Pacific Power Boat Nov/Dec 2017 by PowerBoat Magazine

pwc 2018 PA C IF IC

PACIFIC

BONUS FREE 2018 PWC ANNUAL INSIDE

PERSON A L WA T E R CRAFT 2018 ANN UAL

M A G A ZI N E

BUYERS GUIDE

Yamaha RESETS THE BENCHM

ARK

T R A I L E R B O AT S | L A U N C H E S | C R U I S E R S W WW. B O AT M AG S .C OM

INTROD

UCING G R AT I S – THE WO RLD’

5 TIPS WHEN BUYING A PWC S FIRST ELECTRI

C PWC

LET’S GO

LOOKING AFTER YOUR BOT TOM

FISHING

THE TRUTH ABOUT ANTIFOULING

BOSTON WHALER 285 CONQUEST

NO ROOM AT THE INN BERTH SHORTAGES CRITICAL

COLLISION AVOIDANCE

HOW TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 $10.00 INCL GST

7 7 1 1 7 3 809004

ALSO REVIEWED

ELLIOTT EVO 660

BUYERS GUIDE TO 9 12M CRUISERS EXPLORER FB SEDAN 52

FOUNTAINE PAJOT MY44

YAMAHA GP1800

REFINED POWER IS T H E U LT I M AT E L U X U R Y Our blue water flagship, the Maritimo M70 takes oceans in its stride combining supreme performance and smart timeless luxury with a potential high speed cruising range of up to 700 nautical miles. Apartment sized interior space includes a full beam ensuite in the split level full beam master stateroom, beautifully appointed galley, and enclosed stairway leading to the fully enclosed flybridge. With Maritimo, your luxury home is wherever your course takes you.

maritimo.com.au | @maritimooffshore | #oceansapart

CONTENTS

pwc 2018 PACIFIC

PACIFIC

FREE PACIFIC PWC MAGAZINE 2018 ISSUE INSIDE

PERSON A L W AT E R CRAFT 2018 ANN UAL

MAGAZIN E

BUYERS GUIDE

Yamaha RESETS THE BENCHMARK

T R A I L E R B O AT S | L A U N C H E S | C R U I S E R S W W W. B O AT M A G S . C O M

INTRODU

CING GR AT I S – T H E WORLD ’

5 TIPS WHEN BUYING A PWC S FIRST ELECTRI

C PWC

LET’S GO

LOOKING AFTER YOUR BOT TOM

FISHING

THE TRUTH ABOUT ANTIFOULING

BOSTON WHALER 285 CONQUEST

NO ROOM AT THE INN BERTH SHORTAGES CRITICAL

COLLISION AVOIDANCE

HOW TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 $10.00 INCL GST

771173

ALSO REVIEWED

ELLIOTT EVO 660

BUYERS GUIDE TO 9 12M CRUISERS EXPLORER FB SEDAN 52

FOUNTAINE PAJOT MY44

YAMAHA GP1800

809004

ISSUE 41

COVER

Boston-Whaler 285 Conquest See page 48

REVIEWS 48 BOSTON-WHALER 285 CONQUEST

84 FOUNTAINEPAJOT MY44

98 ELLIOTT EVO 660

114 EXPLORER FB SEDAN 52

106

132

F E AT U R E S 56 21 FAVOURITE DESTINATIONS Editor Barry Thompson looks at 21 of his favourite destinations he has visited for the magazine from the past 21 years.

66 THE REBIRTH OF GRAND BANKS Grand Banks had some lean years before it's recent revival and launching of the all new GB60.

90 NO ROOM AT THE INN Pressure goes on marinas as historic decisions, changing preferences and growing numbers of bigger boats create major berth shortage.

106 COLLISION AVOIDANCE Going boating and not sure how to avoid a collision? Applying the rules is a good start. We offer some advice on being safer on the water.

72 MOVING ON UP A buyer’s guide to 9-12m boats that are often the first step up from a trailer boat. 4 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

121 LOOKING AFTER YOUR BOTTOM There is more to antifouling than just slapping on a coat of paint, so it’s important that right from the prep to the finished coat it’s done right.

128 CRUISE OF THE ENVOY Our Envoy crew face an unexpected challenge for the 2017 season.

132 GILBERT’S MUSINGS Phil Gilbert presents Part 2 in a series about his boating mistakes.

REGULARS 8 DESIGN FOCUS

38 POWER ON

E-Iguana 29. Amphhibious and Electric

New outboards, bow thruster and batteries.

10 LEADING COMMENT

40 ELECTRONICS NEWS

Big Boats are Back!

Hot new products from some of the world’s leading brands.

12 PUBLISHER’S COMMENT A Brighter, Safer Summer

Cast away your worries

42 RACING NEWS 2018 Racing Calendar, plus latest rounds of OZ Offshore Series.

14 GUEST COMMENT The times they have a-changed – Mike Rose MRPR

16 SEEN & ADMIRED

44 CRUISING MATTERS Turkey is losing appeal as a cruising destination.

Tristram 600 Inshore ‘Big Angry Fish’ Edition. Tino 570 HS

46 STRAIGHT FROM THE GALLEY

20 NEWS

Derek The Chef prepares Roast Hapuka with squashed potatoes.

News, New Products, Boats and Events.

2018 PWC ANNUAL

pwc 2018

PACIFIC

BUYERS GUIDE

P E R S O N A L WAT E R C R A F T

20 18 A N N U A L

MAGAZINE

GER145309

If you are into PWCs, then you need to check out our annual salute to this fast-growing form of boating. In our tribute to ‘Skis’ we look at what you can expect for the coming season from Kawasaki, Sea Doo & Yamaha, have a review on the latest Yamaha GP1800 and check out the world’s first electric PWC. Sam Harvey offers some hints on what to look for when buying a PWC.

www.hqhh.de 06/2016

See on Page 139

Yamaha RESETS THE BENCHMARK

5 TIPS WHEN BUYING A PWC

Sydney · Phone +61-(0)2-9936 1670 pantaenius.com.au

I N T R O D U C I N G G R AT I S – T H E WO R L D’S F I R S T E L EC T R I C P WC

WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 5

6 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 7

DESIGN FORUM

E-Iguana 29

AMPHIBIOUS & ELECTRIC

8 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

HE Iguana is a whole new look at amphibious vehicles as we know them. Sealegs lead the world when it comes to boats with wheels, but what French manufacturer, IguanaYachts is offering is something entirely different. Instead of using wheel technology they have gone the way of a new design they call the Iguana Mobility System. This sees the landing gear mounted on rubber tracks that are able to fold on the sides of the boat to nearly disappear except for the rubber bands that are kept out to be used as fenders. The aluminium frame of the landing gear is treated with epoxy paint to assure the ability to withstand the saline environment. The wheels are mounted on carbon fibre blade suspension and the sprockets are ingeniously welded to let sand and pebbles pass through without obstructing the passage of the rubber track. Now the company has gone a step further with the release of the E-Iguana 29, the first electric amphibious boat with a total admissible weight of up to 4.5 tonnes. This means that from now on, Iguanas can extend their low environmental impact with zero local emissions and hardly an audible whisper. The market launch of this technology is the beginning of a new era for Iguana Yachts. Technically, the E-Iguana 29 is based on heavy-duty electric motors that use efficient three-phase drives with a power output of 22 kW. These extremely durable motors are especially suitable for the most rugged environments. The entire conventional drivetrain is now replaced by an electric drive with electric motors directly adjacent to the wheel hubs. The power is supplied by a battery pack consisting of battery modules. This results in a range of up to 110 minutes â€“ enough for ten days of typical daily use. Thanks to the integrated concept with motors adjacent to the wheel hubs, the batteries are housed in a protected location inside the frame. With this solution, there is no increase in the weight. The permissible gross weight and performance of the boat remain the same as the previous hydraulic system.

SENSATIONAL LAYOUT From the top yacht finish of the metallic paint to the modern interior, the first impression is refinement and balance. All and every little detail blends to create this very different boat. The interior has been meticulously designed in every detail. The table ideally fits at the stern deck and comfortably accommodates seven guests. The bar is embedded in the centre of the table, where the crystal glasses ingeniously slide in a wood box padded with leather allowing to store and remove safely. To create a warm contemporary feel to the interior, seats include an increased quantity of stitching. The storage boxes located under the seating are leather covered and every compartment is thought to store personal belongings conveniently. At the helm, the wheel and the controls are leather covered. The front monitor gives a clear view of the electronic system, all in one GPS and sound system. Everything is at your fingertips for effortless operation. Australian Agent: Dreamline Yachts Australia, Ph +612 83180222, info@dreamlineyachts.com www.dreamlineyachts.com.au

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 9

EDITOR’S NOTE

PACIFIC

Barry Thompson

BIG BOATS

PUBLISHER D&B Publishing Ltd Trading as BoatMags.com EDITORIAL Barry Thompson, Editor DDI: +64 (0)9 428 2086 Mob: +64 (0)21 777 355 email: barry@boatmags.com CONTRIBUTORS Doug Dukeson, Freddy Foote Derek the Chef, Laurie Cranfield, Mike Rose ADVERTISING New Zealand & Australia Doug Dukeson DDI: +64 (0)9 428 2328 Mob: +64 (0)21 772 202 email: doug@boatmags.com Alex Ram DDI: +64 (0)9 428 7277 Mob: +64 (0)21 0286 5298 email: alex@boatmags.com PRODUCTION Design & Prepress: Annabelle Rose Design Mob: +64 (0)27 427 4559 email: design@annabellerose.co.nz Printer: PMP Limited WEBSITE Momentum Marketing Carl Thompson Tel: +64 (0)21 762 275 email: carl@gomomentum.marketing ACCOUNTS Soraja Thompson Tel: +64 (0)9 428 2086 email: accounts@boatmags.com CIRCULATION Gordon & Gotch Ltd SUBSCRIPTIONS Printed & Digital subs@boatmags.com Pacific PowerBoat is published bi-monthly January, March, May, July, September, November REGISTERED OFFICE 14 Glamis Ave, Manly, Whangaparaoa, Auckland, New Zealand. email: barry@boatmags.com www.boatmags.com Postal Address: PO Box 132 Whangaparaoa, Auckland 0930, New Zealand. All rights reserved. Reprinting in whole or part is expressly forbidden, except by written permission of the publisher. Printed in New Zealand ISSN 2230-4134 (Printed) ISSN 2230-4142 (Online)

ARE BACK

N 2009 when GFC came, the New Zealand marine industry was on a high. Trailer boat sales were booming, the big boat builders, both production and custom were busy and all was right with the boating world. Well, we all know what happened next and while it has taken some sectors of our industry a bit longer to recover, generally the marine market in Kiwiland is in good shape. While we may have all but lost our status as one of the world leaders in superyacht construction, that is not entirely dead. Auckland based Yachting Developments are on the cusp of launching a 38.7m sports fisher for a local client and ProFab Engineering in Palmerston North are well underway with a 39.5m workboat style power cat, due for launching early 2019. This all alloy boat is also for a local owner. Talking with David Porter, McMullen & Wing, he says that while he doesn’t get a lot of enquires on larger recreational vessels, their main focus now has been on the commercial market and refits, particularly in the aquaculture field. We all know that the trailer boat industry, especially alloy boats are booming and most manufacturers have long waiting lists, especially for larger boats. Talking with Graig Lewis, Gulfland Marine, on the Saturday at the recent Auckland On Water Boat Show, he remarked that he had already sold five boats and all to new clients that he had not been dealing with before the show. This same sentiment was repeated by quite a few other trailer boat builders and all were encouraged by the strong interest and that people were signing up and paying deposits. Lance Fink who has always been a strong supporter of the show was pumped with the response to his Tristram boats and came away from the show with

10 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

sales and plenty of solid enquires to follow up. “We did close to $1million of sales from the show and had more to follow”, said Lance. Scott Little, Sales Director for Rayglass Boats, said it was one of the best Auckland On Water Boat Shows ever and sales were strong across all models. “The 2800 was again one of the most popular and of course the first showing of our new 3500 attracted huge interest”, says Scott. Although he wouldn’t admit it, rumours around have sales of the new Rayglass 3500 at over 35 since it was released earlier this year. So does this mean the locally built 10m plus non-trailerable production boat is coming back? Add the Rayglass 3500 to the Hamilton built Admiral 10m (due for first quarter 2018 launch), an allnew Superior 1050 Sports Sedan and the fact that Alan Tongs Boatbuilders are tooling up for a full production 42ft Bill Upfold designed sports sedan, then maybe the answer is yes. Big boat sales from the likes of Riviera and Maritimo are stronger now than they were in 2009 and in both cases that includs a lot of bigger models. Imports from Europe and the US are also on a role and don’t look like letting up anytime soon. I have heard rumours of the possible resurgence of another couple of well known local boat brands, so things are certainly looking good for the future. Will the America’s Cup make any difference to the powerboat market? Too damn right it will!

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE

Doug Dukeson

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ooking back over the past 12 months and the shows we attended, it has been a very positive year for the marine industry indeed. Every show was up on attendance numbers, and reportedly, more boats and marine products sold than previous years. This has to be a positive sign for all involved in the marine industry, an indication that more Kiwis and Australians are getting out on the water, enjoying some of the worlds best waterways on offer. As we approach the coming season and as I write this column, we in New Zealand are in Safe Boating Week, a programme organised by Maritime New Zealand to help make Kiwi’s a little wiser and aware on the water. Boating is one of New Zealand’s more popular national pasttimes, with about 40% of the population (1.45 million of us, in fact) getting out on the water last summer alone. If you are new to boating, the best suggestion I could offer you would be to complete a Day Skipper boating course with Coastguard Education www.coastguard.org.nz/Education, you and your family, will be safer for the knowledge and feel more confident, and as a result enjoy your boating much more.

The Water Safety’s campaign massage for 2018 is “Nobody’s faster than disaster”. The key points being: + Wear your lifejacket. + Take two waterproof ways to call for help. + Check the marine weather forecast. + Avoid alcohol. + Be a responsible skipper. After you have educated yourself through the courses, followed the rules and prepared yourself and your boat for the adventure. Believe it, things can still turn pear shaped and for this reason, I would suggest having the security of being able to call for assistance while out on the water.

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For this extra piece of mind, I would highly recommend having a a Coastguard membership (www.coastguard.org.nz). There are so many factors that could upset your dream boating experience and for a few extra dollars, these volunteer guys and girls will come to your assistance. Certainly great piece of mind. Have a safe boating Christmas and enjoy your time on the water no matter what you are doing. We want you back safe and sound for 2018, reading your favourite PowerBoat Magazine. Doug Dukeson

12 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

G U E ST CO M M E N T: M I K E R O S E

Regular Contributor

THE TIMES THEY HAVE

A-CHANGED W

Available from all Caring Chandlers or

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info@chainsropesandanchors.co.nz www.chainsropesandanchors.co.nz

hen editor Barry Thompson asked me to pen a Guest Editorial reflecting on how the marine industry has changed over the last 30-odd years, my first reaction was: “Well, it used to be a lot more fun.” Closer reflection, of course, bought a more nuanced view: it also used to be considerably less professional and a lot less friendly. The marine industry I first entered as a young man in 1984 was dominated by big personalities and a fierce competitiveness that celebrated every victory over a competitor and rejoiced at their misfortunes. The ethos of “work hard, play hard” wasn’t merely a cliché, it was the way we lived. The business was everything and the competition was brutal. It wasn’t enough to be number one, there also had to be daylight between you and whoever thought they might be number 2. The hours worked were often crazy and, when there was something to celebrate, so was the “playing”. Lunches often morphed into dinners and didn’t finish until after midnight. Large amounts of money were made, and spent. Example: the general manager of a large Aucklandbased company, being taken to lunch by the head of his advertising agency, was asked: “Do you have your passport?” The restaurant, it transpired, was in Sydney. Boat tests were not merely a review of a vessel’s seaworthiness, performance and fit-out, they were also an in-depth study of its suitability for entertaining. Like the lunches, a good boat test could extend well past nightfall. Ensuring the boat was safely returned to its berth was often a challenge all of its own. While this hard-living, fierce competitiveness, intense rivalry and excessive celebration was enormous fun,

14 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

it didn’t often make for a happy home. Many of us were rarely there and, when we were, were either exhausted, hung over or both. Even the marine industry’s social gatherings were almost exclusively male and the amount of alcohol consumed, legendary. Unsurprisingly, many marriages did not survive. Nor did several of the companies. Business collapses were depressingly common and hard on those of us selling products (in our case advertising) to our fellow industry members. Today’s industry is a far more co-operative, professional and successful one. Business failures are almost non-existent and company owners, CEOs and managers tend to focus on their businesses and their clients (as opposed to what their competitors are doing or on the individual passions of their owners). Marine businesses now “co-operate to compete” (a term coined, I believe, in the 1990s by Peter Busfield, longtime executive director of NZ Marine, previously the NZ Marine Industry Association). Recognising that marine businesses’ main competitors were not each other, but those from other industries (travel, motorhomes and the like), Peter drove initiatives such as the Marine Industry Conference and the CPC (standardised construction standards for trailer power boats). Both are still going strong (the latter recently celebrating its 20th anniversary). It is now common to see fierce competitors sharing a beer, congratulating each other on their successes and genuinely seeming to like each other. It is undoubtedly a far better industry for all concerned, both those who work in it and the boaties who use it. Still, it’s hard not to miss all that fun …

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SEEN & ADMIRED

TRISTRAM 600 INSHORE ‘BIG ANGRY FISH’ EDITION

CUSTOM DESIGNED

HE R&D Team at Tristram are never short of brilliant ideas. In conjunction with the team at Big Angry Fish, it was decided that a purpose-built inshore fishing boat was where it was at, for what is becoming one of Australasia’s most followed fishing shows. With lots of hours spent waiting for the fish to bite, Milan Radonich and Nathan O‘Hearn from TV3’s Big Angry Fish have had endless discussions on what the ultimate inshore fishing vessel had to be like. Shallow water fishing is the core of Big Angry Fish, so this boat had to be nothing but perfect. The team at Tristram Marine patiently listened to all of Milan and Nathan’s ideas. Copious amounts of coffee was made and consumed, and during the discussions, lead designer and General

Manager Kingsley Fink and the team at Tristram decided the highly successful 600 Cabriolet Bowrider was the most ideal model to base the new inshore fishing boat on. A custom-made fibreglass casting platform, accessible by an easy to manoeuvre access ladder, was designed to replace the forward-bowrider section of the Cabriolet. This platform provides a non-obstructed casting area and a prime crow’s nest for prospecting for shallow water trophies. With the added ingenuity of the Minn Kota bowmounted electric trolling motor option (as featured on Big Angry Fish), the newly created Tristram 600 Inshore is now proving to be all what the boys had hoped for. “For the first time in Big Angry Fish history, boat building has never been

16 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

more simple for us.” says Milan. “Tristram Marine is a one-stop shop, where we left a long list with lots of requests for layout solutions that weren’t exactly off the shelf, and BOOM, we had a fully completed, ready-to-go fishing machine. The trailer, outboard, electric motor, wiring, electronics and lots of sassy details were all beautifully executed, and during the entire process, we were kept in the loop and were counted as part of the Fink Family.” Tristram Marine are now offering the ‘inshore’ concept as a Tristram 600 Inshore (6.00m length / 2.40m beam) and a Tristram 640 Inshore (6.40m length / 2.42m beam). Boat/motor/ trailer packages start at $76,186. www.tristramboats.com/inshore

SEEN & ADMIRED

TINO 570HS

CLASS LEADER O

NE of the stars at the recent Auckland On Water Boat Show was Tino Marine’s 570HS an entirely new design premium trailer boat. The 570HS is a sporting cross-over with an exceptionally versatile layout, class leading stability and safety and a level of detail and quality usually only reserved for the elite super-yacht industry. “We wanted to build something for the local market that not only functions great but looks fantastic as well. There is no reason functionality can’t be beautiful” says Tino Marine’s Nick Fenton. The Tino 570HS model is equipped with Tino Marine’s proprietary

developed SBM buoyancy modules. These are un-puncturable billet foam alternative to traditional pneumatic tubes. The SBM is constructed of different layers of closed cell foam that are machined on a computer controlled router. The router is programmed with the exact shape of the design, and it carves out the block of foam. Tino Marine can optimise the form for performance, cutting down on the drag and fuel consumption and increasing the internal volume of the boat. Once the machining is complete, Elastomer shell is applied over the foam. This shell provides the puncture resistance and durability. Once we had developed the SBM system, we knew we could not stop there.

18 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

The Tino 570HS has built-in features such as a full an anchor locker, internal storage lockers, stereo speakers, rod holders, gunwale dive bottle storage and a generous boarding platform to name a few. Whats next at Tino Marine Ltd? They have a smaller series 3.8m-5m that is currently in build. This series will feature an aluminium hull and deck with a composite console. These boats will have the same SBM technology and will offer them in a variety of internal layouts that make the most of the increased beam available. Tino Marine, Ph +64 (0) 27 573 5735 Nicholas@tino-marine.com www.tino-marine.com

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NEWS

ELITE AT43 FROM ALLAN TONGS BOATBUILDERS The Elite AT43 is an exciting new player on the New Zealand luxury motor yacht scene designed and built in New Zealand by people who know, love and live our unique boating lifestyle. The 43-foot Sports Sedan is designed by Elite Marine, known for sleek lines, fuel efficient, practical designs with unsurpassed sea keeping abilities and built by Allan

The astonishing popularity of the new Rayglass Legend 3500 has resulted in the company adding a new production facility to get more boats on the water, faster. “Understandably, our owners want to be able to enjoy their new 3500s just as soon as they possibly can,” says Rayglass Boats Sales Director Scott Little. “Our new state-of-the-art facility will enable us to increase production, cut lead times and get them boating sooner.” A sophisticated modern take on the much loved traditional Kiwi sedan cruiser, the new Rayglass 3500 has proved to have an extensive appeal since its launch earlier this year. “Busy professionals, couples with young families and those looking for a sports fishing launch are all seeing the advantages of the 3500,” says Scott Little. “So, too are current trailer boat owners looking for

Tongs Boatbuilders. Run by father and son team Allan and Nigel, Allan Tongs Boatbuilders has been producing highquality luxury custom boats in Auckland for nearly 40 years. The Elite AT43 offers a generous cockpit for fishing or scuba diving, as well as a relaxed outdoor dining. It should appeal to the family fishermen, as well as the luxury-

minded cruiser. GRP moulded, but with so many options it will feel like a custom build, the new production launch is offered in single- or twin-engine configurations, two or three cabins, galley up or down, and with great choices of interior finishes. Being 100% designed and built in New Zealand not overseas like other production

something a bit bigger and those previously considering a second-hand launch but concerned about the vessel’s age and ongoing maintenance costs.” Unique production techniques, specially developed by Rayglass for the 3500, have enabled Rayglass to include many features usually found only on much larger vessels. These include an aft galley capable of servicing both the large saloon and those

in the cockpit; a U-shaped lounge with excellent all-round visibility, an island transom with functional seating, barbecue and live bait tank; a large open cockpit with big duckboard; and a comfortable foredeck sun lounger, with recessed drink holders. There are also spacious master and guest cabins and separate shower and toilet areas — and Rayglass’s trademark stylish good looks.

20 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

NEWS

PREMIER SHIPPING • Specialist Worldwide Shipping of Boats and Marine Equipment •

boats in this size means clients can view the build progress, have input and speak directly to builders during the build and most importantly, be assured of the utmost quality and standards throughout. While the Elite AT43 will be built with the care and precision of a custom Elite motor yacht, it will take much, much less time to complete and carry a production boat price tag. nigel@allantongsboatbuilders.co.nz +64 (0) 21 174 1574, www.allantongsboatbuilders.co.nz

Contact us for a quote: Sara Meyer, Trade Manager – Projects & Marine Phone: +64-9-9666573 Mobile: +64-21-658133 Email: saram@oceanbridge.co.nz

www.oceanbridge.co.nz Members of: NZ Marine Export Group NZ Marine Industry Assn

Maxwell Marine has been in the winch market for decades, but until now has not had a drum winch. At the recent Auckland On Water Boat Show, they changed all that with the release of their new Tasman Series drum winch. The Tasman drum winch is available in two sizes; Tasman 8-8 which is designed to handle 100m of 8mm warp and 10m of 8mm short link chain and the Tasman 8-6 capable of holding 150m of 6mm warp and 10m of 6mm of short link chain. Both units are available in 12v or 24v, having a maximum pulling force of between 350kg and 1000 kg and have a haulage speed of between 60m/min at full drum and 13m/min with one layer on the drum. Both use the proven Maxwell 1000W motor as used on the popular RC Series and VWC/HWC models. The Tasman 8-8 weights 37kg including rope and chain, with the Tasman 8-6 slightly lighter at 31kg. www.vetus.com

DB163

MAXWELL MARINE INTRODUCES NEW DRUM WINCH

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 21

NEWS

AUCKLAND T ON WATER SHOW BUSY

he 2017 Auckland On Water Boat Show was better than a lot of exhibitors expected and despite the uncertainty of the elections and not knowing which party would be the government for the next three years, confidence was strong. Boat sales in all sectors were up from the smallest RIBs and trailer boats to the largest launches. The Viaduct Events Centre was full, as was the expanded marina with most of the marine industry’s leading brands of boats and accessories. Peter Busfield, Chairman of the MIA, organisers of the show said he was overwhelmed with the response this year and it buoyed well for the future of the industry. “Having the America’s Cup on display certainly attracted a lot of people to the show, who then went on to check out what the local marine industry had to offer”, says Busfield. For more boat show comments see Editor’s Notes page 10.

22 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

BOW & STERN THRUSTER BOATS 24’ to 70’ No Tunnel No Propeller No Noise

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WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 23

NEWS AUCKLAND ON WATER SHOW CONTINUED

24 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

The dedicated nature of our range of marine publications delivers a highly targeted audience to our advertisers – Offering your products and brand a receptive audience.

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New Perth Show

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T Available from dealers nationwide

he change of venue for WAâ€™s largest boat show in Perth proved a successful move, with exhibitors reporting excellent sales, despite the stormy weather. Relocated from Mandurah, where the show has been for the past many years, the 2017 Club Marine Perth International Boat Show, was held in the city at the stunning venue at Elizabeth Quay and the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Presented by the Boating Industry Association of WA (BIAWA), the Show was held over four days in late September and was the first time the show had been

26 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

back in Perth for seven years. Reports from exhibitors praised the venue both inside the large hall and the marina. International exhibitors included companies from Poland and New Zealand. Elizabeth Quay was used for on-water displays and demonstrations, plus Perth Waters for an exciting Festival of Sailing across the Boat Show weekend. The event was completely sold out and spilled into the foyer of PCEC, as well as on the shore of Elizabeth Quay. There was also a reasonable presence of Kiwi companies keen to make a mark in the WA market. Griff Simpson, Fi Glass Boats said he has

NEWS

Surtees Boats were once again represented by their local dealer.

Perth has it’s own brand of serious offshore GRP boats.

Barry Thompson, Editor with Griff Simpson, MD of Fi Glass, one of a number of Kiwi boat builders at the show.

always found the Mandurah and now Perth shows well worth attending and through a local dealer always sells some boats at the show. 2017 was no exception. Surtees Marine sales manager, Cliff Schick, was also another who regards the show as an important marketing tool for the expansion into WA and says it’s unlike the rest of Australia, “We do shows on the East Coast, but WA is something quite different and the people respect quality boats, especially ones like ours that are tough enough to go fishing offshore”, says Cliff. Kiwi brand, although now Chinese built, Reflex Boats had a full range of their trailer boats and Extreme was also one of many alloy boat brands on display. Fusion Marine’s Managing Director, Chris Baird remarked that the WA market was significant for their brand and the show was not only a great way to market their products but proved an outstanding success.

“While there was a lot of interest in all our Fusion products, Stereo Active was a particular winner and we sold a considerable number at the show”, he adds. Naiad had a great display on the Elizabeth Quay marina through their local distributor and builder, Kirby Marine. Marketing Manager for Naiad, John Cowan remarked that the new show showed a lot of potential and despite the bad weather, they got a lot of people onto the marina to look over their RIB range. While the number of larger cruisers was not strong, there were boats from major brands such as Caribbean, Riviera, Sunseeker and Maritimo. The local Maritimo dealer reported a sale of the second hand Maritimo 50 he had on display to a Kiwi buyer on the first day of the show. All of the Kiwi exhibitors said they would be back for 2018 and see the WA market as one that, while being a little depressed at the moment, is showing signs of

recovery and that the Perth International Boat Show is the ideal event to improve brand awareness. The show also attracted a Polish exhibitor with the electric Solliner solar-powered cat. The unusual looking 6m boat was produced in Gdansk, Poland and was brought to Perth to evaluate the level of support from the local market. “Exhibiting at the Perth International Boat Show was a perfect start for our business in Australia, and this event was ideal for us to launch our product,” Dr Pawel Hudzik from Solar Boats said. Despite Perth’s un-seasonally wintery weather over the long weekend, the 2017 Club Marine Perth International Boat Show attracted crowds of almost 15,600 people across the four days. Plans were well underway for the 2018 Perth International Boat Show, which would be held at a similar time of year next year. perthboatshow.com.au

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 27

NEWS

Economic benefits of America’s Cup expected to be profound AMERICA’S CUP RACING PAYS DIVIDENDS, SAYS THE NZ MARINE INDUSTRY.

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28 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

hat’s the message from the New Zealand Marine Industry following the announcement of the 36th America’s Cup protocol at the recent Auckland On Water Boat Show. The NZ marine industry will be working closely with the Auckland Council, and government to do whatever is required to ensure the challenge and defence for the 36th America’s Cup is held in Auckland in 2021. “When New Zealand won the Cup in 1995, the marine industry was instrumental in convincing the Ports of Auckland, then owners of the Viaduct Harbour, to make provision for superyachts in addition to the syndicate bases. This gave Auckland a new ‘front door’, with the building of the Viaduct Harbour, and its superyacht and charter boat berthage, open public spaces and restaurants,” says Peter Busfield, executive director NZ Marine. “The 36th Cup has the potential to attract an estimated 150 superyachts to our shores, and with each contributing an average of $3m to New Zealand’s economy, this is effectively an export market that floats to our shores,” continues Busfield. Booking enquiries are already being fielded for superyacht berths from 2019. Significant business opportunities are expected nationwide, with Northland, Auckland, the Bay of Plenty and the Marlborough Sounds particularly likely to see maintenance and refit work provided for visiting yachts. “More than $700m was injected into New Zealand following the last Cup held here, 14 years ago,” Peter Montgomery advised an industry meeting, following the protocol announcement. New Zealand’s Millennium Cup superyacht regatta attracted one of the largest ever racing superyacht fleets in the year 2000, and the NZ Marine Export Group plans to continue to run annual Millennium Cup Regattas, with the 2021 edition expected to attract another bumper fleet. “In addition, syndicates with up to 200 team members each, bring significant gains,” said Busfield. “They could be in New Zealand from as early as summer 2019 so having those syndicate bases here is good for us all - providing foreign exchange earnings for New Zealand nationwide.” “Emirates Team New Zealand has handed us an opportunity, but they need us all behind them. Industry, country and government,” summarised NZ Marine president Myles Fothergill.

NEWS

RIVIERA STAGES MAJOR DISPLAY AT FLIBS

iviera will proudly present an eightyacht display at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in Florida, from 2 to 6 November. The on-water display will showcase three models from Riviera’s Sport Yacht collection - 6000, 5400 and 4800 - two sporty and adventurous SUV models 575 and 445 – as well as the 45 and

43 Open Flybridge models and the classically elegant Belize 54 Daybridge. Riviera Chairman and owner Rodney Longhurst said: “As the world’s largest boat show, Fort Lauderdale holds a special place in Riviera’s heart each year and it is with great pride that we present a range of distinctive and luxurious designs that cater to the wide range of today’s motor yachting

pursuits and cruising aspirations. Longhurst said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Riviera and Belize owners and visitors to inspect the latest luxurious models of Riviera excellence at our stunning red-carpet, on-water showcase on C Dock at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.” www.riviera.com

Tohatsu Corporation, Japans oldest Manufacturer of Outboards, celebrates its 60th Year of manufacturing. During this period over 3.5 million units have been produced and distributed Worldwide. Current production exceeds some 200,000 units per annum. If you are a Baby Boomer Tohatsu has the right product for you. Lightweight, Efficent, Price Competitive

DB209

Horsepower cc rating Cylinders Weight kg Model

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Product is available from our Dealer Network Nation wide. Website: www.tohatsu.co.nz or 04-237-7800 WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 29

NEWS

FC680 CC SEALEGS PROTOTYPE F

extremely dry boat, and with extra floatation, under the floor and in the gunnels the FC 680CC is a very buoyant craft. FC Boats is the first local boat manufacturer to integrate a Mercury Verado Four stroke outboard onto a Sealegs craft, which has brought a whole new level of sophistication to the finished craft. With the power steering incorporated to work in unison with the front wheel, the Verado has the advantage of turning vertically, even when fully trimmed. The digital throttle with the engine start/stop button helps when entering and exiting the water. All the L6 Verado’s are the same weight from

200 to 400hp so the boat balance will always be the same and the owner can pick his horsepower to suit his needs. FC boats are very happy with the finished product and have the next prototype in planning. The 680 project has consumed over 1000 build hours plus testing and design. “FC Boats is working through a process with Sealegs to prove production capability and market research. Until Sealegs formally approve the FC amphibious boats they remain prototypes and are only available from FC Boats” says David McKee Wright, CEO Sealegs ltd. FC Boats Ltd, Ph +64 (0) 21 904 650 www.fcboats.co.nz

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C Boats has done extensive testing on both the west and east coasts and are very happy with the sea keeping and stability of the new FC 680CC Sealegs Prototype. FC Boats have been able to incorporate the Sealegs Technology in the centre console, leaving a massive amount of fishing/diving floor space. They have also been able to retain the FC live bait tank and underfloor dive bottle storage as well as the huge forward casting platform with more underfloor storage. With the raised sheer line of the FC hull, the Sealegs front wheel assembly fits nicely and is less intrusive. The overhanging gunnels provide an

2017 VR5 Cuddy (6.20m)

30 PACIFIC POWERBOAT SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017

2017 Ciera 8 Cuddy (8.15m)

NEWS

S E A R AY S U R F B OAT

ea Ray’s NZ distributor, Sports Marine has just landed their first Sea Ray SLX-W 230, a boat specially designed for wake surfing. Power is a 370hp, MerCruiser 6.2L ECT TowSport V-Drive Inboard running DTS and a ZF 63 IV (2:1) transmission. The new Sea Ray SLX-W wake surfing boat offers a premium wake performance, superlative coving and cruising abilities. It is a boat that can be used both in the calm and rough, with a hull that is designed to be more multipurpose than other dedicated wake surfing boats. The SLX-W 230 is without compromising when it comes to comfort, ride quality or attention to detail. Overall length is 7.26m, with a beam of 2.59m and a dry weight of 2506 kg. The SLX-W 230 carries 201 litres of fuel and has a deep 21 deg deadrise. Key features for wake surfing are it’s 871 kg ballast capacity and the unique WakeTech wake shaping system. Look for a full review and video on this boat in a coming issue of PPB. Sports Marine, Ph Christchurch +64 3 379 9208, Auckland +64 9 274 9918, sales@sportsmarine.co.nz www.sportsmarine.co.nz

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n a nutshell, Desalt is a simple cleaning and protective product that safely dissolves salt from all surfaces, including when used as a boat engine flush. It can even remove surface rust and act as a retardant (stops it from forming). Desalt is specially formulated to help dissolve salt deposits in your boat engine as well as clean other exposed bits including your jet ski, jetpack, kayak, car, house or bach windows and deck, fishing or dive gear. One of the advantages of Desalt is that you don’t have to rinse off the foam once it is applied. You simply spray on and leave it. It is also marketed at around ½ the price of competitive products and is fully biodegradable. In fact, anything that comes into contact with the corrosive nature of the marine environment can be washed down by using Desalt. Distributed in New Zealand by Hutchwilco, Desalt is available in 2 or 5-litre containers. However, as an introductory pack, Desalt offer a bucket complete with a 2-litre bottle of Desalt fluid, a dispenser and even a soft cloth. www.hutchwilco.co.nz

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NEWS

The smarter way to Easy Boating Pioneering joystick control

FRESH APPROACH TO WATERMAKERS R

ainman watermakers are a compact and portable solution designed to generate a fresh water supply from salt or brackish water. Rainman is a simple, robust watermaker designed for ease of use and low maintenance. This fresh approach to desalination eliminates unnecessary componentry and electronics. Not only is the initial cost lower than most systems, but the simple design and high quality also reduce on-going maintenance costs. You can choose to install the system or run it portable. Being portable allows you to use it in a variety of locations both on land or on various boats. The Rainman uses simple pumps and no electronics with up to 140 lph. The Pressure Supply Unit (PSU) is available with a Honda petrol engine or multiple electric options. Pacific Tech Imports, Ph +64 9 4242278, info@pacifictech.co.nz, www.pacifictech.co.nz

MAVERICK EXPORT FIRST POWERCAT

Joystick control Volvo Penta was the first to pioneer joystick technology for leisure boating. We’ve come a long way since then. Available for Aquamatic Sterndrive, Volvo Penta IPS and Diesel Inboard applications, the joystick puts docking, close-quarter maneuvering and high-speed cruising at your fingertips. Find out more at: www.volvopenta.com/leisure

Distributed by Volpower NZ Limited For New Zealand & Pacific Islands Ph. 0800 865 769 or 09-2744305 www.volpower.co.nz 32 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Catamaran specialist Maverick Marine recently squeezed another of its Renegade 500’s into a 20’container bound for a customer based in Ohio, USA, where its destined to ply the waters of the Great Lakes chasing mega catfish. Maverick’s chief, David McLellan says that this is not the first time that an American customer has reached out to the other side of the world to buy one of its boats, with them citing the uniqueness of the design and its highperformance characteristics as the fundamental drivers for doing it. McLellan says that he thinks that New Zealand’s exceptional reputation for designing and building plate alloy boats also plays its part. Maverick’s 5m Renegade 500 is at the smaller end of what the North Americans want according to McLellan, with the company fielding requests for larger, twin outboard vessels. The company is eager to complete development work on larger boats and cater to the demand, but notes the not insignificant costs associated with such a development process. www.maverickmarine.co.nz

NEWS

Strong Interest in Azimut with Kiwi Buyers T

he New Zealand distributor for Azimut Yachts, Pinnacle Marine and Automotive is reporting strong interest in the Italian range, especially around the newly released S7 model, with the company also taking recent orders for a Magellano 43 and 72 Flybridge models for kiwi buyers. A new model to the Azimut range and launched in September at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the 21m Azimut S7 is ideal for those who want performance without sacrificing contemporary, sophisticated design. Azimut will offer the S7 in both a Sportfly and Coupe version.

The S7 comes powered by triple 800hp Volvo IPS 1050 drives, delivering a top speed of 35 knots. The extensive use of carbon fibre in the S7 has allowed Azimut to create more volume while keeping weight and centre of gravity lower in the hull, and naturally increasing performance usually reserved for smaller sports boats. This volume creates a 13m long living area, 4 spacious and beautifully appointed guest cabins – crew accommodation and a garage to store both a 3.25m tender and personal watercraft aft. A pivoting stern platform creates onboard

guests their own private beach into the water. The S7 is one of four new models for the Italian builder having also released at the recent Cannes Boating Festival - new 60 Flybridge, Grande 27 METRI and Grande 35 METRI all add to the every growing range from Azimut Yachts. The later two models are the new additions to the shipyard’s exclusive Grande Collection. On both, the use of carbon fibre has made it possible to increase the onboard space while retaining excellent levels of static and dynamic stability – all four models took home awards in recent independent boating awards. www.pinnaclemarine.co.nz

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NEWS

New Senior launched

t has been a few years since a new Don Senior designed boat has been built, so it was a pleasant change to see a brand new Senior on display at the recent Auckland On Water Boat Show. With the proliferation of production boats, from the likes of Riviera and Maritimo, the Kiwi boat builders have taken a big hit and apart from a few designers still doing business in the custom boat market, not a lot has been happening.

However, Auckland based Marine Evolutions are doing their best to change that and get Kiwi’s back to thinking about custom launches, where individual expression is available, from the layout to the fabrics. Wawata is a brand new 16.8 m Senior design, powered by twin C9 Caterpillar engines, through conventional shaft drives. Top speed is around 30 knots with a cruise of 23 knots. The interior is traditional with a soft blend of bleached Oak and Ziricote interior.

Hull construction is cold moulded ply, with a foam composite used on the topsides. The new Senior features a traditional Kiwi layout, with three cabins, two heads and an extremely roomy and functional flybridge. Twin helm chairs face towards a large forward lounger, plus bifold doors aft lead to a spacious Juliet deck. The boat was built for extended cruising, fishing and enjoying all that the Hauraki Gulf and beyond has to offer. www.marineevolutions.co.nz

“To be honest it’s the smoothest ride on a boat I’ve ever had. When my mates get on my boat they all test it out by standing all on one side. They can’t get over how stable she is.” James (Jimmy) Snowball, Proud Seaforce 530 Ute owner

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34 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

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NEWS

NEW GENERATION OF CLIPPER MOTOR YACHTS SET TO BE LAUNCHED With a proud history dating back to 1977 Australia’s iconic Clipper Motor Yachts is poised to launch an exciting new European inspired model range which will position it at the forefront of the international long range luxury cruiser market. Clipper Motor Yachts Managing Director, Brett Thurley, said the company was about to progress to an exciting new era in its growth and development. “We will always keep the core elements inherent in the Clipper DNA such as walk around decks, semi-displacement- keel protected hull design, shaft drive diesel technology, long range economical cruising capacity and exemplary seakeeping ability however we have given the range a massive step change in styling and aesthetic direction for the future,” he said. “This has been done at a visual, engineering

One of the Patrizio Facheris designed Hudson Bay Motor yachts that will form part of the new generation of vessels being manufactured by Clipper.

and design level so the new generation of Clipper Motor Yachts, encompassing both flybridge, sedan bridge and sedan vessels will be cutting edge contemporary compared with the Clipper’s of the past. “Our heritage is in traditional, solid, trawler style long range cruisers and we have now modernised and taking that style of vessel to a completely new level of design and finish.” Thurley said the new range would encompass a sleek, European styled sedan bridge

Hudson Bay model with three versions being the 500S, the 540S and the flagship 640S. In addition the same style vessel will be produced in a sedan version starting with the Hudson Bay 350 sedan cruiser. The jewel in the crown of the new offering will be a range of exciting new Cordova Motor Yachts including the 50MY, the 55MY and the 65MY. These vessels will be true long range cruisers designed to tackle virtually any sea conditions and deliver their owners in safety and comfort no matter where their destination. Clipper Motor Yachts, Ph +61 0755194019, www.clippermotoryachts.com

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NEWS

First Carver C37 Sold in Auckland

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Australian Marine Wholesale The Boat Works, Unit 2 Building J 1 Boat Works Drive, Coomera QLD 4209

36 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

P +61 7 5580 1511 E sales@amwholesale.com.au W www.amwholesale.com.au

ports Marine recently landed their third Carver Coupe and during its first public showing at the Auckland On Water Show found an owner. “We had been working with this client some time ago on another boat, but when he saw the Carver C37 he didn’t hesitate in closing a deal with us”, says Sports Marine’s Scott Williamson. The Carver C37 is one of four Coupes in the Carver range which comprises the C32, C37, C43 and C52. Within her sleek lines and flawless profile, the C37 Coupe is equipped for day boating or cruising with an unmatched level of comfort. You’ll find a thoughtfully designed galley, an airy salon filled with natural light, two spacious staterooms with impressive amenities and abundant seating, and a remarkable 2m plus headroom. It exudes the flair of a European yacht, with a unique bow entry that smoothly flows aft, accentuated by large windows. Once you open the saloon’s dual doors, the helm, saloon, and galley become part of one, single-level, indoor/outdoor living space for entertaining, relaxing, and simply enjoying life on the water. The open layout flows seamlessly to the guest seating/lounge/dining area, which features a U-shaped dinette with ample room for a dozen or so guests. Opposite is the galley, equipped with stainlesssteel appliances and solid-surface countertops. The oversized windows and fully-opening doors bring the outside in to make the saloon and the aft cockpit one huge comfort zone, adding to the feeling that this yacht is a cocoon of comfort on the open water. The C37 is more than a cruising yacht, it is also a performer. Power for the first C37 into New Zealand is a pair of Volvo Penta D4/300 inboards through conventional shafts. Look for a full review and video on the Carver C37 in the Jan-Feb 2018 issue of PPB. www.sportsmarine.co.nz

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TURBO DIESEL OUTBOARD F

ollowing its agreement with German manufacturer Neander Shark for exclusive global distribution of the Dtorque 111 twincylinder 50 hp diesel outboard engine, Yanmar Marine International (YMI) has announced the official launch of this exciting new propulsion product. The compact Dtorque 111 is designed to revolutionise the small workboat market where its expected lifespan of well over 10,000 hours at least doubles that of any comparable outboard gasoline engine. The Dtorque 111 offers a remarkably smooth and quiet diesel engine, delivering 50 hp at the propeller with a stunning torque output of 111 Nm at just 2,500 rpm. This is considerably better than the latest 70 hp 4-stroke gasoline models and more than enough to quickly accelerate most small craft onto the plane with plenty of low-down lugging power for heavy displacement duty. To create the Dtorque 111 the German developer and manufacturer Neander deconstructed conventional small-diesel engineering to first principles. The result is a two-cylinder common-rail turbo charged diesel engine, using a unique system of dual counter-rotating crankshafts in an aluminum block, which dramatically reduces the vibration levels that a conventional small two-cylinder diesel engine would normally generate. This technology with a patented ‘Spaceball’ design not only achieves less vibration but also less noise, lighter boat handling and less stress on the engine. The Dtorque 111 is the world’s smallest diesel outboard engine with common-rail fuel injection. This enables it to deliver an impressive performance with class-leading fuel economy and exhaust emissions that fall

well within the latest EU RCD 2 limits. At full throttle and lading it typically burns under 12 litres of fuel per hour 2 times less than most 70 hp gasoline outboards of similar performance. The Dtorque 111 ensures fewer refuelling stops and lower running costs. The Dtorque 111 turbo diesel outboard is SOLAS (MOB) certified and now in full production with customer deliveries in the last quarter of 2017. For the past 2 years both YANMAR and Neander have been trialing pre-series outboards in six EU pilot countries. “We invited a wide cross-section of our customers around Europe to performance-test the outboards in differing sea states and loading conditions gathering as many opinions as possible,” explains Floris Lettinga, YMI Global Sales Manager. “Our research has confirmed that this product is ideally placed for the light duty commercial market, from wind turbine servicing and fish farming to harbor and patrol duties, water taxis and superyacht charter services. We are confident that the combination of long range, low running costs, durability and low emissions delivered by this unique diesel outboard will appeal to operators across a wide range of applications.” Floris Lettinga continued, “With many commercial operators maintaining a single diesel fuel policy to avoid risk of fire and explosion, the market potential for the Dtorque 111 is highly diverse. So far, the main option for small workboat propulsion has been the gasoline outboard. No longer is that true!” www.yanmarmarine.com

38 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Suzuki Marine continues to offer products that provide better acceleration, better fuel efficiency and better value with the worldwide release of the DF100B at the recent Genoa Boat Show. The new DF100B 4-stroke outboard is the lightest in its class and at just 157kg, is 25kg lighter than the current DF100A. Aside from its compact size and performance, the new model also has the largest gearbox ratio in its class and has been crafted from a proven design using the same 1502cc engine unit as the DF70A/80A/90A models. However, Suzuki has stepped it up in the DF100B by adding a water detecting system, the advantage of which alerts the driver with an audible alarm and visual warning if water is detected in the fuel. This means safer boating for the driver and less chance of corrosion and loss of power output in the engine itself. The DF100B also includes Lean Burn fuel technology, offset driveshaft, maintenance-free timing chains and Tilt Limit System, all packaged in a stylish body with a large 3D ‘S’ Suzuki emblem and is available in either ‘Pearl Nebular Black’ or ‘Cool White’ finishes. The announcement came off the back of the recent launch of the flagship DF350A and updated 2017 Suzuki outboard range earlier this year. www.suzukimarine.com.au

MINN KOTA APPS FOR IOS AND ANDROID M

inn Kota has launched a revolutionary app technology for trolling motors equipped with i-Pilot and iPilot Link. The free apps allow anglers to navigate and control their trolling motor via their smartphones or other mobile devices by communicating with the trolling motor via Bluetooth, and also allows users to accept software upgrades wherever they have data coverage. The Minn Kota app includes basic Propeller On/Off, Left/Right Steering, Speed Control, AutoPilot activation, and deployment of Spot-Lock and Spot-Lock Jog – which keep anglers glued to a spot even in high winds and strong current. The apps also offer a High-Speed Bypass

feature, which immediately boosts the motor to high speed if the angler needs to move the boat quickly. Since Minn Kota is continually expanding and evolving its technology, there are times when software updates become available. With the new apps, anglers are alerted that an update has been released. They can then activate that upgrade, even while they’re out on the water fishing. The Minn Kota apps for i-Pilot and i-Pilot Link feature an easy-to-use screen layout designed to mimic Minn Kota’s handheld remotes that anglers are already accustomed to. The navigational icons are the same, and the response time is immediate. Some anglers have reported

using the app as their primary control or as a back-up to their wireless remote. Still others enjoy using their foot pedal, for control. Ultimately it comes down to angler preference, and Minn Kota delivers options for anglers to choose how they control their trolling motor. The new apps communicate with the new 2017 line of Bluetooth enabled i-Pilot and i-Pilot Link trolling motors, including Minn Kota’s new Ulterra, Terrova, PowerDrive (i-Pilot only) and Ultrex models. www.bla.com.au

NEW VETUS RETRACTABLE THRUSTER V

etus new retractable thruster is designed to make the docking experience easier, faster and more enjoyable. Compact, lightweight and non-corrosive, the new thruster can be placed right in the bow, creating optimum leverage and generating more power. Because the thruster is not connected directly to the hull, there is also less annoying noise and vibration. Deployment and retracting times are fast and the retractable thruster’s robust, compact design means it requires very little space. This makes it ideal for both power and sailboats and shallow draft vessels. It can even be positioned in the

stern. Featuring Vetus’ patented swivel point design, the retractable thruster rotates as a single unit. The lid closes flush with the hull meaning there is minimal drag. As no light can reach the retracted thruster, there is virtually no marine growth. Combined with the thruster’s less intricate design, fewer moving parts and completely non-corrosive submerged parts, there is also less maintenance. The new Vetus retractable thruster is also incredibly safe and childproof. It comes with protection against accidental

operation or lid overload; automatic retracting and switch off after 30 minutes; automatic retracting after switching off engine; a built-in time-lapse device when reversing the direction of rotation and unique intelligence to prevent jamming, overload and blocking. Suitable for all vessels up to 20m, the Vetus retractable thruster’s six models come with an optional control panel and are available nationwide through Lusty and Blundell’s network of leading marine dealers. www.lusty-blundell.co.nz

L I T H I UM R E V OLU T I ON Q-Marine Power and Propulsion are now the exclusive NZ distributer of Revolution Power Australia Lithium LiFePo4 Deep Cycle Batteries. Revolution Power Lithium LiFePo4 have been proven in the Australian outback and beyond, by 4WDs, caravans and motorhomes and for long haul trucking, marine and off grid solutions for over 6 years. Reliability and high quality also see’s Revolution Power Lithium Ion Batteries being used by emergency and rapid response services.

Offered in 12V/60Ah, 100Ah, 160Ah and 24V/200Ah and 48V/100Ah, Revolution Power Lithium Ion Batteries offer some significant advantages such as the built in BMS (Battery Management System) which is designed to equalise and balance the cells. It will also turn the battery off if the voltage is too low or too high or if it short circuits. Also a 100Ah Revolution Power Lithium Deep Cycle Battery means 100 usable amp hours vs. only 50% usable with Lead and AGM batteries and typically only 80% usable from other Lithium brands. They also offer very fast recharge. With correct charge profile a 100Ah Revolution Power Lithium will fully charge from flat to

full in 2 hours using a 40amp charger. The 12V 100Ah Revolution Power Lithium Battery weighs just 11.9kg vs. 32kg or more for an AGM 100Ah battery. Equipment and electronics will run more efficiently, as the voltage sits at 13.4v for 80% of the discharge cycle and have a 5000 cycle life @ 50% discharge. Revolution Power’s 12V Lithium Battery range are all IP rated. That means they are sealed in a polycarbonate case that is water proof. Q-Marine can also offer charging and monitoring solutions. Q-Marine Power & Propulsion, 09 441 7347, lithium@q-marine.co.nz, www.revolutionpower.nz WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 39

ELECTRONIC NEWS

HUMMINBIRD RELEASE NEW SOLIX SERIES

he new Humminbird SOLIX Series combines 12” and 15” displays with Cross Touch Interface, MEGA Imaging, CHIRP Digital Sonar, Autochart Live with vegetation and bottom hardness mapping, Bluetooth connectivity and i-Pilot Link navigation. Now, Humminbird has combined its best features and placed them into one fishfinder, the SOLIX. Offering the biggest display in the brand’s history - up to 15 inches – the SOLIX boasts technologies designed to make locating fish easier. A genuinely revolutionary product, SOLIX delivers Sonar, imaging and mapping capabilities in the largest fishfinder Humminbird anglers have ever seen. In true Humminbird fashion, these technologies are packaged in an easy-to-use interface and system that can make any angler better. SOLIX is available in either 12” or 15” screen models and both come standard with Humminbird’s Cross Touch Interface, letting anglers operate the unit via touchscreen or keypad, all while customising the screen with up to four independent viewing panes.

Cross Touch allows anglers to use the SOLIX either as a touchscreen or with the keypad for easier control in rough water conditions. Individual panes can be zoomed or moved to different screen locations based on angler preference or fishing situation. SOLIX units come in two versions. One is equipped with GPS and CHIRP Digital Sonar; the other adds Humminbird’s MEGA Imaging. This is the first Down and Side Imaging technology to enter the megahertz range with a performance that’s nearly three times greater than traditional 455 kHz frequencies. All SOLIX models include CHIRP Digital Sonar, firing more pulses than conventional transducers over a given period. More pulses mean more information, improved target separation and superior image clarity at greater depths. Also standard on all SOLIX models is Humminbird’s expanded AUTOCHART Live technology that creates and saves structure maps on any body of water.

AUTOCHART Live is also used in conjunction with i-Pilot Link from Minn Kota. With both technologies cooperating, an angler can tell his Minn Kota trolling motor to “follow” a particular AUTOCHART Live contour at a set speed, and with the press of a button, the boat will precisely follow the exact path. Bluetooth is built into every unit, allowing anglers to sync smartphones to the onboard SOLIX. For plug-and-fish networking, highspeed ethernet provides easy connectivity to Humminbird 360 Imaging, Minn Kota i-Pilot Link, Humminbird CHIRP Radar, and additional SOLIX or select HELIX units. http://humminbird.co.nz/ The new units are fully compatible with Navionics maps. www.bla.com.au

LOWRANCE INCREASES PRODUCT RANGE L

owrance has extended its product range with the Lowrance FishHunter Pro and Lowrance FishHunter 3D wireless, castable transducers. FishHunter brings the benefits of fishfinding sonar to anglers that fish from a stationary location, such as on the ice, a bank, dock or pier – even from the deck of a boat. Sending real-time sonar data via WiFi connection between the transducer and Android and iOS phones and tablets, FishHunter operates without the need for a cellular or internet connection. Anglers cast the FishHunter transducer into the water and then view sonar returns on their smartphone or tablet to decide where to fish. FishHunter Pro features a tri-frequency transducer (381 kHz, 475 kHz and 675 kHz) offering four ways to view sonar data including Fish (fish symbols), Raw (fish arches), Bathymetric and Ice Fishing Flasher views. Anglers using its Bathymetric view can troll FishHunter Pro behind a boat to

create Bathymetric maps of an entire lake or favourite fishing spot. Incorporating five tri-frequency transducers, FishHunter 3D offers five functional views including 3D Fishing and Ice Fishing Flasher, as well as a Directional Casting View that pinpoints fish depth and location relative to the transducer. FishHunter 3D can be trolled behind a boat to create Bathymetric or Structure maps of fishing areas. FishHunter’s unique buoy-shaped design makes it difficult to submerge and increases the reliability of its WiFi connection. The antenna protruding from the top of the FishHunter housing also ensures constant WiFi connectivity for the highest image quality and signal range. By communicating through a WiFi connection, smartphones paired with FishHunter are still able to receive texts and calls. FishHunter Pro provides a 46m depth and 50m WiFi range, and FishHunter 3D offers a 50m depth and a 60m WiFi range.

40 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

FishHunter’s rechargeable battery lasts for 10 hours of active use and 500 hours on standby. Both Pro and 3D models feature LED illumination making them easy to locate in any lighting condition. FishHunter smartphone and tablet apps can be downloaded through the Apple iTunes store for iOS devices and Google Play Store for Android devices. www.lowrance.com.

TASMAN

SERIES

BEP Marine, manufacturers of BEP and CZone product for Power Products LLC, the has released an all-new CZone experience. The release of CZone’s new software update revolutionises how users interact with their electrical system onboard their boat or vehicle. CZone 2.0 re-engineers the user experience of operating the boat or vehicle’s electrical system, making it even simpler, faster and more enjoyable than ever before. CZone’s broad functionality combines multiple circuits or system configurations into a single mode to quickly and easily switch a group of circuits on or off to suit the operating mode. This could mean changing the system from day to night mode, or from underway to at-rest with a single touch. CZone’s new Favourites page makes this even easier with the clear illustration of your boat or vehicle. With advanced customisation of the new Favourites pages, the user can choose what information and controls that are

DRUM

most regularly accessed, from individual switches to critical monitoring information. Further, customise the display by loading layouts or schematics specific to the vessel or vehicle. Locate key switches and alerts on the schematic in the area of the system that it relates to. “With CZone celebrating its 10th year of innovation we have proven durability and customer focus through key long-term partnerships with leading global boat and recreational vehicle builders, and the Volvo Ocean Yacht Race. With this upcoming release, CZone will continue to be the leading solution for digital switching and automation for marine and mobile automotive into the future.” - Jarrod Sagar, Business Leader, BEP Marine. www.powerprodllc.com

WINCH

TASMAN

SIMRAD UP SPEC THEIR GO SERIES

igger displays and radar compatibility highlight new additions to the Simrad GO Series. The Simrad GO12 XSE and GO7 XSR are the newest additions to the top-selling GO standalone chartplotter series. Loaded with today’s latest boating technologies, the GO12 XSE and GO7 XSR multi-touch chartplotters are all-in-one navigation products for cruising, fishing and watersports. The GO12 XSE offers a new, 12-inch display option for the GO Series, while the upgraded GO7 XSR features a restyled, glass-helm design, along with radar compatibility, not previously available on the GO7 XSE. Featuring super-bright displays and an easy-to-use interface, these new GO Series displays offer robust functionality and considerable value. The new displays provide intuitive multi-touch controls that smartphone and tablet users will instantly find familiar. Boaters can tap the screen to create or select waypoints, pinch-to-zoom, or tap-and-drag to pan smoothly across charts, while the simple home screen and

menu layouts allow quick access to all functions. Adjustable split-screen views and customisable panel layouts with large, clearly captioned icons that are easy to recognise, make the GO Series simple-touse, full-featured chartplotters that are intuitive – even for those with little or no experience. Fully compatible with Simrad Broadband 3G/4G and Halo Radar systems, the GO12 XSE and GO7 XSR also feature internal GPS receivers, StructureScan HD and CHIRP Sonar, autopilot integration for precision control, engine data monitoring, full audio entertainment connectivity with SonicHub2, built-in wireless connectivity and the powerful Simrad TripIntelTM trip computer. The Simrad GO12 XSE and GO7 XSR also connect to NMEA 2000 compatible sensors aboard a vessel to display engine data, fuel flow, fluid level, speed, heading and water temperature. A wide range of cartography options is available, including C-MAP, Navionics and more. www.simrad-yachting.com.

TASMAN www.tasmandrumwinch.co.nz

www.maxwellmarine.com

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 41

RACING NEWS

CLEAN SWEEP FOR

MARITIMO R

ound 4 of the Australian Superboat championship was held recently at Lake Macquarie, where three races were run over two days. Tom Barry-Cotter and Steve Jellick, driving Maritimo Australia #12, ran a perfect race weekend with three wins from three starts, to take the lead in the Australian Superboat championship. In race one the only boat to get close was Team 3 with Kiwis Travis Thompson on throttles and John Shand on the wheel, however early on an oil pressure light came on and the crew opted to slow down so as not to damage the new engines. This was the first race for Team 3 with 750hp engines, an upgrade from their previous 525hp V8s. Darren Nicholson and Peter â€˜Muddyâ€™

McGrath took the second spot in the local favourite 222 Offshore, with the Frier Brothers, Brendan and Chris finishing third in Mega Fuels and Team 3 taking fourth. In the Supercat Outboard, there were only three entries with race one going to Team 88 Power Zone driven by Michael and Gryff Ethell, by a mere five secs from Antony De Fina and Matt Kelly in Saracen. Mick Walker and Ian Harris rounded out the trio in Phantom. Race 2 and 3 were held on Sunday, with moderate to light lake conditions. In Race 2, it was again Team 3 that pushed Maritimo #12 to the line with just 7 seconds splitting first and second. Mega Fuels took third. Both Maritimo Racing #11 and 222 Offshore failed to finish.

42 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

In Superboat outboard it was Phantom by 16 secs from Team 88 Power Zone and Saracen. Race 3 was much of a procession with Maritimo #12 holding off a hard-charging Mega Fuels by 21 secs from 222 Offshore a mere 14 seconds back in third. Superboat outboards saw Team 88 Power Zone picking up their second win of the weekend from Phantom and Saracen. With the final two rounds to be held at Hervey Bay (Oct 29), Maritimo Australia #12 leads with 650 points, just 50 points clear of 222 Offshore, with Mega Fuels on 575. The final two rounds will be all on to decide the 2017 Australian Superboat Championship and the right to carry AUS1 on the boat for 2018.

2018 RACE CALENDAR 4.

1. OFFSHORE

4. THUNDERCATS

www.nzoffshore.co.nz

www.thundercatracing.co.nz

Jan 28 Feb17 Mar 10 March 24 April 7 April 21 May 12

Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 27 Jan 28 Feb 3 Feb 4 Feb 24 Feb 25 Mar 10 Mar 24

Lake Taupo New Plymouth Napier Gisborne Doubtless Bay Marsden Cove Whitianga

2. SOUTH ISLAND MARATHON www.nzbmc.co.nz Apr 7-8 Apr 28 May 19-20 Jun 9 Jun 30 July 21 Aug 11

Dunstan/Roxburgh Waihola Benmore/Aviemore Oamaru Timaru Invercargill Te Anau

3. SKI RACING

5. CIRCUIT RACING Jan 20-21 Jan 27-29 Feb 3-4

Feb 10-11 Feb 17-18 Mar 3-4 Mar 10-11

Rotoma, Series 5-6 Taupo, Series 7 Bryce Newton Memorial Mangakino, Series 8-9 Taupo, Trans Tasman Taupo, Washout Weekend

Mar 24-25

Wanganui, NI: J Class, Prostock/ Procom Plywood Cup Lake Taupo, NZGP Lake Karapiro NZGP, Masport Cup, NI: FV/Mod VP/GN/ AE Baker Lake Forsyth Porirua Harbour, NI: F1 / Mod H Blue Lakes, NZ NATIONALS /NZGP Whirokino River, NI: F3 / Matt Morrison Trophy / Carl Augustine Lake Arapun, Des Geddes Memorial

6. JETSPRINTING www.jetsprint.co.nz

Pic 5

www.nzpba.com

www.skirace.co.nz Jan 6-7 Jan 20 Feb 24 Mar 10-11 Apr 24 Apr 28

Mt Maunganui Surf Cross Matakana Island Enduro Whangamata Surf Cross Matarangi Surf Cross Battle of the Bars (Waikato River) Onehunga Circuit Enduro (Onehunga Beach) Omaha Surf Cross Little Barrier Enduro (Omaha Beach) Oakura Surf Cross Raglan Surf Cross

Nov 4 Dec 2 Dec 27 Feb 24 Mar 11 Mar 24

Oxbow Aquatrack, Wanaka Tauherenikau Race Course, Wairarapa Shelterview Jetsprint Park, Wanganui Methanex Aquatrack, Waitara Riverside Jet Track, Hastings Enzed Sprint Bowl, Meremere (Final)

C R U I S I N G M AT T E R S

By Laurie Cranfield

TURKEY LOSING APPEAL AS A CRUISING DESTINATION

HE cruising world was shocked in 2001 when Sir Peter Blake was senselessly murdered by pirates aboard his yacht at the mouth of the Amazon in Brazil, reminding us there are more dangers in cruising than reefs, storms and rogue waves. Since then there have been security issues for cruisers in many more locations. The high profile concern has been Somalian pirates attacking commercial and cruising vessels in the western Indian Ocean, dramatically reducing the number of cruisers prepared to risk circumnavigation. But there have also been incidents in SouthEast Asia and the Caribbean, where yachting website Noonsite.com reports petty theft is on the rise and it’s well known that assaults ashore have become more common. In the Mediterranean many once safe countries for cruisers have become offlimits or marginal including Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Syria and Tunisia. Turkey has arguably been one of the world’s greatest cruising destinations with 8,400 kilometres of coastline; the longest of any Med country. Turkey has great anchorages, spectacular scenery, mostly clean waters, a uniquely interesting culture and cuisine, many excellent well-preserved ancient historical sites, friendly honest people, low cost, political stability, reasonable safety, competent technical infrastructure and proximity to interesting Greek islands. It’s also been a huge tourist destination with 42 million visitors during the peak year of 2014. But in recent years some of Turkey’s circumstances have gradually been changing causing many cruisers to leave, fewer tourists to arrive (25 million last year) and a less certain future for about 1.6 million Turks employed in tourism. For cruisers the first major change occurred with regulations limiting the time yachts can spend cruising some popular areas along

Turkey’s famed southerly Turquoise Coast and requiring the purchase of an electronic “Blue Card” to record the discharge of sewage from holding tanks into shorebased or mobile pump-out stations. This card costs 280 Lira (about NZ$109) and although it appears this regulation is not being rigidly or uniformly enforced it’s causing consternation due to the limited number of pump-out facilities available making compliance next to impossible. The CoastGuard regularly boards vessels to inspect their documentation and some cruisers have been fined 1,000 Lira (about NZ$390) because their card hadn’t been used recently, even when in some cases the local facilities weren’t operational. Other reports say cruisers have to also account for grey water waste and as not many cruisers are fitted with grey water holding tanks the whole situation is uncertain and worrying. In our time cruising Turkey we never found any sewage issues except where the sewage originated from shore, although plenty of beaches and other areas had serious amounts of general litter. Then a regulation was introduced limiting the time visitors can spend in Turkey to 90 days in any period of 180 days, making Turkey similar to European Schengen Treaty countries. Previously a visitor could get a 90 day visa, exit for a few hours to a Greek island before the completion of 90 days, return to Turkey and receive a new 90 day visa. A concession was later made for cruisers allowing temporary residency, but the process still involves additional cost and inconvenience compared to the previous renewable visa system. Although like many countries Turkey has suffered isolated terrorist incidents and some comparatively minor bombings for many years, sadly this has increased since 2014 resulting in many governments including New Zealand, Australia, USA and UK to

44 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

step up their travel alert levels. While there have been loss-of-life incidents at tourist areas in some major cities, notably Istanbul, thankfully terrorism does not appear to have hit coastal resorts and cruising areas and considering the millions of visitors to Turkey the overall threat must still be considered low. In July 2106 Turkey had an attempted coup resulting in considerable numbers of arrests and the declaration of a state of emergency, still in force at time of writing this article. Meanwhile the government led by President Erdogan recently narrowly won a controversial referendum to increase its powers and while Turkey’s post referendum direction remains to be seen many people are concerned that it may be more autocratic, less democratic and less secular. Certainly Turkish people are extremely sensitive about making critical comments in public for fear of retribution. Last year and this year we’ve heard from friends based in Turkey that many cruisers as well as charter yacht fleets are leaving. Incredibly, Turkish marinas have reacted by increasing their prices to compensate for the revenue loss caused by reductions in boat numbers. Previously average Turkish marina prices were quite competitive with Greek marinas, but are now more expensive (although in both countries there is a broad range of pricing). Most cruisers don’t concern themselves too much with the politics of their host country, but nearly all cruisers are budget-conscious and these price escalations have further increased departures. We’re just very thankful that we immensely enjoyed several seasons cruising in Turkey during the less complicated times. We would now be reluctant to return there with our own boat but would certainly consider a skippered charter.

Read all about your boating passion The style of boating - that interests you!!

TS A BO

Specialist Marine publications â€“ in print or online

LO Y

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STRAIGHT FROM THE GALLEY

with Derek the Chef

www.facebook.com/derekthechef

Roast Hapuka with squashed potatoes, wild rocket and capers HAPUKA The Hapuka is found around New Zealand at depths between 10 m and 800 m deep, but generally prefer waters deeper than 50m. They are usually found living in cracks, caverns, or caves when found in shallow waters. They are voracious predators, feeding on a large range of other fish species, invertebrates and crustaceans, including red cod and blue cod, hoki, crabs and crayfish. H puku are a large, slow growing, long-lived species. They reach sexual maturity between 10 and 13 years and have lifespans up to 60 years. They can grow as large as 100 kg, but are usually found around the 25 kg mark. They have an average size of 80–100 cm but can grow up to 180 cm in length. Hapuku are a highly rated eating fish, reaching top value on both the local and international markets. Prep 20 min Cook 30 – 45 minutes Serves 4

INGREDIENTS 4x Hapuka fillets, (Skin on) approx. 150g each 6-8 gourmet baby potatoes 4 Tbsp cocavo turmeric & lemon zest 1 Tsp sea salt or to taste Freshly ground black pepper 2 Tsp capers (well rinsed) 4 loosely packed cups rocket 1 Tsp coconut / apple cider vinegar Lemon wedges to serve Garlic butter, melted

MAUDE PINOT GRIS 2016 CENTRAL OTAGO

Our thanks to Oceanz Silverdale for the fresh Hapuka

METHOD 1. Pre-heat your oven to 190°C. Spoon the Cocavo Turmeric & Lemon Zest into a large baking dish and heat in the oven. 2. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat and boil for about 810 minutes (or until just softened). Drain the water from the potatoes and return to the stove over low heat for a minute or so to dry further. Gently squash the potato then drizzle with Garlic Butter. 3. Carefully transfer the potatoes to the baking tray. Season with a little salt & freshly ground black pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp and golden. 4. Season the fish with a little salt. 5. Brush the Hapuka Fillets or steaks with a little Cocavo Turmeric & lemon Zest then season well with sea salt and Freshly Ground black pepper, Sear the Hapuka

Fillets in a hot pan skin side down then set aside. 6. Spoon the capers through the potatoes. Leaving enough room for the fish fillets to sit among the potatoes and add them to the pan. Return to the oven for a further six minutes until the fish is just cooked. 7. Remove the baking dish from the pan and scatter with the rocket, stirring it through the potatoes so that it starts to wilt and coat in the oil. 8. Season with a little more salt and drizzle with the vinegar. 9. Squeeze over lots of lemon and serve immediately. CHEFS TIP. Cocavo may be purchased through leading Supermarkets and adds a slightly coconut flavour to the fish. Gorgeous..

Quince, musk and rose petal florals are abundant in this stunning Pinot Gris. The palate is full flavoured with poached pear and spice. The finish is crisp, clean and precise. Hand harvested from four vineyards in Central Otago, 60 % of the juice is fermented in stainless steel contributing to the delicate and pure aromatics in the wine. The remaining 40% is fermented in older oak barriques giving viscosity and texture. Combining the parcels creates a Pinot Gris both aromaticand textural.

46 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

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MORRINSVILLE

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BLUEFIN 620 CENTRE CONSOLE The ultimate centre console. with 5mm hull and treadplate floor standard this is one strong boat. This boat comes complete on trailer including 90hp Mercury, VHF, fishfinder, 6 rodholders, deluxe bait board (bimini extra). Retail $37,250 Special Now $35,500

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Email: sales@sportcraftmarine.co.nz subscribe online at www.mags4gifts.co.nz/boating-nz

191

BOAT REVIEW

Boston Whaler 285 Conquest

e r o h s ! O " r g i d Pe THERE ARE A NUMBER OF USA BUILDERS THAT PRODUCE OUTSTANDING BLUE WATER FISHING BOATS THAT KIWIS ARE KEEN TO OWN. BOSTON WHALER IS ONE SUCH BRAND. BARRY THOMPSON CHECKS OUT THEIR LATEST 285 CONQUEST.

hile they have been saying for years that the Boston Whaler is “the unsinkable legend” I wasn’t about to find out, but what I can say is that the 285 Conquest is one hell of a boat. It’s a boat that you would happily take out in a Force 8 gale and know you were going to survive. We have all seen the images of a Boston Whaler cut in half and floating or the one where they drove a bulldozer over an upturned hull to demonstrate the toughness of the construction. Founder Richard Fisher was so confident in his fail-safe boat that he tested it publicly—by sawing it in half. LIFE magazine documented the whole thing, and the legend was born. Again we were not about to attempt either, but if everything the company says about their construction and toughness is right, then you’de be hard pressed to find a stronger and better-built boat. Boston Whaler is built using a unique Unibond construction, which comprises a buoyant closed cell foam that is poured between the hull and deck to form a single unbreakable unit. This

48 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

is what gives Boston Whaler its remarkable strength, unsinkability and buoyancy. These unique features allow Boston Whaler to offer a ten-year transferable warranty on every boat they build. For 60 years now, Boston Whaler has engineered some of the most reliable and forward-thinking boats on the water. Every chapter of their history starts with a belief in pushing the limits of what’s possible. FISHING, FISHING & FISHING Back in 2013, we reviewed the ‘new’ Conquest 285 and while it hasn’t changed a lot, it has had some refinements, all of which just improved what was already an awesome fishing machine. And that’s what the Boston Whaler Conquest 285 is all about. Fishing! Yes, there all the necessary comforts for family boating and cruising, but a quick walk-through and you soon realise that this is one boat that cuts no corners when it comes to setting up the ultimate fishing platform.

COVER STORY

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BOAT REVIEW

With a pair of 250hp Mercury Verado 4-strokes powering our 285 Conquest we reached a top speed of 42.5 knots at 6000 rpm. The 285 Conquest combines a wellbuilt boat with an offshore pedigree

Boston Whaler 285 Conquest

The 5 sqm cockpit is essential one big working space with all the necessary equipment readily at hand. While there is plenty of seating provided, it is folded out of the way when you are fishing. The cockpit sole has two large underfloor wet lockers for your catch as well as an access hatch to the batteries and other ancillary equipment. Across the transom, you’ll find a deep insulated live bait tank, a trio of rod holders and gate access to the boarding platform with telescopic stainless steps. You have the option of electrical connections under the gunwales for downriggers and electric reels. If you plan to run downriggers, then they can be safely mounted on the hardtop framing.

50 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

The broad flat coamings are fitted with all flush mounted hardware, so nothing gets in the way of your fishing. The side bolsters surrounding the cockpit are well position with deep toe space for stand-up fishing. Aft of the passenger seat are three tackle drawers and there is the obligatory rocker launcher off the rear of the hardtop. The hardtop is supported by an alloy frame and comes with built-in steps for access above. A retractable sunshade that manually extends and retracts from the back of the hardtop offers extra sun protection. The new 285 Conquest now offers optional fold away seating, (across the transom and on either side) so after fishing, the cockpit can be transformed into a great space to relax and knock back a few cold ones. There is also an optional table available. While the cockpit is dedicated to fishing, the area under the hardtop is all about comfort. To port is a multi-facetted seating design, which gives a variety of options, from aft facing and booth style to a full lounger. The aft seatback slides forward to form an aft-facing seat with a pull-out footrest. Well thought out and very functional. The helm opposite speaks all about having enough space for big MFD screens. Our test boat had a single Raymarine 12”. But there is room for two or maybe one big 20”. The helm on the test boat also featured a Mercury SmartCraft Vessel View display, stainless steel wheel mounted to a tilt base, and Mercury’s digital throttle and shift system (DTS). Boston Whaler was apparently thinking about the skipper’s comfort when they designed the helm seat. It’s heavily padded, vented at the back, swivels and

slides, has cast flip-up armrests and a flip-up bolster. When I have had to drive a 285 Conquest in rough weather, I appreciated the comfort the seat offered. Aft of the seat is a sink unit and refrigerator, plus the main battery switches and breaker panel are located underneath. Moulded steps either side of the cockpit lead to the wide side decks, with good handholds and high bow rails. WEEKENDER CABIN A lockable sliding door divides the accommodation off from the rest of the boat and I was quite surprised just how much space there was. This is a two cabin one bathroom boat, although to be fair the rear cabin is mostly only a large queen size berth under the cockpit sole. American boats are well known for what they call a mid-cabin design and if you don’t have someone sleeping in there, it’s an excellent space for stowing gear. Central accommodation is a large island berth forward, which doubles as a U-shape the lounge area with a table during the day and is quickly transformed into a bed at night. There’s also a vanity with sink unit, fridge, microwave and an option for an electric cooktop. A Magma BBQ on the transom would be my pick for this boat. Natural light comes in through portlights in the topsides and an overhead skylight. To starboard is a completely fibreglass lined head/ shower unit that is roomy enough to serve its purpose. On the aft bulkhead is a hatch leading to the back side of the helm console, for service and installations.

Just waiting for the serious fish to hook up and the action to start.

By lowering the table and sliding the two cushions to either side towards the center you quickly transformed the forward dining area into a V-berth.

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BOAT REVIEW

This flip-out bench seat makes a comfortable spot to hang out in and around the cockpit. With the Vessel View display there is no need for gauges. The port side seat can be positioned in a variety of configurations including a lounger.

Boston Whaler 285 Conquest

PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING The Boston Whaler 285 Conquest is available with either a pair of Mercury Verado 225s or 250s and for my money, I would probably go straight to the smaller engine option. With a couple of 225s, top speed is 40.1 knots and with the twin 250s, all you gain is around another 2 knots. The smaller engine package also means better fuel consumption and range for very similar speeds. At 4000rpm, the pair of 225s record a speed of 22.9 knots, with a fuel burn of 64.3 lph which gives a range of around 230nm. Conversely, the 250s at 4000 rpm run to 24.3 knots, with a fuel burn of 78.3 lph, for a range of 200nm. At trolling speeds, both engine options will give you somewhere around 300nm range and at wide open throttle @ 6300/6400 rpm, expect 150nm from the

225s and 130nm from the 250s. The range is based on 90% of the total 760-litre fuel capacity. Our test day was reasonably calm on the inner Auckland Harbour, but I can attest to the 285 Conquests rough water capability. A friend of mine has had one for three years and his regular fishing trips are out wide from Gulf Harbour. The Mokos, Little Barrier, Great Barrier, Horn Rock, all are well within a days boating and some of those trips I have been on have been in exceptionally nasty seas, especially in late afternoon. The ride is exceptional, although in a big following sea the bow does tend to push through rather than riding high. I reckon it makes the ride better and along with the overall weight of the boat attributes to the soft ride. Not an issue and the wipers soon disperse any spray on the screens.

IN STOCK NOW, READY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY

CALL SCOTT ON 021 SEA RAY [732 729]

BOSTON WHALER 285 CONQUEST “The Unsinkable Legend”

Aboard the 285 Conquest, anything is possible. Comfort-minded features and amenities enable active day cruises, serious saltwater fishing runs and impromptu overnighting with equal aplomb. Design details throughout maximize helm visibility, walkaround space, seating comfort and more. When not entertaining a crowd in the generous cockpit, head offshore to chase the big fish. • 2017 Model • Twin Mercury 250HP Verado FourStroke Outboards • Full Side Glass Hardtop • Raymarine Electronics Package • 220V Electrical System • Retractable Sun Shade

IN STOCK NOW, READY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY

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FACTORY 5-YEAR WARRANTY • MerCruiser 6.2L 350HP Bravo III • Full Solid Hull Colour - Black • Dynamic Display - Touchscreen • Blue LED Lighting Package • Electric Power Tower • Refrigerator, 12V • Enclosed Toilet w/Macerator • Stainless Steel Windscreen Frame & LED Lights • Teak Flooring on Swim Platform • Electric Windlass CALL SCOTT ON 021 SEA RAY [732 729]

www.sportsmarine.co.nz 279 Ti Rakau Drive East Tamaki Auckland (09) 274 9918 507 Moorhouse Avenue Waltham Christchurch (03) 379 9208

BOAT REVIEW

The boat retains a moderate bow rise at speed, but you’ll have no trouble with the visibility and the horizon is always kept in sight. One thing I was impressed with was the turning ability of the 285 Conquest. The hard chines which carry well forward to the bow give the boat exceptional stability and apart from when I dived into a deeper than expected ferry wake, we took no water on the screen. Talking about the screens, these are extra large. While in previous models the side screens were a combination of Downeaststyle side glass windows and clears, the latest 285 Conquest is all safety glass three sides. Another option is to go with a fullyenclosed helm deck which includes an aft

Boston Whaler 285 Conquest

bulkhead with a door. This turns the 285 Conquest into a pilothouse version. Visibility is outstanding, with narrow window mullions and at the top forward centre is an electrically actuated windshield vent that does a remarkable job of scooping air into the helm deck. Windshield wipers with integral washers are standard. The 8.51m 285 Conquest carries a 2.9m beam and a running weight loaded with fuel, bait, fishing and dive gear and everything else you need for a days fishing, of over 4500 kg. It’s this weight and the solid construction of the hull that helps give the 285 Conquest it’s seriously good ride.

The sunshade manually retracts and extends from the aft end of the hardtop. The single burner stove is part of the optional cruising package.

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S Model: Base Price: Price as tested: Type: Construction: LOA: Beam: Deadrise: Power: Horsepower: Power Options: Fuel Capacity:

Boston Whaler 285 Conquest $NZ318,500 $NZ379, 000 Hardtop GRP/composites 8.51m 2.90m 20 degrees 2 x Mercury Verado 250 250hp @ 6000 rpm Twin 225hp or 250hp Verado 760 litres

Contact: Sports Marine ChCh Ph: +64 03 379 9208 Auck Ph +64 09 274 9918 www.sportsmarine.com FUEL & PERFORMANCE DATA Boston Whaler 285 Conquest Fuel capacity: 760 litres RPM Knots L/h L/NM 600 2.8 3.4 1.300 1000 4.9 7.2 1.500 1500 6.4 12.5 2.000 2000 7.6 19.3 2.600 2500 8.7 32.5 3.800 3000 11.1 47.7 4.300 3500 15.0 58.3 3.900 4000 24.3 78.3 3.300 4500 29.9 90 3.100 5000 33.9 106.7 3.200 5500 37.9 140 3.700 6000 41.3 189.2 4.600 6300 42.5 205.5 4.900

Range (NM) 520 450 340 260 180 150 170 200 220 210 180 140 130

54 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

OUTSTANDING The Boston Whaler 285 Conquest is quite simply an exceptional vessel in its class. That class is a bluewater fishing machine that is overbuilt in every aspect, from the construction to the fitout. If you like doing your fishing well off the coast and want plenty of comfort for overnighting, then the 285 Conquest is ideal. This is a boat that will not appeal to everyone, but if you have a spare $300,000 plus, to spend on what is essentially a very large trailer boat (trailerable with a special permit), then I suggest you should add it to your bucket list. I know I would!

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21 YEARS - PART 4

MY FAVOURITE

21 DESTINATIONS of #e last 21 years Text by Barry Thompson

56 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

In Part 4 of my salute to all things great in the past 21 years, I look at destinations, both at home and overseas. These are places I have visited for work, be it for a destination article, boat review or on one occasion to experience serious off road four-wheel driving. Like the previous articles on trailerable boats, boats over 10m and products, the hardest thing was to reduce that down to just 21. They are in no particular order and present a wide cross section of places from cities and islands to rivers and lakes.

21 YEARS - PART 4

STEWART ISLAND The first time I visited Stewart Island I was immediately in awe of its natural beauty and unspoiled nature. Apart from the only town of Oban at Half Moon Bay, with its world famous (in Stewart Island) hotel, Stewart Island is virtually untouched. I visited the derelict whaling station in Patterson Inlet and feasted on crays, scallops and even an extra large salmon, courtesy of the local salmon farm. I learned how the seals used to leap over into the pens, so electric fences were installed to deter them. I got to see my first Kiwi in its environment on a night time walk and tasted the delights of Southern Blue Cod. I have tried to get back there on numerous occasions, but usually, the fierce Southerly storms that blow through Fouveaux Strait have stopped us. Definitely going back for another visit soon.

ROTORUA LAKES

1 THE SOUTHERN LAKES Anyone who has been boating in the Southern Lakes area will know what I am saying when I say this is New Zealand’s best inland lake locale. It doesn’t matter if you are on Lake Wanaka, Te Anau, Wakatipu, Dunstan or Hawea they are all magic. I have raced on Wakatipu, jet boated on the Dart, cruised on Dunstan in a classic Chris Craft, experienced 2m breaking seas on Te Anau and trolled for trout on Wanaka in a McLay. The scenery is stunning, especially in the winter and autumn and the lakes portray an often chilling yet crystal clear presentation. What’s also great is that most of the lakes are close enough together so if you went boating for two or three days you could experience a different one each day.

Quite a few years ago Doug Dukeson and I with family’s in tow spent three days boating on as many of the Rotorua lakes as we could. On Lake Rotorua, we walked around Mokoia Island, before heading through the Ohau Channel and onto Lake Rotoiti. I quickly found out how shallow Rotorua is, which meant we had to keep the speed up on the Buccaneer 625DC and the Zodiac RIB, so we didn’t hit bottom. Lake Rotoiti has hot pools, which was great after the day’s boating. Considering this was winter, they were especially rewarding. We towed the boats to Lake Okataina, which is a place you should put on your bucket list. The Lake Okataina Lodge, which is right on the lake front, is the perfect place to stay. As my boys were right into knee boarding and skiing, the calm waters provided an idyllic mirror calm surface, albeit too cold for me. We checked out the Blue Lake, which isn’t very large and Lake Okaraka for some more knee boarding, before a big day at Lake Tarawera and more swimming at the hot springs.

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21 YEARS - PART 4

4 LAKE BRUNNER

If it hadn’t been for the fact that Geoff Robinson, the boss of CSB Huntsman Boats had invited us over for the weekend, I don’t think I would ever have visited this West Coast lake. We were there for a Poker Run, and I was driving a Huntsman Dorado. While a Poker Run is not about speed (yeah right), you do need enough fuel to complete the distance. Well in our case not, as we ran out on the last lap. However, the whitebait fritters – 1lb whitebait to one egg recipe - unquestionably made up for it. Lake Brunner is a holiday lake destination for Cantabrians and offers plenty of open water for water sports. The sunken forest is one of the eeriest places I have ever been boating.

GREAT BARRIER ISLAND If you have never been to Great Barrier Island, then you should, and you don’t even need a boat to get there. Great Barrier has a daily ferry and plane service and there are plenty of places to stay. My first trip to the island was on a 23ft Alloy powercat built by Matamata Engineering. Along with owner Dave Donaldson, we left Milford Beach and arrived at Tryphena Harbour under an hour later. We fished around the back of the island at the Needles, went into the bay at Arid Island and got close and personal with some massive Orcas. This was the days before snapper quote, so when we went out to the Mokohinous and hauled in over 60 snapper between four of us, from clear water under the lighthouse, it just felt like another great day’s fishing. To appreciate what the Barrier has to offer you need a few days to explore either on land or from the sea. I have plans to do a circumnavigation of the island this summer and find out more about this amazing place so close to Auckland.

F R E N C H

C A N A L S

I have had two occasions to visit France and experience canal barging and I can highly recommend it. The first was a week long trip on the Canal du Nivernais from Joigny to Corbigny. This was an excellent introduction to French canals and an easy one to start with. Not too many locks, incredible countryside, a rich heritage and gastronomy. Unquestionably the best boating holiday I have ever had! The second trip which I did mid this year, was a bit more challenging, with two weeks in Alsace Lorraine. This took in some major rivers and canals as well as the impressive Arzviller boat lift, the highest lock and longest tunnel in France and cities like Metz, Toul and Nancy. Along with three other couples, my wife and I hired a 15m Penichette from Locaboat which proved perfect in every way. Indeed another trip in a few years is on the bucket list.

7 KEY WEST

As I write this Key West, Florida is in the grips of Hurricane Irma and no doubt all the great bars around the waterfront I spend many hours at last year have been hammered by the strongest hurricane ever to hit this historic town. Hopefully, they will all survive and rebuild to serve more cocktails and crab salads for my next visit. I was in Key West for the World Offshore Powerboat Championship, late last year and what a place. Key West is party central, with bars and restaurants that never seem to close. The drive from Miami, through the Keys to Key West alone, is worth the trip. This was the home of Ernest Hemingway and there are plenty of signs of this around the town. Key West is a must visit if you ever go to Florida, even if just for a few nights. 58 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

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21 YEARS - PART 4

HOKIANGA HARBOUR

When I first visited the Hokianga Harbour, it was to race in the Hokianga Green (true name) offshore powerboat race. We stayed at Opononi and race HQ was at the Omapere Hotel, with the race day events all out of the old town of Rawene. Before the Saturday race, we spend a few days sightseeing and started by checking out Tane Mahutu, NZ’s largest known kauri in the Waipoua forest on the road between Dargaville and Omapare. With three young boys keen on doing things, we went across the harbour to go boogie boarding down the sand dunes. Thursday night in the public bar of the Opononi Pub was also an interesting experience, especially when my mate and I walked it and someone yelled out…’The undercovers have arrived”.

WHITE ISLAND It was during a boat test on a Huntsman Dorado that I got to land on White Island. This very active volcano is situated a short distance off the coast from Whakatane and while the island itself is a mostly lifeless steaming pile of sulphur, the waters around it team with fish. We were there illegally as I found out after as we were meant to have a permit. What a fantastic place and well worth a visit (with a permit of course). We had steam shooting out from sulphur encrusted fissures, which had their agenda when they were going to fire out boiling water and steam. Walking up to the crater and looking way down at the toxic lake was something else. Dangerous, exciting and an incredible experience. My eyes itched for hours after leaving the Island. Should have got a permit and worn the right protective gear I suppose.

LAKE HAUROKO 10 We were on our way to Stewart Island from Invercargill, but when we got to Bluff, we found Fouveaux Strait had a 30 knot Southerly rolling through so thought better of it. We had a couple of large hardtops, a Southern and an Image, eight guys and enough provisions for a couple of days away…. but nowhere to go. That’s until someone suggested Lake Hauroko. Lake what? As it turned out it was an excellent choice and a place I would never have visited otherwise. Lake Hauroko is located in a mountain valley in Fiordland National Park. The long S-shaped lake is 30k in length and at 462 m deep, is New Zealand’s deepest lake. We stayed in a DOC hut overnight and what was extra cool was jet boating the grade 3 rapids on the 20 kilometre-long Wairaurahiri River into Foveaux Strait and back. Awesome and highly recommended. Also got to check out Mary Island which is famous for the discovery of a burial site of a Mãori woman, who is known as “the lady of the lake” by Southland locals. 60 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

21 YEARS - PART 4

KENEPERU

SOU N D

While I love all of the Marlborough Sounds, it’s perhaps the Keneperu that has been the most interesting for me over the years. Kenepuru Sound is one of the larger of the Marlborough Sounds, which runs for 25 kilometres, joining Pelorus Sound a quarter of the way down the latter’s path to the Cook Strait. It’s the Sound where most of the lodges are based, such as Punga Cove, Te Mahia, Portage, Raetihi and Portage. I have stayed in them all and what great places to get away and relax. There is good fishing for Blue Cod and even snapper in some places. Plenty of scallops and always a feed of mussels. I have been to the Whitsunday’s about four times and each time have left knowing I want to go back. Twice I have been there on a bareboat charter, which is a fabulous way to explore the many different islands. If you want some action and like a little luxury, Hamilton Island offers it all, including a major airport, marina and high rise apartment accommodation.

be be stylishly elite bestylishly stylishlyelite be stylishly WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS

For me it was the myriad of bays we were able to anchor in and spend our time swimming, snorkeling and relaxing. No trip to the Whitsundays is complete without a visit to Whitehaven Beach. Named as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the white silica sand disappears into an azure blue water and the swimming is divine. Too far to go with a bareboat charter, the Great Barrier Reef can be easily accessed by commercial charter cats that go out on a regular basis and are well worth the trip. The reef is one of the great wonders of the world but is struggling for its very survival.

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21 YEARS - PART 4

PALMA DE MALLORCA When Volvo Penta released the IPS in 2005 to the world media, they chose the island of Palma for the occasion. Along with business partner Doug Dukeson, we attended this historic event. No one had any idea what was going to be announced and when we first saw the IPS drive we knew that the conventional drive shaft had serious competition. Volvo Penta put us up at the St Regis Mardavalli luxury spa at Puerto Portals which was a fantastic place to stay. It was just around from the marina where we got to trial a couple of boats. We did get a chance to check out some of the island and I can see why it is so popular with the Poms. We even visited a village around the coast, with pubs and eateries that could have been in London. If you ever get to Palma and you are a lover of all things meaty, then try out the Meson C’an Pedro II Restaurant and go for the shoulder (paletilla) of lamb. Incredible!

RAROTONGA When a great friend of mine Barry Ford invited me to his new resort in the Cook Islands, I had no idea what to expect. I had been to Fiji and Tonga and loved both, so would I like Rarotonga as much? No. I liked it better. I fell in love with the place from the minute I stepped off the Air New Zealand plane and was serenaded by the ukelele player in the customs hall. Barry’s resort, Magic Reef, was right on the beach at Arorangi and I can remember sitting on the deck watching the most amazing sunsets across the lagoon. Beautiful. I got to go back three more times, including to celebrate my 60th birthday, before Barry passed away from cancer. I miss those visits to Raro and the good times with Barry and wife Judy. Definitely going back to Raro soon.

NEW ZEALAND

AUDITED BOAT

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Model: Serial Number:

Max = Max H.P. = Max Load

APPROVED 62 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Weight(kg): Weight(kg):

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WARNING: Alte ration of the boat’s hull or permanent fittings may inva lidate the particulars on this plate and/ or compliance with the CPC Programme Req uirements.

21 YEARS - PART 4

SORRENTO & ISLE OF CAPRI One of the more interesting boat reviews I have ever done was in Italy when I took an Apreamare Gozzo boat for a run. We got on the boat at Sorrento, where the boats are built and headed a few miles off the coast to the island of Capri. The Med water was smooth and the air temperature a very warm 31 deg. Sitting in the cockpit with a cold Azzurra beer in hand as we cruised over sunken ancient Roman ruins and soaked in the timeless atmosphere that radiates around places like this was magic. While we didn’t get much of a chance to look around the island we did spend a little time in Marina Grande and took the cableway up to the city centre’s Piazzetta. Prada, Versace, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Trussardi, they were all there waiting for my wife’s credit card. Fortunately, it never came out and we got back on the boat having lashed out for no more than a pizza. One of its best-known natural sites is the Blue Grotto, a dark cavern where the sea glows electric blue, the result of sunlight passing through an underwater cave.

M E R C U R Y

I S L A N D S

It was over 21 years ago that I first visited the Mercury Islands, but since then it has become one of my favourite boating destinations. While I don’t get there often these days, when I was in my family camping years a couple of decades ago and staying at Hahei, we went to the Mercs many times. Launching at Cooks Beach and heading 12nm across to Great Mercury Island, we would spend the day at one of the many pristine white sandy beaches, swimming, snorkeling, towing tubes, wake boards and fishing. Everywhere you look pohutukawa cling precariously to cliffs or droop their branches on to the sand at high-tide mark. If you get a chance, you should visit Korapuki Island and if the weather’s right and there is not too much swell, take you boat through a cavernous tunnel into a large deep-water lagoon on the other side. I have taken a 7m boat in there and there was still space either side and above.

DB234

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 63

21 YEARS - PART 4

17 DOUBTFUL SOUND

Now, this is a destination that takes a bit of getting to if you want to take your boat. You either come in by sea or as we did, by launching onto Lake Manapouri and cruising across to the Manapouri power station. From here we loaded our Southern 770 and Stabicraft 759 SuperCab onto hire trailers, which took us over the Wilmot Pass and down to Deep Cove. There we launched the boats and along with local charter boat MV Tutoko as the home base we spent a couple of stunning days in this unspoiled wilderness of New Zealand.

The fishing was okay, but the cray diving was outstanding, which meant we had crayfish scrambled eggs in the morning and a crayfish tail for entrée each evening. One of the boys even shot a couple of deer. At 42 kilometres long, Doubtful Sound is the longest, and with a depth of up to 421m also the deepest of the South Island’s fiords. The downside is 120-240in of rain annually and trillions of sandflies in the summer.

WAIMAKARIRI RIVER Anyone who has been boating in the Southern Lakes area will know what I am saying when I say this is New Zealand’s best inland lake locale. It doesn’t matter if you are on Lake Wanaka, Te Anau, Wakatipu, Dunstan or Hawea they are all magic. I have raced on Wakatipu, jet boated on the Dart, cruised on Dunstan in a classic Chris Craft, experienced 2m breaking seas on Te Anau and trolled for trout on Wanaka in a McLay. The scenery is stunning, especially in the winter and autumn and the lakes portray an often chilling yet crystal clear presentation. What’s also great is that most of the lakes are close enough together so if you went boating for two or three days you could experience a different on each day. Waimakariri River

K A I T U N A 19

R I V E R

In 2000 we took a trio of small Naiad RIBs for a run up the lower part of the Kaituna River with local marine dealer Graeme Cave. It is the outflow from Lakes Rotorua and Rotoiti and flows northwards for 45 kilometres emptying into the Bay of Plenty near Te Puke. It was hard to believe that this natural beauty was so close to Tauranga. We got as far as we could until stopped by a set of waterfalls. The top section of the river is a white water rafting destination and certainly not suitable for our jet boats. We stopped for lunch at Longridge Park and after a feed of bbq prawns, and fillet steak, washed down with a Chardonnay, we headed back down river. Great trip and another I would like do again.

64 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

fe s c a ra W w u G c h O c p

21 YEARS - PART 4

KAWHIA 20 Along with Pete Ritchieâ€™s Natural Instincts 4WD company, we went bush near Kawhia for a few days. An area that dates its history back to the arrival of the Tainui canoe in the 14th century, we felt we were in the footsteps of Te Rauparaha. Actually, this was more a 4WD adventure than a boating adventure, but we did take along an Aquapro 1101 RIB to run on the small Lake Parangi. Well, we had to have some boating slant! It was a chance to try out our 4WD vehicles, which essentially until then had never really been out of 2WD apart from the occasional beach launching. We did muddy tracks, more muddy tracks, sand dunes and grass and more muddy tracks, in what was a unique perspective of another part of the country. I also learned from an expert, how to drive off-road.

HOME BASE

I have done my fair share of boating throughout New Zealand from Doubtless Bay to Stewart Island, but the one place I still love probably the most is right on my doorstep. Living at Manly beach on the Hibiscus Coast, just North of Auckland I can get my boating, or more accurately my fishing fix without going too far. The Hauraki Gulf has a huge amount to offer every boatie, no matter what size boat you have and for me being able to launch off the beach and be at my farthest away fishing spot in 20 mins is perfect. As they say, thereâ€™s no place like home!

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The ‘new’ look entrance to Grand Banks facility at Pasir Gudang, Malaysia

66 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

COMPANY PROFILE

GRAND BANKS A Careful Restoration By Barry Thompson

hen you drive into the Grand Banks facility at Pasir Gudang in Malaysia, you can’t help but be impressed by the clean, tree-lined entrance, manicured lawns and a pristine painted admin building that affords a feeling of professionalism and quality. However, it wasn’t always like this and it’s taken an enormous amount of work and resources by Mark Richards, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, to knock this well established, but until recently struggling boat building company into shape. In less than three years, Richards has taken the company from a business losing an average $US6m a year for the past ten years, to one now making a profit. A decision to drop all dealers and only work factory with their own dealer network have had a tremendous impact on the bottom line according to Richards. The fact that Palm Beach has been the backbone of Grand Banks for the last few years as far as cash flow is concerned, has also had a significant impact on the company’s rebirth. Grand Banks Yachts began its journey in 1956 as American Marine, Ltd. Founder Robert J. Newton and his sons, John and Whit, were running a custom boatyard on Junk Bay in Hong Kong, building heavy sailboats and big motor yachts.

In 1962, they built Spray - a 36-foot diesel powered cruising boat with humble, workmanlike lines. A year later, inspired by the new design, the Newtons left custom yacht building to focus on producing the first of a line of boats that would come to be known as Grand Banks. Grand Banks quickly became a darling of the trawler set and sales worldwide grew steadily. That was until the GFC hit. It was a serious setback for this once world dominant yard and for some time it looked like it would struggle to stay afloat. However, the trouble times were to be reversed, when in 2014 Grand Bank Yachts Limited acquired a 100%-stake in Palm Beach Motor Yacht Co Pty Ltd of Australia. Upon completion of the acquisition, Palm Beach founder Mark Richards was appointed CEO of the enlarged company. When Mark Richards arrived at the Grand Banks facility in Malaysia, as the new CEO, he was aghast. “There were 25 years of rubbish accumulated around the factory, so my first job was to clean all that up and formulate a plan to refurbish not only the presentation of the place but also the boat building processes”, says Richards. “Within half an hour of being at the factory, I could see what was wrong and what needed fixing. It was a lot, but I was also aware that it

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 67

COMPANY PROFILE

Palm Beach and Grand Banks models are built together in the Malaysian factory.

wasn’t going to be a quick fix and needed to be managed properly with a process of improving not only the way the boats were built but the overall yard environment and most importantly the staff”, says Richards. PROCESSES IN SYNC The factory layout and building processes have changed dramatically in the past 2 ½ years and the yard is now one of the most modern and efficient in Asia. While Richard’s is quick to point out that as every boat is semi-custom, the factory can not be set up like an auto production line. But as a semicustom boatbuilding factory, it’s as good or better than you will see anywhere in the world. “It’s all about getting every process into sync so that when one part is finished the other part is ready to accept it and there’s no downtime”, says Richards. When you walk around the ‘new’ factory, you can’t help but be impressed by the cleanliness. Big extractor fans now help eliminate any fumes from fibreglass or dust from metal grinding. The workplace is as pristine as a boat building yard can ever be. The build time for each boat has been significantly reduced and the company can produce more boats annually. At the height of the GFC, new builds were as little as three a year, but with the addition of Palm Beach, Grand Banks built 20 boats in 2016

Grand Banks facility in Malaysia is paramount to the growing success and delivery of the Palm Beach brand, where the PB65 is now solely built. “We don’t want to be the biggest boat builder in the world we want to be the best. Every boat is bespoke. We are building Bentleys, not Cadillacs”, says Richards.

and predicted around 25 boats for 2017. 65% are Palm Beach, but with the release of the new GB60, predictions are for a major turn around in GB sales. There are currently eleven Palm Beach 65s and four Palm Beach 55s on order, with the Australian factory dedicated to producing the PB55. With a capability of just seven boats a year from the Australian factory, the

68 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

HEALTH AND WELLBEING “We did an 80 point workers health check when I first got here and had a 100% failure rate. Last year we did the same checks and had a 100% success rate, which not only makes this a better and healthier place to work, it makes our workers happier and more productive”. In the past few years, the staff levels at the Malaysian yard have increased by over 100, with close to 500 now working for the company. Richards says that while they still need more, it’s also a matter of making the employees that he has more efficient in their areas of expertise. He adds that while there was an enormous amount of skill already there, the staff were not embracing the new modern techniques as well as they should. But that’s certainly changed under his tutelage. “The yard was a mismatch and nothing flowed, with open air grinding, painting and there was no distinct production flow from the moulding area through to the finished

The all new GB 60 marks a significant change in direction for GB.

Decks and superstructures of all new GB models are now carbon fibre infused.

All interior bulkheads are pre cut for a precision fit .

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 69

COMPANY PROFILE boat. That’s something I have changed and we now have a process that is extremely efficient, faster and a lot more productive”, adds Richards. The whole complex was dysfunctional and productivity was at an all-time low when Richards took over, so it was not only the worker’s health that required immediate attention, it was the factory itself. “When I took over there was no proper ventilation in any of the factories, so the workers were building boats at times in 45 deg temp. We reroofed between and over a lot of the buildings and installed high windows to ventilate them better. This resulted in lowering the working temperature by 8 deg and also keeping out the heavy rains that are a regular afternoon occurrence in Malaysia.” says Richards. Today virtually every aspect the boat building process is done in-house, with very little outsourcing. GB has dedicated areas for stainless steel fabrication, upholstery, cabinetry, painting, electrical and engineering. Extra roof cranage has been installed to facilitate moving of large components inside and an 8-Axis Router, the first for any Asian Pacific boat yard has just been installed. This means all tooling can now be brought in-

house and gives GB the edge when it comes to precision and quality. He adds that he is still working on improving all aspects of the construction process, and it’s getting better week by week. “What we are building now is the best in the world for what we are doing and it’s only going to get better”. Under Richards’ leadership, GB, like Palm Beach is fast developed a reputation for designing and producing boats of the highest quality and efficiency by utilising modern materials and construction technologies. Decks and superstructures of all new GB models are now carbon fibre infused, which are a fraction of the weight (approx. 50% reduction) and much stronger than the conventional grp. “The quality reputation we have always had for our Palm Beach range is now very much an integral part of Grand Banks and that’s something that I will continue to focus on over the next few years”, says Richards. Richard’s recently described the new era at Grand Banks as a careful restoration, a mindful preservation, and a thoughtful yet bold reimagining that sends the company confidently into the future without abandoning the esteemed qualities they

The Palm Beach 65 is one of the company's most popular models.

70 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

have always held dear. “This is the launch of a grand era in the company’s history, and is well worth a deeper look by anyone who has ever valued or been intrigued by the brand”, says Richards. 60TH ANNIVERSARY 60 FOOTER Grand Bank’s new GB60 is the first of a new model line up for the company and has been built as a showcase for the new building processes and materials. It is also entirely appropriate that the company release a new 60 footer in their 60 Anniversary year. “There has never been a Grand Banks built to this standard”, says Richards. The GB60 represents a whole new direction for the company. With six in build, the first for a Sydney, Australia based client and the rest heading for the US and Europe, the success of this new model is already assured. Next new model from Grand Banks will be a 52, the first to totally utilise the new 8- Axis ‘robot’ and this may be followed by something a little smaller. An 85 footer is also on the drawing board. Richards says that everything from now will follow the same basic lines and styling of the GB60, with the same high-quality finish and presentation.

BUYER’S GUIDE 9 – 12M BOATS

72 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

MOVING ON UP We look at the big jump from trailer boat to small cruiser and present a buyerâ€™s guide to help or maybe confuse your buying decision.

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 73

BUYER’S GUIDE

Bayliner 310

9 – 12M BOATS

If you are looking to transition from standard trailer boat to a small cruiser, then unless you have already a particular brand and model in mind, you will find your choice is extremely generous. GRP or alloy, flybridge or sedan cruiser, there are over 70 boats available on the local market to choose from. When making a decision on your new boat there are a few things you need to consider, before even checking out the brands and models available. The boats we are talking about are the entry-level models, over 3m beam, that fit between around 9m and 11m or if you are old school 30-36ft. While a few decades ago Kiwi’s had a fixation on boats from leading builders such as Genesis, Vindex, Salthouse, Formula and Markline (all of which are now gone), today local builders are scant and most of the options are imported.

Good second hand examples of any of the aforementioned brands, especially Genesis are still well sort after. However earlier this year Rayglass bucked the trend and introduced the all-new Rayglass 3500. The astonishing popularity of the new Rayglass Legend 3500 sports fisher has resulted in the company adding a new production facility to get more boats on the water, faster. “Our new state-of-the-art facility will enable us to increase production, cut lead times and get them boating sooner.” says Rayglass Boats Sales Director Scott Little. Current trailer boat owners looking for something a bit bigger and those previously considering a second hand launch but concerned about the vessel’s age and ongoing maintenance costs are keen, it seems to buy something new and until now there has virtually been nothing locally, apart from full custom builds.”

Everyman 1080

Nimbus 305 74 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Also stepping into the breach is Hamilton based Admiral Boats who hope to have the first of their 10m sedan cruisers on the water this summer. This small cruiser has been designed as an all rounder, to suit every facet of boating from fishing and diving to family cruising. Both the Rayglass and the Admiral are built in GRP and powered by sterndrive packages. Tristram Marine has confirmed that development is underway for a brand new 10m offshore sports fishing boat. Following in the footsteps of the Tristram 701 and Tristram 741’s successes, this new model will be 100% designed using CAD and will be cut via a New-Zealand-based CNC router. CAD & CNC development offer industry leading precision and the ability to hydrostatically test the new Tristram before production begins.

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BUYER’S GUIDE

Marco 950

9 – 12M BOATS

Searay 350 Sundancer Rayglass 3500

GLASS OR ALLOY

Of the 35 brands available, only 13 are alloy boat builders and all Kiwi manufacturers of trailer boats. All offer total custom designs and while we may have listed a stock model they offer, it can always be changed, with the physical dimensions able to be manipulated to suit your particular requirements. Standard designs are as much as you want them to be and changes to bulkheads, hull size, beam and layouts are all easily available when building in aluminium. However’ when it comes to fibreglass (GRP) it’s a different story, due to the fact that the boats are built from moulds. In most cases, what you see is what you get, although there are always options, especially when it comes to equipment and sometimes layouts. POWER OPTIONS

These day’s the most popular mode of power is diesel and in the case of 9-12m boats that usually means sterndrive. It would be save to say that over 90% of all diesel sterndrive boats would be Volvo

Penta or MerCruiser powered and those that are not would likely have petrol variants of both brands. The advantage the diesel sterndrive package –be it single or twin – is economical boating. While the initial purchase price is higher, the long term running costs more than make up for it. Low maintainence and low running costs are perquisites of today’s modern diesel engine. They don’t smell, smoke or clunk anymore and they are a very compact, intelligent and clean engine. The other choice is outboard power and with the advent of bigger horsepowers – now up to 627hp – it’s not uncommon to see boats in this size range with multi- engines on the transom. If you are considering going the outboard way, then you might like to think about the new diesel outboards from Oxe (200hp) and Cox (300hp) which will be available in 2018 through local distributors. Big money to buy but reputedly long term gains that are equal to any inboard diesel. If you go multi outboards, such as you will find on Boston Whaler and Grady White models, you gain a huge amount of internal space under the cockpit sole. Petrol outboards however are limited

Robson RSD331

by their limited propeller size and gear ratios, so are not great on boats over about 6 tonne. Maybe the new generation of diesel outboards will fix that. DRYSTACK OR MARINA

When you had a trailer boat you had to consider where you were going to park the boat. A 7m hardtop trailer boat takes up a reasonable amount of real estate and so hence the growth in drystacks and secure parking such as storage yards and dedicated trailer parks at marinas. So, when it comes to your new small cruiser you have two options; drystack or mooring in a berth or on a pile or swing mooring. While there is an acute shortage of larger marina berths in New Zealand, (See Mike Rose’s article this issue page 90) berths under 12m are still reasonably available. This is because when marina’s were developed years ago, 10-12m boats were extremely popular and in most cases made up at least a 1/3rd of all the berths available. Today the trend is for bigger boats and the shortage is a real problem if you have a boat over 15m. Drystacks have become a popular storage option, especially in Auckland. They each have length, beam, weight and sometimes height restrictions, so you need to find out first before you Admiral 10m

76 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER SEPTEMBER // DECEMBER OCTOBER 2017 2017

Ranger Tugs R29

Boston Whaler 345 Conquest Carver C37

go ahead and buy a boat and then find it will not fit. Pier 21 was the first dry stack boat park built in Auckland with 190 berths for smaller craft up to 9.2m. Just down the road, Orams Marine Village Boat Park will

take boats to 12m undercover. The dry stacks at Gulf Harbour and Pine Harbour are uncovered multi level facilities, with a maximum length allowable of 9m at Gulf Harbour and 10m at Pine Harbour. The newest and fast expanding MWM dry

stack on the Panmure River offers both covered and uncovered storage. They also offer the largest boat sizes, with 12m in the uncovered space, and 11m covered. They also offer storage for flybridge boats up to 12m and 11 ton.

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BUYER’S GUIDE

Grady White 370

9 – 12M BOATS

Superior Sedan 1050

Fort Nautilus, based in Tauranga at Sulpher Point is one of the few large dry stack facilities out of Auckland and caters for boats up to 12m with a maximum beam of 3.75m and height of 3.75m. FLYBRIDGE SEDAN OR OPEN

Stepping up to a small cruiser also means you have to make a choice between a full flybridge, a sedan cruiser or a sedan sports boat. Sedan boats come in various styles and are either open with a hardtop and clears or totally covered in. Essentially a flybridge boat without the flybridge!

Superior 1050 FB

There are a number of distinctive styles when it comes to sedan boats; the sleek modern sports boats, either enclosed or open, such as those offered by Sea Ray in their Sundancer range, Azimut with the Atlantis 34 and Chaparral’s Signature Series. Plus let’s not forget the two local brands, Admiral and Rayglass who have a touch of Kiwi in both design and layout. Then there are the more traditional styles from brands such as Nimbus, Integrity, Back Cove and Greenline. If you like the wind in your face then you might prefer an open top or a model with a hardtop.

Dickey 32 Semifly 78 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Again the US and European brands do these particularly well. If you are looking for a big fishing boat, then boat’s like the Boston Whaler Conquest and Grady White Express fit the bill perfectly. They are ultimate fishing machines that offer excellent overnight accommodation and seakeeping. Flybridge cruisers are also very popular, although when it comes to production builders there are not a lot to pick from. Bavaria offer the E34 Fly, Beneteau the Antares 36 and carver the C36 Command Bridge. If you like a closed in boat, there is also a number of trawler styles available from Beneteau and pilothouse boats from Ranger Tugs. If nothing above suits you, then you will need to make a call to a local alloy builder. Napier based Dickey Boats offer an exceptionally high standard of larger models such as their Semifly 32 and Semifly 36 and can build just about any size you want. Alloy builders such as McLay, Extreme, Everyman, Kwik Kraft, Senator and ICON also offer standard models around 10-11m and will build anything either side. We should also mention the powercats that are available, both in GRP and alloy. Most prolific of the local brands is Kingfisher Boats of Tauranga who specialise in

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340 SEDAN

380 SEDAN

WESTERN AUSTRALIA MARTIN BOX MARINE Phone 08 9336 1466 Capo D'Orlando Drive, Fremantle WA 380 FLYBRIDGE

TASMANIA - BOAT SALES TASMANIA Phone 1300 288 007 Murray St. Pier Marina, Hobart (opp. Parliament House)

440 SEDAN

440 FLYBRIDGE

VICTORIA - PIER 35 BOAT SALES Phone 03 9645 1100 Pier 35 Marina Village, Suite 3, 263-329 Lorimer St, Port Melbourne

490 GRANDSEDAN

NZ - LAURIE COLLINS MARINE Phone: +64 09 376 6331 K Pier 103-115, Westhaven Dr, Westhaven

490 SEDAN 530 GRANDSEDAN WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 79

BUYER’S GUIDE

Back Cove 32

9 – 12M BOATS

custom built alloy boats to Roger Hill designs. Scott Robson is another designer that has seen a number of his custom powercats and monohulls built by a variety of builders.

Azimut Atlantis 34

BUILT FOR PURPOSE

After you have looked at all the boats available then take a good look at the way the boat is configured, both in the cockpit and inside the saloon. Is this the layout that is going to best suit you and your families needs. If you are into general cruising, with a little fishing and generally doing it all with the family, then most boats on our list will suit. However, if it’s the quiet life you are after, then you may want to go for the more traditional styles, that have that grey nomad appearance but in most cases still offer more than adequate power should you need to move at pace. If you are a little more on the alternative side you may look at a powercat, where space, pace and performance are paramount. Cats carry a lot more beam than a same size monohull so your mooring requirements need to be considered more strongly. Seriously into your fishing then there are designs that are strictly made for those that like to go out deep and wide. While not suitable for family boating they do offer plenty of onboard comforts for staying away overnight. In the end it’s matter of finding a boat that suits your purpose and your budget and that the family is going to pester you to go boating as much as possible. Happy hunting!

Arrowcat 32

80 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

McLay 1100

9-12M CRUISERS BUYERS GUIDE ADMIRAL

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

CARVER

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Admiral 10

10.00m

3.00m

Sedan

C34 Coupe

10.36m

3.50m

Sedan

C37 Coupe

11.28m

3.96m

Sedan

C36 Command Bridge

10.82m

3.96m

Flybridge

ARROWCAT

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Arrowcat 320

9.60m

3.00m

Sedan

CHAPARRAL

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Arrowcat 340

10.30m

4.80m

Sedan

310 Signature

9.45m

3.05m

Open

330 Signature

10.21m

3.20m

Open

DICKEY

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Semifly 32

10.2m

3.40m

Sedan

Semifly 36

11.2m

3.40m

Sedan

EVERYMAN

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Everyman 1080

11.00m

3.07m

Sedan

AZIMUT

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Atlantis 34

10.25m

3.50m

Sedan

BAYLINER

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

310

9.84m

3.02m

Open

350

10.90m

3.35m

Open

BACK COVE

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Back Cove 30

10.41m

3.43m

Sedan

EXTREME

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Back Cove 32

11.28m

3.61m

Sedan

1185 Game King

11.00m

3.10m

Sedan

Back Cove 34

11.71m

3.67m

Sedan FJORD

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

BOSTON WHALER

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

36 Open / Express

10.80m

4.65m

Centre Cab

315 Conquest

9.53m

3.25m

Open/ Sedan

345 Conquest

10.95m

3.56m

Open/Sedan

GREENLINE

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Greenline 33

9.99m

3.49m

Sedan

BAVARIA

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

GRADY WHITE

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

S32 Open

10.05m

3.07m

Open

Express 330

10.21m

3.53m

Open

S33 Open

10.05m

3.07m

Open

Express 370

11.15m

4.01m

Open

S33 HT

10.05m

3.07m

Sedan

S36 Open

10.76m

3.38m

Sedan

ICON ALLOY

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

S36 HT/Coupe

10.76m

3.38m

Sedan

R1035 SF

9.99m

2.9m

Sedan

E34 Fly

10.30m

3.50m

Flybridge

R356 Powercat

10.60m

3.50m

Sedan

E34 Sedan

10.30m

3.50m

Sedan IMAGE ALLOY

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

BENETEAU

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

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11.30m

3.10m

Sedan

Swift Trawler 30

9.99m

3.53m

Flybridge

Swift Trawler 35

11.29m

3.96m

Flybridge

BEAM

STYLE

10.22m

3.35m

Flybridge

INTEGRITY 320 Express

LOA

Antares 30

9.75m

3.72m

Sedan

Antares 30S

10.22m

3.35m

Sedan

340 sedan

10.85m

3.68m

Sedan

Antares 36

11.37m

3.80m

Flybridge

Beneteau Swift Trawler 30

Jeanneau NC11

Bavaria E34

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9-12M CRUISERS BUYERS GUIDE JEANNEAU

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

RANGER TUGS

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Sundancer 310

10.11m

3.05m

Open

Leader 30

9.23m

3.01m

Open

R29 S & R29 CB

10.16m

3.05m

Pilothouse

Sundancer 320

10.31m

3.25m

Open

Leader 33

10.56m

3.32m

Sedan

R31 S & R31 CB

10.70m

3.05m

Pilothouse

Sundancer 330

10.87m

3.18m

Open

Leader 36

11.47m

3.62m

Sedan/Open

Sundancer 350

10.87m

3.18m

Open/Coupe

NC9

9.43m

3.15m

Sedan

RAYGLASS

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Sundancer 355

11.20m

3.48m

Coupe

NC33

10.50m

3.32m

Sedan

Rayglass 3500

11.50M

3.85m

Sedan

NC11

11.15m

3.74m

Sedan

VANQUISH

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

SUPERIOR Superior 1050

LOA 10.65m

BEAM 3.70m

STYLE Flybridge / Sedan

VQ32

10.21m

2.91m

Open

WHITE POINTER

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

SENATOR

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Offshore 1020

10.80m

3.10m

Sedan

1050 & Pro Sportsman

10.50m

3.10m

Sedan

10.31m

3.50m

Sedan

BEAM

STYLE

KINGFISHER

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

1000 Custom

10.00m

3.50m

Flybridge / Sedan

1100 Custom

11.00m

4.00m

Flybridge / Sedan

1150 Custom

11.50m

4.25m

Flybridge / Sedan

1200 Custom

12.00m

4.60m

Flybridge / Sedan

1200 Displacement

12.00m

4.50m

Flybridge / Sedan

KWIKKRAFT

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

1022 Offshore

11.90m

3.30m

Sedan

MAKAIRA

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Makaira 1050

10.90m

3.10m

Sedan

MARCO

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Marco 950

10.00m

3.00m

Sedan

MATILDA BAY

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Matilda Bay 32

9.75m

3.49m

Sedan

MCLAY

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

Cruiser Hardtop 1100

11.40m

3.09m

Sedan

NIMBUS

LOA

BEAM

STYLE

305 Drophead

10.07m

3.25m

Open

305 Coupe

10.07m

3.25m

Sedan

31Nova S

9.88m

3.10m

Open

34 Nova

11.66m

3.32m

Open

SEALINE C330

Cruisemaster

White Pointer 1050

SEA RAY

LOA

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BOAT REVIEW

Fountaine Pajot MY44

h s i l y t S

E C N A ELEG

FOUNTAINE PAJOT HAS BEEN BUILDING POWER CATAMARANS FOR 20 YEARS AND

WHILE SOME YARDS HAVE SIMPLY OFFERED A SAILING CAT WITHOUT A MAST, WITH HULLS THAT WERE NOT DESIGNED FOR POWER OR BLUE WATER CRUISING, FOUNTAINE PAJOT HAS ONLY EVER BUILT POWER CATAMARANS DESIGNED FOR POWER ONLY. THEIR POWER CATS ARE HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL AND PURPOSE BUILT.

84 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

HE early models formed the basis of the current range, which started with the release of the MY37 a few years ago and more recently the MY44 and the flagship model, MY55. Australasian importer of Fountaine Pajot, Multihull Solutions, had their first MY44 on display at the recent Sydney International Boat Show and it attracted a lot of attention. Daniel Andrieu, a world respected French naval architect, has been responsible for the hull design and the new look, s the work of Pierangelo Andreani, which portrays a modern style on a traditional concept. Powercats have been around for a long time and it is the French designers and builders, such as Fountaine Pajot that have pushed the design envelope and established new parameters in performance and style. For a power cat aficionado, the Fountaine Pajot MY44 is a look at the future of where powercat design is heading. POWER & PERFORMANCE One of the impressive features about the MY44 – and there are many – is that it’s built light, but without any compromise on strength. Light ship displacement is 14,000 kgs and with a pair of Volvo Penta IPS400, the boat is capable of around 24 knots. “If you want a power cat to run to its performance and design criteria, it’s all about weight or the lack of it, so the MY44 is built with weight in mind in every area of the build”, says Mark Elkington, MD of Multihull Solutions. The MY44 was driven down the coast to Sydney from Multihull Solutions base at Mooloolaba, Qld, at an average speed of 17 knots which took under 30 hours for a fuel burn of around 85 lph. At 7 knots the MY44 runs around 1 lpnm, which is an outstanding economy and good to know when you are cruising in places like the Whitsundays or Marlborough Sounds. Mark says that the MY44 is designed as a blue water capable passage maker and offers an exceptionally smooth and dry ride in adverse sea conditions. The MY44 has been developed to deliver extraordinary offshore performance and outstanding fuel economy, affording more than 1800nm on one tank of fuel. With the addition of an optional fuel bladder that can be extended to around 2500nm. With 2000-litre fuel tanks and 700-litre water tanks, the MY44 is ideal for long-range cruising and can achieve top speeds of 30 knots with its optional IPS600 435HP engines. THREE OR FOUR CABINS One of the main differences between the MY37 and the MY44 is the interior styling and layout, which makes maximum use of the extra length and beam available, including a 20m2 saloon, 12m2 flybridge, and a decadent 15m2 master suite. Designed by Pierangelo Andreani, the famous Italian architect specialising in the luxury market, the MY44 boasts stylish lines and unique living spaces. The model has been fitted with sleek panoramic windows throughout, granting spectacular 360-degree views and beautiful levels of natural light. Powercats by their design offer massive areas in places like the saloon, cockpit and flybridge, but often when it comes to the accommodation in the hulls, things can get a little tight. Not so in the new MY44 which presents three generous cabins, which makes the best use of both the hulls and wing deck. The MY44 has a revolutionary accommodation design with an expansive master suite, that takes up the entire port hull. It has great views from its panoramic windows

Light ship displacement is 14,000 kgs and with a pair of Volvo Penta IPS400, the boat is capable of around 24 knots.

The lower helm has plenty of real estate for the largest MFD screens.

WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 85

Fountaine Pajot MY44 is a look at the future of where powercat design is heading.

The expansive master suite takes up the entire port hull.

The guest VIP takes advantage of the generous space available.

and features a sea-facing island queen bed, optional wall-mounted television, ambient lighting, plus a sleek ensuite. The wide beam allows for the extra volume for walkaround beds, something not often seen in a boat of this size. Friends can relax in comfort in the guest cabins, choosing from the 7m2 VIP cabin or a twin or double cabin set to starboard, both with exclusive ensuites and elegant fixtures. All cabins also have climate control air conditioning as standard and the entire boat is equipped with wireless lighting. The weight saving in wiring alone is substantial. To get the larger cabins into the MY44, the beam has been taken out to 6.61m. The MY37 is 5.5m. Retaining the narrow semi displacement hulls was a prerequisite, so as not to change the boats handling and sea keeping ability and this has not been compromised with the new layout. However, you still have the option of a fourth cabin by utilising the large storage space under the foredeck. This 86 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

can be accessed from the saloon with a sliding door for privacy. When you drop in a ¾ double bed and fully line the bulkheads, you have a great cabin for kids or those extra overnight guests you didn’t expect. The extra cost is around $18000 and the modification has to be done at the factory. If you don’t go for the extra cabin, this space makes a great accessory/workshop room and is ideal for a dive compressor. COCKPIT & SALOON Across the transom, you have the choice of a fixed or hydraulic platform or no platform at all. Access to the cockpit is either side of the transom lounge, where the roof overhang comes right back to the transom. If you are into your fishing, then you will need a platform. The cockpit in the MY44 I looked over at the show was in its simplest form with no table, as Mark says he prefers to let the owners choose the table design, as it can be added after. There is a full-width cockpit settee aft, with

Another very cool area is the large foredeck cockpit with day sun lounges.

Upstairs has it all on the massive open flybridge with separate helm, lounges and dining table.

a staircase on the port side to the flybridge and wide side decks for easy access forward. Teak decks are an option. With the four full height glass panels slid out of the way the galley and saloon become very much an extension of the cockpit with a seamless blend of the indoor and outdoor spaces. If you close the doors when underway, the sound in the saloon is minimal. The wide entranceway runs through the centre of the galley with fridge/freezer, wine cooler and storage to port and a U shape bench space opposite. Only the very best kitchen appliances have been used and the MY44 offers unprecedented storage areas. The entrance and galley flooring are a PVC based product which is hard wearing, durable and easily cleaned. Aft of the fridge/freezer unit is the private access to the master stateroom. Another standard feature is the massive storage under the sole, with four huge voids, ideal for all that extra food and provisions you need to carry for the summer cruise. It also means all that extra weight is taken in the centre of

the boat. Like the rest of the layout, the look and design of the galley are in the modernist style, with hardly a rounded edge anywhere. Personally, I love it and it’s something we are seeing on more and more boats these days. Mark also pointed out that the MY44 is strictly a production boat and virtually the only way you can personalise it is with your choice of fabric colours. With such a generous beam, the saloon has been configured with a settee to port, with a combination coffee/dining table, plus another shorter sofa opposite and aft of the lower helm and companionway to the starboard accommodation area. The lower helm is set up with a full bench seat and there is plenty of real estate for the largest MFD screens. Being Volvo Penta powered, the MY44 was equipped with Garmin screens – 2 x GPS Map 15 – as all the software is compatible with the engine package. There was also a Garmin AIS, VHF, GPS and radar plus the MY44 uses WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 87

BOAT REVIEW

Fountaine Pajot MY44 a Volvo Penta IPS autopilot with a remote control. If you prefer to do you driving outside, then upstairs has it all on the massive open flybridge with separate helm, lounges and dining table to truly enjoy the cruising experience. The hardtop –weighs just 230kgis available with full clears if you want more weather protection. The starboard forward settee converts to a large day lounger and with the soft fabric sliding manually operated sunroof, you can control just how much UV you want. There is plenty of seating areas, provision for a small galley and wet bar. A very cool area to lay back and relax. Another very cool area is the large foredeck cockpit with day sun lounges and seating for up to 10-12 people. There are generous storage lockers for fenders and ropes and access to the forward cabin/storage space. The wide entranceway runs through the centre of the galley.

The galley and saloon become very much an extension of the cockpit with the rear glass doors open. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S Builder: Designer: LOA: Beam: Draft: Displacement (Light): Max Speed: Construction: Fuel Capacity: Engines/HP: MFD: Base Price of Boat:

Fountaine Pajot MY44 Daniel Andrieu 13.4m 6.61m 1.30m 14000 kg 22 knots GRP 2000 litres 2 x Volvo Penta IPS400 Garmin $AU1.35 million

Contact: Multihull Solutions AUS Ph +61 (0)7 54525164 | info@multihullsolutions.com.au NZ Ph +64 (0)9 9031000 | info@multihullsolutions.co.nz FUEL & PERFORMANCE DATA Fountaine Pajot MY44/ 2 x IPS400 Fuel capacity: 2000 litres RPM Knots L/h L/NM 1200 7.0 7 1.000 1300 8.0 9 1.200 1700 10.0 22.5 2.300 2500 15.0 50 3.400 3000 20.0 75 3.800 3500 23.0 115 5.000

Range (NM) 1800 1500 780 520 470 360

88 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

WHAT’S NEXT I left SIBS very impressed at what I had seen and while powercats are not for everyone, the MY44 is certainly something to consider. Fountaine-Pajot has been building sailing catamarans from its base in La Rochelle since 1976, yet the transition to building power cats has been a steep learning curve. They quickly discovered that the requirements of sailors and power boat customers are entirely different. With close to 20 orders, the popularity of the MY44 is already determined and while it’s different in many ways from its competitors, it sets new standards for light weight, blue water power cats of this size. Along with the smaller MY37 and the larger MY55, Fountaine Pajot has a great trio of power cats to pick from. I can’t wait to see what they come out with next.

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NO ROOM AT THE INN

Pressure goes on marinas as historic decisions, changing preferences and growing numbers of bigger boats create major berth shortage

Text by Mike Rose

The Marsden Cove Marina is about two-thirds full with long term leases.

Bayswater Marina has difficulty in supplying any berths in the 14m and above range.

Bigger pleasure boats, especially bigger powerboats, are more popular than ever. More Kiwis want them and more can seemingly afford them. Boatbuilders on both sides of the Tasman (and further afield) are willing and able to produce them — and do so relatively quickly. Powerful lightweight engines make them economical to power. Clever mechanical, electronic and electrical systems ensure they are easy to control, to navigate, to maintain. Despite their large size and considerable windage they are, thanks to modern control systems, surprisingly easy to berth. There is only one problem. There is virtually nowhere to berth them. It is not a problem for those who already own a large marina berth and are merely updating to a new model. It is much harder for those who, having just sold a business, gained an inheritance or won a lottery, wish to upgrade to or buy their first 16-metreplus boat. “There is virtually nothing around,” says Alistair Hool, whose brokerage, Hool Marine, specialises in larger pleasure boats. “12 & 14m berths are hard to get but possible, 16 and 18m berths are incredibly scarce and 20-metre and above are virtually

impossible.” That means potential boat owners can no longer simply find a boat they want and then buy or lease a berth to keep it on. “First timers are now trying to find a berth and then looking for a boat that will fit in it. Many are seriously looking a year or two in advance.” Tom Warren, general manager for Panuku Development Auckland, owners of Westhaven Marina, and the vice chair of the Marina Operators Association (MOA), agrees. “At Westhaven, we currently have berth occupancy of 96% and over 200 boats on waiting lists,” he says. “Most of those are for 14-metre-plus vessels.” He says that, while the lack of 14-metre-plus berths is a problem, the major issue is in the 16-20-metre range. As MOA vice chair, he also knows that this is a nationwide problem. “Although people are migrating a lot more, they do not appear willing to let go of their berths. They prefer to hold on to them and sub-lease.” Port Marlborough’s Steve McKeown agrees that current berth shortage is not solely an Auckland or even a North Island problem.

“Both our Waikawa and Picton marinas are full,” he says. This is obviously not an ideal situation, especially with the marine industry in a reasonably buoyant phase and with the next America’s Cup regatta due here in under four years. All of the marina operators we spoke to were aware of the problem — and several have plans underway to address it. There is, however, no quick fix. AN HISTORICAL ISSUE: So, how did we end up in this situation, especially in Auckland, the much vaunted City of Sails, boasting one of the highest rates of pleasure boat ownership in the world? The answer is largely a historical one, exacerbated by changing demographics and inflamed by a planning process seemingly designed to make new marinas almost impossible to build. Virtually all of Auckland’s current marinas were built in the 1970s or 1980s. (Westhaven is the oldest, followed by east Auckland’s Half Moon Bay, then Gulf Harbour, Hobsonville, previously West Park, and Pine Harbour.)

Half Moon Bay Marina has already started its expansion plans.

The Viaduct Basin in Auckland has proven popular for owner’s of larger boats. WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 91

Picton Marina is full, as is the much larger Waikawa Marina just down the road.

In those days, a 35ft (10.7m) or even 40ft (12.2m) boat was considered a pretty big affair. As a result, the berth configuration was very different than it would be if they were being designed today. No one planning a marina at the tail end of the 21st century’s second decade would consider installing lots of 12-metre berths, let alone 11s, 10s, 9s or even 8s. Yet, due to the difficulties in reconfiguring marinas once they are consented and built, that is exactly what we are having to live with. Of course, this would not be a problem if we were still happy to tootle around in our 10 or 12 metre vessels. But, obviously, we are not. The progression of the baby boomers mean this large demographic bulge is now in their prime pleasure-boat-owning period. They are at the stage in their life where many are able to sell the businesses they have successfully built up and/or are receiving sometimes very substantial inheritances. They have also enjoyed one of the longest virtually-continuous periods of prosperity in history — and its accompanying property boom. In short, there are now considerably more people than ever wanting to own — and able to afford — a boat of 14, 16, 18 or even 20-plus metres. Of course, none of this should be a surprise. So, why hasn’t it been fixed? Simply put, creating new marinas is a very difficult — and often very long — process. One of the most recent to open is at Tairua, on the eastern coast of the Coromandel. A reasonably modest-sized 95-berth marina it took just seven months to build. Unfortunately, for all those concerned, it took over 13 years to get the permission to proceed. Just as concerning, the marina looks nothing

like what was envisaged when developer Craig Watts started the process. The owner and managing director of trans-Tasman property and development company Watts Group, Craig is no starry-eyed idealist. He intimately understands every facet of both the construction industry and the consenting process. Yet even he was surprised by how a small but extremely vocal minority were able to virtually stymie the entire project. As it was, Watts’ original plan for a 253-berth marina complex, including a public trailer boat park, concrete boat ramp and an all-tide public recreational area (ideal for kayaks, water toys and children) was reduced to one containing just 95 berths. Trailer boats still struggle to find space to park on the beach and, needless to say, there is no recreational area, either. Further north, the boaties of Waiheke Island, in the heart of the Hauraki Gulf, have their fingers crossed that a long-awaited marina will finally be built at Kennedy Point. Tony Mair, New Zealand’s most experienced builder of marinas, is behind the project. He has consent for the project and, although there are appeals still to be heard, is hopeful of starting construction before the end of year. There is a good chance he will. A civil engineer for over 50 years, Tony has been building marinas for around 40 of those. His CV includes 6000 berths in 17 different marinas and he knows how the process works. “The industry standard for a new marina is around 11 years from idea to completion,” he says. “My timeframe is 3-4 years.” He, too, points to the disparity in both sizes then and now as a key part of the problem. “When we built Westpark, in 1988, the average berth size was 11 metres. At Orakei (Auckland’s newest marina), the average is

92 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

19 metres.” Yet, even there, Orakei Marina general manager Mark Schmack says they are already facing what he calls “a dire shortage”. “The demand was for 14-16m berths, now it is up to 20m and even 25m,” he says. It is a similar situation up at Northland’s Marsden Cove Marina, which opened in 2006. “When planning started for the marina,” says Brent Wilson, “the average boat size was 11.8m. Now it is 18m.” Because of its location, Marsden Cove has quite a large transient population, many of whom come out of the Pacific, summering away from the cyclone season and using New Zealand’s highly regarded marine industry to repair and refurbish their vessels. This has led Brent to believe that at least some of the current demand for larger berths is being driven by a change in the way people cruise offshore. “They used to be almost all yachts,” he says. “Now there are far more powerboats — and they need to be longer to provide the same level of comfort and safety.” This switch from sail to power is, he believes, largely due to the growing popularity of ocean-going power cruisers from companies such as Dashew, Nordhaven and Selene. “They are designing 60-footers can comfortably go virtually anywhere, travel quickly enough to out-run bad weather and yet have an incredibly low fuel burn (and hence a long range).” THE PROBLEMS AND THE PLANS: So exactly how bad is the problem? Does it vary from one marina to another and are there any concrete plans to combat it? The short answers are very bad in some

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places, quite a lot and yes there are. We asked a some of the marinas just what they have planned for the future. WESTHAVEN: Originally developed in 1970s, much of Westhaven reflects the way Kiwis used to go boating 40-odd years ago. As a result, New Zealand’s premier marina is home to a disproportionate number of older, smaller (8-10m) boats, many of which no longer get used very much. These sometimes not well looked after vessels are often owned by relatively older people, a sizeable percentage of whom are likely to either stop boating or look to downsize in the coming years. One would imagine that it would therefore be a relatively easy matter to reconfigure the space that these berths currently occupy, creating a smaller number of more-soughtafter bigger berths. Unfortunately, the way Westhaven was set up makes this sort of sensible redevelopment or reconfiguring difficult, at least in the short term. This is because a substantial number of the berths in the marina, especially ones containing those older, smaller vessels, have long-term leases. Additional pressure is also coming from the increasing demand for “liveaboards” as more people see this as a viable lifestyle choice. However, as with the growing demand for larger berths, the marina is struggling to accommodate those wanting to do this. (Tom says that, at the time of writing, there were no suitable spaces currently available). Complicating matters, Westhaven is very proud of its Blue Flag status (a highly regarded international environmental standard) and determined to keep the water quality in the marina very high. They are planning to invest in more

“liveaboard systems” for the future: safe sewage removal, for example, and other facilities, but, as Tom points out, these are expensive. With 200 mainly 14m-plus boats on its waiting lists, Westhaven plainly faces some pretty challenging issues. Its occupancy rate is an unforgiving 96% and it is configured for 10, 12 and 13.5m berths when demand is for 14, 16, 18 and 20m ones. The good news is that there are plans afoot to address these issues, both in the short term and further out. The marina’s management is currently working on the Pile mooring stage 1 development of what will hopefully be a reasonably substantial and comprehensive redevelopment plan. The first stage of that proposal sees the western entrance to the marina (the one closest to the harbour bridge) closed and one third of the existing pile moorings (currently with an occupancy rate of just 62-65%) removed. In their place will be 110 new berths, all 14m-plus, along with additional car parking and a cultural development. Tom Warren says negotiations are already underway for this redevelopment with resource consent to follow. He expects construction will then take 20 months with the new area to open in summer 2019/ 2020, on the basis of consents being achieved. He is then looking at replacing the remaining pile moorings potentially with stern-in “Mediterranean moorings”, increasing the occupancy rate of this area to 80% or more. Longer term, the two trusts which govern those long term leases are due to expire in 2026 and 2028. Tom says the intention is to change this model to one that will still provide berth holders with security of

94 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

tenure while giving the marina the ability to more quickly react to changing trends in the future. Finally, although the growing popularity of multi-hulls means there is demand for beamier berths, as well as longer ones, Tom believes this can be addressed relatively easily. “Westhaven’s fairways are far wider than international standard so we can, when required, narrow these to create more space, without negatively impacting on manoeuvrability.” HALF MOON BAY: Auckland’s second oldest marina and the one generally favoured by those living in the city’s eastern suburbs has been full since it opened. The opening of a marina for members at the adjacent Bucklands Beach Yacht Club briefly relived some of the pressure for additional berths as did the relatively recent opening of the Orakei Marina in Okahu Bay. Now, according to general manager Mark Hillier, the marina is again full and there are waiting lists for even the smaller sized berths. As is the case elsewhere, the most pressing need is for larger berths. The surrounding areas are reasonably wealthy ones and owners are able to afford bigger boats and, not unreasonably, prefer to house them close by. However, since its inception, Half Moon Bay has operated a perpetual lease arrangement and, while this provides great security and certainty for berth owners, it does make it virtually impossible to reconfigure the marina to accommodate the growing number of bigger boats wanting to be berthed there. Mark says the marina has been in regular contact with Auckland Council about the

Originally developed in 1970s, much of Westhaven Marina reflects the way Kiwis used to go boating 40-odd years ago.

to address the issue. They are currently working on plans for an extension to the marina, off the existing boatyard. This will house 90 new berths of 14, 16, 18 & 20 metres. When we spoke to Mark, the marina was preparing to lodge a resource consent for the extension. This will be under the

Unitary Plan, where such an extension is a permitted activity. GULF HARBOUR: Located quite at bit from further central Auckland in a relatively new and significantly smaller (although fast-growing) suburban

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DB236

issue. “Council is aware of the problem,” he says, “and its preference is for existing marinas to expand rather than creating new ‘greenfields’ ones.” As is the case at Westhaven, management at Half Moon Bay are well advanced with plans

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Cup will make the situation even worse and is seeing berth prices already starting to rise.

At Tairua Marina, almost all the larger berths are now gone.

TAIRUA At Tairua Marina, almost all the larger berths are now gone. There are some 12s still available and quite a few 8s, 9s and 10s. However, the marina tends to be full over summer thanks to visiting boats and the many holidaymakers and locals who choose to rent a berth for their larger trailer boats, so they can avoid the hassles and delays in launching and parking.

area, Gulf Harbour faces slightly different challenges. According to the marina’s Keith Hogan, the area’s slightly younger demographic means there is more demand here for mid-sized berths. He also believes owners of 20-24m boats would rather berth downtown. “Their owners tend to be very successful business people and they prefer the easier access and ease of entertaining there,” he says. He says one of the biggest issues the marina faces is the growing number of multi-hulls, especially larger ones, wanting to berth there. Unlike some of his colleagues, Keith is not too concerned about the current big berth shortage. He sees the problem as a relatively short term one due to both the developments planned elsewhere and the increasing age of many of the berth owners. BAYSWATER, PINE HARBOUR, HOBSONVILLE: The marina’s management is currently working on the Pile mooring stage 1 development of what will hopefully be a reasonably substantial and comprehensive redevelopment plan. The first stage of that proposal sees the western entrance to the marina (the one closest to the harbour bridge) closed and one third of the existing pile moorings (currently with an occupancy rate of just 62-65%) removed. In their place will be 110 new berths, all 14m-plus, along with additional car parking and a cultural development. Tom Warren says negotiations are already underway for this redevelopment with resource consent to follow. He expects construction will then take 20 months with the new area to open in summer 2019/ 2020, on the basis of consents being achieved. He is then looking at replacing the remaining pile moorings potentially with stern-in “Mediterranean moorings”, increasing the occupancy rate of this area to 80% or more.

Longer term, the two trusts which govern those long term leases are due to expire in 2026 and 2028. Tom says the intention is to change this model to one that will still provide berth holders with security of tenure while giving the marina the ability to more quickly react to changing trends in the future. ORAKEI Having experienced a steadily-growingworse shortage of 14-16 berths over the last 2 years, Orakei Marina general manager Mark Schmack says the problem now extends to 20m and even 25m berths. It is a shortage that is now seriously affecting boat sales. “Current berth holders are very reluctant to sell and are holding on to their berths even when they sell their boats,” he says. As a result, the marina currently has at least 2-3 people waiting for every size of berth and fields phone calls every day from people looking to buy or rent a berth. Mark says he was hoping that the new marina at Waiheke’s Kennedy Point would help relieve the pressure. But, now that this has now gone back to court, any relief will be further delayed. He also believes the advent of the America’s

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MARSDEN COVE The Marsden Cove marina is about twothirds full with long term leases, with the remaining berths used to accommodate short term rentals, especially those visiting from offshore. Even more of these are expected when the hardstand opens shortly. The marina’s Brent Wilson says there are currently no 10.5m or 12m berths available. He has some 14m and 24m ones and very few 16, 18 or 20s. All are expected to be gone for summer. Additional pressure is also expected when, this summer, the marina hosts the World Oyster Rally. This will see between 26 and 30 boats staying in the marina for 5-6 months. PICTON, WAIKAWA & HAVELOCK As mentioned earlier, the two marinas in Queen Charlotte Sound — Picton and Waikawa — are currently full. The more remote Havelock Marina, in Pelorus Sound, is home mainly to working boats and is at about 80% capacity. The marinas’ Steve McKeown says there is no doubt that demand is continuing to increase, especially for bigger berths. Port Marlborough, which owns the three marinas, is also experiencing increasing demand for trailer boat facilities, boat sheds and compound trailer boat storage areas. To alleviate some of the problem, they are about to lodge a resource consent for an expansion to Waikawa Marina.

Orakei Marina and OBC Auckland Marina(background) are both full to capacity with waiting lists.

This would see an additional 230 new berths in the 12-30 metre range. Although not finalised, the layout could see five 30m berths and six or seven 20m berths, with most of the rest in the 15-18m range where demand is strongest. However, Steve cautions that, even if they get the go ahead, it could be up to 5 years before the new extension is open.

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A HELPING HAND Given that a lack of suitably-sized marina berths could be a significant handbrake for the currently very healthy New Zealand marine industry, the industry body, NZ Marine, has some pretty serious skin in this game, too. Executive director Peter Busfield says his organisation is well aware of the problem and believes it is about to affect smaller berth sizes, too. “We are seeing a substantial upswing in the popularity of 10-12m boats, such as the new Rayglass 3500,” he says. He believes this means the berth shortage will soon be “right across the board”. “It harks back to the 1980s,” he says, referring to the way desperate boat owners then would buy an older, run-down boat simply to get the marina it sat on. Although, as an industry organisation, NZ Marine is not in the

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business of building marinas themselves, they are able to offer a significant level of support to those who do. “We have a lot of respected independent research that shows the scale of economic benefits a marina brings to an area. These benefits are not just for the marine industry, either; motels, caterers, airports all have been shown to gain business from having a marina nearby. “There are also new employment opportunities for school leavers and apprentices,” he says. “For example, the New Zealand Marine and Composites Training Organisation now offers a NZQA Level 4 Marina Operators qualification for those keen to work in the industry.” Peter is also very aware that the marina berth shortage could adversely affect the benefits the country hopes to reap when the America’s Cup regatta returns to Auckland in a few years’ time. He says people now realise that the two main benefits of staging the regatta are the international exposure it brings and the superyachts and “high net worth” individuals it attracts. “Prior to us hosting the Cup in 2000, New Zealand was attracting just 3-5 superyachts a year. In 2000 we had 94 and, when we staged it again in 2003, it leapt to 120. After we lost the Cup, in 2004 to 2011, that average dropped to just 19.” He says the industry is currently seeing 40-50 superyachts visiting here each year but believes we could host far more, if we have the infrastructure. “We have presented a low cost plan that includes a facility able to house 25 superyachts, including those in the 65-200m range.” He says both the Government and Auckland Council seem receptive and are being proactive, appointing people to deal with issues like this. “We are hopeful of being ready in time,” he says, “but they will need to move quickly if it is to happen.”

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Phone: 09 374 4461 Fax: +64-9-374 4462 Email: info@pier21.co.nz / www.pier21.co.nz WWW.BOAT M AGS.C O M 97

BOAT REVIEW

Elliott EVO 660

REVOlution BY FREDDY FOOTE

The Elliott EVO 660 underway on Auckland harbour

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A GLOBALLY RENOWNED KIWI YACHT DESIGNER TRIES HIS HAND AT POWERBOAT DESIGN? WELL, AS FREDDY FOOTE FOUND OUT, HE ACHIEVES SOMETHING QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY BARRY THOMPSON

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BOAT REVIEW

Elliott EVO 660

The EVO 660 has an open and functional layout.

esigned by New Zealand yacht designer, Greg Elliott, the EVO 660 isn’t a new boat to the market. It’s been around for around five years and this is the eighth hull to hit the water, all of the previous seven boats dotted around the country. Elliott isn’t widely known in power boating circles and he’s the first to admit that. However he has been designing some of the best yacht hulls to leave our shores for about 40-years, so is more than qualified to know a thing or two about simple hydro dynamics, efficiency and how to get the best from a hull as it glides through the water. “With the yachts, I’ve spent years doing development and research on design and construction, tank testing and modelling to achieve hull designs that perform in both cruising and racing conditions,” says Elliott. “With the powerboat, we’ve brought in that same process. So initially, we built the first boat out of plywood, making changes to the hull shape as we went along. This hull is Mk5, and we’ve concentrated on the bottom shape up to the chines. We’ve also experimented a lot with the strakes and the width of the chines to get the ride right.” Having perfected the design of his hull, Elliott then switched his attention to the

layout. “Everyone is New Zealand is obsessed with having a cabin. I just thought it was a bit of wasted space, so I wanted to do something different and create a layout that could lend itself as a true all-rounder.” He wanted to design a boat that wasn’t just about fishing, but one that could serve the water sports enthusiast equally as well. “The main thing I wanted to incorporate was having the full use of the whole boat, not just half of it, so that’s why we went away from a traditional cabin style and made it a centre console, says Elliott.” The construction of the Elliott EVO 660 is a fibreglass hull and deck, with the inner deck liner built as a single piece. The plugs for the mould were all CNC cut, to ensure precise accuracy during construction. The cockpit is also self-draining, so any water that does find its way on board will quickly disperse. The hull was designed with long water lines and has proven to be easily drive, very soft riding, dry and stable. OPEN LAYOUT In the bow, there is very generous aft facing seating in the form of a large upholstered squab with the anchor locker located below. For passenger comfort, there is a handrail that leads along the top of the coaming.

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Opposite and facing forward, is a further upholstered seat that could accommodate two adults. Below this, is plentiful storage under the helm console – ideal for bags, extra lifejackets, dive gear, water toys and towels. Aft, the transom has quite a low profile, which will certainly suit itself to a number of scenarios. Great for water sports and gaining entry in and out of the boat via the sizeable boarding platforms on either side of the outboard. Game fishermen will also love the ease at which they could bring larger fish onboard and into the cockpit. There is a large storage locker in the cockpit, and the entire floor of the boat is finished with an optional cork finish – though you can specify whatever your preference at the time of build. At the helm, the dash is neat and tidy with the engine instruments flush mounted into the dash. There is a small glove box to store smaller items and enough room to fit a multi-function display with a VHF radio located below. What is a first for a New Zealand boat, is the adjustable targa top. At the press of a button on the dash, the GRP targa top above lowers down to the height of your choosing or flush with the top of the windshield. It can go from fully lowered to fully extended in around 25 seconds. I thought the retractable roof system was

Hugely efficient hull, an 115hp four-stroke outboard will assist the EVO 660 up onto the plane at just 7 knots.

You choose, top up! Or top down!

incredibly innovative. Not only did it add an extra element of functionality while on the water, but it has benefits off the water. It provides easy storage in a garage and also cuts down on wind drag when towing the trailered boat on the open road. The optional retractable roof comes at the cost of $9000 with a conventional targa top also offered. EFFICIENT HULL The hull design of the EVO 660 is all about efficiency and moderate horsepower. Our test boat was fitted with a Yamaha 115hp four-stroke outboard with a 16” propeller. I’ve never been on a craft that performs the way that the 660 EVO does. First off, when you put the throttle down, it doesn’t drag the hull in the water as it works to get up on the plane like other boats. The 660 transitions seamlessly onto the plane at a very low speed and just 7 knots will see you planning. At 7.0 knots @ 1500rpm, the Yamaha 115hp four-stroke is using just 3.4 lph. At 12 knots on Auckland’s inner harbour we were sitting at 3000rpm using 10.7 lph and given that we were up on the plane, we were able to maintain brilliant control of the 660 in Auckland Harbours low-speed zone. While the 660 is easily powered, with the 115hp fourstroke. A 150hp would be the absolute most you would need, mainly because the hull is just so damn efficient. A 90hp would be fine, but I think the 115hp is the perfect engine for the hull. The 115hp engine packaged with the 660 makes it pretty much foolproof boating. Someone with very little boating experience would easily be able to take this out for a day on the water and be able to master it very quickly. WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 101

BOAT REVIEW COMFORTABLE DRIVING Driving the EVO 660 was an absolute pleasure. I found the seated position suited me best, allowing me to sit down snuggly behind the windshield, with plenty of visibility forward. The standing driving position was also excellent, affording plenty of visibility forward over the windscreen and the engine throttle control to the right was within easy reach. This is a great boat for exploring the Hauraki Gulf or wherever you may be. In summer you can have the Targa top up and enjoy the warm breeze in your face. In winter, hunker down and sit snuggly down behind the windshield with the targa top down keeping you well protected from the nasty bite of winter. Depending on how you wish to fit out your EVO 660, you can get one on the water for as little as $64,900, - the one as tested was $73,900 – and for that price, it’s a lot of boat for the money. Overall, I loved the EVO 660. It’s a boat that is going to be very adaptable to so many uses. It will make a great boat for families to use on general days out on the water, while at the same time it can be customised to be a well-appointed fishing machine or in turn a versatile superyacht tender. It’s not too often that something innovative comes along. The EVO 660 achieves new levels of innovation in not only hull design and efficiency but also functionality and configuration. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S Model & Model: Priced from: Price as tested: Type: Construction: LOA: Beam: Deadrise: Height on trailer: Trailerable weight:] Test Power: Propeller: Power options: HP Range: Fuel capacity: Trailer: Notable Standard Items: Notable Options on Test Boat:

Elliott EVO 660 $64,900 $73,900 Centre Console GRP 6.6m 2.3m 23 degree (variable) 2.05m 1250kg 115hp Yamaha Four-Stroke 16” Single Outboard 115-150hp 150 L Tandem Axle 115hp Yamaha-Stroke, bow seating, 115hp Yamaha Four-Stroke, adjustable targa top, cork cockpit flooring, coloured hull, Raymarine MFD, GME VHF.

Boat Supplied by: Elliott Marine, NZ Ph +64 21 780 597, AUST Ph +61 414 363477 enquiries@elliott-marine.com www.elliott-marine.com FUEL & PERFORMANCE DATA RPM Knots L/H 1000 5.5 1.9 1500 7.0 3.4 2000 8.0 5.0 2500 9.5 7.6 3000 12.5 10.7 3500 15.0 14.3 4000 19.5 19.4 4500 23.0 22.7 5000 26.5 28.4 5500 29.5 31.3 6000 32.2 41.0

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Elliott EVO 660 Plenty of seating in the bow.

Easy access around the helm to the bow area.

Generous storage under the helm console.

The dash is clean and tidy, with windshield also keeps you well protected.

Tow Rating Braked Trailers

COLLIS A D I AVO Going boating and not sure how to avoid a collision? Applying the rules is a good start ….. Every summer we hear of boats crashing into each other and very often with fatal consequences. Busy harbours such as Auckland are prone to collisions, especially from larger vessels steaming along at night under lights and running onto an anchored trailer boat with a few mates out for an evening fish. How could it happen? These are not isolated events – collisions occur on the water all too frequently. The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (Colregs) provide the on-water ‘rules of the road’ and form the basis for orderly boating, no matter where you’re boating. The

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regulations apply to coastal waters, bays and inland waters, and all boat skippers should know them well. But do you really know the wider obligations that the collision regulations place on you? The concept of having an absolute ‘right of way’ does not apply on the water. On roads, there are lanes, give way signs, traffic lights, speed limits and advisory signs, which are all designed to enable orderly and safe progress between vehicles. On the water, however, these aids don’t exist – it’s the understanding and application of the rules, based on your judgement, that drive safety between vessels.

ION NCE OH SHIT!

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The words ‘give way’ do not appear regularly in the collision regulations and, if a collision occurs, it is possible that some blame will be apportioned to each vessel. The rules are based around keeping out of the way or not impeding another vessel – this is a subtle, but very important difference to claiming a right of way. The rules are also quite specific about it being everyone’s responsibility to avoid collision. There are two important concepts that must be embraced before any thought is given to who avoids who and in what situation: keeping a lookout, and travelling at a safe speed.

KEEP EYES AND EARS OPEN The rules require every vessel to maintain a proper lookout by sight, hearing and other available means, such as radio and radar. The purpose of this is to make a full appraisal of the surrounds and assess the risk of collision. Boats can approach from any angle, including overtaking from behind, so develop the habit of scanning all around. Chartplotters and GPS units often create a distraction from a proper lookout – don’t fall into the trap of focussing on them alone. THE NEED FOR (A SAFE) SPEED Skippers must travel at a safe speed relative to the circumstances being encountered. A ‘safe speed’ is a speed that will allow you to assess the risk of collision and be able to take timely action to avoid it. Conditions that will dictate a safe speed include visibility, sea state, density of traffic, vessel manoeuvrability and, at night, the presence of background lighting. Don’t confuse safe speed with state law for statutory speed limits, such as five knots within 50m of other vessels and so on, which work side-by-side. A knowledge of all statutory speed limits is essential, as is an appreciation of what constitutes a safe speed where speed limits aren’t imposed.

WHO DOES WHAT? Those who have a competency qualification such as the NZ Coastguard Boating Education Day Skipper, Boatmasters certificates or similar will be familiar with the basic rules, but it’s always a good idea to refresh memories. + Powerboats, including personal watercraft (PWCs), must not impede boats under sail, rowboats, canoes and other human-powered craft. In fact Powerboats have to give way to nearly everything except Seaplanes. + In narrow channels and rivers, keep to the right. + When meeting head-on, power-driven vessels should both alter course to starboard (their right). In other words, both vessels are required to give way. + When overtaking, keep clear of the vessel you are overtaking – you may overtake on either side providing it is safe to do so. The vessel being overtaken should maintain course and speed. + When crossing, the vessel with the other on its starboard (right) must not impede the vessel that’s on its starboard. In other words, you avoid the vessel on your right.

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STAYING CLEAR OF COMMERCIAL SHIPPING IN A BUSY HARBOUR IS A MUST.

Let’s look at some of these regulations in more detail. Meeting another vessel head-on is self-explanatory, but what does crossing and overtaking mean? Think of a circle drawn around your boat and split into segments. Imagine segments from straight ahead, going to both the right (starboard) and the left (port) until 112.5 degrees (that’s just past the perpendicular). If you’re approaching another boat from within these segment arcs, you are crossing, which means the crossing rules apply and you have to avoid the vessel approaching from your starboard side. At night, the port and starboard lights shine over these zones, as does the white masthead light that indicates the boat is power driven. The remaining area behind the crossing zones is the overtaking zone – it covers the last 135 degrees and, at night, you would see only the white stern light. Additionally, there are special rules relating to vessels under sail. The very nature of sail power often tempts skippers to wait until the last moment to take avoiding actions so they can get the maximum benefit of the wind. While there are many excellent yachtsmen on the water, there is no way of telling who is who, and close-quarters sailing can elicit unpredictable results. If you consider yourself to be experienced or

KEEPING A LOOKOUT IS IMPORTANT.

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BOATS MOORED AT NIGHT MUST HAVE THEIR RIDING LIGHTS ON AT ALL TIMES.

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MAKING IT WORK So how does all this work? Remember, the lookout’s role is to determine the risk of collision, so you should have your head ‘on a swivel’ and looking all around at all times to check for other boats and other obstacles. If the relative bearing of an approaching vessel doesn’t change, you are at risk of a collision. If you are unsure, assume you are on a collision course. When required to avoid another boat, take positive steps early and when altering course, make it large enough so the other boat knows you are taking avoiding action. Use your boat as an indicator. Slow down or alter course to pass behind the other boat, don’t speed up to pass in front – it is not safe and could be considered negligent. If another vessel has to avoid you, maintain your course and speed. Only deviate if it is apparent that the other vessel is not taking action to avoid a collision. Don’t alter course to port as they may alter to starboard at the last moment and you may collide. Slowing down or stopping is a good strategy. Ships in channels and fairways have priority – and must be avoided. An early indication that you are avoiding them is important. You may be difficult to see from the bridge of a ship, so stay clear and take early and obvious avoiding action if needed.

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to have good seamanship skills, then there is no place for leaving actions to the last minute for the sake of getting a bit more clean air. When sailing boats have the wind on different sides to each other, the vessel with the wind on its port side keeps out of the way of the other. If you cannot be certain that an upwind boat has the wind on its port side, you should avoid it. If sailing boats both have the wind on the same side, the windward boat keeps out of the way of the leeward boat.

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KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN WHILE DRIVING AND DON’T BE DISTRACTED.

LIGHT IT UP The Colregs also specify what lighting is required on boats. This is a whole topic in itself, but it’s imperative to understand what lights mean in regard to collision regulations. And if you operate a boat at night, you must display the correct lights. Signal combinations of black spheres, diamonds or triangles – called day shapes – are also outlined in the regulations. The most common seen by small craft are the dredging signals. Sound signals are, likewise, covered in the rules – they’re used to indicate when vessels are manoeuvring, or to assist with location for collision avoidance when visibility is restricted. Two sound signals that should be known are three short blasts, and five short blasts. Three indicates the vessel is putting its engines astern (this does not necessarily mean the vessel is going backwards, though, but you should be alert for that to occur). Five short blasts means “I do not understand your intentions.” This signal is commonly used by ships to alert boats of their presence and indicates that they do not understand what you intend to do.

If you hear five short blasts and believe it applies to you, make your intentions clear by moving your boat to indicate you are avoiding the vessel. In restricted visibility, including fog, vessels underway sound one long blast every two minutes. Depending on where you are boating, there may be local rules, including for direction of travel on confined waterways. These should be observed in conjunction with the collision regulations. HIGH-TECH HELP An Automatic Identification System (AIS) is mandatory for large vessels and is becoming increasingly popular on smaller boats. AIS devices transmit details about a vessel, including its identity, speed, course and position. Other vessels fitted with AIS can read this information on their electronic navigation systems, with the technology also projecting courses of the transmitting vessels, which helps an observer predict collision possibilities. AIS provides a live map of vessels equipped with the technology. There are two types of AIS systems: Class A and Class B. Using VHF radio signals, Class A systems have reserved slots in the AIS

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system, whereas the Class B systems search for and use available slots. While position updates from Class B systems may be slower, they’re suitable for recreational craft. Cheaper ‘transit only’ sets are also available. Updates on a class B are every 3 minutes … so a vessel showing in a position 3 minutes ago and travelling at 20 knots may well be 1 NM closer to you! With AIS, you will always be visible to larger vessels and others equipped with AIS. In emergencies, your position is immediately known, while in congested waterways, high traffic areas and low visibility, AIS assists in developing an overall picture of vessel traffic – but remember: not all vessels are equipped with AIS, so proper lookout remains essential. As a component of your boat’s equipment, AIS systems are relatively inexpensive in relation to the overall cost of your boat – depending on your boat’s set-up, expect to pay between $700 and $2000. Nobody wins in a collision! Collision avoidance is much more than just ‘giving way’ so, before your next trip, brush up on the collision regulations, get to know the finer details, and put them into practice.

GYRO

BOAT REVIEW

Explorer FB Sedan 52

MULTI- PU Traditionalism is alive and well and living in the form of the latest Trawler style Explorer Fly Bridge 52 Sedan. Barry Thompson went aboard to see what makes this style of a boat so attractive.

ven though the FB52 I reviewed is definitely on the market, Explorer Motoryachts importer Phil Gilbert had essentially designed the layout of the boat for his requirements. While Phil owns the classical MY Parimar, a 72ft luxury displacement cruiser, he was looking for something smaller that he could handle himself and was more suited to the style of boating he does now. “With Parimar it is all about long range cruising and that included a circumnavigation of New Zealand, but these days, with family and grandkids, it’s more about weekends and shorter cruises, so the Explorer 52 FB is ideally suited,” says Phil. The FB52 Sedan is an evolution of previous Explorer 52s and like them has been customised. For example, in the last 52 FB, there was a pop-up TV and entertainment centre aft on the starboard side of the saloon, which has since been redesigned in the latest edition with a pull-out settee and pop-up TV behind. “We can do just about anything an owner wants, and that’s the beauty of having a fully customisable boat, so our owners get what they want and not what some designer decides for them.” When Phil Gilbert talked with other Explorer owners, he realised that their usage was similar to his, with an emphasis on cruising and leisurely boating. With this in mind, the cockpit came in for some layout changes with the addition of built-in seating. The transom has been moved aft to increase the cockpit space and has allowed for the addition of a large curved seating arrangement. Phil describes the cockpit as one for family living and it’s a place where everyone seems to congregate. There’s a set of wide stairs to port for easy access to the flybridge and you won’t spill your drinks on the way. Phil, like most other Explorer owners, is a keen small tackle fisherman, so the boarding platform has been extended and there is provision for all the necessary fishing accessories. A live bait tank is built into the duckboard and transom staples have been added to mount rods and a bait board. A rise and fall platform is available. Phil added that while the bowsprit was shortened to still allow the boat to fit in a 16m berth, with the rise & fall platform added it would extend beyond that. Something to consider if space is an issue.

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This vessel is fitted with twin 425hp Cummins 6.9L diesels.

URPO SE

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ONE LEVEL The previous 52FB had a two-stage door from the cockpit to the saloon, but because of the new settee arrangement, this has been changed to a 3-stage sliding door one side that opens up the entrance and works well with the natural flow through of both areas. Accordingly, they are both on the same level, divided only by a 150mm step to stop any cockpit water ingress to the saloon. While Phil said he designed the cockpit layout for family and friends, that same style carries through to the saloon. Aft is ample loungers, a settee to starboard with pop-up TV discreetly sited behind, and a generous U-shape lounger opposite. The dining table is configured with a drop-in centre. It’s an ingenious design that provides easy access to all areas of the settee, so it becomes more user-friendly and all the dinette gets used. No more having to get someone to move when you want to get out! Fully integrated Bose wifi/Bluetooth and Fusion 3 zone Bluetooth sound systems provide excellent sound Unlike a lot of boats these days, Phil has opted for a forward galley, which along with the helm/storage and drinks locker areas takes up about half the saloon space. With no bulkhead or overhead cabinets to get in the way, the sightlines are uninterrupted from the helm to the transom. Phil personally thinks the more userfriendly seating arrangements and the ability to have a large U shaped galley make this choice a preference.

The U-shape galley is covered with an extra large composite surface, so there’s plenty of space for preparing meals or hor durve’s for evening cocktails. While our boat had a free standing stainless steel gas oven, the choice is yours. Under bench provides copious storage draws and lockers as well as fridge/freezer and dish drawer spaces. With sliding side windows, you have no issues with fumes or cooking odours staying around the galley. Dedicated over hob ventilation is fitted as standard, and air conditioning is also standard but removed for this boat. A rubbish bin and storage bin areas are also in the bench top. Another great feature of the Explorer 52FB trawler is the door alongside the helm that opens to the wide side deck. If you are running the boat short-handed or on your own, it’s a bonus when docking. The full walk around side decks are wide and fitted with bulwark doors both sides for easy dismount on berths or wharves which do not have full-length fingers. Like the rest of the boat, the helm is completely custom designed, but whatever you decide you can be assured everything will fit. Phil had chosen a pair of Simrad Gen2 MFDs, but you can have what brand or number of screens you favour. Again instruments and controls are your choices. I loved the handmade wooden steering wheel, which adds to that ship like look. Seating is a two-person bench with a pullout pantry under and appropriately placed footrests. Mimic panels add that bit of class.

Like the cockpit the saloon layout is designed to be family friendly.

116 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

The forward cabin or master cabin has a central island double berth with easy access both sides. A special feature of the VIP is it can be easily re-configured as a double or two single berths.

OPEN FLYBRIDGE The main difference on the flybridge from the previous models is where the rear rails went across the rear of the roofline overhang and the tender came inside. On this model the rails have been brought forward and the tender now sits outside. An ADC 300 does all the lifting chores and there is a return rail across with a gate, so no one falls off the flybridge. Again there is a big accent on entertaining upstairs, so we have an isotherm fridge/icemaker and bbq unit as standard, while Phil has opted for a second freezer here over the BBQ, an L shape sofa with separate adjustable table and port side settee. Twin Springfield helm seats look after the driving positions and there is a duplication of the necessary instruments, Vessel View 4 and Simrad MFD. Both sofas serve as kids or snorers bunks and the L shape can be converted into another double if required The 52FB is available from the factory with a solid grp hardtop mounted on stainless steel supports with drop down clears. If you want a fully enclosed hardtop, then that’s something you will have to have built in NZ. Phil reckons the boat doesn’t need it as it’s upstairs in good weather and downstairs to drive when it’s bad. Getting an ex-factory fully enclosed hardtop to look right and fit could also be a challenge. Phil approached a well-regarded NZ retrofit installer to provide standard units to the yard, but this supplier’s thinking was every boat is slightly different and windows need to be custom fitted.

TWO CABIN This is a two cabin, two bathroom boat and it works well with the available space. There is a three cabin option but you will sacrifice one of the bathrooms. Both cabins are spacious and offer plenty of storage lockers and drawer space, as well as natural light. As the rest of the boat, all high rub areas of the teak timber are finished in gloss, with the vertical panels in satin. The forward cabin or master cabin has a central island double berth with easy access both sides. You have the option of wall coverings, but I particularly like the shiplap, which suits this style of boat. There is a private en-suite for the owner’s cabin, with the VIP cabin sharing the day head duties with the other quests. Both are well equipped with a composite vanity top, Tecma FW toilets, raised bowl hand basins, and large walk-in shower stalls with glass doors. A special feature of the VIP is it can be easily re-configured as a double or two single berths, making it a very usable cabin for the family. Both cabins are wired for TVs. One thing is apparent from the earliest Clippers I reviewed is the quality and finish of the interiors and fittings has been raised to a much higher level. I noticed that the laminated corners had been replaced with full laminated timber mouldings and outside the teak railing has stainless steel end plates and quality handles. In previous boats all the timber ends on the cabinetry were squared off, but in the latest model, everything is now radiused. It’s all about quality innovation right through. Quality at a price is very much what the new Explorer range is all about.

The FB52 Sedan is an evolution of previous Explorer 52s and like them has been customised.

WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 117

With the transom further aft, there is now space for the addition of a large curved seating arrangement.

time is an issue. The Explorer FB Sedan 52 will cruise at 10.8 knots @ 1800 rpm, or if you want some speed then push the throttle to 2300 rpm and you will be cruising comfortably at 15.5 knots. Personally, I think the twin 425hp engines are a perfect choice. These allow you to maintain a higher cruise speed when loaded, in either semidisplacement or planing mode and also mean you are not running your engines up in the higher rpm/ load range all the time. If you are not in a hurry all the time and appreciate the benefits of running a semi-displacement boat with its versatility, then check out the Explorer FB Sedan 52, it might just tick all the boxes.

THE MECHANICS This vessel is fitted with twin 425hp Cummins 6.9L diesels. The standard engine package is either twin 315 Yanmar or Cummins, which is okay if you do not want to go any faster than 15 knots at top end cruise. A 11KW Onan genset, and 2.7kw inverter provide ample 240V power, and the addition of a watermaker, dive compressor or even gyro stabilisers are more than covered with this power option. The engine room is huge, immaculate and well laid out. Phil opted for Cummins supplied underwater exhausts for this boat, and the genset is fitted standard with silent exhaust. The boat is very quiet.

Aqualuma underwater lights and Hella on board LEDs provide all the lighting.

NEW MODELS Explorer is currently working on a new sedan range, which will offer an entirely new style and look to the boats we have seen before. Since 2005, Phil, through his brokerage arm, GML, has delivered over 15 models, in firstly the Clipper brand and now under the Explorer name. He regards his clients as usually mature owners who are not first-time boaties and are happy with a semi-displacement boat that cruises comfortably at 9-10 knots but with the ability to perform when

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S Boat Design Name: Builder: LOA: LOH: Beam: Draft: Displacement (Mid): Max Speed: Construction: Fuel Capacity: Engines/HP:

Explorer FB Sedan 52 NBFH (China) 16.0m 15.0m 4.50m 1.30m 19 tonnes 20 knots GRP 2700 litres 2 x Cummins 6.9QSC @425hp Lighting: Hella MFD: Simrad Base Price of Boat: $NZ1.315 million

There is a big accent on entertaining upstairs.

118 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Gilbert Marine Ltd, Ph +64 9 426 5895 or 027 492 374, phil@gilbertmarine.co.nz

Gilbert Marine Ltd

INSURANCE AGENTS • VALUERS • OFFSHORE SPECIALISTS

EXPLORER MOTORYACHTS 2017 Flybridge Sedan

Twin 425hp QSC Cummins and 11kw Onan. 2.5kw Magnum Inverter/Charger, Vetus 110kp Bow thruster, Full Simrad electronics package inc Sat TV. Featuring a stunning teak interior with new headliner. A family friendly cockpit layout, huge flybridge with fridge and freezer, and a 300kg long reach davit. A brand new vessel without the wait. $1,315,000

A rare opportunity for one of our...

Explorer/Clipper 43 Flybridge Sedans.

DB235

Much admired, this 2007 1 owner model has a 380 QSB Cummins (1132hrs), bow and stern thrusters, with an immaculate teak interior, Raymarine electronics, teak decks and S/S windows. 6kw Onan genset (583hrs) this was our boat show model for many years. $465,000.

email: phil@gilbertmarine.co.nz

www.explorermotoryachts.com Ph (0274) 923 374 or 09 426 5895 • Skype: philgilmar • PO Box 295, Orewa

Antifoul Coatings for DIY & Professional Applications

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With a strong reputation for long-lasting, reliable Antifouling Coatings, Altex Yacht & Boat Paint has your bottom covered! Have confidence in 60 plus years of Marine coatings development, easy access to our technical staff for advice and product designed for the DIY Boat Owner as well as the Professional Painter.

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Looking After Your Bottom There is more to antifouling than just slapping on a coat of paint, so itâ€™s important that right from the prep to the finished coat itâ€™s done right.

Long overdue for an antifoul! WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 121

As soon as the boat is out of the water it should be water blasted to remove the surface growth. First up, we need to decide what type of antifouling you want on your boat. You might simply be re-applying what you have used before so you can skip the next 3 or 4 paragraphs, although you may find them interesting regardless. The types of antifoulings available can basically be split into two types, hard and eroding. You will probably find as well other descriptions such as ablative, polishing or self-polishing and all can be put under the umbrella of eroders. The basic and original type of antifouling is the so-called hard antifouling. This is one that when immersed and in a wet state is hard enough to withstand regular wiping down with a cloth, sponge or similar object without removal of substantial quantities of paint. Some local authorities may only allow these types to be used so the decision may already have been made for you. The dead leached layer must be removed. HARD ANTIFOULING Hard antifoulings do not wear away much at all, although abrasive material in the water such as silt and sand may lead to a very minor reduction in film build. Eventually however, you are left after a few seasons with a build-up of product that requires removal because it becomes unsound and does not retain sufficient internal strength to be able to hold together when new product is applied to it. If you have a seriously fast boat or a fast boat that is used very regularly then hard is probably the best way to go. Boats moored in fresh water normally use these types, as the eroding types may not erode very well. Keen racing types sometimes prefer hard products as they can be wet sanded to a smooth finish prior to racing.

ERODING ANITFOULING Eroding antifoul types as their name suggests, wash or wear away, leaving eventually no antifouling on your hull. In theory, whilst there is antifouling on your hull it will give a degree of protection.With the current generation of paints however, this does not happen because as the paint film starts to get thin, the biocides are preferentially washed out, leaving paint that essentially no longer has any antifouling properties. This is the time to apply new product. Despite the fact that these antifoulings erode away it is possible for them to build up over the course of a few seasons and like the build-up with hard antifoulings can eventually lead to the paint system becoming unsound with consequential problems. Good management of the level of old paint left on the hull will ensure this doesn’t occur. HULL CONDITION Having decided what antifouling you are going to apply; we need to consider the condition of your hull. Irrespective of which paint is already on your hull, if it is in good condition with no damage and is of a compatible type to that which you are going to apply, you will need to give the surface a good wet sand with 80-grit paper. This will remove the top layer of paint that is depleted in biocides, contains salt and calcium deposits and which will also be in an unstable condition unable to accept a new coat of paint. Failure to remove this layer will lead to blistering, delamination or even poor antifouling performance as ingredients and biocides in the new paint permeate back into the old depleted layer. So be warned – do this job properly! If the paint is an

122 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

unknown product, then after sanding and washing allow it to dry thoroughly and apply what we call a sealer/tie or barrier coat. This will seal the old antifouling off, avoiding any unwanted interaction between old and new and will give you a good surface that the new antifouling can bond to. Do not be tempted to apply a coat of sealer/tie coat over old unsound antifouling in the hope that it will hold it all together and allow new antifouling to be applied over the top. This often proves to be good for paint manufacturers, as they get another sale from you, proving to be very bad for your bank balance. Do it once and do it right! If the hull has damaged areas then these will require re-priming. If your hull is new then choice of priming is an individual matter. A two-pack epoxy primer will give you a harder, tougher finish and for gel coated boats will offer a degree of osmosis resistance. Epoxies usually require a fair degree of sanding and for small touch ups mixing small amounts of a two-pack product with special thinners and cleaners can become a major headache. AREA OF THE HULL Before purchasing your antifouling, work out the area of your hull in order to ensure that you purchase sufficient product. Insufficient film build of antifouling is the single largest cause of premature failure. A good tool to work out how much is required is, using 2 & 1/3 coats around the high wear areas you’ll get 3m2 per litre. Therefor a 5ltr tin of antifouling will give you 15m2 total coverage. Once you have the antifouling, apply all of what you have. Putting some aside for next year is not a good idea as the product may go off in a part can. Part cans may then become a disposal problem. Better to put the paint on your hull than in some waste disposal area. Ensure that you apply the antifouling reasonably evenly, adding only very minor levels of thinners to help the product flow out. Areas on the hull that you would expect to have greater wear should have at least an extra coat applied and this includes areas that may have direct sunlight on them such as the first half metre or so down from the waterline and any leading edges such as keels and rudders. Grassy growth and slime just love sunlight and are the most difficult species

erboat

Sometimes the hulls need to be ground right back before any antifouling can be applied. to ward off; so extra paint will help keep these obnoxious species away. Areas under the hull in the dark will generally not attract fouling species so readily; so extra coats will required there. box behind Adnot 1 necessarily | 185w xbe130h (white PROTECT THE ANTIFOULING Once you have finished painting, protect the antifouling from the sun as some ingredients in antifouling paints can oxidise,

leading to reduced performance when immersed. If after antifouling your boat it gets to sit on the hard stand for some days in hot weather or direct sunlight it might be a black) good idea prior to launching to lightly wet sand the surface with 400 grade paper just to ensure the surface is good and active. If you have other jobs such as mechanical, polishing, etc, it is always best practice

to do them first and leave the antifouling to last as this will minimise the exposure to the sun. It is a fact of life that when you launch your boat the antifouling

WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 123

Prop Speed is designed to prevent marine growth from bonding to metal surfaces on your running gear.

Layers of years of antifoul on antifoul.

Long overdue for an antifoul!

will not start working straight away. It will take some hours for it to come to equilibrium with its surroundings. Meanwhile, floating around in the water are millions of small fouling species on the lookout for a clean surface to colonise and if you are unlucky enough to place your boat directly in a patch of such activity the result can be premature fouling. This problem can only be resolved by giving the surface a good hard scrub or light wet sand depending on the type of antifouling used – scrub hard types and light sand eroding types. Never, ever, dry sand antifouling paints of any type. When handling any of the abovementioned paints, please remember to wear the appropriate safety gear. It is often uncomfortable and adds expense to an already expensive job, but it’s better than a trip to the hospital. Even when wet washing down old antifouling, care should be taken to avoid splashes in the eye or on bare skin. It might not cause you any immediate obvious reaction or pain, but it can all add up to problems later in life. Hopefully, by now you will be somewhat more enlightened, so do the job properly before you go and have fun and enjoy the rewards of being out on a good clean-bottomed boat. Alternatively, if you are time poor – or just want to ensure you get a great job, there are paint and antifoul experts at almost every marina. Greg Dawson of Hibiscus Marine Coatings in Gulf Harbour, says ‘We have boat owners employ our expertise and services every day, whether it be, that they don’t have the expertise, equipment, confidence or just don’t have the time. We can offer the right products, competent staff and guaranteed results, turned around in less time than an owner would, it does not get any easier than that’ RUNNING GEAR PROTECTION There are a number of specialist coatings, such as Prop Speed, designed to prevent marine growth from bonding to metal surfaces on your running gear. These are usually made up of an etching primer, which bonds to the metal substrate and a clear coat, which provides an ultra-smooth outer layer. It’s so slick that marine growth can’t get a grip on. Another alternative is Hemple’s Aluxtra NCT, which is a hard wearing self polishing Cupprous oxide free antifouling. Once again offering great to mid long term protection.

124 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Combined they provide an integrated coating system that stays firmly adhered to the running gear, that dramatically reduces the ability for fouling to occur. They are suitable for all running gear under the water, such as propellers, rudders, shafts, struts, underwater lights, trim tabs, pod drives and thrusters. Some claim they will effectively protect running gear from marine growth for 1 to 2 years, requiring no maintenance. Any marine growth that does attach can be easily wiped away with a soft cloth while still wet.

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EPA REASSESSMENT OF ANTIFOULING Although most boat owners will not have been aware of it, over the last few years the government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has undertaken a significant reassessment of all the antifouling paints used in New Zealand. The aim has been to ensure that both the environment and those applying the paints are properly protected, preferably without unduly compromising the effectiveness of the antifouling paints. The good news for the owners of moored boats is that, while antifouling manufacturers, retailers and boat yards will be affected (some quite seriously) by the resulting new rules, there will be little impact for the owners of most moored pleasure boats. One of those heavily involved in the consultation process with the EPA was Mike O’Sullivan, managing director of New Zealand marine and commercial paint manufacturer Altex Coatings Ltd. He says New Zealand is “leading the way” with this reassessment of antifouling paints and their application. “We know that many other countries are looking closely at what is happening here,” he says.

and a very cool

HIBISCUS MARINE COATINGS CHILLY BAG, FULL OF GOODIES!

Antifouling and Propspeed application can be one of those hassle jobs you love to put off. But we all know that delaying your antifoul can lead to avoidable major and expensive problems with your boat. We have the experienced staff, specialist tools and highly refined systems, matched to manufacturers specifications, that make us confident to claim to be one of New Zealand’s best marine coating operators, set up

GOOD OUTCOME Highly supportive of the EPA’s aims of protecting both the environment and those using antifouling paints, he believes the outcome of the review is a good one, despite the fact it will have a significant impact on his company. “I think we will look back on this in a year’s time and think that it was a progressive and logical step forward in today’s health and safety conscious world.” The new rules which came into effect in Jan 2014, also require antifouling paint manufacturers and importers to provide more detailed data and safety information on the label of every can of antifouling. In addition, each can must also be accompanied by a Safety Data Sheet, either attached to the can or provided by the retailer.

Phone: 09 428 3906 sales@hibiscusmarinecoatings.co.nz

DB237

APPLICATION CHANGES Those applying antifouling (especially professionally) and those providing the space for it to be applied will also be affected by the new regulations. From July 1, 2015, anywhere antifouling is being scrubbed down, sanded or painted will need to be clearly designated as a Controlled Work Area. Within this Controlled Work Area, ALL waste will need to be contained so that it cannot enter the environment. This includes all sanding dusts, sanding liquids and anything else that is produced by the application or maintenance of the antifouling. Once contained, this waste must then be collected and disposed of in accordance with very strict regulations. All Controlled Work Areas will also require detailed signage (large enough to be clearly visible from 10 metres away). This will need to state that antifouling maintenance and/or application is taking place; that, at all times, everyone within the Controlled Work Area must

to deliver a quality paint service at a competitive price.

www.hibiscusmarinecoatings.co.nz WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 125

be wearing the appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment); and display the name and contact details of the person who has established the Controlled Work Area. Those intending to spray apply antifouling will also need to install suitable screens around the boat to ensure that no antifouling paint is able to escape the Controlled Work Area and affect any other person or boat or any waterway or part of the surrounding environment. Everyone involved in the spray application must also wear an appropriate respiratory PPE. Professional boat maintenance yards and hard stands (such as Orams Marine in Westhaven) already do all of this and so are unlikely to be too seriously affected. However, some yacht club yards and smaller hardstand areas will need to work hard to ensure they are compliant by the 2015 deadline. Because most boat owners who apply their own antifouling do so using brushes and rollers (as opposed to spray painting), they will not be too badly affected by the changes. They will, of course, no longer be able to use some of the more informal ways of applying antifouling, such as on careening grids, slipways or beaches. However, this will have little effect on most, especially in larger centres, as local and regional councils have long banned such practices anyway.

When you change brands you sometimes need to add a sealer coat such as Altex - Primashield sealer coat.

COVER UP DIY-ers will also, mainly for their own health, no longer be allowed to dry sand antifouling, all sanding will need to be wet. In addition, it is recommended that you use a pole sander, to provide some distance between themselves and the dust and debris created by the sanding. All those applying or doing maintenance on antifouling will also need to wear the appropriate PPE including full suit overalls (including head coverings), safety glasses or goggles, suitable protective gloves and closedin footwear. DIY-ers should also be aware of some key â€œdo notsâ€? when re-applying antifouling. People should not try to apply antifouling coatings between tides, should not add additives or excessively thin the antifouling, should not over- or under-build the film thickness (use too much or too little antifouling) and should not try to relaunch their boat before the antifouling is completely dry. Properly applied, good quality antifouling will still give very good protection for up to two years (and in some cases considerably longer). 126 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

FROM YOUR IMAGINATION TO THE OCEAN

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VOYAG E O F T H E E N VOY - PA RT 4 2

Text and photos by Laurie and Diane Cranfield

OUR ENVOY CREW FACE AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE FOR THE 201 7 SEASON

Canal-side village of Lefkimmi 128 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Laurie inspects newly painted hull after fire damage

DISASTER NEARLY STRIKES Having owned our 14m Nordhavn 46 passagemaker, Envoy, for eleven years we’re heading back to Greece for another Med cruising season arriving at Lefkas Marina on a gorgeous April afternoon keen to set forth on new adventures. After checking into the marina’s hotel we wander over to the hardstand and are soon horrified to see the burnt-out remains of a large motor boat about 4m away from Envoy. We quickly notice some heat damage to our own soot-covered boat including scorched paint and varnish, blackened rigging and broken windows and portholes. Marina staff still on-scene explain that this British boat named Dorset Urchins had only been taken out of the water and positioned next to Envoy that morning. What bad luck for us! Apparently the fire started from an AC-powered electrical appliance while nobody was aboard and although marina staff and the fire brigade were quickly on scene Dorset Urchins was badly burned. The resulting damage assessment and repair process have already been covered in our recent Cruising Matters column 26, so we won’t repeat that in detail. In short, because there are so many boats starting their summer cruises and needing work completed we’re lucky to find a competent contractor who can start work on repairs almost immediately, although by the time inspections have been made, quotations prepared and insurer’s approval obtained a month goes by. During this time we can’t live aboard as we normally would and the start of the summer season makes finding accommodation more difficult. Fortunately one of our contractor’s staff knows of a house available for rent. We check this out to find a large fully furnished stone villa built in 1888 with an atmospheric wooden interior decorated with interesting artifacts. It’s located high in the hills about ten kilometres from the marina where it’s nice and cool, has a stunning view over the Lefkas area and the sea and costs a most reasonable 600 Euros (about NZ$923) per month – that is about $30 per day. Ironically Diane and I had often said we’d love to spend some time in a traditional Greek WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 129

The burnt out wreck of Dorset Urchins

mountain village and this almost fitted the bill perfectly except for constant problems with power, lighting and water supply not to mention the many scary snakes we see nearby. Meanwhile other non-fire related work is completed. Our smaller 2.7m Valiant RHIB is refurbished to fix a seawater leak and pontoon air leaks. Our main engine’s keel cooler is removed and dismantled for internal and external cleaning and its slightly leaking through-hull fitting removed and re-sealed. Technicians come from Athens to do a scheduled five yearly service of our Naiad hydraulic stabilisers including replacing the fins’ through hull seals. They find a little surface corrosion on the large stainless steel through-hull pins that the fins attach to so get these machined and re-surfaced. They also modify our hydraulic system so the fins lock in their central position when not in use. Up to now they moved around a bit if Envoy rolled at anchor and we had to use manual locking bolts to secure them. A new domestic fresh water filtration manifold is installed replacing an old worn system. Our head’s frustrating flushing problem is resolved by replacing a blocked outlet hose and cleaning a blocked seacock. A new autopilot sender unit is installed on our Robertson auto helm resolving an intermittent problem. With our delayed departure we’re able to meet up with long-time Kiwi friends Kevin and Diane O’Sullivan and family, who are starting a week-long yacht charter from Lefkas. We enjoy a great dinner and as usual the taverna provides us all with free desserts. After we pay the bill and walk back about a kilometre to the marina the taverna owner catches up to us on his motor scooter; “my friends ... I’m so sorry ... I forgot to give you this gift” and hands over free bottles of wine and olive oil.

ENVOY HEADS TO SEA It seems to take ages for any fire damage repair work to start but it finally does a month after the fire with an estimated four week completion time. We don’t believe the work can be completed so quickly but thankfully the estimate proves accurate and gleaming with new paintwork Envoy finally cruises out of the marina on 4 July about two months later than originally planned. Ironically we were ready to leave on the previous day but gale-force winds closed the marina – the first time we can recall this happening. Sadly our delayed departure meant that two groups of friends who were due to come cruising with us had to change their plans. At this point all remedial work is complete except for replacing a curved toughenedglass pilothouse window. We still haven’t found a source for this and currently have a temporary thermoformed Plexiglas acrylic window. The biggest lesson we’ve learned from this process was how much of our own involvement was required to get quotations, supervise repair work and deal with the surveyor and insurer. It sure is great to be back on the water again and we cruise north towards Corfu stopping at Two Rock Bay on our first night where we have a self-inflicted problem. I normally check the condition of Envoy’s start battery bank at the beginning of each season and this becomes increasingly important as the batteries age. Checking the voltage isn’t sufficient and I had asked an electrician to load test the batteries, but despite repeated calls he never showed up. As our cruising had already been delayed by two months and we wanted to get cruising I decided to forgo the test - big mistake! I started the engine while our generator was running and powering our

130 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

Freedom Combi inverter/battery charger as we have often done previously. However because the start battery bank was down in capacity the start process drew too much load from the charger blowing a relay and causing some internal damage. Damn it! This means we have to rely solely on our generator for AC power. Over the next few days we cruise to Corfu’s Gouvia marina where Leonardo, an electrician we know well, does a load test and finds our battery bank down to 60 % capacity pointing out that since our batteries are six years old this is not surprising. We install a new battery bank and our spare Xantrex 3Kw inverter while we try to get the Freedom Combi repaired in Athens. He also fits an automatic transfer relay so that if the generator is started while the inverter is running AC power is only sourced from the generator. Meanwhile for battery charging with the generator we’re using our AC-powered Charles 60 amp charger that we previously used only with shore power.

CRUISING IN THE NORTHERN IONIAN Once these issues are sorted out we spend a few great days cruising around bays close to Corfu until Frank and Marie Curulli join us for their third Envoy cruise. Unfortunately Marie’s luggage doesn’t arrive but never mind – this gives Marie and Diane a perfect excuse to hit the funky Corfu shops for some retail therapy. Fortunately her luggage shows up a few days later. Frank and I go back a long way since we met as 15 year-old surf lifesavers and since then have enjoyed with our families numerous great boating, fishing, diving, camping and four-wheel driving holidays and adventures. This was another one with two weeks going all too quickly in perfect sunny and calm conditions visiting some places we’ve been to previously, but also two new places. The first was Loggos on Paxxos Island where it’s usually too uncomfortable to anchor. This is a small but stunning village with several great quirky shops, hospitable tavernas and very friendly locals. In the evening after an excellent meal ashore we visit an art exhibition being held in a disused former olive oil soap factory. The second was Corfu’s village of Levkimmi reached by using our RHIB to navigate a shallow two kilometre canal from the sea. Here we’re impressed by the canal-side atmosphere and tranquility – not to mention great cakes from the bakery! When we make our way back down the canal to the sea we find a huge barge dredging the channel with its mooring lines blocking the canal. The only way out for us is to lift up a heavy rope hawser and pass underneath it getting us all wet and grubby in the process. For Frank and Marie’s last night we go

Envoy anchored off Loggos into Corfuâ€™s Mandraki Marina, a small but highly atmospheric marina right below Corfu Castle. For the first time ever weâ€™re asked to berth bow-on to the jetty and this means we can only disembark using our RHIB as our bow is too high up to use a plank to step down onto the jetty. The rough stone marina wall is only about 1m above sea level so waves regularly break over it and here itâ€™s not safe in strong northerlies â€“ a yacht being wrecked here just last year. Above the marina behind the castleâ€™s imposing walls is the Ionian University School of Music and weâ€™re able to listen to some practice sessions as well as a full-blown concert. When we started our water maker for the first time this season it ran fine but the second time it had problems â€“ the salinity was high, the fresh water produced was warmer than usual and the pump pressure varied. While in Mandraki Marina technician Angelos makes

Loggos is a stunning village a few checks, cleans the seawater internal strainer and installs a new high pressure membrane. This makes no improvement so he removes the high pressure pump to check in his workshop. Meanwhile we await the result and have no problems finding plenty of free fresh water ashore. Our daughter Amy joins us 1 August in Corfu for a six week stay and we head south calling at favorite places like Petriti, Mourtos, Gaios, Loggos and Parga spending the days strolling ashore, swimming and cruising the short distances. Most everywhere has been light winds and seas so calm we hardly use our stabilisers, but that changes when we cruise 32 miles from Parga to Preveza with winds over 25 knots and breaking 2-3m seas on our beam. The stabilisers have trouble coping with these waves and several times we have to tack to take the seas at more of an angle to the beam. At times the autopilot

also has trouble coping with the vicious movements and I need to steer by hand for a few short periods. Normally Envoy is so stable that itâ€™s rare to spill a coffee â€“ but on this trip the cups sure are sliding! Near Preveza we find a stunning bay that weâ€™d never visited before called Panayaia. Itâ€™s well sheltered with a sandy uncrowded beach and a rustic beach bar playing a great selection of music. The owner is friendly 30 year old Manioti born in Melbourne to Greek parents who came back here to live and we enjoy meeting him for a chat over a few cold Mythos beers. Continue to follow Envoyâ€™s 2017 adventures including Envoy with the turtles in PMBâ€™s next issue. Meanwhile readers can access more detailed and current information from Envoyâ€™s blog: www.envoyinthemed.blogspot.com.

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WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 131

GILBERT’S MUSINGS

Phil Gilbert presents the second in a series of boating mistakes, which show that even the most experienced, practical and dedicated boaties amongst us are not infallible. LESSON FIVE: CHARDONNAY ANYONE? By this time, my passion was also my livelihood. I had become a yacht broker. During the course of my years working at advanced masochism, I have delivered a few craft around the country with lessons to learn from many of these. An early delivery was a 26’ Vindex with a flybridge, I had sold to a Tauranga buyer. He had no intentions of putting his life at risk, so I ‘volunteered’ to deliver the craft for him. Chardonnay had a Ford filling the bulk of the main cabin, basic galley and minimal of anything else. I and my trusty crew of 3 bought steak, bread and cheese, eggs and bacon, slightly too much alcohol, 2 V belts as the others were a bit ‘suspect’, and a bit of back up oil, as the engine was a ‘bleeder’. A tool kit was purloined off my own boat, and we were ready. The night before departure, a group of passing youths cast a large rock off the Panmure Bridge, which by chance

passed straight through the cabin top and made a nasty impact bruise on the engine box . Undaunted we skew nailed a piece of ply over the rather large hole in the deckhead, and took off, The Merc’s being the target for day one. We quickly discovered the damage had made what was an already active flybridge even more flexible, so we limited the crew up top to 3 with one designated DMO (drinks movement officer) on the lower deck. He did a sterling job and we hardly noticed the wind increase from 15 to 25kts as we passed the top of Coromandel, but the rapidly increasing seas were moving the gallant little craft around a lot. Cowardice being recommended, two other crew slipped below before the flybridge and cabin top left in different directions under the strain, leaving one stalwart laughing into the gale, like the legless nutcase in the Forrest Gump movie. He was at one with the sea, and so we kept him plied with aiming juice and left him there, as he seemed unaware the little ship was at the peak of her comfort zone. Surfing into the lee of Gt Mercury Is, heading for Coralie Bay we bravely came out and let him off for a pit stop. He reckoned his back teeth

132 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

were floating. There was quite a strong diesel smell and the motor seemed a bit rough as we prepared for the next day’s trip on to Tauranga. Mechanical inspections revealed that a metal fuel line to the #1 injector had cracked, either as a result of the rock or due to the boisterous trip, and was pumping 50% of its fuel into the bilge. We had absolutely no way of repairing this, so a rag was taped around the pipe limiting the scope of the spray. Our trip over the Bay to Tauranga was slow and very smelly. Arriving on dusk at the Sulphur Point Marina, the awaiting new owner was devastated but seemingly understanding at the state of his new acquisition. The bilges were awash with diesel, as I had turned off the bilge pump so as not to leave a trail of pollution behind, some quite large stretch marks had appeared around the mullions and there was a web of cracks radiating from the hole in the cabin roof. In hindsight I should have had the roof fixed properly on such a small craft. The fuel pipe was something you cannot prepare for unless you have a big wallet and budget to match.

LESSON SIX A MEMORABLE EARLY SEA TRIAL A memorable early sea trial which also served as a lesson was on a Pelin Empress 34 planing launch. This craft had undergone a very big refit and was ¾ complete when unfortunately the vendors had urgent need of the monies elsewhere. Day of the sea trial, the owner, his son, myself, the buyer and his colleague left Half Moon Bay in a brisk 15>18kt SW breeze. The buyer mooted a Motuihe Passage experience. Fellow boaties will know that 18-20kts SW’lys

and wind against tide can lead to an interesting (to say the least) wave pattern in this area. Quartering into the steep waves, things were going well until with minimal warning the motor coughed and died right in the middle of the channel. Immediately our craft took up a beam on attitude with a very quick righting moment, fantastic but unwanted exercise. Repeated starter windings showed a total lack of fuel getting to the fuel pump, and with the wind/tide set pushing us rapidly towards the bricks on the Western side of Motuihe, the anchor was lowered with alacrity. Fortunately, it bit and we assumed a very uncomfortable beam on roll of some proportion. It should be recalled that this was mid-week, and back in the days when Coast Guard was totally voluntary, with designated duty craft only available

as and when the volunteer could get off work. A discreet call to Coast Guard, and we were happily informed that our salvation was only 2-3 hours away. Within 15 minutes, the owner, his son and the colleague had assumed positions in the cockpit, and were vigorously discarding anything superfluous to their stomach content requirements at that time. The would be buyer, made of sterner stuff, had found a dark bottle with a smiling Caribbean man on it in his bag, and was happily offering ‘tots’ to all and sundry in true naval fashion. Not too many takers! The deal completed, after we discovered the new fuel tanks had very short pick up tubes installed, and the tanks were reasonably empty. I am now a bit paranoid about having plenty of fuel on board.

WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 133

LESSON SEVEN: NOT A GREAT DELIVERY TRIP INTO COOK STRAIT Another delivery trip reinforced the lessons learnt in most of the above incidents. I had sold a very nice Picton based 55’ Pelin Crusader Trawler, beautifully built by her ChCh owner, to an Auckland client who was doing the change from sail to power. Again I foolishly volunteered to assist in bringing her North. I supplied one extra crew and the new owner supplied the other. However on meeting in Picton, I discovered his back up crewman was 2 days out of hospital after major surgery. This mans’ contribution to preparation and watch duties consequently consisted of propping himself in the corner of the dinette and waving down the FPO (food preparation officer) and the DMO as they

moved about the ship. We were planning on piggy backing a Southerly front that was due to pass through the morning of departure, and meandered down Queen Charlotte and out through Tory in picture perfect conditions mid-afternoon. Entering Cook Strait, we quickly discovered the front had not passed through yet, if fact it was just about to arrive. Picton and the Sounds protect you so much, the weather is often very different ‘outside’ and you would not know it. We got pasted. Within 1 hour, the damaged crewman was hurting big time with every wave that hit us, and the new owner, perhaps unused to the motion, was violently unwell, and was lying on the floor, wanting to get off. We were committed, as to go back would have been a worse course than that we held. The boat was doing well really, but the crew including myself were not enjoying it much and the prospect of rounding Palliser in the middle of the night in this garbage had no appeal, so I made the decision to head for Wellington. I had brought charts for both the West Coast and East Coast, but had not brought large scale Wellington charts

134 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

as we had no plan of going there. I had been into the harbour once in a small boat and a few times in the ferries, so relied on memory and the Harbours navigational lighting to see us in, as it was very dark by the time we arrived. A big trawler was coming out and all we could see was white water and spray as it punched into the big waves. At least it reinforced we were on the right track. As soon as I could, I went up to the flybridge helm, which was open to the elements and bloody cold. It did mean I could see though, and we subsequently missed all the things we were meant to. Once we were in the relative calm of the Harbour heading for Schaeffer’s, I noticed a shimmy in the boats motion. Inspections in the morning showed one of the waves we fell off had caused one motor to move a little on its mounts. If we had carried on, this would definitely had given grief after a short period. Taking in the lessons learnt on the Fiji trip, I was always thinking that if my memory or navigational skills proved inadequate I could turn around and just suffer a bad night, rather than imperil the crew and boat.

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pwc

PACIFIC

P E R S O N A L WAT E R C R A F T

2018 ANNUAL

2018 BUYERS GUIDE

MAGAZINE

Yamaha RESETS THE BENCHMARK

5 TIPS WHEN BUYING A PWC I N T R O D U C I N G G R AT I S – T H E WO R L D’S F I R S T E L EC T R I C P WC

PACIFIC PWC 2018 ANNUAL

CONTENTS

pwc

PACIFIC

P E R S O N A L WAT E R C R A F T

PUBLISHER D&B Publishing Ltd Trading as BoatMags.com

MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL Barry Thompson, Editor DDI: +64 (0)9 428 2086 Mob: +64 (0)21 777 355 barry@boatmags.com

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SEEN & ADMIRED

VANQUISH VQ1 6

THE FUN

purchasing a Ski

140 PACIFIC PWC 2018

MACHINE I T S E E M S T H AT I T ’ S N O T O N LY R AY G L A S S B O AT S T H AT H AV E SEEN THE BENEFIT OF USING A YA M A H A P W C A S T H E B A S I S FOR ONE OF THEIR MODELS. While Rayglass’s uses the body and running gear of a Yamaha PWC for the basis of its Projet RIB, Dutch company Vanquish has transplanted the PWC body into a full fiberglass boat. After 1.5 years of development and many test runs, the first VQ16s have been delivered to their owners. Designed by Guido de Groot Design, the ‘fun machine’ has already received enthusiastic feedback. And no wonder, as the VQ16 offers the best of both worlds: it can bring five passengers over long distances in relative comfort, can be used to transport people from their yacht to a beach club and can comfortably drop people off at a beach thanks to its jet propulsion. The Vanqraft is recognisable as the smaller sister of other Vanquish yachts, featuring similar lines, superior maneuverability, sensational acceleration and Dutch quality construction. The revolutionary Vanqraft VQ16 is a crossover between a superyacht tender and a water scooter. As a tender, the VQ16 is practically unparalleled thanks to its top speed of 40 knots or even 50 knots in the Veloce model. Driven by a 200 hp Yamaha 1.8 L engine with jet propulsion, you can easily achieve 40 knots. Or you might opt for a Veloce version and feel the power of roaring along at more than 50 knots. www.vanquish-yachts.com WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 141

PWC TOP TIPS

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN PURCHASING

a SKI W W W. W O O D B I N E M A R I N E . C O . N Z

NO MATTER WHAT BRAND YOU DECIDE ON THERE ARE PLENTY OF MODELS TO CONSIDER. 142 PACIFIC PWC 2018

SAM HARVEY (WOODBINE MARINE) OFFERS SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD ACONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING A PWC. If you’re looking to purchase new, the first thing to do is go check out the different brands, see what features each brand has and see what stands out. While a dealer is going to be naturally bias towards their product, be it Sea Doo, Yamaha or Kawasaki, but then you wouldn’t expect anything less. However you need to as yourself two key questions. Will this suit my application and

why should I choose this brand over another. I’m confident after looking at the three brands you’ll be somewhat more confident about what model stands out for you. And if it’s down to two brands, ask for a sea trial. If it’s a second hand ski, check over the ski, look for damage. If in doubt get it checked over by an authorised dealer.

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM 143

PWC TOP TIPS

FISHING FROM A SKI IS A HUGE GROWTH PASTIME.

TOWING WAKEBOARDS IS ANOTHER POPULAR USE OF A SKI AND YOU CAN EVEN ADD BOARD HOLDERS.

BRAND Apart from one, maybe two small International companies trying to establish their name in the PWC market, there are 3 brands. The 3 brands are SeaDoo, made in Canada, and owned by BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) Yamaha, made in Japan, and Kawasaki also manufactured in Japan. Once upon a time, all three of these brands where considered unreliable, thirsty on fuel and noisy, and the “Jet Ski” was definitely hated within the boating community. These days, it’s almost done a full 360 deg turn around, with the switch from 2 stroke to 4 stroke technology from the early 2000’s. That boatie who once frowned upon the PWC, has most likely traded his boat in for a PWC due to the low running cost, and general low maintenance related to owing one. Or maybe he has a ski as well as a boat. Refer to the 2018 PWC Buyers Guide on page 148 for all the models available.

APPLICATION There are so many different applications that it is important you pick the right ski for your intended uses. One of the most popular is fishing, so is their room for all the extras you’ll need, such as rod holders, fishfinder and fish bin? 144 PACIFIC PWC 2018

Maybe you see yourself spending the summer towing your kids on biscuits or skis, so obviously you need a 2-3 seater so you have space for an observer. If you are a petrol head then it might be you fancy yoursel as a racer and then you’ll need to look at both pole skis and the top of the line performance models. Speed and handling will be a very important criteria if you want a top of the line racing ski. The SeaDoo GTX ltd for example will do all of the above, and some, but being the top of the line, it comes with a price tag. These are all very important questions that the dealer should qualify with you, within 10 minutes of your first meeting.

NEW OR SECOND HAND

Most buyers if they have the budget would prefer to buy new, but for a lot of people this just isn’t an option. A second hand ski, given it’s in reasonable condition can be a great option. The two main things to consider when purchasing second hand, is hours. How many hours is on the clock, the skis condition and has the ski been looked after. All this can add up to its reliability. With the majority of the models running 4 stroke engines, you can expect to get hundreds of hours of reliable running time

BUYING A NEW SKI THEN GET ALL THE INFORMATION YOU CAN FROM THE DEALER FIRST. out of an engine. Rental companies have been known to get thousands of hours before moving them on. However based on the average hours done annually, a ski which has less than 100 hours could be considered a good option over one that’s done 200 hours. However this could all be dependent on price. That 200 hour ski could be in perfect working order, but considering its 100 hours more, it should be cheaper. What sort of condition the ski is in can determine how it has been looked after. Has the original owner flushed the engine after using it in salt water? Checking to see if the ski has been routinely flushed could be as simple as having a look in the engine bay to see what condition it’s in. Is there salt crystals all through the engine, or does it look brand new? This would be a fairly fast indicator. One important question to ask would be, has it got service history? And has the ski been serviced by an authorised dealer? Most people given they’re fairly handy with a set of tools can change oil and replace a filter, but what they won’t have is access to the computer of the ski to see whats happening inside the engine, and if its

running within spec. An authorised dealer has the equipment to do this. They have the information to see if there is any safety recalls or upgrades, which could be critical to the longevity to the craft, or safety to the rider.

PRICE Obviously a major factor. As mentioned above, most buyers would prefer to buy new, but some can’t afford it. Don’t let the “I’ll buy second hand to save thousands” fool you, given the right time of year, which is usually leading up to summer, most of the manufactures usually run promotions. Taking this into account you may be able to get into a new ski which would suit your purpose perfectly for similar or even cheaper than a ski that is 4 to 5 years old. Make sure you check out whats available new, within your budget.

WHAT CONDITIONS AM I GOING TO USE THE PWC AND WHERE? Is the PWC going to be used in the ocean or is it in fresh and moderately flat water?. These are important questions to ask, as different models have different hull designs for different water conditions. The right designed hull could chop through those rough sea conditions far better than a model that has been designed for flatter water.

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0800 BOATIE (262 843) www.coastguard.nz WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 145

2018 PWC MODEL UPDATE

WHY CHANGE A GOOD THING FOR 2018 THERE SEEMS TO BE LITTLE CHANGED IN THE MODELS ON O F F E R B Y T H E B I G T H R E E P W C M A N U FA C T U R E R S . YA M A H A H AV E A D D E D A N E W F L A G S H I P M O D E L , K A W A S A K I H AV E R E M A I N E D T H E S A M E B U T W I T H N E W C O L O U R S A N D S E A D O O H AV E U P P E D T H E A N T E O N E N T E R TA I N I N G S PA C E . W E L O O K AT W H AT ’ S O N O F F E R F O R T H E C O M I N G S E A S O N .

YAMAHA’S GP1800 REMAINS ONE OF THEIR MOST POPULAR MODELS.

YAMAHA RESETS Yamaha Motor New Zealand Ltd will reset the benchmark with the introduction of their 2018 WaveRunner line-up, featuring a new flagship model, alongside a fresh offering of striking graphic and colour changes. The 2018 WaveRunner range will be headlined with the new ‘Luxury Performance’ FX Limited SVHO. The FX Limited SVHO is a direct-evolution of the FX Cruiser SVHO; now featuring four flush-mount mooring cleats and 146 PACIFIC PWC 2018

new CNC-cut deck matts, Yamaha’s 3-person Cruiser Seat, RiDE Dual Throttle Controls, Rider-Assist controls and Yamaha’s exclusive NanoXcel 2 hull. The FX Limited SVHO is driven by the industry’s largest capacity personal watercraft powertrain; Yamaha’s Super Vortex High Output, four-cylinder, Supercharged, 1.8 litre marine engine. Power is transferred to the water through it’s “race-developed”

top-loader intake grate and a 160mm highpressure pump, delivering best-in-class speed and acceleration. The new FX Limited SVHO will be available in Crimson Red with Black Metallic. Also for the FX series in 2018, the FX SVHO will be available in White with Torch Red Metallic, the FX Cruiser HO in Black Metallic with White and the FX HO finished in Azure Blue Metallic with White.

A’S

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FLA IR NEW

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Powered by Yamaha’s hi-output, 1049cc, TR1 marine engine, the new VX ‘Recreational’ range of value-packed, full-size models will be available in two new colour variations; the VX Limited finished in crimson red with black metallic and the VX Deluxe in azure blue with black metallic. And now, having reshaped the entry-level market in 2017 with unrivalled features and value, the 2018 ‘Recreational-Lite’ EX Deluxe

will be offered in an all-new Nova Blast blue metallic and the EX in white with blue. Race-Inspired In its maiden year, the GP1800 rocketed to the top of the podium in international races, heralded by racers and journalists alike as the new benchmark in performance water vehicles. For 2018, Yamaha’s race-Inspired range is led by the Championship-winning GP1800, which is now available in two

colours; the quintessential Team Yamaha blue and the striking torch red metallic. Complementing the Race-Inspired class is the light and powerful VXR, a WaveRunner that has conquered naturally-aspirated race classes around the globe. For 2018 the VXR will be available in a new black with azure blue metallic. Rounding out the Race-Inspired class is the legendary SuperJet, the go-to choice for WWW.BOAT MAGS.C O M 147

stand-up riders seeking raw engagement and performance. In 2018 the SuperJet will be finished in a new white, green with blue combination. Yamaha hits the water as the only manufacturer to offer a complete personal watercraft range; with Luxury Performance, Recreational and Race-Inspired models to deliver a watercraft solution for every rider and skill level. Yamaha WaveRunners are handcrafted in the USA with powertrains built in Japan to deliver the most reliable, innovative and performance packed watercraft on the water. The 2018 WaveRunner range is expected to be available throughout New Zealand from the end of 2017. yamaha-motor.co.nz

YAMAHAâ€™S SUPERJET IS ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN.

2018 PWC BUYERS GUIDE Model

Engine

Aspiration Storage

Fuel

Weight

Persons

1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1812 1049 1049 1049 1049 701

SC SC SC SC NA NA NA NA NA NA NA

93L 125.5L 125.5L 125.5L 125.5L 93.2L 93.2L 93.2L 30L 30L NONE

70L 70L 70L 70L 70L 70L 70L 70L 52L 52L 18L

349 kg 397 kg 397 kg 397 kg 37 6kg 348 kg 303 kg 303 kg 280 kg 280 kg 139kg

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 1

Yamaha do not publish horsepower

YAMAHA GP 1800 FX Limited SVHO FX Cruiser SVHO FX SVHO FX HO VXR VX Limited VX Deluxe EX EX Deluxe Superjet

4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 2-Stroke

SEA DOO GTX Limited 300 RXP-X 300 RXT-X 300 GTR-X 230 GTR 230 Wake Pro 230 Wake 155 GTX 155 GTI SE GTI Spark Trixx

300 300 300 230 230 230 155 155 155 60 60

4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke

1630 1630 1630 1630 1503 1503 1503 1503 1503 899 899

SC SC SC SC SC NA NA NA NA NA NA

162L 116L 162L 162L 116L 162L 116L 116L 116L 116L 116L

60L 60L 60L 60L 60L 60L 60L 162L 60L 60L 30L

412 kg 386 kg 415 kg 415 kg 363 kg 406 kg 363 kg 399 kg 359 kg 291 kg 184 kg

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 OR 3

KAWASAKI Ultra 310 R Ultra 310LX Ultra 310X Ultra LX STX-15F SX-R

310 310 310 160 160 160

4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke 4-Stroke

1498 1498 1498 1498 1498 1498

SC SC SC NA NA NA

212L 212L 212L 212L 89L NONE

78L 78L 78L 78L 62L 23L

487kg 487 kg 477 kg 423 kg 383 kg 250 kg

3 3 3 3 3 1

148 PACIFIC PWC 2018

Buy now and save up to

on selected Yamaha WaveRunners this summer

EX Deluxe

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VXR

FX HO

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yamaha-motor.co.nz

*Offer available on retail purchases of new 2017 WaveRunner models purchased between the 1st of September 2017 and the 30th of November 2017. For purchases of EX Deluxe models receive $1,500 off the recommended retail price (inclusive of GST). For VXR, FX HO, FX Cruiser HO, FX SVHO, FX Cruiser SVHO and GP1800 models receive $2,000 off the recommended retail price (inclusive of GST). Offer not valid on Yamaha Superjet models. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other Yamaha offer. Ask your local authorised Yamaha dealer for details.

2018 PWC MODEL UPDATE

KAWASAKI

THE LONGEST CARRY-OVER OF THE KAWASAKI LINEUP, THE STX-15F REMAINS WHOLLY UNCHANGED.

As Kawasaki celebrates its golden anniversary, the company is pushing forward with strengthening its grip on the standup market and aspires to reignite the sport of standup riding. As pioneers of the personal watercraft, the Kawasaki Jet Ski has been in continuous production for over 40 years either as a solo machine or in twin seat and even three seat configurations. Now comprising a six model range of five sit on and the formidable stand up SX-R model, there is something for everyone.

THE NATURALLY-ASPIRATED KAWASAKI ULTRA LX COMES IN AN EBONY AND METALLIC PHANTOM SILVERY LIVERY.

150 PACIFIC PWC 2018

And while the SX-R continues to march on in this endeavour, the rest of the lineup, remains all but completely the same for yet another year. Same models than 2017 just different colours, and all at better pricing for 2018. The longest carry-over of the brandâ€™s lineup, the STX-15F remains wholly unchanged, making the craft a staggering 13 years old, since first receiving the 1.5-liter engine. Prior to the engine change, the STX hull predates that by another 3 years. The entry level STX15F will be available in Ebony and Metallic Graystone in 2018.

The naturally-aspirated Ultra LX comes in an Ebony and Metallic Phantom Silvery livery. Further up the Ultra range the 310X for 2018 is in an Ebony and Metallic Surf Blue colour way with the 310LX in Ebony and Candy Lime Green while the Ultra 310R takes to the water in an Ebony and Metallic Stardust White treatment. Finally the ultimate solo Jet Ski, the SX-R, will continue to cut through the water resplendent in its stunning Ebony and Jet White body treatment.

2018 PWC MODEL UPDATE

SEA DOO HAVE ADDED A SPARK TRIXX 3-UP TO THE POPULAR 2-UP MODEL RELEASED LAST YEAR.

SEA-DOO ADDS LIVING BRP announced a new platform for select models in its 2018 Sea-Doo lineup of personal watercraft. The platform is designed to transform the onboard experience and extend the possibilities of activities riders can do with a Sea-Doo personal watercraft. The new platform is available on seven models across the Sea-Doo GTX, RXT and WAKE PRO families. To ensure consumers maximum comfort, the new personal watercraft has a smart reconfigurable rear seat that transforms the watercraft into an onboard living room. It changes quickly from a three-seat configuration to a flat lounge area, where two

people can face each other for a picnic Also included is a manufacturer-installed, waterproof Bluetooth audio system. With a swipe of a finger, riders can enjoy their favourite playlists on the stereo while relaxing on their PWC rear deck. There is also improved storage that includes a waterproof, shockproof compartment for a phone with USB charger, as well as direct-access front storage with no standing required. The new platform’s stability and control starts with a lower centre of gravity, which BRP said provides more confidence in rough water, at high speeds, and with three passengers, based on the company’s own internal testing.

COOL PHONE BOX ON THE SEA DOO GTX LIMITED 300.

152 PACIFIC PWC 2018

It is also wider for easier reboarding and movement around the watercraft. This is combined with a new deep-V hull designed to increase performance in rough water and provide better control while cornering. In addition to the new platform, BRP has also unveiled a Sea-Doo SPARK TRIXX 3-UP with extended seat and rear platform. It maintains the same level of fun as the 2-UP model launched last year, but with an additional passenger and tow sports capability. There are additional enhancements across the entire 2018 Sea-Doo family, including Performance, Luxury, Tow Sports and Recreation segments.

SEA DOO HAVE ADDED A RECONFIGURABLE REAR SEAT THAT TRANSFORMS THE WATERCRAFT FROM A THREE-SEAT CONFIGURATION TO A FLAT LOUNGE AREA, WHERE TWO PEOPLE CAN FACE EACH OTHER FOR A PICNIC.

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154 PACIFIC PWC 2018 2016

S â€™ D L R O W T S R I F C I R T ELEC PWC W AT E R S P O R T S ENTHUSIASTS OF ALL LEVELS LOOKING TO R I D E W AT E R W AY S O F F LIMITS TO GAS-POWERED P E R S O N A L W AT E R C R A F T S W I L L N O W H AV E T H E FREEDOM TO RIDE WHERE THEY COULD NEVER GO BEFORE, WITH THE NEW ELECTRIC-POWERED G R AT I S X 1 .

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM 155

NO FUEL NO SOUND NO EMMISIONS

GRATIS X1 IS CHARGEABLE THROUGH STANDARD HOME 110V ELECTRIC PLUGS & GENERATORS With no fuel, no sound and no emissions, the Gratis X1 is a thrilling yet easy-to-ride personal watercraft that provides a one-of-a-kind experience on the water. The Gratis X1 is the world’s first electric, personal stand-up watercraft and is due for release in early 2018. To ensure riders get the most of each trip to the water, Free Form Factory has built the Gratis X1 with the ability to be charged anywhere with a standard 110v electrical outlet or with a propane-based generator. In line with typical rider usage time of a gas powered PWC, the Gratis X1 ride time featuring the integrated power pack is up to 45 minutes and up to 1 hour with the additional 3.3 kWh power pack. The Gratis X1 is chargeable through standard home 110v electric plugs and generators. Loud engine noise is a thing of the past with the Gratis X1 as the only sounds you will hear while riding the Gratis X1 is the hull cutting the water and nature. Dynamic LED headlights come standard for increased safety and visibility. Using Zero Motorcycles proven Z-Force drive train technology and Free Form Factory’s patented manufacturing process and proprietary polymer material makes the Gratis X1 one of the world’s leading 156 PACIFIC PWC 2018

personal watercraft with the environment and performance in mind. From start to finish, sustainability is at the core of creating the Gratis X1. The entire deck and hull components are 100% recyclable while the trim and excess material from Free Form Factory’s patented thermoform process is reused to build the next Gratis X1 hull and deck. Every step of the manufacturing process is modeled with the highest of green standards possible in mind, with superior performance. The company believes it is important to reduce our negative impact on the environment and are determined to reach their goal of zero waste. The lightweight, durable polymer deck and hull allow for the Gratis X1 to support the weight of the battery while remaining the same weight as an average stand-up personal watercraft. Every major component of the Gratis X1 is built in the United States. Free of exhaust and fuel, the Gratis X1 is unrestricted on some of the world’s most pristine waterways. Price for the Gratis X1 starts at US$17,990. www.ridefreeform.com

Read all about your boating passion The style of boating - that interests you!!

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1800 P G a h a m a Y W IE V PWC RE

For mature audiences only

I T S E E M S A S I F O N E D AY AT L U N C H T I M E , T H E D E S I G N T E A M AT YA M A H A PA U S E D B E T W E E N P I Z Z A S L I C E S A N D A S K E D , “ W H AT W O U L D H A P P E N I F W E P U T T H E B I G G E S T E N G I N E P O S S I B L E I N T O T H E L I G H T E S T W AV E R U N N E R W E CAN, AND LET’S MAKE IT ONE WITH A RACE PROVEN HULL?” WELL AFTER T H E L A U G H T E R S E T T L E D , T H E I M A G I N A R Y R O O M W E N T S I L E N T I N T H O U G H T, AND A CHORUS OF “LETS DO THIS” ERUPTED. AND DO IT THEY DID. THE R E S U LT I S T H E Q U I C K E S T, FA S T E S T, M O S T P R E C I S E H A N D L I N G A N D U LT R A P E R F O R M I N G W AV E R U N N E R YA M A H A H A S P R O D U C E D … T H E G P 1 8 0 0 . R AT E D M A F O R M AT U R E A U D I E N C E S O N LY. 158 PACIFIC PWC 2018

T E S T B Y B O AT T E S T. C O M F O R F U L L V I D E O G O T O B O AT T E S T. C O M

If you’ve ever asked yourself what it would be like to have a machine that racers use to win trophies, then bring your checkbook on over to a Yamaha dealer and sign a contract for the GP1800 and find out. This is a WaveRunner with the largest engine Yamaha makes, put into the lightest production performance machine with a race inspired hull. In short, it’s an adrenaline thrill ride that is not for the faint of heart. However, if you’re an experienced rider, interested in closed-course bouy racing in a high performance rocket, then stop and take a look at this. The GP1800 is built with you as the target audience.

THE POWER PLANT We’ve always said that there’s more to performance than a bigger engine but Yamaha didn’t get the memo. It took the biggest engine

it makes and dropped it into this WaveRunner. So what we have here is the 1812cc supercharged and intercooled, 4-stroke, 4 cylinder, 16-valve Super Vortex High Output engine. That’s the top of the food chain… there is no higher. The SVHO engine features a high-performance intercooler, increased supercharger air intake capacity and boost, and a modified fuel injection system for increased fuel flow. Add to that the fact that it’s driving the 160mm, 3-blade, 16.4-degree pitch, stainless steel impeller through an 8-vane high pressure jet pump and you start to get a feel for what we’re talking about.

THE HULL The hull is designed around the most successful racing water vehicle today, the Yamaha VXR. It’s a super lightweight hull made with Yamaha’s exclusive NanoXcel2 technology that is sheet moulded under extreme

WWW.BOATMAGS.COM 159

1800 P G a h a m a Y W IE V PWC RE

THE GP1800 LITERALLY LEAPS OUT OF THE WATER WHEN PUNCHING THE THROTTLE.

pressure to produce, what is according to Yamaha, the strongest and lightest hull and deck available in the industry. This race-proven hull design has well defined hull-strakes, soft bow chines, race infused keel shape and performance sponsons to both sides to provide the excellent stability and precise responsiveness demanded of an extreme watercraft of this caliber.

THE HANDLING For all the power and lightweight, this is a seriously exhilarating ride that doesn’t have to be pushed to its limits. Frankly, you’re not going to reach its limits, probably ever. It will, however reach yours. This is a WaveRunner that schools you so that every time you ride it you get better. But with that said, it’s also a great ride for an intermediate rider to become a more experienced rider. It has a level of predictability and precision that keeps the rider from getting into too much trouble while stretching his or her ability at the same time. The trip on up through acceleration is a quick one so hang on when hitting full throttle. Certainly don’t ever do it when others are riding. That’s the time for a more docile acceleration curve. Once underway, she begs to be hauled around for buoy racing so have at it. Lean into the turn on approach, start the slight roll so the sponsons start to carve, make the hard turn and accelerate into the turn. Straighten out early or you’ll over turn and have to 160 PACIFIC PWC 2018

adjust. Timed right you can come out of the turn and level off at the same time with minimal loss of speed and blast of for the next turn.

THE TECHNOLOGY Rather than just focus on speed and call it a day, Yamaha also added some much-appreciated features onto the GP1800. None more valued than the RiDE Technology. Back in the day, R.i.D.E. used to stand for Reverse with Intelligent Deceleration Electronics, but it has now evolved to much more than that, but the name stuck. It provides the following features… Reversing. The throttle is still on the right side, and probably always will be. Now, however, we add a trigger to the left side of the handlebar for the RiDE technology. Squeeze it and the GP1800 shifts (actually the reverse bucket drops down, there’s no shifting in jet watercraft) into reverse. Now we can maneuver around the dock and even back off of the trailer or beach. Steering is reversed so when backing, we steer the bow, not the stern. Neutral. Just a quick squeeze of the left trigger drops the GP1800 into neutral. This is pretty intuitive. If we think of pulling the trigger back to back down, it’s just as easy to think of pulling the trigger back briefly as a means of stopping the forward motion, but not causing reverse motion. Try it once and it clicks forever. Now again, there’s no shifting of gears going on here, the reverse bucket simply is dropping down just enough to deflect the thrust,

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TRIM Another great feature is the electronic trim. Located on the left handlebar, the thumb is used to make incremental changes to the trim angle of the jet exhaust to compensate for both prevailing conditions and uneven distribution of weight when additional riders are aboard. Best of all is that these adjustments can be done on the fly instead of having to scroll through a menu on an instrument panel.

Things you should know

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that is always coming out when the engine is running, down instead of forward or back. That keeps us from moving but turning the wheel will still cause us to pivot, rather than turn. Braking. This is the biggest benefit of the RiDE Technology. When cruising at speed, squeeze the left trigger and intelligent braking kicks in. We say intelligent because imagine cruising at full speed and hitting reverse. What would likely happen is the reverse bucket would drop down, the driver, and passengers would then be launched over the handlebars, as both the reverse thrust and plunging bow would contribute to the subsequent deceleration trauma. Instead, when squeezing the RiDE trigger at full (or any) speed, the engine slows (regardless of how much weâ€™re holding the throttle trigger) while simultaneously dropping the reverse bucket. Now we can stop the GP1800 in the shortest distance possible while still remaining onboard and in full control. We tried it over and over again and it worked flawlessly. Keep squeezing and the braking reverts to reversing.

MAY 2014

(AMILTON )SLAND s %NVOY IN 'REECE s "OAT 3HOW 2EPORTS

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1800 P G a h a m a Y W IE V PWC RE

THE POWERFUL ENGINE HAS A TIGHT SQUEEZE IN THE GP1800 BUT THERE’S STILL ROOM FOR MAINTENANCE & DAILY CHECKS.

THE STORAGE IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER IS THE MOST CONVENIENT.

SPONSONS HELP THE GP1800 CARVE INTO THE TURNS WITHOUT SLIDING. THEY ALSO AID IN THE WELL-MANNERED STABILITY.

THE RIDE TECHNOLOGY IN THE EX DELUXE IS CONTROLLED FROM THE LEFT TRIGGER OF THE HANDLEBARS.

S E AT

W AT E R S P O R T S R E A D Y

The seat is race inspired and cradles the driver in a raised, and well padded, seatback. It’s narrow enough for using the legs to squeeze and hold on, but not too wide that we can’t remain stable. There’s room for two additional riders making this a true three-person watercraft, from a roominess, buoyancy and stability standpoint. The rear seat has a wrap around grab handle and it’s comfortable to use facing forward when cruising or aft when acting as observer for watersports.

The GP1800 may be built for speed and performance but nothing says that we can’t use the settings in between idle and flat out. The simple fact is, even a Ferrari can ride through the rural streets without pushing 180 mph. The GP1800 is designed for up to three riders, which means that she can still convert to watersports since we can still have someone on the towline while still carrying the legally required aft facing observer. There’s a tow ring at the back, just under the seat, and a huge rear deck finished in custom cut non-skid matting that repels both water and heat from the continual onslaught of the bright sun. Further aft there’s a flip-down reboarding step making it even easier to reboard the GP1800. Dual mirrors not only give the driver better orientation of the surroundings, but also assist in keeping an eye on the end of towline. They also help the driver remain aware if a boat is about to pass, as rare an occurrence as that may be.

STORAGE The total onboard storage is 93 L and it’s distributed in three separate compartments. The first, and largest, is at the front under the streamlined bow visor. it releases with a latch just ahead of the panel so it can still be opened from the seated position. Inside is cavernous storage that also houses the mount for the portable fire extinguisher. It’s also under this hatch that we see the fuel fill positioned to the left side making it easy to refuel from a land based petrol station. The second, and most convenient, storage space is just behind the handlebars and ahead of the driver. This includes two beverage holders and a center space for incidentals. Lastly there’s a waterproof compartment under the rear section of the two-piece seat. With its fine threads and gasketed screw cap, this container is both watertight, and removable so we can put our valuables inside and bring the whole thing with us when we walk away from the GP1800.

162 PACIFIC PWC 2018

O B S E R VAT I O N S There’s no doubt that this is among the fastest and quickest we’ve ridden and that seems to be the point of this machine. Yes it has added features but that’s just frosting on the cake. This is a racing machine inside and out, so while it can be used for watersports, we’d opt for a completely different WaveRunner for the family. This is for the adrenaline rush that can only be quenched by addressing the need for speed. At $26,999 it is also a bargain for a performance machine. www.yamaha-motor.co.nz

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THE ALL-NEW YAMAHA F90 FOUR-STROKE With 14,000km of coastline, over 180,000km of rivers, and 3,820 lakes, there’s more to the land of the long white cloud than land. And now, with its class leading performance, the all-new Yamaha F90 can get you to those undiscovered fishing spots quicker than ever before. What’s more, the F90’s unrivalled reliability means you can relax in the knowledge you’re in good hands. So take the helm, explore what’s on your doorstep and see New Zealand like never before.

SAME PLANET. DIFFERENT WORLD. yamaha-motor.co.nz

164 PACIFIC POWERBOAT NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017

P29/25757/PP

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