Off-Site Issue 28 January/February 2022

INTRODUCING THE GREAT TRADIE FISH OFF

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD! ®

TRADIE PROFILE

BETH & AARON

BBQ HANGI

THE

HOW TO WIN FISHING COMPS

ISSUE 28 JAN/FEB 2022

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WORK HARD, PLAY HARD! WORK HARD, PLAY HARD!

WELCOME TO ISSUE TWENTY EIGHT OF RHEEM OFF-SITE

CONTENTS 04 HOW TO WIN FISHING COMPS

08 FOUNDATIONS TO PHOTOS 14 THE GREAT TRADIE FISH OFF 18 THE BBQ HANGI 24 TRADIE PROFILE 30 STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING

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SURFING WITH THE STOICS

Cover Photo: Fishing & Adventure

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et’s start by getting the house keeping out of the way. Rheem Off-Site’s ‘The Great Tradie Fish Off’ is launching in March, and it’s exactly as it sounds. Every fish measured and entered online will go towards three leaderboards – your own individual tally, as well as your company’s and your trade’s overall count. And the best part: it’s absolutely free thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. Simply head to offsite. fishingcomp.co.nz, register online, catch some fish, and have the chance to win over $15,000 of prizes. Now, to the magazine.

Charter captain Nick Jones kicks off this issue with a timely ‘how to’ for winning fishing comps, including a very informative section on who you shouldn’t invite on your boat. Professional videographer and photographer Struan Purdie picks up where Nick left off, providing some helpful tips for those of us looking to up our outdoor

photography game. With summer BBQs now getting into full swing, Kerren Packer steps up next, providing his take on the BBQ hangi – an experimental twist on a traditional Maori cooking method. I then put pen to paper for this month’s ColorCote Tradie Profile and introduce Beth & Aaron – perhaps the only married couple in NZ who are both registered plumbers. New contributor Rowan Crowe and seasoned outdoorsman Steve Dickinson conclude the issue by taking us to the waves, sharing a few words on surfing and stand up paddleboarding respectively.

As always, get in touch if you have any stories of your own to share. Message us on Instagram (@offsite_magazine) – which is also where we will be providing regular updates on the fishing comp – or flick me an email at ethan@nzfishingnews.co.nz. Enjoy!

ETHAN NEVILLE

Rheem off-Site is published bi-monthly by NZ Fishing Media Ltd. Offices are located at 177B Marua Road, Ellerslie, Auckland, Ph (09) 579 4060.

THE BOSS Grant Blair QS Grant Dixon PROJECT MANAGER Ethan Neville ARCHITECT Ricky Harris CONSTRUCTION MANAGER Leah Foxcroft HAMMER HAND (Advertising) Josh Williams | 021 862 579 | sales@nzfishingnews.co.nz EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Ethan Neville | 021 176 1366 | ethan@nzfishingnews.co.nz Advertising within this publication is subject to NZ Fishing Media Ltd’s standard advertising terms and conditions, a copy of which is available by emailing grant@nzfishingnews.co.nz or by calling (09) 579 4060

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Saltwater

HOW TO WIN THE GREAT TRADIE FISH OFF With The Great Tradie Fish Off just around the corner, charter captain Nick Jones provides some invaluable advice on how to take out first place.

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DA

CLUB

THE SNOOZER PARTY ANIMAL Y ANIMAL H E PA R T

The Party T Animal doesn’t go anywhere without his blue Powerade.

The questionable stains aren’t quite covered by his unclasped lifejacket, and his Bar 101 stamp hasn’t faded one bit. He’ll be asleep 20 minutes after boarding.

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is the season of fishing competitions, and now you tradies have your very own one to get excited about.

The inaugural Great Tradie Fish Off will be held in March – it’s a measure-based online comp with three leaderboards: individual, company and trade. The eligible species are kahawai, snapper, and kingfish, with prizes for long bois

and also average length fish. But how can you earn the bragging rights this year?

Choose your crew As the saying goes, you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family – so don’t fish this competition with your family. The right team selection is critical. From a glass half-empty perspective, let’s take a look at

T H E S N O OZ E R

The Snoozer has been eyeing up the squab in the cabin from the moment he boarded the boat. His backwards shirt is proof that his alarm went off two minutes after the crew’s meeting time. Despite this, he somehow still managed to stop at the BP for a coffee, and he didn’t spare the boys a thought when he placed an order for only one triple shot long black.

“...You can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family – so don’t fish this competition with your family.”

the type of mates who shouldn’t make your draft for the comp: The Snoozer – this guy loves sleeping-in. In fact, he loves kipping so much he snoozes his alarm on average six times before he finally rouses. He’s selfish – he puts his own rest ahead of the team. He will put you on the backfoot for the rest of the day because he’s always in a rush but never on time, leading to

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THE TIGHT-ASS T H E T I G H TA R S E The Tight-Ass is deep in thought about how he will claim this trip as an expense (if he ends up spending any money). He’s closely measuring the first fish he’s caught – if it hits 30cm, it’s in the bin, but not before he clips the tail so he knows which snapper are his. He bought his Bulabong hat three years ago on a holiday in Fiji, which was the same trip he bought his “Apple” watch for $8 (he’s also trying to get his 10,000 steps and hopes the rocking off the boat knocks off a couple thousand).

mistakes and likely missing the early morning bite time.

The Party Animal – everyone loves this guy during a bender, but not when you’re getting up at 5am to go fishing. This absolute lad is likely to still be awake at 5am. He might even lull you into a false sense of security as he Bluetooths up some Netsky and charges on for the first part of the fishing morning. However, all things that go up must come down eventually – and this

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will result in an annoying sack of dead weight groaning and rolling around in the cabin for the rest of the day.

The Apprentice – don’t get me wrong, this type of individual normally means well.

However, he can truly stitch you up through lack of experience.

His common unforced errors include forgetting key supplies or not including the entire fish in the frame of the measurement photo. He also ties double-

THET HAPPRENTICE E APPRENTICE The Apprentice hasn’t had an untangled line in a few years. His green-ish face and sheepish smile betray the seasickness which actually started as carsickness on the way to the ramp. His sun burn can only be described as chronic, and the hook firmly embedded in his arm compounded his pain.

“Do whatever you can to earn a good fisher’s trust before March – then completely abuse that trust by hammering their favourite spots on game day.”

granny knots on his line and is no help when it comes to fishing tactics discussions. Oh, and did I mention he gets seasick too?

The Tight-Ass – fishing can be an expensive pursuit, so you need to share the burden amongst the crew. But old gorsepockets doesn’t understand this concept. He won’t get lures, bait, morning coffees, fill the boat-up, or bring any food. He’ll also under-cater his own refreshments, meaning by

midday he’ll be cracking open someone else’s beers. Even if he brings his own fishing rod, it will probably have been sourced from his Grandad’s garage and the reel handle might not rotate forwards without a liberal spray of CRC every few hours.

Find the right spot The right crew means nothing unless they’re in the right place.

And like most things in life, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Therefore, you must use the lead-in time to the Great Tradie Fish Off to grease up those more knowledgeable than you.

Shave something off their next invoice, link them up with a new client, shout them lunch or beers, or invite them along for a free fishing trip. Do whatever you can to earn a good fisher’s trust before March – then completely abuse that trust by hammering their favourite spots on game day.

Measure your fish correctly

“..You’ll need to think like an average weekend warrior. Grab a stock-standard rod and reel set (stay away from expensive gear for this exercise) and an Orange 100g slider lure, or a ledger rig baited with hunks of pilchard.”

Whilst you can’t get out a rolling pin to make your catch longer, you can reduce it’s size by not laying it on the measure mat correctly. Make sure the fish is straight and the v of the tail is in the centre of the ruler. Hell, get the level out if you must – that 0.5cm reading could be the difference between glory or heartbreak. And make sure the snout of the fish is touching the start of the mat – you don’t want your winning fish disqualified.

Targeting average length snapper If you’ve already fished the bite time and have a few biggies under the toolbelt, it might pay to spend the last wee part of the day catching an average length snapper. For this, you’ll need to think like an average weekend

warrior. Grab a stock-standard rod and reel set (stay away from expensive gear for this exercise) and an orange 100g Slider lure, or a ledger rig baited with hunks of pilchard. When you see a bunch of boats on the horizon, head over towards them. Don’t worry about the terrain, season, depth, tide or what your fish-finder is saying – just park up next to them and flick out your line.

There’s also a popular school of thought that the closer you get to another boat, the more average your snapper will be.

Based on previous measurebased tournaments, the average snapper size is likely to be around 40-45cm long (but you lot are obviously handy fishers, so the size might well bump up a couple centimetres for the Great Tradie Fish Off ).

All the very best out there!

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Outdoor Photography

FOUNDATIONS TO PHOTOGRAPHY

Struan Purdie started his work-life on the tools, before eventually pursuing his passion for the outdoors and filmmaking full time. He shares a bit about his story, as well as some practical tips for anyone wanting to up their camera game on their next adventure.

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y earliest memories of filmmaking were running around with my grandad’s camcorder during a family holiday in Wanaka. We used to record ourselves skateboarding then huddle around the wee flip outside screen to watch the action.

I was hooked. Despite this early passion however, I never dreamed that making films and taking pictures would ever become such a big part of my life.

My first job out of high school was nowhere near a camera. I worked for a mate’s dad building residential foundations. The crew was awesome and the work was

hard – laying blocks, tying steel and pouring concrete. It was a great way to blow high school out of the system, but the work quickly started to slow. As 2008 rolled around, the global financial crisis hit New Zealand’s building industry hard.

By April, our work had all but dried up and the boss sent us home.

One of the lads was getting into hunting at the time so the two of us packed the work van and headed bush to chase roaring red stags. We would spend a week at a time in the mountains, then come out, check in with the boss on the work situation, then head back to a new spot. This was where I discovered my love for hunting and the outdoors which

would later come to define my working life.

Fast forward several years of travel, university and countless questionable renovation jobs through Student Job Search, and I was finally doing something somewhat related to photography and videography. My journalism career started at TVNZ in Auckland before returning to Christchurch, where I worked for the Australian Associated Press. A couple of years chasing ambulances and political press conferences was all I needed, so I started looking around and stumbled on something a bit different.

A family friend owned a guiding

Climbing high to film some tents behind the Macaulay hut in the Canterbury high country.

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1) Making the most of the moody light at Mt Cheeseman while trying to shield $10k of camera kit from the rain. 2) GODZone pre-race interview with former All Blacks legend Richie McCaw. 3) Post-race interview with GODZone 2021 champion Nathan Fa’avae. business offering high end hunting trips to rich overseas visitors. I approached him with a proposal and soon found myself tagging along filming from helicopters, boats and high-end lodges in the middle of nowhere. It was an awesome gig. One day we’d be on the West Coast hunting chamois, the next we’d be heading to Mount Cook for a scenic flight. I learned a lot using a camera outside too. I learned how to read natural light

Directing talent during on one of numerous shoots for Bushbuck.

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and position myself for the best shot. I learned how to tell a story through film. I also learned that Americans are terrible at hunting in New Zealand and most can’t shoot a rifle to save themselves!

While it was a super fun job, the guiding season only lasts for six months so I figured I needed to hustle some more clients. I was determined to stay working outdoors so ended up trawling the internet looking for cool companies

“Photography and filmmaking have literally become a way of life for me.”

that might need some photos or video. It’s funny what doors open when you hammer on a whole bunch. I’ve been fortunate to work with some incredible New Zealand companies and events, capturing everything from brand content to documentaries and TV commercials.

A massive highlight came earlier this year when I got the call up to shoot video for the internationally renowned adventure race GODZone. The event started in Rotorua and did a big grueling loop of the wider Bay of Plenty region over eight days. Athletes had to kayak, mountain bike, pack raft and trek around the clock to complete the 666km course. Each day was incredibly diverse and we found ourselves filming from boats, swamps, trucks and helicopters.

I remember we spent an entire morning flying over the Kaweka and Kaimanawa Ranges to capture the action. One moment we were filming the lead team descending out of the fog on a high ridge, the next we were hovering 20 metres above the Mohaka River as competitors negotiated tight bends and rapids in pack rafts below us. I made the mistake of wearing shorts and a single down jacket for the shoot, which was three hours in a helicopter with no door. Once we landed, I was near frozen.

Another cool gig was heading down to the Catlins in the middle of the roar to shoot images for a great

4 4) A muddy end to an outdoor broadcast for Sky Sport in Nelson.

New Zealand hunting company called Bushbuck. We spent the week chasing stags in the beautiful Southland native bush. I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the country with Bushbuck and we’ve certainly got some awesome shoots lined up this summer. Photography

“...try to incorporate people into as many frames as possible.”

and filmmaking have literally become a way of life for me. I love it.

And I’ve learned a few things along the way – often through miserable fails.

Here are my top tips for capturing your next outdoor adventure with awesome photos and videos...

People: Beautiful scenics are great but without you and your mates, you may as well jump on Google or YouTube. When photographing or filming your next adventure, try to incorporate people into as many frames as possible. Get them talking! Where are we? How did we

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get here? As well as personalising your content, humans also add scale to huge landscapes – think tiny person, massive mountain.

Light: Everyone has heard of the golden hours – sunrise and sunset.

Any photos or footage captured during these times is going to look 100% better than full sun at midday – I promise. Pay attention to

Left: Struan’s ride for the week while filming the Alps to Ocean Ultra endurance race in 2020 Right: Trying desperately to warm up during a morning filming GODZone 2021 from the air.

weather also. A cold foggy morning.

An approaching Southerly front.

Different weather systems can create dramatic visuals.

Depth: Layers are good. Ask yourself these questions: what is my subject? What is my background?

What can I place in the foreground?

Maybe you’re shooting a mate kayaking down a river. Tuck into

some scrub and get low. All of a sudden your shot is framed by some leafy greens and the mountains are towering behind old mate as he plunges down the next rapid.

Shoot. Shoot. Shoot. Practice makes perfect. I still learn something new every time I pick up a camera. The only way to get better at something is to do it a lot.

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Smiling but very damp. Waiting to be picked up after four days filming in Fiordland for Bushbuck.

A late night pre-race interview with Coast to Coast women’s champion Simone Maier.

Make a point of taking a camera on your next adventure and give some thought to where you point it. I promise you’ll soon have some awesome keepsakes – and you’ll have a lot of fun along the way!

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Grant took this solid snapper on a Catch Black Label Livie.

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THE GREAT TRADIE FISH OFF

Trade against trade, company against company, mate again mate – it’s time to prove you’re the best in your crew at what really matters: catching fish.

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he inaugural Great Tradie Fish Off is kicking off this March, and there is a lot to get excited about. You’ll get a chance to win individual, company and trade honours – and it’s absolutely free to enter!

Thanks to our generous sponsors, the first 1000 tradies registered will also receive a free entry pack, which includes a custom measure mat, a packet of Catch! soft-baits and jigheads, and a Marine Deals discount voucher for Catch product.

How does the comp work?

When you sign up, you first register as an individual, then select or

add your company, and finally choose your trade. Every fish you enter into the comp in March will automatically be allocated across those three categories. For the duration of the comp, you will be able to watch all three live leaderboards to keep up to date with how you, your trade, and your company are tracking.

This is a measure-only competition, so to enter a fish, you will need one of The Great Tradie Fish Off Measure Mats (which can be purchased at catchfishing.pro if you’re not one of the first 1000) or another approved measure mat (a list of approved measure mats can be found at offsite.fishingcomp. co.nz). When you catch a fish you’d

Get your gimbal ready for plenty of use during the comp.

like to submit, simply line it up on the mat, take a pic, and enter it on the website. Each angler can submit one fish per species per day, so choose wisely! You can then decide whether you keep the fish to feed your friends and whanau or release it to swim another day – that’s the beauty of measure-based comps.

You can also fish anywhere in the country. There will be a prizegiving on March 13th in Auckland, but we will livestream the whole event so those of you smart Kiwis who live outside the Big Smoke can tune in.

Go give the Off-Site Instagram page (@offsite_magazine) a follow to stay up to date with the prizegiving details and how you can go about tuning in.

Josh from NZ Builders is hoping for more catches like this in March.

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unsure where your company fits in above, then check “The Other Guys” box and do this team proud.

Prizes The comp is measure-only, which means anglers have the option to release the fish they enter online.

Introducing the Team Captains Five companies have bravely put their hands up to captain their trade throughout the competition. These are the guys who will accept the prize on behalf of the winning trade at prizegiving, or be the somewhat gracious losers if their trade doesn’t pull through.

NZ Builders will be, you guessed it, representing the builders – and

rumour has it they’ve already booked a trip to The Three Kings, so they’re not mucking around.

Plumbuilt have taken the reigns for the plumbers, while Scott Electrical jumped at the chance to keep the sparkies in line. The automotive team are in safe hands with Repco at the helm, and last but not least, Kiwi Diggers are going to be looking for an upset win for “The Other Guys” – if you’re a subbie or

“Catch are going to give two lucky tradies the trip of a liftetime.

Anyone who enters a fish caught on Catch product will go into the draw to win an overnight fishing charter to Great Barrier for two.”

This Far North snapper was “Caught on Catch.”

WHAT: The Great Tradie Fish Off WHERE: NZ-Wide WHEN: 4th-13th March PRIZEGIVING: 13th March, venue TBA. HOW: Head to www.offsite.fishingcomp.co.nz to register.

COST: FREE

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It may be a free competition, but that doesn’t mean our sponsors have skimped on the prizes. Catch have offered $5000 of vouchers, ColorCote have put up $3000 of PlaceMakers vouchers, and Marine Deals are also chucking in $2000 worth of vouchers for their online store. Off-Site’s key sponsor Rheem have also joined the party, putting a Rheem hotwater cylinder with installation into the prize pool.

Every prize will also include a custom competition Chums t-shirt, so there’s no shortage of motivation for getting out on the water and hunting down a trophy.

There are prizes for the top five longest snapper, as well as average snapper, and top three prizes for kahawai and kingfish. The company trophy will be decided on the combined length across all three species, taking the top three fish of each species. The trade prize will be decided in the same way, except taking the top five lengths of each species.

Caught on Catch To top off the prize list, Catch are going to give two lucky tradies the trip of a liftetime. Anyone who submits a fish caught on Catch product (the picture must show the Catch lure clearly in the mouth of the entry), will go into the draw to win an overnight fishing charter to Great Barrier for two. If you and your company want to be a part of The Great Tradie Fish Off, simply head to offsite.fishingcomp.co.nz and register today. And remember, the first 1000 people to register get free entry packs, so don’t delay!

FREE ENTRY PACKS

FREE ENTRY

for first 1000 tradies to register

4th - 13th March 2022 The measure-only fishing comp built just for tradies

$15,000 OF PRIZES TO BE WON ®

DIGGERS

Register now at offsite.fishingcomp.co.nz

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Low ‘n’ Slow BBQ

BBQ HĀNGI

Most Kiwis will be familiar with the traditional Māori low ‘n’ slow method known as hāngi, which involves cooking food with steam beneath the ground. Combining modern low ‘n’ slow BBQ with traditional hangi techniques, however, is a relatively new phenomenon in NZ backyards. Kerren Packer is one passionate BBQer experimenting with this technique, and he shares what he’s learnt so far...

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y BBQ hangi is still in its experimental phase, but I have knocked it out of the park on several occasions. Some wellseasoned hāngi aficionados have even given it their seal of approval with comments like, “That is the best non-hāngi, hāngi I have ever had,” “Authentic as” and “Is there enough for another plate bro?” So, that being said, here is my nine-step method for the BBQ hangi…

STEP 1: Select a variety of meats.

In this example, I have used pork chops, beef brisket, mutton chops

and chicken drumsticks. Trim away any excess fats, apply your favourite barbecue rubs or just simply season with salt and pepper. Place the meats in a foil tray to suit the size of the grilling area of your barbecue.

STEP 2: Select a variety of veges. In this case, I have used spuds, kumara, pumpkin, and cabbage. Peel and cut-up the veges into portion sized pieces and layer, finishing with cabbage on the top in a separate foil tray. I also added some traditional bread “stuffing” balls.

STEP 3: Smoke the meat and vege

Kerren used pork chops, beef brisket, mutton chops and drumsticks.

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before wrapping tightly in foil to allow steam to cook the feast. I do this by lighting a small amount of coal briquettes (in this example I am using a Weber Kettle and using half a basket of coals), adding a few chunks of manuka for that authentic hāngi aroma and then placing a foil tray with a 50/50 crumble mixture of moistened clean soil and manuka sawdust directly above the coal to further create authentic flavour profiles in the finished meal.

Place the tray of meat onto the barbecue “indirect” (that is away from the heat source – the aim here is to not cook the food but allow the

Spuds, kumara, pumpkin and cabbage made for a great mix of veges.

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smoke to waft over meat and infuse the hāngi flavours), close the lid for 30mins, and then add the tray of veges on top of the meat tray. If dry, spritz the soil-sawdust crumble with plain water. Close the lid for another 30mins.

STEP 4: In this example I have used heated horseshoes in place of volcanic rocks to provide an even temperature throughout the cook.

I first heated the horseshoes to red-white hot with the gas “flame thrower” in a coal starter chimney.

Once hot, I then put the horseshoes on a lit pyre of manuka and coals inside our second Weber Kettle. I let it burn down to create a bed of embers and hot horseshoes.

Step 5: In a third foil tray I made another “crumble” of clean soil and sawdust and added several cups of water. The theory here is again to add authentic flavours to the meal, but also to create a shield between the “fire-pit” and the food to stop potential burning.

On top of the soil-sawdust tray, place the meat tray, and then on top of that, place the tray of veges and

5 1) The BBQ Hangi setup. 2) The meat should be placed onto the BBQ “indirect”. 3 & 4) Horseshoes can be used as a substitute for volcanic rocks. 5) This foil tray acts as a shield between the fire pit and the food to stop potential burning.

Kerren prefers to use a 50/50 crumble mixture of moistened clean soil and manuka sawdust. off-Sitenz

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FRY BREAD Makes 16-20 Large Pieces YEAST SPONGE •1 cup water (warm) •1 cup milk (warm) •1 Tbsp dried active yeast •1 Tbsp sugar •1 Tbsp plain flour DRY INGREDIENTS •4 cups plain flour •1 pinch salt Tbsp canola oil •4 • E xtra oil for frying • E xtra flour for dusting

METHOD 1) Combine the warm water and milk, then add yeast, sugar and 1 Tbsp plain flour in a bowl.

Set aside in a warm part of the kitchen for 20 minutes. The mixture should start bubbling and look like a sponge on the top.

2) I n a bowl, combine four cups of plain flour, salt and the canola oil. Slowly add the yeast sponge to the dry mix. Fold together gently and – I can’t stress this enough – do not over mix or knead. I’m not sure why, could be humidity, but sometimes you may need an extra little bit of flour if too wet, or water if too dry – go by look and feel. over the bowl with cling wrap or a plate and 3) C leave to proof in a warm part of the kitchen for approx. 1 hour. The dough will double in size.

4) R emove dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured bench. Gently roll it out to a 2cm thickness and cut into desired size (50mmx50mm is about right).

5) L eave for another 15mins to rise again.

6) H eat frying oil to 165°C/330f. With a slotted metal spatula, gently lower the dough pieces into the hot oil – do not over crowd the deep fryer/pot. After a few minutes, the breads will float and start going golden.

7) F lip over and give them another few minutes.

8) O nce cooked, remove from oil and drain on a paper towel.

9) S erve with hangi or plum jam.

Wet hessian sacks and foil can be used to cover the trays.

“There will be juices collected in the meat tray – we pour this off and save it as the base stock for a hangi leftover pie, which is next level!”

stuffing. Then wrap all three trays tightly in tinfoil together. I use multiple layers to ensure there are no holes – you want the whole lot to be airtight to not let any steam escape.

Step 6: Place the trays into the barbecue directly above the horseshoes and coals, cover the trays with wet hessian sacks and then close the lid.

I aim for a barbecue temperature of around 350f.

Traditionally, now would be a great time to open a beer, have a yarn with the hāngi pit crew, sing a few songs when the uncles pull out the guitars etc, so if you don’t want to mess with tradition – do that!

Step 7: At approximately 1.5 hours in, I noticed the temperature had dropped to 320f, so I took the grill out of the barbecue and gave the horseshoes a tickle up with the gas flame thrower – it worked a treat! Adding a lit chimney of coals will serve this purpose also.

What your food should look like when stacked inside the BBQ hangi.

Step 8: At the three hour mark, it is time to take your hāngi from the barbecue (remembering to use heat proof gloves) and remove the layers of tinfoil. The room will instantly fill with authentic hāngi aromas and as the steam clears, your perfectly cooked hāngi will present itself.

There will be juices collected in the meat tray – we pour this off and save it as the base stock for a hāngi leftover pie, which is next level!

Step 9: Serve with fry bread (see recipe on the left) to your friends and whanau!

As far as satisfying cooks go, this barbecue hāngi rates very highly and is also a cost-effective way to feed a group. For more information or to ask any questions, jump on the Facebook page “The Hangi Pit”.

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STEVE BULLOCK RETIRES AFTER 11 YEARS AT THE HELM Rheem has gone from strength to strength under Steve’s leadership over the last 11 years, and we know that the industry won’t be the same without him.

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hen Steve Bullock started as the General Manager of Rheem NZ 11 years ago, the very first thing he did was remove the three designated carparks for senior management. With his retirement now imminent, it was fitting that one of Steve’s final moves was to rearrange the office to a more open plan environment, with the prime positions given to the people without private offices.

“It doesn’t matter what a person does for a job or what their background is, you can always learn something from people,” Steve explained. “There’s a need for all of us to really respect every single individual, inside the business and with all our customers. I’ve learnt something from even the most difficult, feisty consumers.”

Those who have worked with him can confirm that these stories are a great representation of Steve and how he goes about his business.

He’s as humble as they come, and his thoughts never linger on himself for long.

“At the end of the day, I can’t get too involved with all the detail, so the best job I can do is support the staff. It’s the reverse pyramid… I’m at the bottom trying to support the team as best as I can.”

When we then asked Steve what he’s enjoyed most about the industry over his last 13 years with Rheem, his answer was, unsurprisingly, the people.

“What I found personally is that there’s just an amazing camaraderie in the industry. So, although there are obviously plumbers, merchants and suppliers who are competing with each other around the country, there’s an incredible 22

Rheem off-Site

spirit of cooperation to ensure the best for the customer and solve problems together... We love that engagement we have with the industry.

“People are genuinely friendly, and people are happy to chat to anybody. There’s no kind of hierarchy. From the one-man band plumber to the largest merchant, everyones’ happy to chat and work on solutions together.”

Steve says the industry conferences have been a real highlight for him.

“I’ve had the privilege of attending many of the Master Plumbers and merchant conferences in NZ and overseas. These have been amazing experiences and a lot of fun, but the best part is the friends I’ve made on the trips.”

Another aspect of the industry that Steve has loved is its “hands on” nature. A mechanical engineer by trade, Steve spent the early part of his career working in an oil refinery, which, as he put it, was very complex and extremely large – and this provided quite a contrast to his time at Rheem.

“We’re a true raw material through to finished product manufacturer, but we also deal with a really grassroots, down to earth business that’s never going to be replaced.

We’re always going to need hot water in homes.”

Beyond work, Steve has also found the time to be a family man, keen outdoorsman and dedicated traveller. On two separate occasions, Steve and his wife resigned from their jobs so they could go backpacking for a full year.

“On the first trip we cycled 9,000kms around Europe... and that was for about six months, and then for the other six months we travelled through India and Nepal and Southeast Asia.

“The second trip was in the early 90s and we spent some time in Japan and Korea and then travelled through Africa, literally from top to bottom... Back then, we managed to get through the middle of Africa overland. Now it’s almost impossible.”

While these trips took place prekids, he and his wife have taken the time to travel even after his three girls were born.

“With the children, our first backpacking trip was to China for five weeks. This was just before I joined Rheem. We travelled all around some of the highlights of China, including places where there’s no English spoken, and had a great time there. We also took our kids to South America for five weeks… including the Galapagos Islands. We tramped the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and went to the Iguazu falls… Just an amazing experience.”

On the most recent trip in 2019 with his wife Rowena (just before Covid), they took the train from Chengdu (China) up to Tibet, and then went overland to Kathmandu via Everest Base Camp. It’s clear that Steve doesn’t do things by halves, and I doubt his retirement is going to look much different. With travel on hold for the moment, Steve is looking forward to getting stuck into NZ’s mountain bike trails and Great Walks. He’s already managed to complete a few of these in recent years, but he plans to have ticked them all off before long – and we wouldn’t bet against him.

“I’m really going to miss the Rheem team and the industry, but hope to keep in touch, and hopefully still get an invite to something along the way,” finished Steve, signing off.

Good luck Steve – we’ll miss you too!

Steve and family high up in the Andes near Mt Aconcagua On the Great Wall in China

Steve & Rowena at Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Steve & Rowena at the entrance gate to Chomolungma (Everest) Nature Reserve

At Everest Base Camp (Tibetan side) Above the ruins on the Inca Trail

Rheem proudly supports Save the Kiwi to achieve their goal and take kiwi from endangered to everywhere.

If you’d like to take part and help save New Zealand’s national icon, go to www.savethekiwi.nz/donate Your donation will help hatch and raise kiwi chicks in safety, increase kiwi populations, and protect wild kiwi habitat.

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THE COLORCOTE TRADIE PROFILE w w w. c o l o r c o t e . c o . n z

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Rheem off-Site

BETH & AARON Less than 1% of plumbers are women, so Beth and Aaron Healy may well be one of the only couples in NZ made up of two registered plumbers. Together, along with business partner Tom, they run Pipewise Plumbing and Gasfitting Ltd. For this issue’s ColorCote Tradie Profile, Off-Site Editor Ethan Neville headed around to their place in North Auckland to find out more about their story.

I

met Beth on a still Friday afternoon at her home in Whangaparaoa, and she wasted no time walking me down to their poolside seats.

Her husband Aaron was joining us soon, but there was still plenty to talk about while we waited. As one of the few female plumbers in the country, her story isn’t a common one – and it all started in 2012 when she decided to make a career change.

“I was managing an office, and couldn’t see myself working in an

office for the rest of my life. I have a few friends and family in the trade and they said you should give it a go, so I contacted a plumbing company and they were keen to take me on,” she explained.

While this sounds pretty straightforward, Beth’s context probably was a bit different to most other apprentice tradies. As a solo mother, her starting wage of $11.50 per hour had to cover her rent, car and day care for her daughter.

“I showed up for my first day, and nobody had been told I had been

“Once everyone realised I was willing to work hard, I became just one of the guys.”

employed… My boss told Pete that he was taking me out, and he asked, ‘So is this kind of work experience thing?’ and I said, ‘No this is the first day of my job,’ and he said, ‘Wow, that’s great.’

“We had to crawl under the house and Pete was a bit unsure, but once he saw me dive straight into it, it was all good. Once everyone realised I was willing to work hard, I became just one of the guys.”

I was interested to hear what it was like for Beth as the only woman on most construction sites, assuming, of course, that I was about to hear a few stories of prejudice and lewd joking – but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

“I feel like people wanted there to be a big mean nasty thing that happened. I even did a Seven Sharp thing on females on the trades, and they put us on these t-shirts that said “hire a wifey” and they tried to portray us as being treated poorly.

But none of us had been.

“We have all been treated fairly…

It’s epic – I love being a female plumber. I won the respect of my peers. The guy Pete that I did my first day with is now even one our staff.”

There are some experiences,

Beth and Aaron spend as much time in the outdoors as possible. off-Sitenz

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The result of another great day on the water.

however, that are definitely unique to Beth.

“I sat my registration exam 36 weeks pregnant. It was hilarious.

There were 100 plumbers in there and I was waddling around.”

Fittingly, it was around now that Aaron arrived, bringing with him a couple of beers and a cider.

He was still in his tradie uniform – an orange high vis singlet – and neither me nor Beth turned down the offer of refreshment.

The conversation then became a bit less about business and a bit more about fishing, but this didn’t come as a surprise. As seems to be a common theme with plumbers, both Aaron and Beth are fishing mad.

What a normal date looks like for Beth and Aaron.

Beth has spent her fair share of time on constructions sites.

Their current rig is an Osprey 750HT, which they chose after doing some hands on research at the Hutchwilco Boat Show earlier this year. Aaron has been doing kingfish pilgrimages to the Far North for years, and is now a regular on the West Coast and Hauraki Gulf. Beth’s fishing journey started earlier than Aaron’s, having been introduced to the sport by her family as a kid. Before she met Aaron, she even used to go surfcasting on her own because she didn’t have a boat – and she’s still as keen as ever. So, as you might expect, fishing played a central role in a key part of their relationship.

“I got a ring,” Aaron explained, “and I was going to ask to her to

marry me when we got our first marlin. I had the ring in the side pocket of the boat as we were trolling, but we didn’t get one. Beth thought I was getting cold feet after a few months, but it was just that we couldn’t get a marlin.”

When the Chesters Fishing Comp was approaching, Aaron decided enough was enough and proposed on their way down to Hicks Bay. Beth said yes, and the weekend only got better from there.

“I won the fishing comp for biggest kingie – and while I was pregnant!” Beth laughed. “The fish was railing me, and I wanted a gimbal and to loosen the drag, and Aaron (Aaron Sargent – the wellknown charter skipper) wouldn’t let

The old family boat in action.

me – and then I said after we had the fish in, ‘You know I’m pregnant right?’ and he had no idea.

“It was 22kg – you’re not meant to do heavy lifting while you’re pregnant and that was the heaviest load I’ve ever lifted… It was an epic weekend.”

With fishing well and truly covered, we turned the conversation back to Pipewise, the plumbing business Aaron and Beth own together with their business partner Tom. “I worked for DL Good Plumbers for 20 years and I was one of their head foremen, and I ran some of their big projects like Wiri prison,” Aaron told me. “I got to the end of that and I thought it was time

“We tell them they’re our number one priority, so don’t worry about finances.

You create a culture in your staff where they pride themselves on showing up on time and working hard...”

for something new. Tom, who also worked for DL Good, had left as well and started Pipewise. With raising young kids, I thought it was the right time to join him.”

Tom and Aaron’s first conversation about going into business together was actually on Aaron’s stag do, Beth added (they were in Paihia fishing, of course).

“Shortly after the stag do we worked out the details. The wedding was in March, and we officially bought half the business in August. We got into finding young guys and training them up. We’ve trained all our staff – except for Pete. They’re a really good bunch of guys.

“I find that working together with

Aaron and Tom is great, we all have our areas we work on, and we are all passionate about people and culture. We really want to look after our people. It’s not just the owners – it’s all of us. Tom and Aaron would never ask the guys to do anything they wouldn’t do themselves, and they jump on the tools when they need to.”

Interestingly, all of their staff are under 25 apart from Pete.

“It’s nice – it’s almost like a pastoral role,” said Beth. “They come to us with problems almost like they’d come to Mum and Dad.” “A lot of the team have mentioned that it’s like a family,” Aaron agreed.

“A few of the guys

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Aaron spends most of his spare time on the water fishing or in the bush hunting.

have had serious issues, and we’ve made it clear that the time off is not an issue. We tell them they’re our number one priority, so don’t worry about finances.

“You create a culture in your staff where they pride themselves on showing up on time and working hard, and you don’t need to be that authority figure. And when you build that culture in a company, then it’s amazing.”

It was quickly becoming clear that Beth and Aaron are both genuinely caring people, who take their responsibility as business owners seriously. With this in mind, I was interested to see how they managed to squeeze family and fishing time into what is already a busy schedule.

“We try keep work during the week, and work hard to not work

weekends. We also try keep Friday arvo free so we can knock off early if we need to,” Beth told me.

“We try not to commit to too much, so when those under 10 knot days come, we can be able to just go. All those great things – snowboarding, hunting, fishing – it’s hard to book in advance,” Aaron continued.

“In another two or three years we think we’ll have the flexibility to do more fishing but right now the company is so involved that we don’t have the chance. We don’t quite have the work/life balance sorted, but we’re on our road there.”

“The ultimate goal,” Beth added, “is to be less involved and getting the business to a point where we can free up our time. Some people say you should be buying a rental property and so on, but we say

we’re young now and we’re working to live, not living to work.”

“At the end of the day,” Aaron concluded, “you don’t get to the end of your life and remember all the piping you’ve done. It’s the experiences – an epic surf or hunting day. And the more of those memories you can have, the better your life is.”

That sounded about right to me, and with a couple of empties now on the table in front of us, I decided that was the perfect end to the afternoon. I said my goodbyes, and left happy – it’s great to know there are business owners, tradies and parents like Aaron and Beth out there.

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Paddleboarding

TIME TO STAND UP Go to any New Zealand beach, bay or lake, and you will see them – stand up paddleboards, aka SUPs, are everywhere. For the last ten years they have been common on our waters in a range of formats, writes Steve Dickinson.

I

t is difficult to pinpoint when and where modern stand-up paddling really began. But current stand-up has become such a varied sport it defies a strict definition because they are used in so many different ways.

The two things that seem constant are people standing while paddling a surf or pointed-style craft and using a paddle to move that craft around.

Paddleboarding in some form or another has been around for thousands of years. Early cultures in Africa, the Americas, Asia and South America used planks, boards, canoes and other floating vessels in combination with a long stick, a spear or a paddle to fish, for transportation, and to even surf waves. For thousands of years, South American fishermen used a craft called a Caballitos de Totora, which means ‘little reed horses’ – a small boat made of reeds that apparently offers a similar experience to riding a horse.

They used a wooden shaft similar to an extended kayak paddle for both fishing and surfing, and some believe this is the true root of all surfing.

In the West, paddleboarding was originally used as a way to get around and access more remote areas, but it did not take long for riders to start taking them into the surf. Because of its volume and extra generation of power, it was a lot easier to catch

waves both big and small.

Four paddleboard options All-round boards are typically thicker and wider, which provides stability, so are more appropriate for the beginner. They tend to be between 80cm-90cm wide and 10cm-20cm thick. The nose and tail of the board will usually be round and wide to help with stability. These boards are the middle ground – they do everything easily but are not specific to one thing. They are clearly aimed to get you on the water having fun.

Some can be fitted with a windsurf rig and others with a box for fishing.

They are very easy to learn to stand up on and anyone can use them.

Touring boards are made for flatwater, open ocean paddling, and ‘down-winders’ (this is becoming really popular and involves going from one location to another with the wind behind you). They are typically longer than all-round boards, and often have a sharper nose to help the board slice through the water.

‘The glide’ with down-wind is the Holy Grail of paddleboarding. This is where you ride one swell (not a wave) to another on the open ocean. I have seen the great Kai Lenny do this in Fiji for five kms non-stop. Most touring board sizes vary from 12’-14’, some up

to as long as 18’ in length and 28”-34” wide. The longer downwind boards are often narrower to increase the glide and decrease the drag, but they become more unstable. Some also have an internal rudder system, but these are not as popular currently.

Race boards are designed for speed and performance. They are similar in shape to touring and downwind boards but slightly wider.

It is a constant compromise between buoyancy and drag. Race boards tend to either be 12’ or 14’ long as these are race standards. And often like sailing, the competition involves racing around series of buoys, dealing with upwind, crosswind and downwind conditions. There are a number of clubs around that offer comps on a regular basis.

Surf boards (not surfboards) are another option. SUPs and surfers have not always got on – SUPs can pick up waves a lot earlier than surfers, and in crowded surf breaks, they can catch more waves and be back out the back quicker than a surfer, so this causes some confrontation. But on a paddleboard, you do not need ideal conditions and often now paddleboarders will avoid crowded breaks for a less popular wave but with more room for them to move. Surf stand-up paddleboards are typically shorter,

Paddleboards have been used in more extreme settings in recent years.

have a narrower nose and tail and more rocker (curve). Lately they have evolved, incorporating graphite and becoming incredibly light. The narrow shape makes the board much more manoeuvrable on a wave. A lot of the world’s top paddleboarders are now doing big airs similar to surfers.

Lastly, to meet the needs of those who like to do more than one aspect of the sport, there are the crossover boards. These have been designed to try and make a single board for all disciplines. It once again is all about compromise and it is difficult to find a board to use for all

Paddleboards are also great for recreational use on calm days.

occasions, but there are some on the market. What works for touring may not really work for surf and what works for surf may not be right for downwind. But I guess it’s all about looking for what you really need and for what you will use it for most.

Solid vs Inflatable Not all boards are made equal but the key difference between board types is solid vs inflatable.

Historically, solid stand-up paddleboards were always going to be more efficient through the water as they did not flex at all. They also

had sharper and harder rails (the edge of the board) which made for better performance in and through the water. These more defined rails will be more evident on the surf and race boards and will make the board faster. People will argue that this is still the case but there are now highly technical inflatable boards on which you would really not notice the difference. For example, RED boards have been leading the way for years now and are an outstanding inflatable product. Solid boards, depending on what they are made of, are often heavier. Solid also equals

Paddleboards with foils is another recent development.

harder and thus if you fall on a solid board, the landing is less forgiving.

Inflatable boards used to be ‘pigs’, but now they have caught up in terms of performance. The biggest feature is that they can be deflated and packed away, which is great when storing it in your car, boat, campervan etc. They are also less likely to cause damage to your car or boat. Personally, I have both inflatable and solid boards, and both are great.

Historically, inflatable boards also

had issues with not being able to be inflated hard enough and sometimes even getting punctures. Those days have now gone. Once again, it is horses for courses. If you need a board you can deflate and throw in the van, inflatable is a perfect choice.

What size board do you need?

There are calculators online and basic rules of thumb, but basically the variables are so many that none of

them really work. The best option is to go and hire a board and try it out and then decide where you are going to use it and work backwards from there. Most specialised stores can help you out with this process.

Lastly, it is the law that you wear a lifejacket of some sort. You can buy a belt you wear, which is the easiest option. Make sure you wear a leg rope, should you fall off at sea and your board drifts away from you – you will be amazed how quickly it disappears. If wearing a leg-rope in fast flowing water, be very aware of boats and other immovable objects in the water that you could get tangled on should you fall off. Make sure you know how to get the leg rope off quickly if you need too.

Paddleboarding continues to evolve with the recent addition of foiling, but start with the basics. You don’t need a lesson – just get a board right for you and practice, be prepared to fall in, and the rest is just fun!

TRADIE

TRAILERS

www.fortresstrailers.co.nz

off-site

Tradie Story

SURFING WITH THE STOICS Whangamata builder Rowan Crowe spends most of his spare time surfing and, more recently, shaping his new board. He reflects on the philosophical side of riding waves, choosing tools and learning to accept what he can and can’t control.

“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can clearly say to myself – which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control.

Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own…” — Epictetus, Discourses, 2.5.4–5

C

ontrol is a fascinating concept, and it’s always interested me. This fascination eventually led me to Epictetus and the rest of the Stoic Philosophers.

The single most important practice in Stoic philosophy is differentiating between what we can change and what we can’t.

When it comes to surfing, this

Photo: @mauritz.boehm

is such a great psychological tool to have in our brain’s toolbox. We have zero control over the weather, swell, wind, tides and rips. However, we do have control over when we go surfing, the boards we ride, the wetsuits we wear and our strategy once we are in the water.

When I first started surfing, I would paddle out with a board that wasn’t right for the type of swell or I would borrow a board that was clearly too small for me. I conveniently found myself blaming the waves for my lack of success.

Like most new endeavours, I had to learn the hard way.

For me, my main goal of surfing is to have fun by catching waves.

It’s a pretty simple task. My job as a builder is quite similar. Some tasks

are rather easy but if I don’t have the right tool for that job then it can become horrible quickly. Trying to pull a nail out without a dogyu bar is almost impossible. Similarly, expecting to catch knee high waves on the east coast with a shortboard will likely cause you to curse the very being of existence.

The setup in my car is amazing: tools on one side, boards on the other. It’s the perfect beachtown scenario. I have a short performance board that is great for when the waves have some size and a 9ft longboard that I’m borrowing from my brother-in-law for the ripples that we mostly get on the east coast. While having boards on both ends of the spectrum is great, living at the extremes isn’t always healthy.

The blank canvas ready to be shaped.

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Getting the mixture perfect isn’t easy.

Rowan’s mate Barend Buekes from Pink Zinc on the tools.

To balance them out, I decided to invest into a midsized board. So, I called on my friend Barend Buekes.

He’s the chef and co-owner of Port Road Project Café, but in his spare time he also shapes boards under the name Pink Zinc. Over the past few summers I have had a blast surfing my friend’s Mini Simmons style board. I wanted to make one like that. If boards could procreate, imagine a longboard and a boogie board had a wild night out and gave birth to a bastard child named Mini Simmons.

On Thursday evenings when our children were unconscious, we would head to his shaping bay.

He would do all the work. My very important role was taking photos and making sure the playlist was keeping his spirits high. Turns out jazz legend Dave Brubeck brought

“I underestimated the effort and time that goes into making a surfboard. It’s not easy to shape the polystyrene, to get the resin the right mix so the outside temperature doesn’t set it off too quick...”

the highest of spirits (although it may have actually been the resin we were breathing in). We also roped in Dylan Care, who is the school woodwork teacher and instigator of the Whangamatā Area School Surf Academy, and he brought his glassing knowledge from his past life of shaping surfboards under the name of 23 Surfboards.

Over a few evenings we worked on my new board. It’s been a crazy process. I underestimated the effort and time that goes into making a surfboard. It’s not easy to shape the polystyrene, to get the resin the right mix so the outside temperature doesn’t set it off too quick, and then to cut the fiberglass cloth to fit right. Mixing the colours into the resin was my favourite part. I based them on a Matisse painting called Polynesia, The Sea. If

Rowan based his colour choices on a Matisse painting called Polynesia, The Sea. my part-time-surfing-in-my-lunchbreak-career doesn’t work out then at least I will have a snazzy looking surfboard to brighten up a wall in our lounge.

The board still has a few more

Photo: @mauritz.boehm 36

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WE WANT YOU! RHEEM OFF-SITE IS ALL ABOUT FEATURING THE OUTDOOR TALES THAT TRADIES HAVE TO TELL. Tradies, Rheem off-Site is your magazine. Send us in a yarn about a recent adventure for a chance to see it printed in the next issue.

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WORK HARD

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ISSUE 27 2021 NOV/DEC

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TALK TO US SO WE CAN SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH OTHERS. Ethan Neville 021 176 1366 ethan@nzfishingnews.co.nz

Mixing the colours into the resin was Rowan’s favourite part of the process.

glassing and sanding sessions before I take it for its maiden voyage in the soon to be warm waters of Whangamatā.

Through this lengthy process of making this surfboard I have realised that if not for the company I keep this would never have been a possibility. The impact of the people close to me opened me up to experience that I probably wouldn’t have pursued myself.

There is a saying that reads, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

That could be in person, authors you enjoy or the philosophers you follow. There is a lot we can’t control in our life but the relationships we

choose can really affect our day to day reality. Life is suffering, so picking good people to be around us can make a huge difference.

Controlling the information that enters our brain is crucial. It blows my mind that I am able to learn about somebody’s life work on a subject in only a few hours while sitting on my couch. I am forever grateful to the Stoics for kindly sharing their ideas to help me understand what is in my control.

So as the weather keeps warming up and summer is in full swing, I look forward to choosing to spend my time with good people. And now I have no excuse for picking the wrong board for the swell.

“It blows my mind that I am able to learn about somebody’s life work on a subject in only a few hours while sitting on my couch. “