barnett, Hannah Spencer, Niamh Dillon and Cole Rippey have been doing a great job assisting Maria; and earlier in the year, Alice. Maria has been mentoring our youth coaches and giving them the skills to be able to move into roles of more responsibility. There are lots of opportunities for parents to become involved too and to take on and learn roles in race management and safety boat areas.

There can never be too many volunteers around when it comes to yachting. Someone once told me when we were first Teaghan Denney starting out in sailing that it doesn’t matter if you don’t have any sailing skills when your kids start sailing – but if you are willing to help then those who do know are always willing to teach. It’s a good thing to keep learning no matter your age or stage – and yachting certainly is a sport for those who love to learn.

Every time you sail, something new is learnt.

Pauline Barnett

12 WATERLINE

JUNE 2016

CLUB NEWS

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Windsurfing coaching paying off Since the beginning of the year, four TYPBC windsurfers – Olly Maidment, Max van der Zalm and siblings Dolf and Veerle ten Have – have been coached by fellow club member and RS:X windsurfer Alex Hart.

Every week Alex takes Max, Dolf, Olly and Veerle out for a couple of hours on the water.

And the experience and skills he’s able to pass on is paying off, as they’ve all scooped up some trophies from various regattas held around the country.

Winning five trophies at the North Island championships at Manly and five trophies at the nationals in Murrays Bay is quite an achievement and shows the dedication and skills of the coach; and of course of the young windsurfers.

And there is more to come. Despite the regatta season ending, there’s no time to rest and leave the boards in the shed. Veerle and Max are likely to compete again at the 2016 Techno293 Worlds, being held this year at Lake Garda in Italy. They will need to train during winter to keep up their skills and fitness in order to perform well.

To get stronger Veerle and Max are stepping up to an RS:X 8.5 and will be, together with Dolf, attending the regular RS:X AON

North Island Champs winners.

Youth Clinics held around the country and provided by Yachting New Zealand. All three are keen to participate in the trials for the RS:X Youth Worlds in Auckland to make it to the 2016 Youth Sailing Championships on December 14-22, 2016. This will be a fantastic competitive sailing event with numerous very experienced RS:X sailors from all over the world coming to New Zealand.

The youngest windsurfer in the group, Olly, has, since the nationals, stepped up to a Techno 5.8 sail. He’s continuously improving his skills and every time coming off the water with big smiles. With participation in the winter series he’s building up quite some race experience which will definitely help him to perform even better next season.

There’s also a ‘Have a go at windsurfing’ morning and ‘Learn to Windsurf ’ course in the planning.

CLUB NEWS

As Ollie’s biggest wish is to get some more windsurfers of his age on the water, he’s enthusiastically promoted the ‘Have a go at windsurfing’ morning at the TYPBC. During a couple of hours, keen sailors-to-be of all ages are able to use BoPSAT gear to get the experience of windsurfing. Unfortunately, we had to cancel this event due to bad weather and very strong winds. Another morning for ‘Have a go at windsurfing’ is planned for the beginning of September. A date and time will be announced on TYPBC’s Facebook page and website.

After the success of last year, another ‘Learn to Windsurf ’ course is on the calendar and with enough keen new windsurfers enrolled, likely to start in week three of school Term 4. Please contact Pauline ten Have at: menp@ihug.co.nz or check TYPBC’s website and Facebook page Pauline ten Have for more information.

Women on Water

WOW wrapped with fantastic final race Nine boats hit the water, five in the racing division and four in the cruising division. We had all seasons in one day with sun and rain but most importantly some wind; and the crews had fun battling the rain, and navigating the channel as they headed out of the harbour to A buoy.

The season has been a close race (excuse the pun) with a very small points margin between boats, so it was all on in the final race! In the end, it was Freedom Express which took out first place in the racing division, closely followed by Whatever and Sniper.

Once back on dry land, the crews headed back in to shore to warm up and gather for a final prizegiving, dinner and some drinks with the rest of the WOW gang. To liven up the final race and prizegiving dinner, fancy dress was encouraged; and we had some awesome efforts ranging from pirates to castaways

Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club

TYPBC Women on Water

to 1920s flappers!

The crowd thanked the WOW committee, tower men, barman, boat owners and skippers for generously volunteering their time, skills and boats again in 2016.

With some long-term WOW committee members standing down, the committee would like to thank them for all their efforts. We would also like to welcome on-board some new committee members, who are looking forward to helping out in the upcoming season.

WOW will be back by popular demand again next season – likely with registration happening in October so look out for details. Check out the WOW Tauranga Facebook page and the WOW page on the Tauranga Yacht Club website for more photos and details about future races.

Sophie Headley WOW sailorette and committee member

WOW Fiona Irene and Janet.

WATERLINE 13

JUNE 2016

CLUB NEWS

Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Raceboard, RS:X and Techno293 National Championships The Road to Rio was the start of the Techno and RS:X Windsurfing threeday training camp held at Murrays Bay at the end of April.

Four of the Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club windsurfers took part in this training camp, which included an evening to meet up with NZL and NED Olympic sailors and their coaches.

Sailor Dorian van Rijsselberghe who won gold in 2012, coach Tom Ashleigh who netted gold in 2008, coach Aaron McIntosh who won bronze in 2000 and was a coach of a gold medallist 2012, multiple gold-winner coach Grant Beck, and sailor Kiran Badloe who is aiming for gold in Rio, shared how they started in windsurfing, their successes and how they’re building up to the Rio Olympics in a few months’ time.

TYPBC Sailors Dolf ten Have, Max van der Zalm, Veerle ten Have and Olly Maidment must have listened and absorbed all the knowledge passed on during the training and applied it to the regatta on Anzac weekend.

Their coach Alex Hart and Xander van der Zalm joined them and 28 other windsurfers for the New Zealand Raceboard, RS:X and Techno National Championship.

The format was four starts, Raceboards, RS:X, Techno and the Kona fleet, with ages ranging from the youngest participant being Olly, aged 11, sailing a Techno with a 5.5 sail

3a Landscape Road 3a Landscape Road Tauranga Tauranga

Dolf ten Have

through to the gentleman on the Raceboards, who were referred to as the ‘Veteran Class’ and the Olympic hopefuls on Raceboards with 9.5 sails.

Saturday was a lovely warm day and the start was delayed until the north-easterly breeze kicked in at a pleasant seven-eight knots building to 12-14 knots later in the afternoon.

Three races took place with close finishes. This was followed by Murrays Bay hosting their traditional long-table dinner that evening for everyone partaking, including supporters. At the end of the day, TYPBC’s Alex was on top of the leader board for the RS:X, Veerle was the first girl in Techno and Olly had three straight wins in the Techno Green Fleet.

Sunday started off with a steady 10 knots, however as the wind moved into a southwesterly the chill factor took hold as did the wind, rising to 18-20 knots. Four races took

Tel: 07 576 3009 Tel:027 07 627 576 5448 3009 Mobile: Mobile: 027 627 5448

Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club

place. At the end Max was top of the Techno Fleet and Olly again had another three wins under his belt; and due to the fact he was flying around the course so fast, he couldn’t keep control of his board for the final race.

Alex moved down into second place.

Monday was an afternoon start, to respect Anzac Day, and the final two races took place.

The wind picked up to 16-20 knots with a gust recorded on the start boat at 26 knots. In the RS:X fleet it was down to the final race to determine the winner and Alex took the title of NZ RS:X 9.5 Men’s Champion and Dolf won the RS:X 8.5 Youth Men title. Both Max and Veerle managed to retain their position as Techno Champion Boys U17 and Girls U17, with Max having a double win being first overall. Olly had another impressive day with another win. However he was zooming around between races – having so much fun – he was too tired to complete the final race and was presented first Green Fleet Techno. Xander just missed out and got fourth Grandmaster Raceboard.

What was so lovely was to hear a Veteran raceboarder talking afterwards to Alex, commenting on his young prodigy Olly, saying he was ‘one to watch’, as his skills on the board were like that of ‘someone a lot older’.

As this regatta showed, windsurfing is a sport for all ages and is an opening to the ISAF Youth Worlds and the Olympics – or a way to blast around the harbour just for fun.

Jo Maidment

JUNE 2016

14 WATERLINE

CLUB NEWS

BOPSAT

Students from Merivale School.

BOPSAT sailing for schools Most Kiwis believe in an egalitarian society and want to see us get closer to that ideal. It starts with children, and giving every child a good start in life means many things: a safe and warm home environment, plenty of good nutritious food, a solid education, and equal access to opportunities.

when one of our instructors spots an emerging talent from the sponsored school sailing programme, and we match the child up with an individual sponsor to carry them forward in the sport for as long as they have the passion.

Fortunately, we have a fleet of boats we can make available to the sponsored sailors at no cost, including single- handed Optimist and Topaz, Techno windsurfers and two-handed 420s. But what we need funding for is: yacht club membership at $50 per annum, level two and three sailing courses at about $250 each; and down the track, race coaching, trips to regattas, extra gear etc.

Initially, sponsors should budget $500 per annum, which could possibly double as the sailor advances. This will not begin until we find a suitable sailor, but once we do, it is a multi-year commitment because we’re not prepared to risk pulling the rug out from under one of the kids. Support should be contemplated from Year 6 through to the end of high school if needed. We are hoping the bond between sailor and sponsor will just add to the benefits of the programme – for both parties.

This last one is where, in our own way, we see the Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy Trust fitting in. Sport can teach many lifeskills, and sailing does some of them better than most.

As well, it teaches a love and respect for our marine environment and brings back a connection to a cultural past which for many has long been lost.

Doing our bit

It is for these reasons BoPSAT launched our sponsored school sailing programme two years ago. Every summer we approach low decile primary schools in the region and invite the principals to hand-pick students who they think could most benefit from an opportunity to learn sailing. We then put these kids through a term-long weekly course with qualified volunteer and professional coaches.

These are kids who usually have disadvantaged backgrounds and could not otherwise contemplate such a thing. Their world is sometimes confined to home, school and a few surrounding streets; and the support and resources to try new things just aren’t there.

Some face really tough and unfair challenges.

We have now had groups from Merivale School, Greerton Village School, Gate Pa Primary, Tauranga Intermediate, Arataki School and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Kura Kokiri.

The feedback has been fantastic. We are very proud we are making a small but worthwhile difference in our community, and we plan to continue to fund and expand this programme.

New initiative

Growing out of this in 2016 is a new initiative, called ‘Sponsor a Sailor’. This is where,

Welcome aboard!

Sponsors get behind this programme because it is the right thing to do, but they also deserve some public acknowledgement.

We are delighted to acknowledge Farmer Auto Village as foundation sponsors for this programme. We hope to pair them up with a sailor this coming spring. We are now looking for more companies to come aboard. Please contact Stuart Pedersen on 07 574 1169 if you are interested.

Stuart Pedersen

JUNE 2016

WATERLINE 15

CLUB NEWS

Omokoroa Boat Club

Three races to end summer Yachts that signed on for the last racing of the Omokoroa Yacht Club season on April 3 were Arcadia a Lotus 10,6 with Greg and JP on-board; Sophie Rose with Paul, Jo and Keith; Wayleggo with Hugh, Peter and friend; and Piccaninny with Alan, Richard and John.

Weather conditions at the start looked good with blue sky and a light to variable breeze from the north to west and calm seas. There were heaps of fishers out doing the Kids’ Fishing competition so there were more than normal hazards!

Race one

This was a warm-up course from D to the first starboard mark off Motuhoa Island and back to D. Turning when the yacht was past the mark and within 50 metres.

Arcadia was away quickly but Piccaninny took up the chase in very light airs, leaving Wayleggo and Sophie Rose seeking the breeze.

Halfway down the leg the breeze became a squall and Arcadia turned first with Wayleggo

Wayleggo

Arcadia

and Sophie Rose going hell for leather. Piccaninny chose to turn around the mark and the wind was now fierce. The larger yachts took advantage of length and soon made their way back up channel. Arcadia crossed first, Sophie Rose second, Wayleggo snuck in third ahead of Piccaninny.

the order at Pahoia but downwind the Tasma started to over haul the Cavalier; and at D it was as near a dead heat as anything. However, after the racing was over a protest from Wayleggo awarded the larger yacht second place by four seconds.

Race two

The weather had turned fair for the third race, with warm sunshine and a westerly breeze. The Course was from D to the first starboard mark off Motuhoa Island, then to starboard mark G off Te Puna and back to D. At the start Sophie Rose and Wayleggo had a wee chat on the line while Piccaninny cleared her air and hoisted the big red-andwhite kite and was off. She turned first and took off to Te Puna, however the larger yachts were having a battle royal behind and were closing fast. Piccaninny shaved G and was off home but Sophie Rose had other ideas and took over the lead, Wayleggo lagging behind.

At the stick Sophie Rose went early and was followed closely by Piccaninny bur she could not deny the Nolex 30 her win, Piccaninny second and Wayleggo third.

Well done all a great end to the summer season.

John Budden, sailing convenor

The course was from D to starboard mark C off Motuhoa Island back up to F off Matakana Island, back to E off Omokoroa Point, up the Pahoia Reach turn, the first Starboard mark and back to D. It still looked pretty black over Katikati but the yachts were away in fine style in a good breeze. Arcadia again chose mid-channel, Piccaninny the Matakana Bank whilst Wayleggo and Sophie Rose took the mid-stream. Piccaninny chased Arcadia but by the turn the breeze had freshened and at the mark Arcadia was first around followed by Piccaninny with Sophie Rose and Wayleggo close behind.

As usual in a fresher breeze the larger yachts were off up wind but it was close sailing. At F Arcadia withdrew, leaving Sophie Rose to find her way home. Wayleggo was second around F but Piccaninny had not given up. That was

Race three

16 WATERLINE

JUNE 2016

STOP THE SPREAD OF MARINE PESTS Marine pests are a threat to great boating, diving and seafood supply. They’re easily spread through ballast water and hull fouling.

fa nw orm

Antifoul regularly

•

Haul out to clean heavy hull fouling

•

Check and clean your hull before you travel somewhere new

ca te sea squirt

un ica te s ea squirt

t

•

d be Club

Keep your boat bottom clean – no more than light slime, all the time

ni tu an Australi

Don’t let marine pests hitch-hike on your fouling fuzz: •

GD154336

KEEP THEM OUT OF BAY OF PLENTY

n ea Mediterran

These marine invaders have become established in parts of Auckland or Northland, but not the Bay of Plenty.

Tauranga marinas have new hull hygiene rules for visiting vessels. Contact Tauranga Bridge Marina ph 07 575 8264 or Tauranga Marina ph 07 578 8747 for details.

ddle n pa Asia rab c

JOIN THE PEST PATROL Keep watch, call it in.

Please report any marine pests or heavily fouled boats you see in Bay of Plenty waters.

Call Bay of Plenty Regional Council, phone 0800 STOP PESTS (0800 786 773) or email STOP.PESTS@boprc.govt.nz

Find out more at www.boprc.govt.nz/ marinepests

Photos courtesy of G.Read, S.Wilkens & Northland Regional Council

WATERLINE 17

JUNE 2016

Young women empowered afloat Empowering young women is the aim of the Tauranga Young Mariners, encouraging girls through activities that include sailing, rowing, lifesaving and kayaking.

It’s similar to Sea Scouts, but for girls and helps them reach potential, be independent, confident and caring members of the community, according to Kat Chantler, who is enthusiastic about the group since her nine year old daughter joined last term.

“We empower them to give leadership and to develop their decision-making and life skills.

Young Mariners helps them connect with their community and with the wider world.

They also become amazing sailors! We run on a shoe string budget and we keep our fees low ($55 per term) to ensure we have a good cross section of the community amongst our members.”

Tauranga Young Mariners is located at Sulphur Point, Tauranga and has been active for more than 25 years on a 100% volunteer basis.

Tauranga Young Mariners has an awesome group of leaders and parents who maintain the equipment with regular working bees. The girls are also taught to respect all of the equipment, and, just as importantly, how to maintain it.

Currently there are around 20 Mariners in

the Tauranga unit, ranging in age from 9 to 16. The girls come from various backgrounds, so the positive role models, in fellow Mariners, leaders and parents, that they interact with and who provide support to them, has a very positive influence on everyone involved.

The Mariners involve themselves in community activities, such as dune planting at local beaches and beach clean-ups.

They have also recently volunteered at the local boat show to promote the cleaning of boats and equipment to help prevent the spread of aqua pests.

“We have a range of boats including kayaks, Optimists, Sunbursts and a Crown Cutter.

Each of these boats offers the girls different skills, not only in terms of sailing, but also growth in confidence, independence, teamwork and leadership.

“Young Mariners is an awesome organisation, with a great bunch of girls and leaders and some support, interest and recognition would be great and might entice some girls who would love the idea of sailing but are not competitive/skilled enough to race with a yacht club.”

18 WATERLINE

JUNE 2016

TAURANGA MARINA SOCIETY Inc HAULOUT FACILITY

FOR BOOKINGS PLEASE CONTACT TAURANGA MARINA ON

Phone 07 578 8747

manager@taurangamarina.co.nz 35 TON TRAVELIFT QUIET & TIDY FACILITY CATAMARAN HAULOUT SECURITY FOUR SECURE MAINTENANCE SHEDS TRAVELIFT OPERATING 7 DAYS COMPETITIVE RATES

WATERLINE 19

JUNE 2016

The new international dive site Divers are coming from the UK to Tauranga, just to dive the Rena, says Maketu Volunteer Coastguard president Shane Beech.

Maketu Coastguard is employed by the Rena’s owners and insurers to manage the site in the initial rush of fishers and divers following the reopening of Astrolabe/Otaiti to public access in April, after being excluded for five years.

Fishers were on site almost immediately, but the dive numbers are steadily gaining in numbers.

“Just recently we’ve had quite a few dive clubs,” says Shane. “The South Island was the last one, and we’ve had one from England.

They were experienced divers, oil rigs and stuff like that.

“They were very keen to dive on the stern section, which is the one we try to get them to avoid diving on. But these guys were quite adamant, they were experienced and had the knowledge… they had a brilliant dive.

They chartered a dive boat from Tauranga, says Shane.

“It was the same with the Christchurch group from the South Island. They heard the Rena site was open, came up in a group to dive on it.”

There are also “quite a lot” of local divers reexploring the reef and the new wreckage dive trails, which are at recreational dive depth.

The coastguard volunteers on Eastpac Rescue have been offering advice and handing out the safety and advisory material about diving on the reef.

“We’ve had a few stuck anchors, and we have had a few divers coming up a couple of hundred metres from their boat, but we are

manging to keep an eye on them making sure they get back to their boat safely,” says Shane.

“We are getting some really good feedback actually. Though some of it’s been quite unusual that we are on site and at least they know we are there and confident we are out there to do it.

“A couple of divers, I know they were breaking the rules a bit, they were tying up to the buoys and diving down without a boatman.

We don’t encourage that, but the comment we got was at least we know our boat’s safe at the top - because we are keeping an eye on it.

“It’s a somewhat unusual request, but they come up and know their rods and stuff are still sitting on the boat.”

They didn’t expect a boatload of free divers, says Shane.

But they adapted to their needs.

“We are putting it out there, if we know there’s dive groups or divers going out there, we can be available,” says Shane. “We are trying to encourage the dive clubs to ring the boat or ring our organiser. If you are heading out with 15 divers we can make a conscious effort to be there.”

There are four permanent buoys that boats can tie up to, and boats can raft up on the buoys, says Shane.

“If our boat’s up there we encourage people to tie onto us and dive down,” says Shane.

“We don’t advise them to anchor but there have been a few boats anchoring and there have been a few mishaps there with stuck anchors. The fouling down there is incredible.

“There’s nothing stopping them from cruising up to the dive site itself dropping their divers off and following them around.

“The worst crowding scenario at present is if a dive charter have to wait half an hour or 45 minutes if all the sites are taken up. But we

have never experienced that problem so far.

“Something we didn’t anticipate is the amount of fishermen that are out there. The reef ’s obviously a hot spot for fishermen, not just divers. There’s a lot of fishing activity in and around the dive sites. It’s a case of respecting each other’s area and all that sort of thing, and not troll through the diving sites and stuff like that.”

The big thing the coastguard volunteers are noticing is how quickly the weather changes out on the reef.

“It can be nice and calm, and then an hour later the wind gets up and she’s a totally different scene.”

In good weather the crowds build from the end of the week, Thursday, Friday and the weekend. On a recent good calm Sunday there were more than 30 divers.

“Viz was fantastic last weekend, the best they have ever seen, they were telling us.”

There is a website http://www.astrolabereef. co.nz/ that has videos and information for divers and fishers about the new environment on the reef.

It discusses planning a trip to the reef, including a safety video; fishing at the reef, diving and snorkelling the reef; and other useful information for skippers and visitors to the area. Because of its location and its exposure to any weather resulting in currents and surges across the top of the reef, and the dropoff, Astrolabe Reef/Otaiti has always been regarded as an advanced dive site. Recreational divers are advised to use only the two specified dive sites marked by the orange buoys.

Andrew Campbell

Photograph Dale Hobson

20 WATERLINE

JUNE 2016

Kids on keelers – 1970s style

By Geoff Collins

“Heads down ya louts!” This command seemed a bit rich, coming from the highly-excitable Binky Manson, resplendent in his stubbies and jandals, and proudly flaunting his almost-spherical tanned beer belly.

His impressive skill of swinging the tiller frantically with one hand, while balancing a rum in the other, in total, is a sight to behold.

However, we lowered our hairy heads closer to the deck to try to reduce windage and lessen our chances of getting sconned by a flying rum glass.

Raven 2 was the most radical race yacht in town. With her rakish lines, tiny mainsail and large overlapping genoa, she reminded us of no less than Rainbow 2, the little keeler which had just put NZ sailing on the world map.

And it was P class skippers on keelers’ race day. Once a season a gathering of timid, diminutive, P class sailing mortals were invited to the hallowed halls of The Strand Yacht Club to crew for the local skippers on the keeler fleet for an end-ofseason race.

Back in 1972 the Tauranga Yacht Club on The Strand extension was not a place for the faint-hearted. Oh no. To venture onto the clubhouse’s grainy hardwood deck as a young teenager was normally greeted with a tirade of abuse from the custodian, who had an acute aversion to young people with long hair and flared jeans.

A big day out

‘Kids on keelers’ was a big day. For several months before the day we’d talk about which yacht we’d want to race on. To get a crew spot on the newest racing keeler in town was of considerable mana.

As 14-year-olds we were far too intimidated to try to introduce ourselves to the strutting, liquor-swilling skippers before the event. It was a case of shuffling up to the clubhouse on the day, and trying to stand out in a way that one of the afore-mentioned skippers would invite you on-board.

We knew the boats well. Teal was the linehonours boat. So narrow, it was rumoured that once you stepped on-board, there was no changing order of the crew. Tangerine and Mata-atua were half-tide-rocks that needed 20 knots of breeze to make them go.

A sprinkling of IOR-rule influenced boats made up much of the rest of the fleet. Mokaia, William Tell, Apollo, Raven 2, Rhumb Runner, Shindig, Cobweb, Mohaka, Windward Sausage,

Posh Rat, Buzum, Geordie, Kalimera, Venture, Tiffany, Godwit, Accolade, Chanticleer, Foxy Lady, Shazam, Kohine, Figaro, Janna, Slipstream, Touche, Bopsy, Soul Peddlar, Southerly 3, Quintet, Leanne, Wishaway, Seika, Triomph, Coloundra, Linda del Mar, Thrasher, Mustang, Contreau, Vitesse, Morning Star, Hair-Razor, and Rose-Marie were some of the regular participants in club races.

Seventies sailing out of Tauranga, photos courtesy of Bill Faulkner.

It wasn’t uncommon for many of these yachts to spend all weekend racing down and around White Island, or northwards up around Cuvier.

You see, weekend work was virtually unheard of in post-war New Zealand; and traditional family roles prevailed, whereby it was considered completely normal for husbands to go yacht-racing, or hunting, or mountain-climbing, or go away on rugby trips during their weekends off.

Role models

The Centreboard division had recently been re-located to Kulim Park, as it was more userfriendly and safe for the young P class skippers who had to try to master these overpowered yachts in the days before Optimists took up position as the main training yacht in New Zealand. The old yacht club on The Strand extension, with its foreboding concrete seawall, maize of wooden piles, daunting rail-bridge buttresses, and murky tide rip, had certainly

sorted out the meek from the brave over the years.

But the modern world was shifting it’s stance slightly, and kids were now expected to be terrified only 50 per cent of the time during the formative years. As a result of the geographical shift to Kulim Park, the very youngest of the Tauranga Yacht Club only got a glimpse of future role model yachtsmen through observation of the Finn class sailors; and later the Q class sailors, but that is another chapter.

Some of the Finn sailors mixed with the Keelboat yachties, so they provided a form of endorsement for us in the few times we ever dared set foot on the club custodian’s sacred territory.

I got to know Finn/Keeler sailor Jack Williams as a kid in the early 1970s. He built 26’ Apollo alongside where we built my P class one winter. It took him the same time period to put together his 26 foot quarter-tonner as it took my father and I to build our seven-footer! His dexterity with an electric planer was a sight to behold. During this period in the early 1970s our fragile, formative minds were subjected to glimpses of other significant keeler-owner personalities.

As a young teenager I could only but marvel at the extrovert and loud figures who dominated the jettys and boardwalks of The Strand extension.

Binky Manson, Murray Crapp, Trevor Dougherty, Doug Lloyd, Bill Michinson, Mike McCormick, Mike Knapton and Noel Angus to name a few, come to mind as kingpins and accomplished yachtsmen who could cross oceans, drink impressive amounts of rum, and survive all the variables that nature threw at them.

As teenagers we found these characters to be strangely magnetic role models, as these men took on the vagaries the sea and survived time and again through experience, wits, and common-sense, while always downplaying the near-misses with a laconic sense of humour.

Those with lesser beer-bellies also featured: Joe Carr skippered Geordie, his Farr 727 in countless club races. His strong north-east English accent resonated around the fleet as he luffed and dipped the other yachts in a typically taunting manner. A more agreeable bloke you couldn’t meet, once back in the yacht club bar. Jack Williams laid down the law in a similar fashion on – and off

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Vila race preparations, 1974.

Skinflint, Fidelis, Northerner.

– the water. Jack probably could have been a Bruce Farr, but his prolific breeding tendencies cemented his place in life as a family man in Tauranga, and a part-time yacht designer only.

John Braid...Mr Nice Guy of the fleet, sailed a Finn and a Keeler. His big smile and affable way was passed onto his three children, who all sailed P class. John was probably the only keeler skipper along with Gus Goodchap, who I wasn’t petrified by.

Interestingly, most of the skippers were self-employed high-achievers with builders, electricians, architects, lawyers and dentists being well represented. The crews came from many walks of life, which all made for entertaining post-race discussions and great networking for life outside of club activities.

The race

Cats paws of a typical light northerly spread across the start-line opposite the Dive Crescent start-box. The nifty quarter-tonners ducked and weaved among the larger yachts and gruff voices bellowed their version of the rules in order to try to intimidate any skipper of lesser character into a second-row start.

A burst of cordite and black smoke from the starter’s shotgun only served to increase the volume of yelling; and as P class skippers we learned considerable strings of vocabulary, which simply couldn’t be found later on in the

Groucho launching day, 1980.

Smackwater Jack. school dictionary.

Raven 2 and some of the other smaller yachts short-tacked up either side of the main incoming tide-stream and enjoyed a short period as the leading pack. As we neared the end of the rock training wall, which was being built to contain the new reclamation north of Sulphur Point, a more brisk north-wester saw ‘Teal the eel’ slip through to leeward into her customary leading position. We called the Teal crew ‘Dad’s army’, and they were all far too old for any of us P class skippers to want to crew for them, despite her (or Venture) generally being the line honours boat of the fleet.

Progressively, Mohaka, Venture, Soul-Peddlar, and Chanticleer came through while the rest of us settled into a mid-fleet battle. Nearly all the rigs back then consisted of massive overlapping genoas and small mainsails. Hence, visibility to leeward was largely blocked by the foot of the headsail, and tacking required quite an effort to man-handle the powerful sail around the mast. Another drawback of this configuration was each boat had to stow about four headsails, which needed changing down once the wind got above 15 knots, and for every five-knot increase above that. This was thanks to the IOR rule, which Bruce Farr butted his head against for many years, until things evolved into the more user-friendly rigs we tend to have nowadays.

Once past the entrance, the fleet cracks sheets down the western channel. The longerwaterline boats continue to march through, but most of the P class skippers are on the newer, smaller boats of the fleet. And by now we are steering and trimming, and generally feeling like our hero Chris Bouzaid. A tight rounding of number 12 mark and up go the spinnakers for the long run back to the entrance. I looked round the deck and suddenly realised all of the adults had disappeared. However, the tinkling of ice in glasses and raucous laughter coming from down below said it all, so us teenagers grinned and revelled in the feeling of being in charge of a full-size keeler in a real yacht race.

Mata Atua, Gold Cup circa 1966. Peter de Renzy on the cabin top, Lee Jordan at right.

As we closed in on the finish line, the adults were relaxed and good-humoured and even trading pleasantries with the other nearby skippers. Perhaps they weren’t tyrants after all?

Whatever became of ... ?

In a relatively small number of years, several of us went on to crew regularly on the local keelers, including participation in offshore races and many extensive cruises. Our network of friendships formed in those early centreboard and keeler years has remained immensely strong all these decades; and entire careers were based around these activities.

My first years of boat-building were done within sight of the Tauranga Yacht Club, at the First Ave slipway. One of the other apprentices there, Ian Kerr, who also cut his teeth in the local sailing scene, left for America on a yacht we built, as a 21 year-old, and forged out a notable career as a maxi-yacht racer and delivery skipper on the eastern seaboard, and nowadays is a reputable Florida-based marine surveyor.

Amazingly, despite the notorious post-race swill, I cannot recall a single mishap when skippers returned their boats to their swing moorings, and jumped in their tiny, overloaded dinghies to row, often against a strong out-going tide, back to the club, and then drive home. The roads were a lot less busy then, and cars were built like tanks, which probably helped.

Some mysteries and mishaps did happen at sea once in a while...One night Quintet slipped her moorings and sailed away unexpectedly.

Continued...

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Kids on keelers – 1970s style Continued...

Her skipper had decided on a new life in Australia, and crossed the Tasman singlehanded. Triompe became overwhelmed during a Tasman crossing. Her crew made it to a life raft in tricky conditions and survived. I helped Soul-Peddlar cast off on an indefinite world voyage. She was 150mm down on her waterline with a bilge full of rum bottles. She disappeared in Indonesian waters without trace. Noel Angus disappeared with Ponsonby Express around the same time. We did an Auckland to Gisborne race on Bopsy and got to know Paul Whiting and the crew of Smackwater Jack really well. A few months later they disappeared in the Tasman.

Mike McCormick rescued his good mate Mike Knapton, who fell off Seika wearing full wet-weather gear on a rough day near the Matakana bar. Mike McCormick soon after survived a 360 turn-over in the Tasman while doing a Hobart race.

A question of balance

One winter I helped Gus Goodchap hoist Thrasher out of the water for a clean and antifoul. As we set the nicely-designed fin keeler into her cradle, we noticed she was balancing perfectly upright on her narrow fin keel, in the absence of secured cradle arms, sideways and fore-and aft. To this day I’ve never seen another keeler that has balanced on a tiny fin keel like that. Recently, I heard Venture was residing again in NZ waters. This

Tangerine in 1969.

Thrasher, Gus Goodchap’s fin keeler with perfect balance. yacht was designed and built by Leon Boille of Rotorua, when Leon was in his 20s. He couldn’t see why large keelers couldn’t get up and plane, so he built one that could. Venture was a significantly fast yacht, and it went onto do a couple of circumnavigations under the second owner. She’s now lying in a Far North harbour in need of a lot of care and attention.

Little Linda del Mar also did a circumnavigation and is still owned to this day by the same couple who raced her regularly out of the old yacht club back in the 1970s.

As a young boat builder I finally learned to wield an electric planer like Jack Williams.

He had a habit of revving it up before attacking keelsons and gunales and various other bulks of kauri timber. I think this was just for effect, a bit like revving an engine before dropping a wheelie, but it proved to be a catchy habit.

In more recent times, the old Strand yacht club has enjoyed it’s golden years as the Harbourside restaurant. It’s hard to believe the buzz of activity that once prevailed at it’s wellworn jetty. Raft-ups of keelers post-race often numbered more than one dozen boats, and the muddy grid on the north side of the club had yachts and launches constantly coming and going for frantic scrubbing and reantifouling between tides. When we go down to enjoy The Strand restaurant nowadays, us ‘kids on keelers’ can only but smile wryly. We are now ‘Dad’s army’, just like the old blokes on Teal, who seemed to us to be from another millennium.

Geoff Collins

BATTERY WAREHOUSE

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In Brief Yakityyak Kayak Club Sunday 26 June Wainui River Paddle from Pahoia Beach & explore up this scenic river & back with a stop on route for lunch.bopyakityyakkayakclub@gmail.com Sunday 10 July Motuhoa Island A morning paddle to enjoy a favourite spot in Tauranga Harbour with excellent views of the Mount. bopyakityyakkayakclub@gmail.com Sunday 31 July Omokoroa & Waipapa Stream Spend an afternoon exploring the harbour area & up the stream & back. bopyakityyakkayakclub@gmail.com Saturday 13 August Hunters Creek Heading over to Matakana Island, then we’ll head up Hunters Creek for a bit of peace & solitude. bopyakityyakkayakclub@gmail.com Surf Life Saving NZ Saturday 13 August Eastern Region Pool Champs Until Sunday 14 August – at Te Rapa Waterworld Pool, Garnett Ave, Te Rapa 8am – 5pm. Entries close August 1 10am. Entry fees $50 per competitor (GST inclusive). $10 per substitute (GST inclusive). This entry fee includes pool entry for both days. http:// slsnz.enternow.co.nz/enternow-app/slsnz To list your water sports event please email: julie@thesun.co.nz with Water Sports in the subject heading.

CLASSIFIEDS For Sale VOLVO MTR 200 HP x2 $14,500 each. 140 HP $8500 or to be run in. FORD 250 HP $6500. May trade. Ph 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712 Farr 600 T4049 – Firlex jib Bimini, Yahama 8hp. Reid trailor (excellent condition) Offers. Phone: 543-1755.

12ft ALUMINIUM DINGY PLUS TRAILER. Trailor needs some repairs. $1,200.

Phone 07 576 6443.

CATAMARAN 30ft Great Barrier Express. Fast and exciting boat to sail. With Mooring at Tanners Point. $30,000. Ph 027 207 3808 MOORING in Town Basin for sale or rent. $4,000. Ph 027 207 3808 LAUNCH - Steel launch 26.5ft. Little use View B46 Tauranga Marina. $27,500.

Ph 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712

For Rent 16M MARINA BERTH – for rent at Bridge Marina $600 per month. Ph 027 492 4988 MOORING FOR RENT - The Strand. $25p/w Phone 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712 MOORING TO RENT – Whangamata. Good spot, close to Marina channel. $25 p/w Ph 022 132 3671

Wanted WANTED Volvo 200HP or 230HP Phone 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712.

Trades and Services BATTERIES Battery Direct Nz www.batterydirect.co.nz sales@batterydirect.co.nz 0800 267 468 BOAT MAINTENANCE Matamata Motor Trimmers & Upholstery Boat clear, canvas work, upholstery Ph: 07 571 4421 CNR Mirrielees & Cross Roads, Tauranga FINANCE AFB Accept Finance Brokers Ph: 07 574 0002 or 027 4435524 7 Days

Earthrace2 in design

To read these stories in full go to www.waterline.co.nz

Pete Bethune is embarking on a campaign to build Earthrace2, a replacement for the earlier carbon fibre wave-piercing trimaran sunk by a Japanese whaler in January 2010.

It’s length is to be 59.3m (195 ft), Beam: 12m (39ft), crewed by 14 and carry 12 passengers – and have a range of 10,000nm at 12 knots. It will also carry a 7.7m Amphibious Sealegs in the stern garage.

Pete Bethune currently stars in a pro-active conservation TV series The Operatives, and the design brief for Earthrace2 reflects a support role. Instead of matching Earthrace/Ady Gil’s 38 knots, Earthrace2 is more a support vessel.

“We’ve developed arrangements, machinery arrangements and tankage. The next phase of design is structure and fit out design,” says director at LOMOcean Design Andre Moltschaniwskyj.

“As far as I know there’s no intention to go and set any records with it. It’s a support vessel for the organisation. Its intended at this stage for covering distances, but it’s not going to have a very high turn of speed.”

Boaties win over mussel farms Recreational boating interests have successfully challenged regional councils’ assumed right to control of open water.

A precedent setting Environment Court case means that in future recreational boating navigational and safety concerns have to be taken into account when considering aquaculture sites.

Yachting New Zealand appealed the Northland Regional Council Plan Change 4, worried that marine farming would clog popular bays and hamper safe passage and cruising through the Northland region.

The original plan didn’t take proper account of the need to consider and protect safe access to popular anchorages, harbour entrances, bays of refuge, navigational routes and areas commonly used for yacht racing, says Yachting NZ participation and development manager Andrew Clouston.

Aquaculture is now prohibited in Whangaroa, the Cavalli Islands, Doubtless Bay, Bream Bay, the Bay of Islands and harbour access points including Whangaruru , Tutukaka and Whangarei entrances.

Endeavour replica visit The Endeavour replica is scheduled to visiting Mercury Bay from 21 to 28 October 2019 as part of a visit celebrating 250 years since Captain James Cook’s first visit to New Zealand in 1769.

The Endeavour replica, currently based in Sydney will make its firs New Zealand landfall at Gisborne before travelling to Mercury Bay, visiting the Firth of Thames.

It will then make a brief stop in Auckland, before continuing on Cook’s original journey to the Bay of Islands and Queen Charlotte Sound, stopping in Wellington in between.

JUNE 2016

24 WATERLINE

Marine Insurance

There can be hooks…. so it makes sense to use a professional INSURANCE BROKER who knows the ropes.

Why not contact our Marine Man, KEIRAN VLIETSTRA, Mobile: 0274 960227 because he knows about boats.

Now part of BrokerWeb Risk Services BR-j8540

at 195 Devonport Road, Tauranga

Phone (07) 577 0007 Insurance Brokers Bay of Plenty

insurebayofplenty@bwrs.co.nz

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WATERLINE 25

Kill switch call

Bill’s circulating tinnie.

If we ever needed a reminder to use the stop lanyard on the outboard, the recent case of an Omokoroa boatie’s experience is a frightening example.

Bill aged 83 was boating alone in a small Fyran aluminium dinghy, the aptly-named, “Free Willy” his 8hp outboard at near full revs, when he apparently reached for something in the boat and lost balance, was thrown from the boat. He managed to swim to a nearby sandbank, fortunately with only minor injuries. He somehow avoided being struck by his unmanned, circling boat.

A resident on the hill at Omokoroa spotted the empty Free Willy circling at speed and saw an object in the water, so called 111. Police despatched the Tauranga Coastguard’s vessels TECT Rescue and Sealegs Rescue.

TECT located the man in the water near his

speeding dinghy. With the help of a passing runabout, he was taken aboard TECT and returned to Omokoroa, while the crew of Sealegs tackled the problem of a high speed runaway Free Willy, with a couple of hours of fuel in the tank.

Fortunately conditions were flat calm and the runaway’s outboard jammed in a turn, otherwise the path of Free Willy may have been too unpredictable to approach.

After studying the regular movement of the vessel, the Sealegs team manoeuvred closer until a crewman managed to hook the fuel line and lanyard, or “kill cord”, as Free Willy sped past.

The vessel came to a halt a few revolutions later; its fuel supply cut off and the kill cord also eventually dislodged as it was dragging the boat hook through the water behind it.

A crewman restarted Free Willy and delivered it back unscathed to a cold and shaken

owner at Omokoroa boat ramp.

The kill cord, or ‘engine safety cut-out switch’ is a device used to stop the engine in the event of the helmsperson being thrown out of their seat.

It’s length a cord or plastic wire connected to a kill switch on the engine or dashboard of the boat.

One end of the kill cord has a plastic collar to hold the switch open, the other has a clip, which can be attached directly to the helmsperson’s lifejacket, or made into a loop which is then passed around their wrist or thigh.

If the helmsperson is thrown from their seat by a sudden manoeuvre, such as hitting the back of a wave or a sudden loss of grip at the stern, the lanyard is pulled from the engine or dash, cutting the engine and preventing further injury from the spinning propeller.

Brian Rogers

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Upgrade for Coastguard’s big cat The Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard rescue boat is going to be out of the water for most of June while it undergoes a bit of a sandblast, a re-paint and an electronics upgrade.

It’s the first major repaint for the nine-yearold TECT Rescue, says Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard operations manager Simon Barker.

“This is a once-in-10-year thing. We are just having new anti-foul, having a new paint job and new electronics put into it. When it’s finished being painted, we’ll tidy all that up.

It’s going to be same colour scheme, says Simon. “It’s just being repaired and there’s a few dings in it. Below the waterline it is being taken right back to the aluminium, and being done from scratch.

“The paint’s just being tidied up, it’s looking a bit scruffy, really needs a bit of a tidy up.

There’s corrosion around certain spots that we are going to deal with as well.”

The new anti-foul will be black. “It’s been blue for a long time now. It’s going to go back to good old black. Red markings and strips and all the logos will be redone as well.”

The Coastguard has allowed most of June for the work, which includes replacement of

McLeod’s Cranes volunteered to lift the radar arch, enabling the power cat to fit inside the shed. Picture: Chris Philips.

the Raymarine electronics, with the more recent models that Simon says offer better networking.

It’s all being paid for by Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard with funds raised.

Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard has borrowed another boat for the duration, an

8.5m Naiad from Tolaga Bay. “They have lent it to us, they are not getting much use of it,” says Simon.

While it’s here the Tauranga volunteers have arranged to give the outboards a service and to go over the rest of the craft.

Andrew Campbell

Floating carpark for Waiheke marina A floating carpark will be a unique feature of the new marina proposed for Kennedy Point at Waiheke Island.

The new carpark with room for about 80 vehicles will be built on floating pontoons that will sit lower in the water than the existing and proposed breakwaters, and the boats moored in the marina.

Developer Kennedy Point Boatharbour Limited says the design also does not affect the intertidal zone as the floating structures will be at least 100 metres away from the foreshore, allowing existing water-based activities to continue without impact.

Stormwater run-off will be managed through a treatment and filtration system. The carpark is to be manufactured off-site and then towed into position to minimise effects of construction and avoid the need for any reclamation.

The about 200-berth marina proposed to be built at Kennedy Point in Putiki Bay, on the south-west side of Waiheke Island, will require no dredging to create a marina basin as the water is deep enough already.

No regular maintenance dredging will be needed during the life of the marina due to the flushing benefits of the proposed breakwater design and the natural depths within the basin.

The marina will be located adjacent to the existing rock breakwater, which currently protects commercial vehicular ferries. The site has already been modified with marine structures and commercial developments.

Leading New Zealand marina developer Tony Mair and a team of specialist consultants are conferring with interested parties on the concept designs and preparing an application for resource consent.

All materials for the project – including the rock for the breakwaters, the floating marina piers and piles, and concrete carpark pontoons – will be brought in by barge to minimise noise and local disruptions. The

The proposed Waiheke marina marina office, storage, visitor facilities and proposed clubrooms will also be floating, a technique that has already been successfully utilised at sites such as Orakei Marina in Okahu Bay. The completion of the new marina will open up a new market of visitors to Waiheke Island, with one in three Aucklanders owning some form of private vessel. To be managed in a similar way to Tutukaka Marina near Whangarei, Kennedy Point Marina would offer short-term berthage for secure weekend or overnight trailer boat parking.

As New Zealand’s first island marina, it would make the island a destination for boating groups that could book a berth and leave their vessels to enjoy the experience of Waiheke, says the developer.

“This aspect of the marina will have a flow-on effect with job creation and income for local businesses such as accommodation providers, restaurants, vineyards, taxis, shuttles, supermarkets and tourist operators,” says Tony.

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JUNE 2016

28 WATERLINE

Uncharted territory: We put Rogers Reef on the map There are strange rocks in Tauranga Harbour that defy any official knowledge of their existence, and the Waterline crew has set out to change all that.

a picture about their history and origin.

It may be that the rocks are fairly recent.

Maybe they’ve been dropped there purposely, although you’d need a sizeable barge and crane to shift them. Perhaps part of a clandestine attempt to make a Fish Aggregation Device?

Most likely is the legend of shifting sandI’ve been boating around the harbour all my banks, covering the rocks for years at a time, life, along with many of you regular readonly for the channel to alter course and erode ers. It’s a well promoted fact that apart from the sands around them again, exposing them the two harbour mouths at Bowentown and higher above the seabed. Let’s not forget there Mount Maunganui, there are no naturallyhave been significant seabed changes in this occurring rocks, except for a small islet on area of the harbour in the last few decades, the shoreline at Matakana Island, opposite with the defining and subsequent marking Omokoroa. Some local boaties around of a deeper alternative channel between Flax Omokoroa call it the Witch’s Hat, because it’s Point and Matahui Point, through the shala bit pointy, from the right angle. Scientists low middle section of the harbour. Perhaps call it the outcrop of Matakana Basalt. changes in the underwater geography have Other than that, the harbour is exposed these ancient rocks? Maybe considered free of any rock reefs it is part of the basalt seam that runs or outcrops other than artificial from the Witch’s Hat. Nevertheless, breakwaters and walls. But we know the rocks are not charted, and in our differently… and suspect a few old view they should be. salts also know otherwise!

Other suggestions, such as comet The renowned status of Tauranga fragments, have been dismissed.

Harbour as being “rockless” is all Some people speculate the rocks about to change. have dropped out of the sky, which My son Ben Rogers and I stumbled could explain the mysterious lights across the group of uncharted sunken reported over this area of the rocks years ago, about 200m southharbour in recent years. My science east of the Witch’s Hat; dangerously friends assure me that even a small close to the channel edge near the rock falling from space would make marker ME2. We’ve requested they a mighty blast, let alone a boulder be officially recognised and charted. the size of a car! Much of Omokoroa A depth sounder snapshot of Rogers Rocks, showing one of the Despite more than 40 years of naviwould be wiped out in the proobstructions nearly breaking the surface, with the surrounding gating the channel from Omokoroa cess and the rest of the Western water depth a consistent 5.2 feet (1.6 metres.) to Flax Point, I’d never before Bay would certainly have felt the unknown to his office. He concurs that the noticed these hazards. Maybe I’d never been shockwave. I think we can rule out the ‘recent’ rocks should be noted on charts, as a warning there at dead low tide; perhaps never strayed meteorite theory! to vessels. Approx S 37 36.54, E 176 02.65 from the marked channel. Surprising, considSome helpful people have offered up that Chris says the largest rock will likely be ering so many decades of ambling around in they are old car wrecks, which is a reasonmarked with a buoy until it is added to the dinghies, yachts and kayaks. able suggestion, since some of the locals at chart.

We’ve heard that some old fishos may know Matakana seem to regularly get stuck on the The Tauranga harbour chart has just been of the rocks, which are suspected to regularly beaches and sandbanks, leaving the vehicles updated and the latest information on Rogers cover with sand as the channel position shifts to rust in the sea. But these tend to be much Reef was confirmed too late to be included. over the years. However, their existence is closer to shore and there’s no way you’d drive a Sitting near the northern edge of the Matakept pretty quiet, supposedly because the fishvehicle into six feet of water, even at low tide. kana east channel, it and the rest of the Rogers Besides, we’ve stood on Dreadlock and we’re ing is good around them.

Rocks could provide a significant surprise to We’d be pleased to hear from any fishos who pretty sure it’s a rock! any boats unaware of their location. Keelers know more about the outcrops, and may be Either way, it would good to collate more tacking up the channel, jet skis and powerable to fill in the pieces of the puzzle for our details from boaties so we can spread the boats travelling at speed in less than half tide readers. information. It certainly busts the myth that could all discover, in a bad way, the status of There are several rocks, two about the size of Tauranga harbour is all sand and no rocks.

Tauranga Harbour as “rockless” is a dangerous a small car, then a couple of lesser ones. They Drop me a line to brian@thesun.co.nz or myth. are all within 50-80m of each other. The largphone the Sun office, 578 0030 I would be keen to hear from other boaties est, Ben found in his 12 tinny, we’ve labelled Brian Rocky Rogers who know of the rocks, so we can get more of “Dreadlock Rock” after bearing an uncanny likeness to his hairstyle at the time, adorned in a long, matted straggly mess.

Dreadlock sits in about 1.5 metres of water at low tide, nearly breaking the surface on very low lows. Which makes this rock about five feet high. When we first found it, the rock seemed fairly clean, but on a subsequent visit it appeared to have a lot of growth, suggesting it had either recently arrived or been uncovered to allow marine growth.

Rogers Rocks have never been charted, and I’ve proposed to the harbourmaster’s office that they be included in chart and navigation information, as they do pose a significant hazard to vessels. And the officials agree.

Tauranga harbourmaster Chris Isherwood has our GPS coordinates and confirms that until our report, Rogers Rocks were previously

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WATERLINE 29

Bay of Plenty moorings ‘relatively stiff ’ New swing mooring specifications for moorings in the Bay of Plenty region including Ohiwa, Whakatane and Tauranga don’t measure up to standards proposed in a mooring study commissioned by the regional council.

The new specifications posted this month requires a five metre bottom chain on all moorings – a length considered too short

by OCEL Consultants NZ Limited’s report the Bay of Plenty Regional Council helped pay for. The OCEL report considers 7m is required for the bottom chain.

Both the report and the specifications are on BOPRC’s website. Both the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Waikato Regional Council engaged OCEL Consultants NZ Limited to develop a swing mooring design formula for mooring areas in Waikato and the Bay of Plenty mooring areas.

Harbour Master Peter Buell says the 2016 Moorings Specifications took into account the recommendations of the OCEL report at every step, including the length of chain, as options were provided in the report.

This information was then discussed with mooring holders, contractors and staff. “From these discussions we produced a flexible specification to meet mooring holder needs, as was the mandate from the mooring holder meetings held.”

An analysis of the mooring system for a 12m long yacht using OCEL’s catenary program and the maximum mooring forces determined by the analysis show the shortcoming from a mooring-point-of-view is an upward force applied to the anchor, which is an unavoidable consequence of the need to restrict the length of the mooring line and hence the radius of the swing circle.

Using the 12m yacht in 6m of water as an example, at maximum load none of the chain remains on the seabed and an upward force is applied to the anchor. Wave forces causing a high frequency motion can produce shock loading in the case of inelastic or stiff

The NRC guidelines were developed in moorings. These shock loadings are more No 3 with the Auckland Council, important for the anchor line components Figurecollaboration WRC and mooring contractors to address than the anchor itself because of their sharp the current ‘vacuum’ with regard to the lack transient nature. of a national standard. The mooring designs The report finds the mooring systems given need to be consistent with the trend to best by the both WRC and BOPRC specifications industry practice that is occurring in the are relatively stiff, and is the same for all the industry – as evidenced by the NRC docuswing mooring specifications. ment – as the various regional authorities Provided the anchor has sufficient weight come into line. or resistance to uplift to accommodate the Environmental and subsea geotechnical upward component of the mooring line conditions differ greatly between regions so tension this is not a problem; it is just the there is no one-size-fits-all specification, and relative inelasticity of the mooring will result logical deviations supported by evidence/calin increased shock loading or impact force. culations will be justifiable. The methods of This can be reduced by incorporating a calculating both environmental forces acting length of nylon line in the mooring line, on moored vessels and anchor resistance are using the nylon line to bypass a length of well established but need to be tempered by chain by arranging the bypassed length in practical experience at each mooring location, a loop and connecting the nylon across the ends. Alternatively a proprietary SEAFLEX or given the general lack of detailed geotechnical and environmental data for each location.

MARINEFLEX elastic unit could be used.

OCEL developed mooring specifications While there is currently no national or for Environment Canterbury, Marlborough regional marine industry standard for moorDistrict Council, Tasman District Council, ings in New Zealand, the design should and Nelson City Council and through having be broadly compatible with other provenworked on mooring solutions for offshore through-practical-experience specifications developments and loading systems. in New Zealand and the Northland Regional Council’s Mooring Guidelines.

Andrew Campbell

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No expense spared on Wanda Wanda II is a 38’6� (11.7m) kauri carvel planked displacement launch built by Lane Motor Boat Company Ltd on the Tamaki river in 1948 for Fred Porter of Auckland Mason and Porter (Masport) and was finished off at the Mason and Porter factory.

She was originally powered by twin 6 cylinder Scripps Engines.

Scripps-Booth was a United States automobile company based in Detroit, Michigan, which produced motor vehicles from 1913 through 1923.

Wanda II is but now powered by twin BMC 50hp Commodore engines with a cruising speed of 7.5 knots.

Wanda II is equipped with toilet, shower, new fridge and freezer, three burner stove, pressure hot and cold water, and five berths.

The launch has an electric capstan, boarding ladder, cockpit covers, solar panels and the hull and interior were painted in 2014.

When built there was no expense spared. Wanda II is a much admired vessel and currently on the market for $60,000.

Contact Brian Worthington at Gulf Group Marine Brokers for more details.

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JUNE 2016