Waterline December 2017 by Sun Media

BOAT | F I S H | WAT E R S P OR T NZ

Mark Hey

SU M M E R 2 017 /18

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The region’s favourite watersport and boating magazine, Waterline, has re-launched for its 22nd birthday. Bigger, brighter and with increased circulation, Waterline is making more of a splash in the booming marine market, with a new look and a wider reach. It’s the flagship of the region’s boating community, embraced by clubs, active boat owners, fishos, divers and watersports enthusiasts.

New non-toxic anti-fouling

Good men on the bar

Big game on the fly

A dive school for all specialties

Kite boarding

A Grand Banks masterpiece

Fundraising for boats

Piratical goings on behind Karewa

Giant rat found on Ohinau

150 years of brown trout

For all enquiries contact: Kathy Sellars on 07 928 3053 kathy@sunmedia.co.nz

www.waterline.co.nz waterlinenz Editor: Brian Rogers Advertising: Leah Rogers and Jo Delicata

Graphic Design: SunMedia Ltd

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

waterline Dec 17

Fishing with kids this summer Bo Beaufill

Kids can have short attention spans. In a sport that involves patience and calm, this can be difficult to cope with. How can you entertain your children while also enjoying fishing? Summer is the perfect time to get out and enjoy your favourite sport, but some may wonder how to make it work while keeping the little ones happy. There are lots of ways to switch up the game to keep them on their toes, and make the event more fun for everyone involved. A general tip is to keep things simple. Children don’t need to be taught the ins and outs of the sport. In fact, going on about it may turn them off the idea. Instead, teach them as they go. Make sure any venture you go on this summer is easy enough for your kids to get in on without complex explanations and instructions - particularly with newcomers. Make sure to keep them fed and hydrated, as hungry and thirsty children will be less compliant and interested. Keep plenty of food and fresh water handy, especially out on a boat. Appetites can change depending on sea sickness, particularly in children. Children are also very quick to get bored.

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IMAGE BOATS TOUR DATES December 2017 27-28 Dec Whanganui 29-31 Dec New Plymouth January 2018 1-3 Jan Taupo 4-6 Jan Rotorua 7-8 Jan Tauranga 9-12 Jan Whitianga 13-14 Jan Auckland 15-16 Jan Whangarei 17-21 Jan Bay of Islands 22 Jan Hastings 23 Jan Wellington 24 Jan Picton 25 Jan Kaikoura 26 Jan Christchurch 27 Jan Moeraki 28 Jan Invercargill

w w w. i m a g e b o a t s . c o . n z 4

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The trick is to keep ventures short and sweet. Don’t insist on the kind of fishing that can take up hours. Parents should also allow their kids to play alone. Some people are quick to help their children reel in a fish, but many kids won’t enjoy this. Instead, let them enjoy the success of bringing in a fish all on their own, or teach them about accepting the loss of a fish breaking off. This is, after all, what fishing is all about. During the summer, many organisations like to throw events directed towards children. Most fishing clubs have a kid’s tournament during the summer, with plenty of prizes to tempt your children with. Kids often love getting competitive, as well as an opportunity to win something. Use this to your advantage. You can find the dates to these tournaments on club websites, where they should have a schedule of upcoming tournaments or a calendar. Often, tournaments don’t need to be for kids for them to participate. Many clubs include small fry sections into their competitions to let the little ones have a go. Sign-up for a few general tournaments, and both you and your kids can have some fun. Parents can also contact their local fishing clubs and ask about what’s going on around town. Fishing clubs are often knowledgeable and willing to help.

Leah Rogers enjoys the more social side of wakeboarding with Wakeboard Waikato.

Waikato wakeboarder Dale Smith has started off a model that answers a big question – how to get in contact with an owner of a wakeboarding boat? He created Wakeboard Waikato, which Dale says focusses more on the social side compared with the national body Wakeboard NZ, which is more competition-oriented. “The grass roots side of the sport is what we encourage – the people who don’t want to compete,” says Dale. “But we accommodate the one who are right in competition as well. “We set up events to teach people how to wakeboard. For people who can wakeboard, I’ll try and get them more coaching if they want it then progress their riding. “The sessions I’m running this year I’m calling progressive riding sessions. If they come out during one of the sessions and they land a new trick at the end of the season, we are going to have a raffle. For each new trick that they land during the season, they will get one entry into the prize draw raffle. “It’s designed to encourage people to try and progress their riding.” So how does he attract wakeboat owners? “I ask them very nicely,” says Dale. “I don’t own a boat but last year we were running a ‘wakeboard league’ social competition. It was good to get something started. “I told people I didn’t own a boat but I wanted to create something they would find useful. I got in touch with them all. Luckily for me this was something they wanted to be involved in.

Scott Rabone.

There’s no pressure on it, and they don’t need to commit. “All the money involved goes to the drivers to cover their costs.” Dale wasn’t able to ride last summer as he was recovering from a few injuries, but this summer he’s back on the water and looking at implementing the another part of the development plan, asking other people to help out. “What I did last year was quite a lot of work and it was a bit stressful, whereas this year I’ve changed it, so it is easier to manage. It’s a lot more stable now. “It’s gone from strength-to-strength. This year I will be asking people to help out and volunteer their time, which people have already offered. This way we can continue to progress the sport. “Nobody’s ever done it. I don’t think there’s anywhere in the world where they are creating something like this. “I like to think it’s making a difference and getting more people out there enjoying it.” He also says he’s been very fortunate to have volunteers donate time and companies donate prizes. And there is an open invitation for anyone interested in helping to get in touch via the wakeboard Waikato Facebook page. “The support I’ve had so far has been amazing. I’m extremely grateful,” says Dale. “WW has been using public boat ramps when running events in the past, but WW now has a physical base to hold events in the form of Brooklyn Water Ski Club at Lake Karapiro. It’s a great club and has so much to offer.”

Brody Gibbs.

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Upgrades at Tauranga marina hardstand Tauranga Marina Society’s hardstand at Sulphur Point is in the process of undergoing a major upgrade. Completed over the last five months, the public facility has been re-surfaced with 40mm of asphalt. New slot drains have also been installed as well as renewed power and water supply. The new power system offers 16, 32 and 60-amp outlets for vessels to plug directly into, allowing fridges and battery chargers to remain plugged in. Additionally, power pedestals offer lots of conventional points to plug power leads into. Marina Manager Greg Prescott says: “Our customers value the environment and requested additional slot drains. “If you are wet sanding the bottom of your boat and all the debris runs into the ground, the slot drains capture all of that and run it into the environmental system, so we are keeping our marina and the harbour tidier.”

TAURANGA MARINA 6

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Tauranga Marina Society’s new look hardstand.

They have also built a new tractor shed, with a sand-blasting bay is under construction. Future investment on the hardstand is a roll-over style shelter. “We are going to start trialling one or two of those - maybe next summer - to see how that goes,” says Greg. “There’s

been a lot of call for that. People are quite happy to be outside, but they like to have that simple shelter over the top of them.” The multi-hull haul-out facility will also be updated. “It currently caters for some of the multi-hulls around the harbour, but not the bigger, more modern boats. “We are going to be looking at how we can best handle those guys going into the future.” The marina society is looking to the 40-50ft cruising catamarans with families or a couples on board who are cruising the world. “They want to get out of hurricane season, come down here, haul out and get their maintenance done,” says Greg. “Whangarei has done an awesome job of getting that market and I think it would be beneficial to the marine industry down here if we could get some of that market too, even if it’s 10-15 boats a year.” For booking enquiries, contact Greg on 07 578 8747.

New non-toxic anti-fouling The latest developments in anti-fouling are re-writing the rules about anti-fouling coatings, how they work and how they are applied. For decades, anti-fouling coatings’ efficacy has been measured by how toxic the brew is – how many marine species will die before the toxicity declines to the point where they begin to gain a foothold on the hull? Former generations liberally swathed their hulls in smelly concoctions wearing shorts and jandals. Nowadays they’ve been replaced by hooded paint suits, fume masks and rubber gloves. But the latest step in anti-fouling coatings may be about to set the health and safety clock back. There’s two of the new systems being sold in New Zealand, both offering five years or more, compared with the standard two-year life time of anti-fouling paints. They are both based on adhesive films stuck to the hulls. They are Micanti Antifoul, and Hamilton-based Marine Protection Solutions. Former Tauranga-based charter operator Simon Hamer is the New Zealand agent for Micanti, operating as Antifoul Alternatives Ltd. Marine Protection Solutions is operating out of Hamilton, with Glenn and Mitchell Clough as directors. Micanti antifoul is a self-adhesive film applied to the hull, not a paint, and is sold with a guaranteed life of five years. The system is a nylon fibre, polyester film and a two-component water based adhesive. Dr Rik Breur, from the Delft University of Technology, found that marine species such as mussels and barnacles always need a certain open area to settle. By creating a surface of micro fibres, this settlement is prevented. The first vessel in New Zealand to install Micanti is ‘Soundsgood’ - a 34ft steel Ganley owned by Etienne Messikommer. “I am intending to sail ‘Soundsgood’ around the world and the last thing I want is to leave a trail of toxic waste in my wake,” says Etienne, “so when I was introduced to Micanti Antifoul I was immediately enthusiastic.” However, a product such as an antifouling system has to also be effective as well as environmentally friendly, particularly for a vessel intending such a long voyage. The terms non-toxic and antifouling would appear to be contradictory, but Micanti is effective against marine organisms due to its physical, rather than its chemical characteristics. It consists of a microfibre of nylon hairs that organisms simply cannot adhere to. It is supplied in a roll of self-adhesive material that can be applied safely and without any environmental issues, either by the boat owner or by approved applicators. The second vessel to have the product applied is Simon’s 18m sailing catamaran ‘South Sea Vagabond’, currently sailing a charter operation in Vanuatu. Simon says she will be an ideal test bed for the product, clocking up several thousand nautical miles in a variety of conditions and waters, before returning to New Zealand in December for the cyclone season. Marine Protection Solutions has test boats at marinas around the country, including on Bridge Marina Travel Lift director Bruce Goodchap’s yacht Redline. “We’ve got two different types,” says Mitchell. “We have got a flow fouling, which is a flocking type film similar to what Simon Hamer has, and we’ve also got a high performance silicon which is what is on Bruce’s boat.”

The first vessel in New Zealand to install Micanti antifoul wrap is Etienne Messikommer’s 34ft steel Ganley ‘Soundsgood’ – here re-entering the water.

A closer look at the antifouling wrap on Soundsgood.

The high performance film lasts up to five years and boasts nine per cent less friction in the water at 20 knots than conventional anti fouling. It self-cleans at eight knots or can be chamois washed or with a light water blasting. “We’ve had samples in marinas around the country for up to 15 months now,” adds Mitchell. “The longest in Opua as a static test still has hardly any growth on it. These are European films that have been in Europe for the last six or so years.” As an alternative, it’s not for every boat. Caulked planked hulls are out, but splined and glassed is okay. Hulls that do over 40 knots are also out - not that there’s many of them about. The Marine Protection Solutions film is applied only by certified installers at this point. “It’s not an easy job to apply. It’s like vinyl wrapping - you can’t just pick up a squeegee and a heat gun and do a vinyl wrap on a boat or a car,” says Mitchell. “It’s not like picking up a paint brush. There’s a fair bit to it and you have to make sure the application has got to be as good as you can get it, because if there is an area on there you are not confident about then it’s probably going to come back and bite you.” Previous anti-fouling has to be removed and the hull re-primed. The wrap goes over the top of Interlux Primocon or International Interprotect as a tie coat. For more information visit https://nzmps.co.nz/ and www.micanti.com, or email antifoulalternatives@gmail.com Andrew Campbell

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Good men on the bar Keely Muir

I would consider myself fortunate that, for all the hours I have spent on board boats, I have never needed the services of the Coastguard. Whether because of good safety practices or just good luck, until recently my knowledge of the Coastguard has been minimal. Nigel Griffiths, the president of the Waiuku Unit, allowed me the opportunity to spend time on-board NZ Steel Rescue, to learn what being a Coastguard member is all about. Before departure down the Waikato River I am handed a full kit of wet weather gear, a life vest, and given a briefing for on-board safety procedures. Ross Tait (vice president) is at the helm, Karl Dickey on navigation and Nigel is there to provide me with a full commentary on all things Coastguard. Nigel has been with the Waiuku Coastguard for nine years, is one of the unitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skippers and was recently elected as a member of the Coastguard NZ Board. His knowledge and passion for his service is endless, and all three crew members on-board give me the feeling that I am in very safe hands. Ross Tait has been with this unit for 10 years, and tells me the longest serving member with the Waiuku crew is

42 Dive Cres, Tauranga | 07 571 1161

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Ross Tait, Nigel Griffiths, Karl Dickey on board NZ Steel Rescue.

Richard Udy, who has served for around 44 years. Karl Dickey is currently the rep for Tasman Operations, who set the direction for all Coastguard units in the Waiuku, Papakura, Titirangi, Raglan and Kaipara areas. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been with the Waiuku unit for five years. Waiuku itself is situated 12 kilometres north of the mouth of the Waikato River. It is also located 8.4 kilometres from Kariotahi beach on the west coast. With that much water around, it is easy to decipher that the Waiuku Coastguard have a lot of area to cover. The full operational area is Manukau Harbour and the Waikato River up to Huntly. Once out to sea they cover up to Kaipara 42nm from the Manukau bar and down to Raglan, 25nm from the port Waikato River bar and 12nm out to sea.

Nigel Griffiths.

Keely Muir.

Waiuku Coastguard currently have 30 active members, consisting of wet crew (rescuers) with six skippers among them, and dry crew (field officers). Recruits are taken once a year and it can take up to a year or longer to become a fully qualified Coastguard member. Given that members have their own jobs to attend, practice with the crew once a week in all weather and are on call for Coastguard duty, I was very appreciative of the time they were giving me. Even though our trip along the river could be deemed a ‘pleasure cruise’, the crew discuss the sights around them, showing their attention for detail. They point out the new channel markers that have been added, allowing safer passage for vessels. As we cruise closer to the bar, the crew decide it’s not worth crossing today, as it is fairly rough. “Unlike swimming on the coastline, you look for the calm water to cross a bar,” says Nigel. “Today there is little calm, and the risk just isn’t worth taking. “Easter two years ago was a very busy time for us, having call outs from both the Manukau and River bars. “We were sent in search of two fishermen on the Waikato bar. We successfully located the upturned vessel, but unfortunately never located the men. “It is very hard coming into port and having to give waiting family members bad news.” The unit trains every week no matter the weather conditions, and make use of both the river and harbour waters for their exercises. “The river is uncharted, so we need to spend a fair amount of time there making sure we are familiar with the shifting sand banks,” said Nigel. “We also use the river for our in-water survivability training. It’s swift moving, colder and less buoyant water really tests our crew. Training in our search techniques are best done in the harbour’s larger, open areas. This includes navigation with charts and lights. “The Papakura channel is an area in the Manukau Harbour notorious for chopping up quick. It can be perfectly calm one minute, then totally change for the worse.” One such call for help in this area went out one April evening at around 5pm when a fisherman spotted a 12-foot aluminium boat adrift in the channel. Vessels from Papakura, Waiuku, Titirangi and Auckland air patrol were all part of the search to locate the missing father and daughter. Hours later, in darkness and mist, the eight-year-old girl was retrieved from the water. With no life jacket, she had been bravely treading water for four hours. The body of the father was located several days later. The teams involved were awarded the Rescue of the Year at the recent Coastguard Northern Region Awards ceremony as well as Coastguard NZ awards, for their dedication in their search for the girl. My time on-board NZ Steel Rescue reminded me of the importance of skipper responsibility while out on the water, and following simple measures like marine weather checks, providing sufficient life jackets, and the avoidance of alcohol.

Ross Tait.

Letting someone on shore know of your intentions and having communication equipment on board are all important factors in achieving a positive outcome should an emergency occur. My time with the Waiuku Coastguard also provided me with an insight into how much effort and commitment Coastguard members contribute to their service, ensuring there is a confident and experienced team available should a call for help be heard.

Nigel Griffiths taking NZ Steel Rescue for a spin.

Some of the essential communication equipment located on board.

Navigation and communication equipment on board. waterline Dec 17

Unexpectedly in Nuku’alofa Jonathan Martins’ expected return to Tauranga in November is delayed by an unexpected event on the voyage from Tahiti. The paraplegic solo sailor’s previous stop was Tahiti, where repaired a failing shroud on the yacht that he’s sailed solo from England. His next ‘incident’ was a bit of a knock down while running under reduced sail in 30-40knots with three to four metre seas and the occasional cross sea. A cross sea struck Little Minx abeam at night. “It wasn’t a knockdown but more of what happens in a broach,” says Jonathan. “Albeit the mast having never touched the water (I assume), I wound up laying on the back side of the saloon table for a second or so, before returning to the floor, where I ‘live’ by the companion way during offshore passages. “There was, of course, water everywhere, and an annoying buzzing alarm: the autopilot’s control unit in the cockpit had given up the ghost.” He was about 100 miles west, downwind of Rarotonga. He hand steered for half a day before heaving to, for two nights, he thinks. “Meanwhile I was battened down below, trying to put everything that flew around back in its place and also hold down the meals of canned vegetable Raviolli. The damage was really minor: a tear on the mainsail, broken battens, the autopilot flooded and for some reason the hard-disk on the laptop also gave up the ghost along with the bluetooth GPS.” He didn’t have the CMAPS charts, but he had paper charts and

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Jonathan Martins’ homeward voyage has been diverted.

a sextant - and an Android Tablet with basic charts of the South Pacific and ability to send emails. He was able to contact friends in Australia to ship a new autopilot to Tonga, the next downwind port. “When the swells subsided to a more humane condition, the infamous bungy made its return, and once again we were sailing and steering with the power of the wind, just like in the Pelican voyage. “Nuku’alofa has been incredibly delightful, albeit with skepticism from a few friends that have been here before. Tongan humour is one I very much sympathise with and the most interesting fact is that NO dogs on the street ever bark at my wheels: a first worldwide. “Generosity from the local computer store gifted me a used hard-drive for the ol’ laptop and we were back in business. Just waiting on the autopilot that’s being shipped in now this week.”

Before

After

Before

After

Snapper nursery unproven

There’s no research been done on fish populations at the Tuhua Marine Reserve. Another www.photographics.co.nz stock image. Copyright Chris Parker.

Nailing down whether the Tuhua Marine reserve round the northern side of Mayor Island, is in fact acting as a snapper nursery is going to be difficult to confirm because of its situation, says research team leader professor John Montgomery. The research is based on snapper larvae from the Goat Island Marine Reserve at Leigh. While marine reserves are useful in encouraging biodiversity recovery with the reserves protecting exploited species, a snapper nursery requires a stable adult population as well as a suitable area downstream. “It depends a bit on the area downstream of that appropriate settlement area,” says John. “With Leigh, we studied the area to the north of the reserve. We know the larvae are being washed north of the reserve based on the modelling, but we found it difficult to actually capture newly settled animals up there because it’s just basically a big open surf beach.” The reserve effect was more noticeable south of Goat Island, where there are the harbours and sea grass that provide a settlement habitat. “So those will be the reservations,” says John. “You need a stable population and an area downstream that is effective for post larval settlement.” Further down the track it is something people could take into account in siting new marine reserves, if replenishing snapper stocks was one of the stated objectives. “What we have done is provide an actual look at larval settlement areas and run the models backwards and see where those spawning populations are.” With the spawning populations known, they could be looked after so they basically keep fuelling the larval development areas, says John. The team, including Dr Shane Lavery and former University of Auckland postdoctoral fellow Dr Agnès Le Port, used a combination of genetic testing and hydrodynamic modelling of snapper larvae to determine that a higher proportion of young snapper in fishing areas north of Auckland are related to adult snapper from the Goat Island Marine Reserve. This confirmed what scientists have long suspected – that the reserve acts as a giant snapper nursery. The study from the University of Auckland’s Institute of Marine Science is the first time scientists have studied a temperate commercial fishing species to find evidence of a direct parental link between adults in a marine protected area to juveniles outside.

They found at least 11 per cent of juvenile snapper up to 40km away were the offspring of spawning adults from the reserve at Leigh, whereas no offspring matches were found to adult snapper sampled from non-reserve areas. “The contribution from the reserve is about 10 times higher than would be expected if snapper larval contribution was simply proportional to geographic area,” says John. “Even though the reserve is a tiny percentage of the area studied, it is more than pulling its weight in contributing to snapper populations outside.” An area of 400 square kilometres was included in the study, from Mangawhai in the north to Mahurangi in the south. Goat Island Marine Reserve makes up just 1.3 percent of the area studied. It is a ‘no take’ marine reserve, meaning fishing is strictly prohibited. “This is the first estimate of the larval contribution of adult snapper from the reserve into the surrounding fishery.” Previous research has shown that while snapper move over a wide area, resident snapper within the reserve tend to stay put for some time, forming a significant breeding population of large individuals. “Enough of them stick around within the reserve for our data to show a direct and significant link between the adults in the reserve and the juveniles many kilometres away.” For the research, adult snapper within the reserve were caught, tagged and a fin clip sample taken before being returned to the water. The same technique was then used in non-reserve areas. Professor Montgomery says the hydrodynamic modelling work done for the study is the first time scientists have used the method alongside multiple genetic techniques. “Hydrodynamic computer modelling uses our understanding of tidal currents and wind patterns to predict where snapper larvae end up. “The agreement between predicted dispersal and the genetic matches helps validate the modelling and its potential use in the design of future marine protected areas.”

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Stabicraft 1150 Fisher value for money Mastertech Marine managing director Karl Rastrick says he is very excited about the release of the new Stabicraft 1550 Fisher.

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Featuring a lift-up windscreen that allows easy access to the bow for anchoring and fishing, the 1550 Stabicraft is a gamechanger for small craft. It also comes loaded with other features

such as tackle boxes, a cool Icey Tek chilly bin that slides under the port side seating, a fold-down rear-facing seat behind the driver and raised coamings. It can also fit in most garages, is very easy

for one person to handle on their own and is easy and light to tow, even with a smaller car. On the water, the 1550 Stabicraft is a very safe boat with unmatched stability and safety. “Stabicraft has produced an award-winning craft that suits our clients’ needs exceptionally well,” says Karl. “This is now our biggest selling boat, and for very good reason as it is exceptional value for money. “This craft can have the bung left out, have six people on board, be full of water and still float – it just doesn’t get any safer than that. “The importance of stability is huge when fishing and walking around in the boat, as the boat won’t lean over with shifting weight like a mono hull will and provides a much safer and steadier platform on the water.” It all comes down to years of research, customer feedback and a full-time in-house design team continually developing the product to make Stabicraft the largest aluminium boat manufacturer in New Zealand. The hull is soft-riding and predictable in a variety of conditions, and a 50hp four-stroke will push the very efficient hull design with ease. Mercury Marine makes a very advanced 50hp and 60hp fourstroke that suits the Stabicraft hull very well, with class-leading features, weight, quietness and performance. All Mastertech Mercury-powered packages come with Mercury’s advanced SmartCraft instrumentation and stainless steel propellers as part of the package. Mercury’s performance, efficient fuel consumption and smoothness are all features of the four-cylinder 50hp and 60hp four-strokes that put big smiles on customers’ faces. Mastertech Marine has a range of Stabicraft 1550 models in stock with different levels of specification and engine sizes. Its massive undercover showroom has the largest range of top brands, and variety of small and large craft in the Bay. The company employs five highly-qualified technicians with a combined experience of more than 100 years in the industry. Customer service is their number one priority. Mastertech Marine is now open seven-days-a-week: Monday to Friday 8am-5.30pm, Saturdays 9am-3pm and Sundays 10am-2pm. Call the team on 07 579 4240 or visit www.mastertech.co.nz for more information. Andrew Campbell

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Big game on the fly Bo Beaufill

Big game fishing is fun on its own, but some people like to change it up to make the sport more challenging. One way to do this is by using fly rods. People typically think of fly fishing as a method used for trout fishing, however it can be used in salt water too. Some people even enjoy using it on big game fish. Fly fishing for big game fish can be quite challenging, but adds to the fun. The reason using fly fishing gear for game fish is difficult is because of how the rods are set up. Rods used for fly fishing tend to have quite short butts, unlike standard rods, so you can’t set it in a harness, and must grip it higher up. With the handle keeping within the diameter of the reel, there is also less to hold and exert pressure on the fish. Another big challenge with the gear is the line length. With less line, you have less capacity before you can get spooled. Why do people use fly tackle for big game

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fish then, if it makes it that much more challenging? While game fish are difficult enough as it is, some people simply enjoy the sporting fight. “What makes it fun is when they explode on take-off after hitting the fly,” says Adrian Bell, who has been fly fishing since 1984. “The line starts whizzing out so fast, and you have to keep pressure on or they will spool you. Ask any trout fisher how they feel hooking up to a trout - well it’s ten times more fun. It’s a sport more Kiwi fisher folks should look into.” Fly fishing involves a lot of careful strategy. You’re generally targeting fish on the surface, so the big thing to consider is not spooking your targets. Careful control of the boat, and practice with the casting of the line, is going to help. “Like any fishing, though, it can be hard as, or very easy. It all depends on the day.” Says Adrian. He encourages people curious about the sport to give it a go, and be patient with it, as success will come.

Adrian has had a lot of success with fish such as skipjack tuna and albacore, but the fun doesn’t stop there. In fact, Bay of Plenty local David Kahlenberg is the owner of several world records for fly fishing with big game, and has even caught sharks using the gear. There are no limits to the fish you can tackle with fly rods, it just takes patience to learn. If you want to try the sport out for yourself, pick up the basic gear and start practicing. There are plenty of tutorials online to help you get started.

Fighting Kawhai on fly

Captain’s Log Keely Muir

I recently had the pleasure of stumbling upon the Captain’s log book from my parent’s boat, the Seniorita. It had long been misplaced, buried in a box with other memorabilia at the back of a wardrobe. The book had not seen the light of day for perhaps 10 years, and its pages had not been read since the 40ft Don Senior was sold in 2001. My parents, Graham and Kaewyn Walters, had the boat built to their requirements by Bill Cranston Boat Builders in Tauranga in 1996. It was sold five years later to another family from Auckland. Dad and Mum owned several boats previously and several after, but this one would always be their favourite. The Seniorita was aptly named in recognition of its ‘Senior’ design, and its correlation to my grandmother’s name, Carlita, who also had some Spanish ancestry. The Log book, mostly journaled by the Captain’s first mate Kaewyn, reads like a treasure trove of memories and family adventures. Moored at Pine Harbour, the Seniorita spent many hours at sea, from the Bay of Islands, Poor Knight Islands and Great Barrier to the Mercury Islands. Through its pages it details the weather, fishing adventures, many on-board shenanigans and inscriptions from the numerous guests that had travelled on board. It has been quite significant to find the log book and look back on the great times that were had. My father Graham is now confined to a wheel chair with a debilitating and rare form of Parkinson’s called MSA. His many tales and adventures from the sea are now memories, captured within the pages of this book and via the many photographs that were taken. An exerpt: 8th January 1998: Continue up to Fitzroy Harbour, find a quiet bay and anchor. Captain listens to weather forecast, 30 knot winds Graham today, looking back on all the memories. gusting to 50 knots on Friday. Captain decides for immediate evacuation, as we have a wedding to go to. Stove turned off, everything is packed away. 7.55pm begin journey back to Kawau Island. Huge 2 metre swells and waves, I was worried we should turn back, but captain presses on. Out from Tryphena 1 ½ hours, getting dark. Captain trying to steer to avoid hull banging down into the troughs. Several on board sick. Five hours later we crawl into Bon Accord Harbour. Very tired and bedraggled crew. 1.30am everybody goes to bed. 4.00am woken by a loud thud, we have a yacht rubbing up against us…we are also drifting, heading towards a steel barge….

captain tries to pull up anchor and finds that it is hooked on the yacht. Jump onto yacht to raise their anchor to no avail. Reversing we see a buoy, we tie stern onto this to avoid further collision with yacht and steel barge. Captain decides to go for a dive in the morning to un-hook the anchor, we have a hot drink and wait for the sun to come up. 9th January: 6.30am. Captain and crew member go for a dive to discover Captain Graham on board anchor had un-hooked itself. the Seniorita, day before Check yacht for any damage but infamous Barrier-Kawau trip. thanks to our crew, not a mark. Seniorita has some damage to her stainless steel strip on the star board side and a small gouge. Not too bad considering what could have been, as we had anchored at the other end of the bay. Could have landed on the rocks or hit numerous boats as we had drifted so far. Too rough to head to Pine Harbour today, wind at Tiri 40-56 knots. 10th January Beautiful day, arrive Pine Harbour 10.30 am. This particular exerpt would be the roughest seas the Seniorita would encounter within this log book. Her other adventures were centred on diving, fishing and plenty of eating while Rod Stewart sang through the sound system. Wherever the Seniorita is now, I hope her current log book is as entertaining as this one!

The Seniorita moored at Pine Harbour. waterline Dec 17

Sam and Matt at Burton Sails.

Tauranga sailmaker Sam Burton has re-named his business following a brand consolidation exercise at Doyle which has seen Sam determine his customers are his future, not a brand. “I strongly believe the local market is more important than world domination,” says Sam. It means Burton Sails is not limited to one supplier for materials, and there are more advantages and opportunities for customers. “For us, it’s an opportunity to cement our

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loyalty to the local customers,” says Sam. With the arrival in Tauranga of former Team New Zealand and America’s Cup winning sailmaker Matt Hibbard, Burton Sails is expanding its offering to marine covers as well as sails. “We can work together in the same building and offer a better and more integrated package to our customers,” says Sam. Matt’s been sailmaking for around 14 years and brings extensive experience in the marine cover industry. That includes dodgers, canopies, clear surrounds, launch

work, and fly bridge covers. “We are going to be ramping up the covers side of things and aim to offer our customers a full package service, making it nice and easy to get all your sail making and covers needs in one place. “We work as a team here at Burton Sails and help out each other when the job requires it. We are happy and excited to be able to employ a young and enthusiastic apprentice starting in December, who will have the luxury of learning both sail work and cover work.”

Casting about for political leverage Phil Phish

There’s been a lot of action in the fishing world locally and nationally over the last few months. Locally, the fishing has been pretty epic. On those days the weather allows it, the Bay of Plenty continues to provide. In close on the sand, along the coast and off the beach when the conditions are right, some fantastic fish have been caught up to 40-odd kilos. Social media has had some interesting discussion topics, and one of the most intriguing is the point raised by a lot of people on fishing for snapper in spawning season. One comment that sat strongly with me was: “Farmers don’t kill pregnant livestock, why do we fish for snapper at the same time?” This could be the extreme end, but there could be some thought given to limiting the size of snapper taken in the approximate months of spawning or a possible reduced bag limit for the same time. Whilst they are all good ideas, snapper appears not to be in bad shape at this current time. It may not last, so now could be a good time for a rethink. We have a new government, who are yet to really show their colours on what they consider as the important issues that will affect us as rec fishers. We have had presentations from new group The Fisheries Project, under the banner of the New Zealand Initiative, who held two evenings in Tauranga that were both were well attended. The up-shot is they are trying to establish a funded organisation to protect the rights of recreational fishers in New Zealand. An absolute voice directly to government. The initial funding for their

research, to gauge the public’s reaction to the ideas they are pushing, is funded by the late Sir Douglas Myers – a very passionate angler and a very passionate New Zealander. Their ideas can be seen by visiting: https://nzinitiative.org.nz/assets/ Publications/The-Future-Catch.pdf The talks were hosted by Dr Randel Best and key speakers including Sir Mark Soloman, Ngai Tahu and a very interesting dissertation from Dr Andrew Rowland, the Chief Executive Officer, who explained the processes used by his organisation Recfishwest, from Western Austrailia. He presented some solid ideas to protect the rights of the recreational angler and they put forward some interesting ways to fund the process. Here comes the summer. Get out there, make sure your boat is ship shape beforehand and enjoy. We live in a fantastic part of an epic Country.

Above: Well presented baits sent down the berley trail always produce quality fish. Below: Whilst collecting livebaits in 2m of water at the Kaituna Cut, Grant Dudonski landed this epic fish on very light gear.

Angler Duane Hawkins with a Bay of Plenty kingfish caught livebaiting on a deep pin.

Kahawai contest called off Papamoa Surf Casting Club’s big Kahawai tournament for May 2018 has been called off due to a lack of funding. “We couldn’t raise enough funds to cover our expenses,” says club president Bruce Glass. The club succeeded in raising a TECT grant but other funders failed to cough up, he says. Running a surf casting competition would cost the club about $5000. “We got about a third of the way there and couldn’t get the rest. Because we are only a young club - we have only been going just over two years - we haven’t got funds in the bank to cover it ourselves. “Hopefully once we have been going a bit longer we might have a bit to spare with a few more sponsors.” They might be able to re-visit the Kahawai competition in 2019, but if the publicity does inspire a major sponsor, a tournament might still be able to run in 2018, in August or September. “The kahawai are there all the time,” says Bruce. Andrew Campbell

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It’s a dive school with a bit of everything. This is one way to describe the NZ Dive School in Hamilton. The school boasts a range of operations and educational courses in New Zealand, with the instructors able to offer dive instruction across the gamut of scuba teaching agencies. And to top it off, they can do it anywhere in the country. “We are actually one of only three diving companies in New Zealand with an audit that covers us to be able to work right across the country,” says instructor Dan Bunting. “We work everywhere from Bay of Islands to Invercargill. We have run courses in Invercargill, Napier, Auckland, Hamilton and the Far north this year and have plans to work over in the Chatham Islands. “We are pretty much the only one operating in terms of doing the teaching and the trips in that way.” NZ Dive School offers a variety of courses including Scuba Schools International, Scuba Diving International, Technical Diving International, and Professional Association of Diving Instructors. The school teaches an enriched air nitrox programme, and how to safely plan and dive with enriched mixture of up to 40 per cent oxygen which can increase the no decompression limits. It doesn’t matter who the open water qualification is with, says Dan, they offer a continuing education course. “You can carry on with your education with us. You can extend your depth limit or learn to use nitrox or you can do a deep diving specialty course.” NZ Dive School also has a boat based in the Bay of Islands, and offers wreck diving on the former HMNZS Canterbury and the Rainbow Warrior in Northland. The Rainbow Warrior is lying in 26m of water , 18m to the top of the hull, says Dan. The Canterbury is lying in 38m to the sand at the stern, 31m to the sand at bow highest. The forward mast is 14m below the surface. “They are well within recreational limits, you just need to have advanced open water or your deep spec. “But if you have an advanced open water or advanced adventurer qualification that allows you to go to 30 metre or 40 metre limit or as some agencies call it the 40 metre deep spec. You can get onto the main superstructure very easily. It’s a really popular recreational dive.” If you would like to know more, check out their shop on 10 Devon Road in Hamilton or head to their website www.nzdiveschool.co.nz waterline Dec 17

Studying ancient waka sail A group of researchers are setting out to study what is believed to be the only remaining Maori sail to enhance knowledge about how voyaging occurred.

as ire ylinder SERVICES 20

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Maori textiles scholar Dr Catherine Smith is working with Donna Campbell and Ranui Ngarimu to examine everything about the sail, which is currently held at the British Museum. They will be using knowledge of Maori weaving techniques, DNA analysis and microscopy to provide insights into the sail. “If we bring together that weaving knowledge, plant materials id, identify the feathers and the skin on the sail and really document its structure, then we’ve got a whole package of information that we can bring back to New Zealand,” says Catherine. “The more we embed that knowledge in its cultural context, the more that we explore the relationship between things like Te Ra and the place they came from. We can only enhance our knowledge about how voyaging occurred and the importance of voyaging.” The Marsden Fund has dedicated $845,000 to the project over three years. Te Ra is the last known Maori sail to ever exist. British Museum photos show it to be a version of a crab claw design that modern users say is of use in light air because there is always more breeze further from the water. The crab claw may also traditionally be constructed with curved spars, giving the edges of the sail along the spars a convex shape, while the leech of the sail is often quite concave to keep it stiff on the trailing edge. These features give it its distinct, claw-like shape. Modern crab claws generally have straighter spars and a less convex leech, which gives more sail area for a given length of spar. Spars may taper towards the leech. The structure helps the sail to spill gusts. Crab claws are typically used on multihulls, which resist heeling more strongly.

Beach bug counts Waikato beach monitoring at seven east coast and two west coast beaches to test faecal bacteria levels in relation to swimming and surfing is about to kick off again. Monitoring was reactivated last summer in an effort to confirm that levels were suitable for contact recreation. Last summer’ reactivation of the Waikato Regional Council’s water quality monitoring programme was the first such testing since 2009, and part of a council drive to gain better information about what’s happening in coastal waters and to provide a community service. Between November and March, beach users can visit: www. waikatoregion.govt.nz/coastalresults to check the latest results are for targeted beaches. Results last summer were generally positive, with minor, temporary issues reported for one week only at Whitianga’s Buffalo Beach. The east coast beaches monitored are Whitianga, Hot Water Beach, Tairua, Pauanui, Whangamata and Whiritoa, while Sunset Beach and Ngarunui are looked at on the west coast. “The testing provides valuable guidance for swimmers and surfers,” says coastal water quality scientist Pete Wilson. “The number of faecal bacteria present in the water indicates the likelihood of contracting a disease from many possible pathogens in the water such as bacteria or viruses. “On our website, results from the monitoring programme are compared to national guidelines to determine the suitability for recreational use.” Water quality at Waikato beaches is generally high, but caution should be taken following heavy rain, says Pete. Heavy rain flushes

Staff member Hannah Jones carrying out coastal water quality sampling at Raglan.

contaminants from urban and rural land into waterways, which then make their way to the coast. These contaminants may be present in the water for up to 48 hours after heavy or prolonged rainfall. Last summer’s issue at Buffalo Beach appeared to have been a blip, and the sort of thing that can happen after heavy rain. “Bacteria levels there were back to normal by the time the next sample came in,” says Pete. If any issues of concern are identified, the regional council works with district councils and the Waikato District Health Board to assess results that may have public health implications and to provide the public with the best information. “Our monitoring programme, while it isn’t picking up major issues, will help provide assurances to the public going forward and help us track any trends or emerging issues,” says Pete.

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Kite boarding: A growing sport Small town Raglan has become home to big time kiteboarding action, with some great local talent helping drive the revolution. The status of kiteboarding as an Olympic sport is changing again, with the sport scheduled for the youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018, and kite foiling now supporting two international pro-tours. Kiteboarding was picked as a sport for the Rio Olympics in May 2012, then unfortunately dropped with some intense lobbying from the windsurfing lobby. But the positive for kiteboarding was the change to racing with hydrofoils. Being dropped gave the fledgling sport time to mature into an incredible class with one of the strongest fleets in the world. The sport has gone from strength-to-strength, with a team based in Raglan at the leading edge of its development. Their designs having won 12 consective World Champioships since they started focusing on offering a race kite design back in 2007 and the world’s leading paragliding, speedflying and paramotoring brand. Kite boarding’s competitive side owes a lot to Raglan-based Ozone Kites’ co-founders Matt Taggart, (World Hydrofoiling Champion in 2016) and designer Rob Whittall (World Champion Hang-gliding and Paragliding). Breaking boundaries Having grown-up with fathers that were pioneers of hang-gliding in the early 70s, their backgrounds seem to have been set in stone to continue breaking boundaries in the air and in windsports. Matt says it’s his sailing background, before he and Rob Whittall began Ozone Kites in the UK in 2001, that resulted in the company pushing the racing side of the emerging sport as well as Rob’s obvious love and talent for racing (hanggliders, paragliders and motorbikes) “It’s come a long way, especially in the last five years,” says Matt. The strengths of the sport are in abundance. The gear is able to be bought off the shelf, making kite boarding an inexpensive entry into a major international sport. “It’s just more accessible and compact,” adds Matt. “It’s easy to transport and set up, and of course the gear is now super safe. “It’s an amazing sport wherever you go now, and on beaches worldwide it has become a mature industry with professional schools located globally and on most major coastline towns and cities in New Zealand. “With kiting there is no pressure on space. We can go wherever we want, up wind or down wind. You have the whole ocean at your disposal. That’s one of the things I love about it and why it’s so accessible for all ages. “My daughters, who are aged nine and ten, are both kiting as well as my wife Rebecca and my step father. It’s a great family sport – it’s dynamic and so much fun. Whenever we travel we have our kite gear with us and the global kite community are open minded, so we meet new friends where ever we go. Kiteboarding has many aspects to it, including wave kiting, freestyle, racing and even snow. And then there is the kiteboarding community. “Everyone is really welcoming and open,” he says. “There’s a hugely diverse age group, and it is super healthy. That’s why I’m passionate about it, because there’s such a good group that get into it. It’s not elitist. “We were all wind surfers and surfers and we got into kiting when kiteboarding first started on a windsurfing holiday in Maui Matt Taggart Race Foiling. 22

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with Raglan roots in 1998. We love kiteboarding - it’s a mix of those airsports and water sports. “I married a Kiwi and came back to meet her family in 2005 and fell in love with Raglan.” Rob, who was the extent of the Design Team at that time, moved to Raglan during 2008. “They thought I was nuts moving the team here, but we made it work because we all wanted to be in a place together,” he explains. Local Raglan team Ozone was in its early days, there was a lot of competition and they were just starting to find their feet. As the company grew, Ozone started employing locally. Now, a team of five are based out of Raglan, including top New Zealand kiteboarder and Mount Maunganui’s own Torrin Bright. Ozone employed Torrin when he was 17 and he’s now their product manager and has been instrumental in their media content creation, while graphic designer Andy Banks is Raglan born and bred. ”We have ended up with an incredible team and running a global brand from little old Raglan,” says Rob. “It’s a great feeling” The latest development is the opening of their first flagship store and school in Raglan that carries the full range of their designs across all of the sports Ozone designs - Kiteboarding, paragliding, speedflying, paramotoring, paddleboarding, hang-gliding. It is also a fully-functional school for all the sports they are obviously so passionate about. Ozone’s now a global brand, with offices in the South of France, Barcelona and a factory employing 1300 people in Vietnam as well as the head office in Raglan. Leah Rogers

Kiting and flying family Ozone NZ Rebecca and Matt Taggart with their daughters Ruby and Mila.

Wave Kiting. waterline Dec 17

It is a weigh of life Bo Beaufill

For some people, fishing is a hobby and something to look forward to on weekends or during the holidays. For some, however, fishing is their life. Weighmasters are fishing enthusiasts that dedicate their time to assisting the community by weighing and recording catches for tournaments and records. Weighmasters spend a lot of their time, particularly during tournaments, manning the weigh stations you find near big boat ramps. Their job is mainly to weigh catches and record measurements, but what goes into it? What goes on behind the scenes and why volunteer? Paul Batten has been a weighmaster since the 1980s, and has since worked with numerous clubs around the North Island, weighing full time. His experience is reputable, and he is often asked to do training with newer weighmasters and share his wisdom across the country. He even assisted in the creation of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Club Weigh Person’s Responsibilities papers. When asked about his time volunteering and his knowledge of fishing, he talked passionately. Despite being on land most of the time, he still feels strongly involved with the fishing community. Going the extra mile The job isn’t as easy as you may think. It’s not just a bunch of mates sitting around in a small shed, watching the fish come in. It requires work and dedication without much expected in return. “Weigh mastering is the domain of the volunteer - one who will turn out when requested,” says Paul. “You must have the spare time, commitment and willingness be go the extra mile at times, and an outstanding personality. Even when it rains the fish still must be weighed. If you are lucky, you get a meal and a drink or two to stay hydrated as a thank you.” Paul often does talks in clubs to help new weighmasters and share his wisdom, but you are not expected to go through extensive training or be highly experienced when first starting

A top lure with the marlin on the wharf ready to weigh.

A marlin being delivered to the weighstation with area full of spectators.

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out. “Experience will be gained on the job,” he says. “As far as training goes, you might get a hand for the first few fish you weigh. On the NZSFC website we have a digital copy of our records booklet that has the IGFA & NZSFC angling rules world and NZ records.” There are certainly a lot of skills and knowledge needed to give an advantage while learning to weigh. Spending time considering the differences between species that look similar will be useful, as identifying less common varieties of fish will certainly come up. It is also handy to understand the different tackle that can be used, especially during competitions. The job itself involves the usual housekeeping of a weigh station - making sure that the area and equipment is well maintained. Paul considers the weigh station to be the front door of the club, where you meet members, press and the public that watch fishing getting weighed.

Making sure that the club looks appealing is a big part of the weigh master’s job. During competitions, the job changes. More fish come in, and more paper work is involved. Weigh masters are expected to set the stage, check data entry forms, keep the weigh boards clean and prepare the sponsorship advertisements. Extensive knowledge Weigh masters also tend to be around longer than the set times for weighing during competitions, keen to accommodate for those whose trips were drawn out thanks to a feisty fish. It’s not just about weighing fish either. A weighmaster needs to be able to identify the species, and have enough knowledge about the tackle used to be able to declare a catch legal for the purposes it is being weighed for. Checking gear, particularly for competitions and records, is often thorough and detailed. A weigh master also needs to be able to do the appropriate paper work and data collections for this. Volunteering for such a job certainly has its perks, however. Paul struggles to remember a bad experience, but has many good stories to tell. “I weighed a sailfish caught in Tutukaka Harbour one Easter,” recalls Paul. “It was caught in a flounder net. And I weighed the first recognised Wahoo for NZ.” Full of excitement He describes the atmosphere of weigh stations during competitions as “exciting”. The radio is alive with chatter, supporting the angler who has been hooked on a big fish for most of the afternoon. Even well after the weigh period has ended, and the club has closed, well-wishers will still hover around a VHF, giving calls of encouragement until the boat calls in saying they got it. This is one of Paul’s favourite things about the community. Paul loves what he does, and fondly talks of why he does it. “It’s the people you meet, the fish you get to see, the lures used, the stories told and creating the atmosphere before that special fish comes in to be weighed.” If volunteering to be a weigh master sounds interesting to you, you can offer to assist at your local fishing club. If you would like to read more about the responsibilities of the job, go to: http://www.nzsportfishing.co.nz Paul Batten’s weighstation in Whangamata.

Marlin showing lure.

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No excuses over boat safety Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard is opening a summer membership campaign with the aid of a dedicated membership line to make joining quick and easy, with no form filling required. “We all get sick of filling out forms, so we thought ‘how can we improve our service to make the process straightforward?’” says Tauranga Coastguard unit manager Steve Russell. “Now it’s as quick as a call, and “021 HELP US” (021 435 787) was developed with the help of Vodafone’s support. “It’s easy. Phone the number and we’ll do your membership over the phone or even text and leave your name and number and we’ll call you back. If we miss your call, leave a message with your name and number and we’ll call you back as soon as possible.” There are no excuses, says Steve, and membership is the cheapest insurance policy on the market. “There are approximately 10,000 boats in our area and the Coastguard membership has only a quarter of these numbers as members,” says Steve. He’s astounded that so many boaties - even jet skiers and kayakers - are not members. “I’m sure existing members think information about safety is like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs. They’re right, but for many boaties there are so many excuses, such as ‘I haven’t had the time to get it organised’ or the old kiwi saying ‘she’ll be right mate’. “There are no excuses when it comes to safety and skippers/

owners need to take responsibility. Do the combination of five key safety elements and you will be nautical miles ahead of the safety boat race. “No excuses. Get organised and enjoy the summer knowing you’re looking after yourself and all those on board.” For as little as the cost of a tank of gas, Coastguard membership opens access to educational material and courses that help towards being a better boatie. “And if you need us, we will be there,” says Steve. To complete the membership over the phone all you need is your personal and boating information, plus access to a credit card. Other payment options are available. “By the amount of trip report and calls coming into our radio room, we can see that the weather is improving and the boating season is upon us.” The safety message is straightforward. It’s about the Combination of Safety, which has five key elements: 1. Wear lifejackets. 2. Fill up on fuel (and have a reserve). 3. Check communication devices (and have more than one). 4. Let your family know your plan and put in a trip report with Coastguard radio. 5. Join the local Coastguard. Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard is not Government funded and is dedicated to preventing boaties getting into trouble in the first place, and assisting them if they do.

Call us and register over the phone

Text us with your name and phone number, and we will call you back ASAP

Call and leave a message with your name and number, and we will call you back ASAP

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Trophy boat on the market A Vindex design 38ft overall, Waimana Star was built by Emmett Olsen in the far North in 1972 as a game fishing charter launch operating out of the Bay of Islands. Skippered by Mick Savage for many years, Waimana Star has a great fish catching record with many trophies to its name. Ex Survey now, Waimana Star has double diagonal kauri construction powered by a 355hp turbo Caterpillar engine (overhauled in 2010). Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also game rigged and boasts a Cyril Jordan custom game chair, cockpit controls, a roomy cockpit, a live bait tank, hard top and clears, electric capstan, life raft, electric toilet, shower fridge, four burner hob/oven and seven berths. Electronics include VHF, GPS/ plotter, depth sounder, fish finder and stereo. Waimana Star comes complete with all game fishing gear. A well proven, much admired vessel with a great game fishing history. Currently on the market for $124,000. For all inquiries, contact Brian Worthington at Gulf Group Marine Brokers Ltd on 0274 472 393.

TAURANGA

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BOAT OF THE MO

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NTH

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A Grand Banks masterpiece

“Le Voyageur” awaiting hull repairs and a new paint job under Gayle Roundabush’s ownership. Keely Muir

Now in New Zealand under the ownership of John Crighton, Le Voyageur has come a long way since her beginnings on the Great Lakes of America. First manufactured in 1967-69 for an American marine company, she was built in Junk Bay, Hong Kong by a family of builders whose boat building history dates back more than 300 years. The 46ft Grand Banks Alaskan Trawler, is a specialised masterpiece. Josephine Sea In 1969 her keel was laid and sailed on the deck of an oceangoing freighter to Detroit, Michigan. Here she was fitted with a Yanmar generator and communication electronics. A professional captain then sailed her through the Great Lakes to Duluth, Minnesota, western Lake Superior, for delivery to her first owner, Thomas K Carpenter. Thomas came from a family of Lumber Barons that logged most of the white pine that existed in the north-western tier states. Carpenter named the boat Josephine Sea after his wife, before selling the boat two years later. According to the log books, the sale took place due to Josephine falling through the open galley floor hatch. The log book details her time at Duluth well, and the only damage indicated at this time was a description of hitting a submerged rock off the coast of Isle Royal. She needed a new propeller and drive shaft as a result. Her second owner was a retired Coast Guard officer who moved the boat to Bayfield, Wisconsin - a small town located near the apostle Islands, within Lake Superior. Little is known about this ownership other than relatively few hours were put on the engines. 30

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John Smoot shakes Gayle Roundabush’s hand. Gayle is now the new owner of “Le Voyageur,” and would soon re-name her “Classy Lady.”

Josephine Sea’s third owners were a pair of business men who decided to charter the boat for the Radisson Hotel in Chicago. They were unaware of the maintenance costs involved in owning a boat of this kind and, in the end, deemed the venture unprofitable. However, during their ownership the boat had a complete exterior paint job in a competent boatyard which gave her a new lease of life, and caught the eye of her next owner. Le Voyageur John Smoot purchased the boat in 1984 and renamed her Le Voyageur. For John this was the beginning of a great adventure, as he had never captained a boat of this size or sailed on a body of water as big as the Great Lakes.

Arriving at Auckland Wharf.

“Classy Lady” awaiting sale in Tuscaloosa.

Panels were attached to her sides so she wouldn’t take on water during her fourteen day voyage to Savannah.

All set to disembark Tuscaloosa and head for Savannah.

John set about obtaining his Coastguard captain’s licence right away, and then his masters. During his time with Le Voyageur they traversed the length of Lake Superior (300nm) four times and sailed across it (55nm) eight times. His favourite trips on-board were traveling the southern coast of Canada, of which he describes as a boaters paradise. Le Voyageur spent many hours around the Apostle Islands - a group of 14 islands, grouped from five to 20 miles apart. This area provided her with plenty of shelter if any unexpected rough weather arose. Le Voyageur was kept at a marina in Washburn, Wisconsin. The boating season on the Great Lakes is from May to midOctober, and a good year may give another two weeks on either side. For the remainder of the time, boats need to be out of the water to avoid damage from the freezing waters. For this period under the care of Smoot, Le Voyageur was kept outside in a cradle and covered with a lightweight cover. Obviously haul in-out and storage costs are significant for the boat owner, and the spring launch involved two days in travelift slings. This allowed the hull to adjust from six months in a cradle to then take on water. This process meant that once Le Voyageur was underway it would take three-to-four hours before the cabin doors would close properly and drawers slide freely. Classy Lady In 1997, Gayle Roundabush of Georgia, South Carolina, became the new owner, and changed her name to Classy Lady. With John Smoot still in the Captain’s seat, the two men left the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior and travelled east to the channel and through the Keweenaw Peninsula. This journey took them to Classy Lady’s new home at the Detroit yacht club, Belle Island Park, Lake St Clair. Shortly, under this new ownership with Gayle Roundabush at the helm, Classy Lady began her journey away from the Great Lakes. She entered the Illinois River, water south of Chicago, and found her way onto the Mississippi River. The big river took them all the way to New Orleans and then out into the Gulf of Mexico. It is here, in 2005, where Classy

Lady came face-to-face with Hurricane Katrina before finding shelter and safe port in Mobile, Alabama. Roundabush then steered Classy Lady 350 miles inland along Black Warrior River, and eventually found Tuscaloosa Marina. It is in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, that Gayle required medical attention. As a consequence, the boat was left idle in the fresh water marina for two years. This is when Gayle decided to sell and placed an advert on the internet. John Crighton, 7920 miles away from Tuscaloosa in the small town of Waiuku, New Zealand, spotted Classy Lady’s advert and took the opportunity to go and check her out. John had recently missed out on another boat named China Doll of the same make, so did not want to waste time on this one. On first inspection everything on-board the boat looked reasonable, until John managed to put his finger right through the engine room hull. Classy Lady, due to sitting in fresh water with no paint, no maintenance and only four hours of sunlight per day, had major rot in her planks. Not to be deterred, John began heavy negotiations on the asking price, and on November 25, 2007, became the new owner of Classy Lady. Bon Voyage America The major Rot in the planks of the Grand Banks sides needed to be patched up before her departure from Tuscaloosa. Captain Greg Sadowski, from St Louis, and his crew were engaged to deliver Classy Lady to Savannah, Nth Carolina - 14-day voyage out of Tuscaloosa, to the Gulf of Mexico, around the tip of Florida and then up the coast to Savannah. Here they stumbled into delays as the Stevedores refused to lift Classy Lady because of her age and hull condition. She sat in Savannah for three months while stevedores and agents negotiated the problem. Gailyn Menefee, a friend of John Crighton’s, intervened. Finally a special cradle was made for Classy Lady and she was lifted onto the container ship Cap Martin, destination New Zealand. What ensued from here for Classy Lady involves a name change, a total rebuild and a fall from the scaffolding surrounding her that would put John Crighton into intensive care for several months. Update on progress, next issue… waterline Dec 17

For the fisherman who has everything, the Minn Kota trolling motor is a must have. You can stand on the bow of your boat with a handheld engine controller that keeps your boat on spot X or as close to as the fish are biting. The Minn Kota has an indestructible composite shaft. Pound for pound, its composite shaft is stronger than steel, flexing on impact and it won’t break,

kink or corrode. That’s why it is guaranteed for life. Power Trim Once in the water, Power Trim lets the operator easily adjust the motor depth for changing conditions, using the included i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link remote, or the redesigned foot pedal. Cool, quiet, power Nothing runs cooler or quieter than a Minn Kota. Extra-large windings and

commutators dissipate heat, resulting in cooler operation, extended battery power, and longer motor life. The unique bearing system reduces friction to cut fish-spooking noise. Auto stow and deploy Auto stow/deploy allows the operator to get the motor in and out of the water automatically using the included i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link remote, or the redesigned foot pedal.

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waterline Dec 17

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Integrated GPS technology All Ulterra models come with the owner’s choice of either new i-Pilot or new i-Pilot Link, featuring reinvented Spot-Lock for the most accurate GPS anchor ever. Saltwater advantage Riptide’s premium-grade alloys are fortified by a multi-step cleaning process, tough-as-nails armour plating and a durable, saltwater-resistant powder coat paint. With layers of protection, the elements are truly protected. Marine-grade urethane fully encapsulates Riptide control boards and protect the electronic circuitry. All electrical connections are sealed with waterproof heat-shrink tubing to keep saltwater out. Minn Kota uses metals that are properly balanced and a composite shaft to ward off galvanic corrosion. So the only piece left for saltwater to attack is this little zinc anode, which absorbs corrosion so the rest of the motor doesn’t have to. Re-invented spot-lock with Jog function Minn Kota has taken its most trusted GPS feature to the next level. Spot-Lock uses GPS to lock you onto a fishing spot, and now it’s re-engineered it to work smarter and hold the boat stronger and more accurately than ever. Updated with hardware and software algorithms for better accuracy, Spot-Lock is the most accurate GPS anchor ever. It can be seen with the new “Distance to Spot” reading on the remote, to show how close the boat is. Plus, the new Jog feature lets the boat move its Spot-Lock in five-foot increments in any direction.

Steve’s Marine latest installation for a Tauranga customer. Big Angry Fish - Milan and Nathan “With the Minn Kota, you get access to a whole new world of fishing.”

waterline Dec 17

Summer boat ramp workshops

More than half of the population of New Zealand - around 2.25 million people - will spend some time on the water this year. That’s according to research made available to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. This summer, more vessels will take to the water that ever before, with about 70,000 of them already in the Bay of Plenty. In the past few years there has also been a significant growth in the number of kayaks, jet-skis and paddleboards. Responding to the trends, the Regional Council’s Safer Boating Programme will

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once again be in full swing, educating current and future boaties at boat ramps, sport fishing clubs, colleges and schools across the region. With six boating-related deaths in the region last year, they will also be reminding boaties at every opportunity to take all of the necessary safety precautions, says regional safer boating adviser Tony Pearce. “Last season we taught safe boating at six colleges to more than 2000 students, delivered boat ramp workshops to more than 2000 boat owners, and promoted safe boating at a number of sport fishing clubs across the region,” says Tony. “This year we’ll do more.”

The initiative kicked off this year during Safer Boating week, from October 13-21, with boat ramp workshops at Sulphur Point and Bowentown. “You’ll see us at the boat ramps throughout the year, on Tauranga Harbour, at the Rotorua Lakes and in the Whakatane area too,” says Tony. “We have lots of useful information on how to be safe on the water and understanding local boating rules, so make sure you pop over for a chat. “Top Catch have provided some fantastic fishing gear for a prize draw and there’s lots of free brochures and guides you could pick up – we’ll even show you how to check your manual inflating lifejacket.

Fundraising for boats A TECT grant being put towards buying new boats for Sailability is only half the mission facing the charitable trust, says Jim McGlone. TECT has set aside $48,381 to help with the purchase of four new Hansa dinghies, a new patrol RIB with an engine and a new engine for the existing patrol RIB. But Sailability has to raise the other $48,000. “We haven’t manged to match it yet,” says Jim, “but we are working on it hard. “We are waiting to hear from Bay Trust for two of the dinghies and we are in the process of sending an application in to Grassroots (Trust) for the other two. We are chasing pub charity for the engine and the patrol boat.” Sailability Tauranga is currently working with two hired dinghies, but the popularity of Sailability in city means they have to get more boats. The Hansa 303s are designed especially for disabled sailors. They feature armchairstyle seating with the two passengers in the boat instead of on the gunwale. They are steered by a joystick and the centre board weighs 38kg, making them almost impossible to capsize. They can be sailed by one or two people.

There are two sails that can be easily reduced in size by the crew. The class is international and is sailed in the Para-Olympics. Sailability Tauranga was established in June 2016 by a group of experienced sailors and compassionate citizens wishing to share their accumulated years of sailing experience, and the joy and fun that sailing provides, with those who thought sailing was an inaccessible sport. The mission is to provide people with any disability the opportunity to sail safely, to experience adventure and freedom, and build mobility, self-confidence and pride through achievement. Sailability Tauranga provides sailing opportunities to people with physical, learning or sensory disabilities. This includes therapeutic, learn to sail and competitive sailing, proving there are no barriers to living. Sailability Tauranga has 55 sailors registered and will be able to increase that number when it has more boats. They are based at the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club, Sulphur Point, and use the Centreboard Room downstairs. They need about 15 volunteers each sailing day to run a safe efficient schedule, and would like to hear from people who may be able to help out for a few hours a month. If you’re interested, contact Alice at volunteers.stct@gmail.com

Sailability Tauranga plans buying four specialised dinghies for disabled sailors. Photo: Susan Ludbrook.

“Unfortunately there is no hoist available, so we are not able to take our wheelchair sailors. We will make the City Council aware of this lack of public facility so everyone can enjoy this opportunity in the future.” Sailability anticipates having one boat on the hard, rigged for display, two taking out regular sailors and one for short sails for the general public. Once again, two boats will be borrowed from Rotorua.

Maketu Coastguard bar crossing seminar successfully. It’s also a great opportunity Boaties can increase their for the Coastguard crew to meet local knowledge of crossing local river bars including Kaituna, Maketu boaties and members. In the past, the training days have and Pukehina thanks to Maketu been oversubscribed. They are open to Coastguard’s fourth Bar Crossing members and new members who wish to Training on December 3. join. The Bar Crossing Training event also includes education The event will take place on Sunday, December 3, from 7.30am. Registration on safe boating techniques with Bailing out a tinny that can be made at the Maketu Coastguard the guidance of the Maketu ‘mucked up’ the bar crossing. Base, Kaituna Cut, Ford Road. If the Coastguard crew. weather is unsuitable on December 3, Bar Crossing Training is one Photo: Maketu Volunteer of their most popular events for the back-up date for the event will be Sunday, December 17). boaties, says Maketu Coastguard president Shane Beech. The participants will cover modules of training including “I think this is our third official public event that we are boat safety, a bar crossing visit, videos showing information on running,” says Shane. “The other two were quite successful. “Because of the success of them, and the feedback we are getting, bar crossing techniques and finally a chance to cross the bar with Maketu Coastguard crew in either Gibby Rescue or we would love to do two a year at least. Eastpack Rescue. “We’ll try one before Christmas, then maybe one in the New The session is free to all current financial Maketu Coastguard Year, around February or March sometime while it is still members, or $85 for non-members. Annual membership is reasonably warm.” $75.00. For further information or to book a place on the Bar The bar training sessions are a great opportunity for local Crossing Training event, or any other training sessions, email: boaties to gain experience in what is often one of the most dangerous aspects of boating in the Maketu area - crossing the bar maketucoastguard@gmail.com or call 021 1393 598. Coastguard

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Piratical goings on behind Karewa By Skipper Tom Mayne, Blue Ocean Charters.

Mottley Crew.

We’ve had some rather unsettled weather over the last few months, but during the odd lulls we’ve managed to get out for a few reef fishing trips. We had an interesting Saturday a couple of weeks ago. The group turned up several hours late for a mate’s stagdo. Everyone was in fine form dressed as pirates and there were all sorts of other colourful costumes. With the weather not the most accommodating, we decided it would be best to tuck in behind Kawera Island, a short distance from the Tauranga Harbour entrance. The trip out subdued some of their enthusiasm! After an hour or so of catching smaller fish and releasing them, and as the weather had dropped, the more hardy members of the group and myself decided to venture out from the shelter and pursue some snapper. Time to turn back Anchoring up in the 25m mark, we immediately started to catch keepable snapper. Unfortunately, due to the previous night’s activities, the group decided it would be best to return to Terra firma. With the vast majority winning the vote, we started to head home. On the way back we chanced upon some schools of kahawai and decided to do a spot of trolling, thus providing some nice smoked fish for our lunch on subsequent trips. The following day the weather was smiling upon us. With the crew on-board we decided to head to the previous day’s mark to investigate the snapper situation further. Upon our arrival, we found that they had moved, so off to the 30m mark we went. Soon after the anchor was set and the boat was settled, the tarakihi came on the bite. Gordon Davis had set me a challenge earlier in the day. He had apparently done a trip with us 20 years ago where they had done extremely well and challenged me to repeat this. His first fish over the rail for the day was a nice keepable kingfish. This was followed closely by a good sized snapper, setting the tone for their group for the trip. With son Tom and daughterin-law Jacki both producing some very nice tarakihi, we well met the challenge. Along with a few of our regulars catching a good feed for dinner, myself and Shane (the tarakihi slayer) managed to fill a chilly bin with nice-sized tarakihi and enough

Zac Mills. Tom Mayne.

to distribute around to the not so lucky anglers. A great day was had by all. The following Thursday’s group was the team from Hynds Pipes - a mixture of people from all over the country. With a 10am start and a 4pm finish, it made for a short trip, so we headed out to about the 30m mark. The day started slowly, with only the crew catching a few, but this didn’t bother the team who were enjoying themselves with lots of banter and a barbecue lunch. As time ticked on we tried a few different spots before stopping at about the 45m mark. At this point time was getting short, but thankfully the fish came on the bite hard and fast, with me counting down the clock and encouraging the team to get into it. They managed to get a good feed of terakihi, which was a great end to a good day. Impressive fish The next day we headed out with a public trip, and with the weather near perfect we went back to the previous day’s spot which was still firing. Once there was a few fish in the bins we headed off to check out a few other spots. Eventually we ended up in about 50m of water. With the wind and the sea becoming completely calm, we spent a considerable amount of time drifting around in circles on the anchor. Every time the boat swung over the

Gordon Davis.

mark, the team laid into the tarakihi. By the time the day had concluded, everybody had done well and came home with a generous feed of fresh terakihi and the odd Snapper as well. Paul Jenson from the West Coast produced some impressive fish. On Saturday, unfortunately, the golden weather did not to continue. With the forecast turning nasty, we had a group of hearty locals that decided they wanted to brave the elements in pursuit of some fresh fish. We headed out to around the five-mile mark to start the day. The weather was worsening so we headed to Motiti looking for shelter and, hopefully, some fish. Upon our arrival, we nestled into the shelter of the island and were plagued with small snapper that were skillfully removing our baits. A couple of moves of the boat and we eventually managed to settle on some grounds which produced some big trevally, a few snapper, kahawai and some blue cod. We also caught some impressive sized pig fish which were destined for the barbeque on the way home, not to mention a couple of terakihi just for good measure. All in all not a bad day considering the atrocious weather conditions. We are about to start regular trips out hapuka, bluenose and reef fishing at Tuhua (Mayor Island) and there will be the option of tramping, camping and kayaking as well. Watch for a report on the action in the next issue. waterline Dec 17

waterline Dec 17

Summer of safety kicks into gear at Waihi Beach

Waihi Beach residents make the most of Coastguard New Zealand’s ‘Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade’ campaign.

Waihi Beach boaties will be the perfect summer safety advocates thanks to two highly popular initiatives returning to the beachside community this summer. On December 24, Coastguard New Zealand’s ‘Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade’ van, laden with with lifejackets, will pull up to the Bowentown Boating & Sports Fishing Club for the day, from 1-4pm. A simple and effective concept sees people bring their old or damaged lifejackets to the Old4New team at one of the many preadvertised locations, where they receive a discount on a modern and fit-for-purpose Hutchwilco lifejacket. Boaties and members of the public are encouraged to visit the van to do this and to get advice about boating and water safety from the team on site. “Lifejackets are often damaged or in poor condition due to the harsh marine environment, where they are exposed to heat, sun and salt water. So we are excited to be able to offer this promotion again this year” says Waihi Beach Volunteer Coastguard spokesperson Jim Pooley. Bowentown Bar crossing Also returning from December onwards are the popular Bowentown Bar crossing courses run by volunteers from Waihi Beach Volunteer Coastguard. It is well-documented that entering the northern end of Tauranga Harbour across the Bowentown Bar, labelled one of the most notorious bars in New Zealand, can be dangerous. The courses are an hour-long on the water orientation session giving participants the chance to soak up local knowledge, experience and advice from coastguard volunteers, as well as see first-hand how to safely exit and re-enter the harbour. Sessions are held on-board Gallagher Rescue, Coastguard’s 9.5m Naiad rescue vessel. Bar crossings can be a high-risk activity, even for the most seasoned boaties out there, and these sessions can prove beneficial by creating a heightened respect for water safety. “For experienced boaties it could be a refresher on some of the more finer points, and picking up new tips. While for novices this

is the perfect chance to upskill themselves, and gain some handy boating knowledge,” explains Jim. “It is about ensuring everyone is safe and knowledgeable on the water and as a result help create a reduction in bar-related incidents.” Some key messages include: always wear a life jacket, call coastguard to log a bar crossing report on the local VHF channel (Waihi Beach CH07), check the tides – flood is better than ebb, check the swell height and direction and stop and assess the bar before committing yourself to a crossing. Over the last 12 months Waihi Beach Coastguard returned 62 people safely back to land, volunteers attended to 14,790 radio calls while on duty and gave a combined total of over 7200 hours of their time. Jim adds that while most of the boating community are cautious and respectful of the bar there are some who are a bit casual in their attitude. “People need to remember they shouldn’t gamble with their own life or the lives of others. If it looks dangerous to cross, wait for the conditions to change.” Education opportunity Each summer, the Waihi Beach community swells from 2700 permanent residents to an estimated 25,000-30,000 over the busy holiday period, presenting the perfect opportunity to properly educate and equip people for on the water activities. The local coastguard unit will once again provide total cover over the area, with Gallagher Rescue ready to respond over the Bowentown Bar and AVOCO Rescue protecting the channels and shallow areas of the Northern Tauranga Harbour. AVOCO, leading export supply group, continues to pledge an annual sponsorship contribution of $20,000 for three years which will go towards Coastguard’s yearly operational costs as well as the running costs of AVOCO Rescue – a 5.8m Naiad designed RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat), powered by twin 115hp Yamaha outboards. The bar crossing courses are held as long as there is public demand for them. A donation to Waihi Beach Coastguard is appreciated to help offset the costs involved to the volunteer unit. To book a place on one of the trips please phone 07 863 4477. waterline Dec 17

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Bay built award winners In a country full of folk who love to fish, it’s not surprising that expectations of a fishing boat are pretty high. So, with tough New Zealand fishing critics in mind, where better to design and build a boat than right here at home with a team of passionate fishermen and engineers. Surtees Boats was born in the early 1990s, when Neil Surtees decided to design and build himself an aluminium boat to use for fishing off the Whakatane Coast. When local people saw the way his finished product looked and performed, it wasn’t long before Neil had more orders than he could cope with. As Neil started making more and more boats that were built to fish, word quickly spread and the business continued to grow. Surtees Boats now employs over 60 highly-trained staff and their craft has produced New Zealand’s top-selling plate aluminium boat. Surtees Boats are incredibly popular and recognised by fishermen all over the world for their quality, safety, stability and practical features. Their headquarters in Whakatane is the New Zealand dealer for the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Eastern and Central areas. With the new summer site in Mount

Maunganui, it is now even easier for Bay of Plenty boaties to experience the Surtees difference. The new Surtees Factory Summer Pop-Up site in Mount Maunganui allows customers to drop in, meet the team and view a range of models, from the hugely capable 495 Workmate to the mighty 750 Game Fisher. Surtees staff are on hand to talk about customer requirements and highlight key Surtees SiQ features unique to the range. Conveniently located on Hewletts Road in Mount Maunganui, The Surtees Factory Summer Pop-Up will be open until March 2018. Surtees models on display include the 495 Workmate, 575 Workmate Hardtop, 610 Game Fisher, 650 Game Fisher and the 750 Game Fisher Enclosed (2016/17 Fishing & Adventure show boat). Sales & Marketing Coordinator James Kayam says: “Surtees Boats live up to their reputation for being the ultimate fishing craft, with recent awards across New Zealand and Australia. “We are delighted to bring Surtees Boats to Tauranga, with a range of key models on display and available to demo. It’s now

even easier for Bay of Plenty customers to experience the Surtees range with the Factory Summer Pop-Up in Tauranga and Surtees’ HQ in Whakatane.” Surtees Factory Summer Pop-Up 121 Hewletts Rd, Mount Maunganui, Tauranga 3116, Phone 07 322 8461

waterline Dec 17

Giant rat found on Ohinau In March this year, Nigel (as the local staff have called him) was found on Ohinau Island - the closest of the Mercury Island group to the mainland. Nigel, a Norway rat, weighed 604g and was much bigger than the average of 300-340g.

Unfortunately, Nigel had been on a diet of lizards, insects, eggs and chicks - all of the native variety. He revealed himself after lunching on an avocado belonging to some hardworking researchers. We don’t know how he got there. Maybe he arrived on a log, swam from the mainland or jumped off a passing boat, but the devastation he has caused must be huge. The Islands of the Coromandel Peninsula are a vital haven for native wildlife. They provide sanctuaries for species that are extinct on the mainland and are defendable from the pressures of pests like Nigel. However, the biggest threat to our islands comes from man, and unfortunately us boaties are the biggest culprits. By now, boaties should know to check their vessels and gear for stowaways, and it makes sense with most insurers not covering damage from rodents. But we also need to check for Rainbow skinks, Argentine ants and seeds that may be in your gear. These compete with our native flora and fauna and often win, as our native’s species are not used to the competition. We do not allow people to land on most of the islands because of the risk of incursion. Occasionally we

have scientists on the islands along with DOC staff. Specially trained dogs also visit to monitor the habitats and ensure Nigel doesn’t have any mates. With thanks to Sir Michael Fay and David Richwhite, you can visit Great Mercury Island - a pest-free island - and appreciate the ever-increasing birdlife. This year areas have been roped off where Dotterels are likely to nest. There are about 2200 dotterels in New Zealand, making them more at risk than some species of kiwis. If you see a dotterel feigning injury, dragging a wing as if it is broken, it has a nest or chicks nearby. Please move away from the area quickly, as birds will not return to care for the eggs or chicks until you have gone. Under ideal circumstances Dotterels will lay three eggs. Although dogs are allowed on the beaches at GMI, they must be kept under strict supervision. If you come across any wildlife: • Put your dog on a lead and lead your dog away immediately. • Warn other dog owners at the location. • Notify DOC if you see wildlife being harassed by people or dogs or if you see any pests. They can be reached on 0800 362 468.

Nigel, dead on Ohinau.

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Lovingly maintained popular model Launched in 1986, this 17.7m (LOA) Salthouse Sovereign 54 has been lovingly maintained to a very high standard by her current owners and she is well equipped throughout.

so “Enterprise Lady” would fit into the owners 18m marina berth. She really is an ideal family cruiser, corporate charter vessel or would be equally at home chasing marlin. Not often seen on the market, the Salthouse range is luxury cruising and fishing at its best making this a must see boat. Book a viewing today with Brett or Ian at Tauranga Boat Sales on 07 575 0512.

Her exterior is two pack painted, providing excellent protection for the triple Kauri glassed hull and easier maintenance. The interior is also in fantastic condition with the cabinetry being recently refinished throughout. A very popular model, the Salthouse 54 includes a fully enclosed fly bridge accessed by internal stairs. The huge wrap around seating area on the flybridge is such a nice space to relax in that the owners regularly dine and entertain here, with side opening windows and a helm console give an excellent viewing range in all weathers to the skipper and guests alike and the conveniently located fridge freezer keeps the refreshments flowing. The electronics include Icom VHF and SSB, Simrad GPS, log fishfinder, depth sounder and radar, Raymarine autopilot, and full engine instrumentation which helps you keep an eye on the twin 600hp MAN shaft drive diesel engines. Triple helm seating gives added comfort for the skipper and his mates with auto-anchoring, a second VHF radio and compass on hand plus wipers ensure visibility is greatly improved. Great entertainer In the salon to port you will find a large lounging settee perfect for entertaining and relaxing with guests, the flat screen TV is positioned opposite for viewing comfort. Whilst the starboard side has an entertainment centre and bar complete with another fridge. The entertainers’ galley is well equipped with everything from built in fridge and freezer units, 4 burner gas stove, oven and ample storage. The adjacent dining space flows out through bifold doors into the cockpit area. The layout and level of amenities found throughout make this an ideal entertaining boat. For overnight stays the accommodation includes three cabins sleeping up to 8 adults. The owner’s forward master cabin has a double bed, plenty of locker space and storage including drawers under the bed base. The head includes a separate shower cubicle, vanity and toilet. The easy-care gloss white surfaces and molded shower give a light and airy feel. The second cabin to port has two single berths with great drawer storage and plenty of room for two. The spacious main bathroom can be accessed from the forward companionway. Versatile vessel A single transom door gives great protection from the elements and plenty of storage can be found beneath the cockpit floor. For the keen fisherman she is game rigged and has previously been in survey. Extra rod holders and game poles satisfy the more serious anglers and this versatile vessel offers something for everyone with so much thought going into the systems, storage and design. One of the less mentioned but very convenient features is the outside toilet and shower tucked under the stairwell; great for keeping the fishing mess and wet footprints out of the cockpit. Special thought went into keeping the overhangs to a minimum

waterline Dec 17

150 years of brown trout October 10 marked the 150th anniversary of the introduction of brown trout to New Zealand - a species which has since become culturally, environmentally and economically important. The European natives were first introduced here in 1867 from British stock established in Tasmania just three years earlier. “With a finhold now established in the southern hemisphere, brown trout were bred in Tasmania and their eggs were brought to New Zealand by the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society,” says Fish & Game New Zealand’s chief executive Bryce Johnson. Only three trout hatched from the 1200 Tasmanian eggs. The first trout to hatch in New Zealand was a brown in Christchurch’s Hagley Park on October 10, 1867. The lone fish was followed a few days later by a further two. Brown trout have since become widely established in both the North and South Islands. In the process, they have become a culturally valuable species and one that has been a catalyst for protecting the environment, water quality and some of

the country’s most outstanding wild rivers, lakes and streams. “Trout are important because they act as an umbrella species and safeguard the environment because they are critical indicators of high water quality,” says Bryce. “They are the canary in the mine – if water quality is deteriorating to the point that trout can’t survive, then native species, which have a higher tolerance for poorer water quality, will also become more threatened. “As a result, 12 of the country’s 15 Water Conservation Orders have been secured because of the high quality of their trout fisheries.” Brown trout also provide the foundation for a multi-million dollar tourism industry. “New Zealand’s brown trout fishery is rated as one of the best on the planet, attracting anglers from all over the world,” says Bryce. “Some of these are high-spending international travellers who are happy to pay significant sums of money to pursue trout.” It is cash that provides a boost to regional economies through not only fishing guides, but also food, travel and accommodation.

42 Dive Cres, Tauranga | 07 571 1161

Christine Brueker - a visiting German tourist and passionate fly fisher.

Trout fishing is also popular with New Zealand anglers, with more than 100,000 licences sold every year. But the impact of trout angling isn’t confined to recreation – it also provides the basis of a dedicated manufacturing industry. “New Zealand makes very good fishing rods, outdoor clothing and boats, along with other fishing equipment such as trout flies, all of which provides jobs and gives a boost to the national economy,” says Bryce. “All this flowed from the hatching of a single brown trout in Hagley Park, 150 years ago.”

Motuoapa Marina revamp complete Louise Upston at the Motuoapa Marina.

The southern end of Lake Taupo is set for a boost after the revamp of Motuoapa Marina was completed. MP Louise Upston visited the marina ahead of its official opening in November. “It is an exciting time for locals who will now be able to experience the benefits and opportunities that the long-awaited upgrade of Motuoapa Marina will bring,” says Louise. “The neglected state of boating facilities around the lake was one of the first issues raised with me when I became the MP for Taupo, and I was pleased to be able to secure $4.8 million in Budget 2011 to help this project and others like it get off the ground. “I’m delighted to see years of discussions and planning come to fruition. The upgrade of Motuoapa Marina joins a long list of completed projects that received funding, including upgrades and improvements to Taupo and Nukuhau Marinas, as well as ramps and jetties at Acacia Bay, Te Moenga, Pukawa and Omori. “Lake Taupo brings thousands of visitors to the region every week, so it’s important that its boating facilities are modern, safe and fit for purpose. I look forward to seeing Motuoapa Marina provide a welcome boost to the southern end of the lake.” 48

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Starting the season with two new engines The Hinemoana waka will have a bit more engine when she re-enters the water following the pre-season spruce up. Solar-powered electric motors are being replaced with a pair of small diesels that will run biofuel. The biofuel helps keep the waka’s carbon footprint low, and the extra horsepower will remove a lot of anxious moments for the crew, says skipper Pat Mohi. The electric motors gave the waka about three knots, which while providing some Hinemoana waka out of the water. power when becalmed in mid ocean, made no headway against the four-to-five knot tidal stream in the Tauranga harbour The repowering also makes entrance. wintering in Fiji more likely. It meant voyages relied on “It’s really sad to see a waka wind power, and arriving parked up in the winter and departing had to months because you know coordinate with the tides. she should be out there “It’s still an experience sailing. She’s a traditional for the younger ones coPolynesian voyaging canoe, ordinating the tides for so looking at her in the sun entry into the and out of and those turquoise waters, the harbour,” says Pat, “but she’s happy too.” sometimes we had to do it He’s also hoping they when it is dark. will be able to earn enough “It’s good experience for taking tourists and guests on the younger ones, but for waka voyages to be able to the crew it alleviates a lot of subsidise costs for some of pressure.” their New Zealand voyagers. With the waka gaining The volunteer crew refurbishing the Hinemoana Waka; Nick Marr, Angelo “We would like to go up an expected cruising speed Smith, Tuutakamoana Luttenberger, Pohe Luttenberger, Pat Mohi. there and offer an authentic of about eight knots, the cultural experience on board new motors will also make a waka, taking passengers or clients between islands, giving them keeping up with the Hinemoana’s increasingly busy schedule less an experience of what a waka is about in that environment.” stressful while increasing the operating range. The hope is that they make enough in Fiji to subsidise some “We can get around a lot further, we can see more. It will of the youth programmes in New Zealand. Hinemoana is one enhance our programme so much more. The results we had last of seven waka designed and built in Auckland in 2009 for Te year suggest people enjoyed themselves and we have learned a Mana o Moana, the Spirit of the Ocean voyage. Hinemoana lot from it.” was the flagship. The people from the first season are recommending the voyage “She was built to cater all the small islands that couldn’t to others - the result of which sees bookings for the ten-day maintain and keep the vessel to themselves,” says Pat. voyages through to next year. “So on the deck and throughout the vessel are designs and There’s been a bit of pre-season work on the crew as well, says symbols that come from each of the different islands. She is the Pat. They have gone through courses, from working with youth, pan-Pacific vessel that incorporates all the traditions of Polynesia to teaching methods, as well as the first aid and fire safety. as well as Micronesia and Melanesia.” “The people are buying into what we have always believed in, As the flagship waka, Hinemoana has been everywhere, from and we seem to be doing okay,” says Pat. All volunteers working on the waka have been involved for years one side of the Pacific Ocean to the other and the islands in between. The hull design, with the characteristic raised sterns, and years, such as Angelo, a Fijian skipper on different waka. originates in Rarotonga and is believed to be similar to the vessel “They have always known what a waka can do for the type used in exploring and migrating to the lower South Pacific. community, so they are here to help. They’re repainting, Pat regards them as the buses of the ocean from Rarotonga, sanding and making it as good as ever. where he says the whole art of Polynesian navigation came from. “As they say, it takes a village to raise a kid and it takes a Andrew Campbell community to raise a waka.” waterline Dec 17

Practicing new knowledge Sophie Heady and Fiona Harrison

After what seems like a long, wet winter, we are stoked that the new season of WOW is underway and signalling in summer.

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Our registration evening saw a lot of new women interested in hitting the water and learning to sail, which began by them attending the basic skills evening on October 12. This saw 40 people rotate around five sites learning the basics of boats, how to tie different knots, operating the radio and winches and learning about different types of life jackets and harbour rules. The first sail was a week later, with the crew keen to get underway and put in to practice their new-found knowledge. For many who were also in the winter series, it was a chance to get back out and race. The Bay turned on a nice evening with no rain and a steady 10knot wind and the course was set. Many boats were flying their spinnakers on the last leg heading up to the finish line. With some new boats out this year, it was tricky setting the start times for each boat, with a bit of guesswork for the initial race. But it worked out well, with just a few seconds in between the top three racing boats. High Point was leading the race boats until a few metres from the finish line when Rascal Tom and Whatever nosed ahead. It was a very close finish, with Whatever finishing seven seconds ahead of Rascal Tom, High Point seven seconds behind them and Redline closing the gap fast a couple of minutes later. Race two took place on another pleasant evening, although with quite changeable wind between 12 and 18 knots, it made for interesting racing and kept the crew on their toes making adjustments to suit the wind gusts. This weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s course saw boats heading down the main shipping channel and out to 10w for the cruisers or 12w for the racing fleet. All the racing boats finished within five minutes of each other. Rascal Tom took the honours followed by Whatever, Redline, High Point and Selah II. The cruising boats were more spread out, with Otway III taking out first place, followed a few minutes later by Sniper and Frenzy. Thanks again to all the boat owners for making it possible for the WOW crews to get on the water again this season and to our sponsors for all the great prizes you donate.

Sailors pouring into sailing school Kirsten Moratz

The summer season has started with a bang this year at the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club Sailing School. The weather has been a bit shaky with all the crazy wind and rain we’ve been having, but it hasn’t stopped the sailors from pouring in. We had 20 sailors in total come through our Spring Holiday Learn to Sail Program, with our second week at capacity with 12 Level 1 sailors taking the course. Our Term Four program is now in full swing, with lots of children and an awesome team of coaches new and old. Two months ago, we had four of our older sailors take a Learn to Sail Coaching Course, along with their VHF course and First Aid course in order to continue their careers and give back to the community by taking up some coaching as well. Jack, Rury, Joel and Braedyn are all super-keen and ready to take on responsibility and learn more while also using their vast amount of sailing knowledge to teach some of our Learn to Sail courses alongside our older coaches, Niamh, Sam, and Elly. All of our new coaches have been sailing 420 for several years representing their school teams, as well as participating in Starling Open Fleet, Wednesday night keeler races, and competing in national regattas. We are so happy to have them on board our ever-expanding coaching team. A shout out and congratulations to all of our sailors who competed in the regatta in Taupo on the weekend of November 10-12. In the Bayleys Opti North Island Championships we had 11 sailors competing in both Open Fleet and Green Fleet. Our top three sailors in the Open Fleet were Anya Pearce, coming 17th, Teaghan Denney, with a 25th and Monty Carter coming 43rd in a fleet totalling 114 Optis. In Green Fleet we had Jack Wilkins coming through with a 2nd place finish, Leighton Simmons with a 9th and Luca Palairet coming 23rd out of 29 boats. In the Bayleys Starling Travellers Regatta, also taking place at Lake Taupo Yacht Club, we had five competitors coming from our club, and a couple of others who sail with us frequently, and we are just as proud of them. Our top three Starlings were Lachlan Dillon with a 2nd place, Joel Kennedy close behind in 4th and Josh coming in with an 11th place finish out of 30 boats. To everyone who represented the Tauranga Yacht Club at this event - awesome job! You all did us so proud. Coming up we have a very busy schedule. We will be running a Holiday Program both the week before Christmas (December 1822) and the week before Term 1 starts (January 22-26). Following that, our regular Term Courses will begin right at the start of Term 1. In Term 1 our courses will run throughout the week with Level 1 kids’ courses on either Monday after school from 4-7pm, or Saturday morning from 9.30am-12.30pm, or Saturday afternoon from 1-4pm at a cost of $320 for 10 weeks. Our Level 2/3 courses will be running on either Sunday morning from 9.30am-12.30pm or Tuesday afternoon from 4-7pm at a cost of $300 for the 10 week course. No sailing experience is required for our Learn to Sail courses, however we do require an age of at least eight and the ability to swim 50 metres confidently. The course encompasses the beginnings of how to sail an Optimist dinghy, instructed by our fully-qualified Yachting New Zealand Coaches, and at the end of the course, if you complete your level, you get a Yachting New Zealand official certificate. We also offer Learn to Sail for adults. Our adult dinghy courses run on Saturdays starting at the beginning of February for five weeks at a time, with the Level One course running from 9:30am12:30pm and the Level 2/3 course running from 1-4pm.

Optimistic young sailors enjoying the summer weather.

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Club Events • Gallagher Classic Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th March 2018 Open Water

• Nauti Girls Saturday 27th January 2018 Harbour Only Bowentown ort Boating & Sp c b In lu C g in sh Fi

• NGS Roofing Bath Tub Regatta Saturday 24th February 2018 Harbour Only Ph 07 863 5006

Cambridge Yacht Club

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ui Mt Maungan g in sh Fi Sport Club

• 2018 Easter Sunday 1st April 2018 Harbour Only

Sailability Tauranga

www.bbsfc.co.nz

We are running two school holiday Learn to Sail courses for kids aged 8 to 13 • Course 1 – 18 – 21 December 2018 • Course 2 – 7 – 10 January 2018 Contact the club for registration details cambridgeyc@xtra.co.nz

In addition our regular Learn to Sail Programme runs on Tuesday evenings during the school term from 5:30 till 8:00pm

Contact – Chris

We have no events coming up in December. Our next Fishing events are as follows,

• Kawhia One Base Fishing Tournament 8th, 9th & 10th February 2018

•A nniversary Sweepstake Fishing Competition Sunday 28th January 2018

• Kawhia 2 day Easter Fishing Competition Saturday 31st March & Sunday 1st April 2018

Sheryl Vazey, Commodore

Ph 021 163 9916

New Years Race - 1 January 2018 Inviting all sailors to join our traditional New Years Day race. Start time: On the line, 11am Entries will be accepted by the control tower on

smooth.torquer@xtra.co.nz channel 77 up to 15 minutes prior to start time. Skippers briefing at the clubhouse 9am on the day of event. Entry is $10 After event barbeque 4pm

Chris Johnston, Commodore Ph 021 210 0260

mbbc@gmail.com

•D ECORO Blue Water 15th to 17th February 2018

• Ladies Tourny 24th & 25th March 2018

• Aotea Electric Snapper Challenge 7th & 8th April 2018

• I TM Pelagic Challenge Jan – April 2018

• Contract Mechanical Kids Tourny 17th March 2018

• Kilwell Trout Tourny 18th – 20th May 2018

mtfish@actrix.co.nz

Gordon, Commodore Ph 0273 704 608 gordon.suzanne@xtra.co.nz Our Summer Sailing Dates are available for bookings. Please contact Susan, our Sailor Booking Coordinator if you would like to find out more about the sailing opportunities we offer.

Tauranga Anglers Clu

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If you would like to find out about volunteering opportunities then please contact our lovely Volunteer Coordinator, Alice, at volunteers.stct@gmail.com

Susan Ph 027 528 6009 sailors.stct@gmail.com

December 2017 • Meeting: Xmas BBQ and Fly Casting competition 11th

• Club Competition Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd June 2018 Open Water

Waikato Thames Centreboard Regatta Held at: Lake Ngaroto, Bank Road, Te Awamutu 3rd & 4th February 2018

Ngaroto Sailing Clu

• Junior Saturday 21st April 2018 Harbour Only

Phil Sinclair

Ph 07 576 3823

www.facebook.com/sailabilitytauranga

January 2018 • Social meeting-15th

philsinc@kinect.co.nz

February 2018 • Speaker: Coastguard Trip: Lake Tarawera Outlet.

Club Events Tauranga Radio Sailin g Club

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Sailing remote control yachts on Lake Taurikura Saturday 11am until 4pm

Graham Roberts Ph 0274 514 240 nz777gar@gmail.com December 2017 • TSFC Kid’s Christmas Party Sat 9th December • TSFC Ham Night Tue 12th December January 2018 • Hirepool Trailer Boat Tournament Sat 6th & Sun 7th January • All About Construction GAME ON Tournament Fri 19th Courtenay Robinson

Tauranga Yacht & Po wer Boat Club

Wednesday 1pm until 4pm Scoria Close, The Lakes, Tauriko, Tauranga

15 December 2017 Members’ Night 16 December 2017 Blue Water Series White Is Race 17 December 2017 Xmas on the Beach (all divisions) 17 December 2017 MH Xmas Race Harbour Series 4 17 December 2017 Xmas on the Beach 21 December 2017 Commodores Christmas Drinks 23 December 2017 TY Xmas Picnic 6 January 2018 TY Bowentown Cruise

Sun 21st January (Reserve Fri 26th - Sun 28th January) February 2018 • Bridgeman Concrete FISH N CHICKS Tournament Fri 9th – Sat 10th February (No reserve) • NZSFC Nationals Tournament Sat 17th – Sat 24th February March 2018 • Wish 4 Fish Fishing Competition Sat 3rd March (briefing 2nd

March) • A1 HOMES One Base Wed 7th – Sat 10th March (No reserve) • MOUNT ITM Billfish Bonanza Tournament Fri 23rd – Sun 25th March (Reserve Fri 30th March –Sun 1st April) • Beach HOP Wed 21st- Sun 25th March • EASTER Fri 30th Mar – Mon 2nd April

Ph 07 578 6203 6 January 2018 P Class Tanner Cup, Kohimarama 9 January 2018 P Class Tauranga Cup, Kohimarama 12 January 2018 Members Night 13 January 2018 Short Handed Series 3 13 January 2018 Starling Match Racing, Glendowie 14 January 2018 CB Summer Series 12 17 January 2018 Keeler/MH/TY Summer Series 13 18 January 2018 Laser Nationals Naval Point

19 January 2018 Members Night 20 January 2018 TY Day Cruise 20 January 2018 Starling NIs Worser Bay 21 January 2018 CB Summer Series 13 24 January 2018 Keeler/MH/TY Summer Series 14 24 January 2018 Tornado Bol Race Week 26 January 2018 Members Night 26 January 2018 Friday Night Fun Race 5 27 January 2018 Blue Water Whitianga Race

27 January 2018 TY Cruise Blue Gum Bay 27 January 2018 Auckland Champs Kohimarama 28 January 2018 CB Summer Series 14 29 January 2018 Auckland Anniversay Day 29 January 2018 Auckland Anniversay Regatta 31 January 2018 Fun Race All Divisions

Ph 07 578 5502 office@yacht.org.nz www.yacht.org.nz

Whakatane g Sportfishin b Clu

2017 Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd Dec Xmas Hams Tournament Sponsored By Surtees Boats 2 fishing days 2018 Thu 4th to Sun 7th Jan Juniors Tournament Sponsored by New World Whk 3 fishing days and 1 lay day from the 4 days

Fri 26th to Sun 28th Jan Surtees Boats One Base Tournament 3 fishing days

Thurs 1st to Sat 3rd Mar Hamertons Charity Tournament 3 fishing days

Sat 10th Feb EBOP Kayak Club Tournament 1 fishing day

Fri 9th to Sun 11th Mar Annual Ladies Tournament Sponsored by Bizzy Buddyz 3 fishing days

Sat 17th to Sat 24th Feb NZSFC Nationals Week long

Sat 24th to Sun 25th Mar Asaleo Care Tournament 2 fishing days

Wayne Hunt (Club Manager) Ph 027 6999 111 office@wsfc.co.nz

• 2018 - monthly meeting at St John Rooms, Arawa Street, Whakatane at 7.30pm.

Whakatane Trout Fishin g Club

Alan Collins 07 312 4966

• February 9th - 11th Tarawera Outlet trip

•F ebruary 22nd - 25th Ruakituri River trip

ackc@kinect.co.nz

waterline Dec 17

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Classifieds Batteries - Battery Direct NZ www.batterydirect.co.nz sales@batterydirect.co.nz Phone 0800 267 468. Boat Maintenance - Matamata Motor Trimmers & Upholstery. Boat clear, canvas work, upholstery. Phone 07 571 4421 Cnr Mirrieless & Cross Roads, Tauranga. For Sale - Second hand sails for sale. Ideal for club racing or cruising. Trailer yachts and small keel boats. Headsails and spinnakers. Includes one Noelex 25 main. One large mylar genoa with 10 metre luff. Very reasonable prices. Phone 07 544 3288. For Sale - Volvo MTR 200 HP x1 $11,500. 130 HP $4,500 or to be run in. May trade. Phone 07 843 4392 or 027 620 9712. Mooring for Rent - Available around Christmas, Tauranga area $30 per week. Please email: youcandoit88@hotmail.com for more details. Mooring for Rent - By the harbour bridge. 9m overall length. $35pw. Phone 027 480 3881. Mooring for Rent - Pilot Bay opposite the toilets near the yellow catamaran. Recently serviced. $25 per week. Phone Tony 027 426 1408. Mooring for Sale - Omokoroa OA108. Suitable for a boat up to 7 tonnes. Have owned for 15 years. Always been serviced. Phone Alan 021 187 5755. Mooring Wanted to Buy - Prefer Pilot Bay, causeway or town reach. Please call Scott on 027 557 0400.

waterline Dec 17

Life jacket use improving More than three-quarters of boaties are wearing lifejackets the majority of the time they are on the water, according to research published in November by Maritime NZ. The results, from the 2017 IPSOS research, aligns with the on-the-water observational “No Excuses” survey done last summer by Maritime NZ and harbour masters which show even higher levels of lifejacket wear at 90 per cent. Maritime NZ director Keith Manch says recreational boating fatalities have decreased over the past two years. There were 27 fatalities in 2014, 24 in 2015 and 13 in 2016, with 12 so far in 2017 (at the time of writing). “This summer we want boaties to keep up their good lifejacket behaviour and increase their use of

communications, particularly by taking a waterproof VHF radio,” says Keith. “Lifejackets help you float and unquestionably save lives, but if you can’t call for help, we can’t rescue you. You really need both. A marine VHF radio is usually best and a distress beacon is also vital for most boaties.” While more boaties are wearing life

jackets, the same research discovered only around half are taking two waterproof ways of calling for help. Nearly one in every two Kiwi boaties (1.4 million adults) was involved in recreational boating last summer. In 2014, about a third of the adult population called themselves boaties, while in 2017 that figure is 42 per cent. The most popular craft are kayaks, used by 32 per cent of boaties, followed by power boats under six metres used by 21 per cent. Kayakers are also the youngest group – 48 per cent are aged 18-to-34 compared to 35 per cent of people using power boats under six metres. “It is evidence like this that informs the Safer Boating Forum’s campaigns,” says Keith. The Forum comprises boating and water safety organisations, the marine industry and central and local government agencies. It works to reduce boating injuries and fatalities, and improve boat safety behaviour.

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