ALL IN THE FAMILY
More than 130 Riviera and Belize owners – in various parts of Australia – celebrated being a part of the Riviera family by joining raft-ups and events over the holiday season.
From Perth in Western Australia to Melbourne and on Queensland’s Gold Coast the festivities ranged from a spectacular laser light show to a ceremony for a couple renewing their wedding vows.
Peter and Julie Herschell joined the 25-yacht raft-up off Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula with eight boating friends aboard their Riviera 4800 Sport Yacht Hatrick. “We loved the virtual boardwalk of swim platforms in the raft-up,” says Peter. “We went from one boat to another, chatting with people and sharing drinks.”
Greg and Jennifer Ferguson have been to most of the past 10 summer raft-ups in Perth, hosted by R Marine. This year’s event brought together 43 Rivieras. “This time was very special for us,” says Greg. “We brought friends along and staged a pretend wedding ceremony on board. It was their anniversary and they wanted to renew their vows.”
Greg Kohl and partner Robyn were particularly excited by the laser light display on Queensland’s Gold Coast. “I’d give the evening a 12-out-of-10,” says Greg, attempting to describe the 31-yacht mega-raft-up at Calypso Bay.
A little further north on the Gold Coast, at Jumpinpin (a favourite boating destination) the team from R Marine Crawley hosted 34 Riviera owners. “An extended marquee on the beach looked incredible as we motored in,” says Christine Long. “There were luncheon places set for all 100 of us!” Christine and husband Matt had another special reason to remember the weekend. “It was our 40th wedding anniversary and Matt presented me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. And he even cooked me a lovely breakfast as well!” Riviera owner Rodney Longhurst says the social events are a superb example of the camaraderie among Riviera and Belize owners across Australia and around the world – what the yacht owners affectionately call the ‘Riviera Family’.
BIA REJECTS PROPOSED BOAT TAX
Australia’s Boating Industry Association (BIA) says the NSW Labour Party’s proposed policy to tax new and second-hand recreational boats will bring further hardship on an industry still recovering from the GFC and punish hardworking boaters and retirees.
“We were surprised by Labour’s announcement to tax boat owners,” said BIA president Alan Blake. “The tax will drive sales and jobs away from NSW to other states and sadly, the perception that boats over the value of $200,000 is a tax on the wealthy is fundamentally wrong.
“Many vessels of that value are owned by families, retirees, groups of hard-working, hard-saving mates who have grouped their savings to pursue their passion for being outdoors, or those who have joined in a share boat arrangement through a club. The proposed tax will hurt working families who enjoy boating and the many small businesses and their employees who service them.”
He also believes “the knock-on effect of this proposal has not been considered by the Labour Party. The businesses that service, store or supply provisions for these vessels are small family businesses who will feel a direct impact of such a tax.”
BIA says the number of vessels sold each year within NSW are not as many as the Labour Government believes and the perceived taxation revenue has been significantly overstated. Boats are a discretional purchase and this tax will only push consumers to simply purchase in other states or choose other forms of recreation (like caravanning) which are not penalised by the proposed tax.
There are plenty of international examples, including taxes introduced by President Clinton in the USA in the early 1990s, where taxes on boats, like that proposed by Labour, were implemented then quickly abandoned as they didn’t raise the predicted tax revenue and devastated the local industry.
BIA implores the Labour Party to not repeat these mistakes.
LIFEJACKET UPGRADE
Thousands of boaties are sporting much safer lifejackets thanks to a Coastguard water safety campaign.
The annual Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade campaign wrapped up recently which saw 3,462 old, damaged or obsolete lifejackets traded in over the peak summer holiday period for discounted modern fit-for-purpose Hutchwilco lifejackets. Almost 500 more lifejackets were traded in this summer compared to last year’s campaign.
The campaign van was on the road for nine weeks and stopped at 61 different locations around the country. Families brought old lifejackets to the van and purchased new lifejackets at discounted prices. As well as selling lifejackets, the Old4New crew distributed 1,603 safety items, such as crotch straps, which prevents a lifejacket from slipping up over your head when in water.
Old4New spokesperson, Sue Tucker, says the van’s become a hub for people wanting to find out more about water safety.
“It attracts a lot of attention and excitement, which is great to see. We feel people are starting to realise the importance of wearing a lifejacket. It greatly increases your chances of survival if you do end up in the water.”
Many of the lifejackets handed in were unusable and downright dangerous, and every year there is always one that should be in a museum. This year it was an oilskin lifejacket surrendered in Greymouth – approximately 75 years old. It may have been used during WWII.
Coastguard New Zealand CEO Patrick Holmes says the campaign’s grown in popularity since starting five years ago and believes the younger generation can influence behaviour change when it comes to lifejackets.
“Often you see all the young people on a boat wearing lifejackets but not the parents. But everyone on board needs to wear one and kids often pester older family members to put one on. A lifejacket never ruins a day on the water.”
Since the campaign started five years ago, over 10,000 old lifejackets have been traded in and taken out of circulation. The campaign is made possible thanks to generous funding from Maritime New Zealand and support from Hutchwilco, the Giltrap Group, Boating & Outdoors, The Southern Trust and The Four Winds Foundation. Retailer Boating & Outdoors offered the trade-ins at their stores nationwide further supporting the campaign.
LIFEJACKET RECALL
“We have discovered there is a possibility that, if it has not been packed correctly, inflating the bladder may not burst the zip as designed,” says Hutchwilco Operations Manager, Bernard Orme.
“While the partial inflation will still afford the wearer some positive buoyancy, it won’t meet its design and certification standard.”
The Fisher Vest lifejacket is manufactured for Hutchwilco by Performance Floatation Developments (Fiji) Ltd to Australian Standard AS4758. Since its release earlier this summer, 60 units have been sold.
Retailers have been contacted and asked to remove product from shelves and return it to Hutchwilco. This is the first lifejacket recall for the company.
If you have purchased a Hutchwilco Fisher Vest, return it to your retailer, or contact Hutchwilco on 09 528 0788.
HAINES HUNTER SUPPORTS LEGASEA
Industry leaders since 1946, Seacraft with its iconic brand Haines Hunter, has focussed on constructing dry, soft-riding boats. These efforts have allowed others to experience the wonders of New Zealand’s coastal playground.
Innovatively, Seacraft was one of the first to begin commercially manufacturing fibreglass hulls in New Zealand. Now, it is once again looking to the future.
“It’s pretty simple,” explains Lionel Sands, pictured above left with business partner Denis Kendall. “We want our kids and grandkids to share our passion for the ocean. If we are to leave a legacy we can be proud of, we need to make changes today, tomorrow may be too late.
“Global demand for fish is insatiable. With fish populations reaching new lows, we need change. Collectively we need to restore our coastal fisheries.”
Haines Hunter made the bold decision to become a LegaSea Platinum Partner, one of five nationwide. It also expanded its apprenticeship programme which is allowing it to impart a lifetime of learnings to future generations of boatbuilders. Currently it has six apprentice boatbuilders, composite technicians and service technicians.
The expression “Put your money where your mouth is!” springs to mind.
The boat building industry and the marine environment will be better tomorrow thanks to Haines Hunters’ investment today.
www.haineshunter.co.nz www.legasea.co.nz
DEVIL RAY BALLET
This graceful photo of three giant devil rays performing a ‘ballet’ – shot by Duncan Murrell – was judged the Best of Show at the recent Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, organised by the Underwater Photography Guide.
Judges said this 7th annual competition attracted a very high calibre of photos from 70 countries and that 2018 was the most competitive year to date.
Murrell’s shot uses soft, ambient light to accentuate the movements of elegant giants. Other exceptional images include astonishing fish and marine life shots, rarely seen animal behaviour, innovative shooting techniques, stunning portraits, seals, ocean adventure, whales and some dramatic moments between humans and marine life.
Sixteen different categories ensure a competitive contest for all levels and disciplines of underwater photography, including compact, mirrorless, and DSLR cameras. There is also a new category called ‘Underwater Art.’ Judges included prestigious underwater photographers Tony Wu, Martin Edge and Marty Snyderman, accompanied by Underwater Photography Guide publisher Scott Gietler.
Over $80,000 in prizes was awarded, making the Ocean Art prize value among the highest in the world.
CELESTIAL SUCCESS
Scorning modern electronics for a sextant, a 73-year-old French sailor has won the 30,000-mile Golden Globe solo round-the-world race after 212 days at sea – his first sailing victory – and a new record for the oldest skipper to sail solo non-stop around the world.
Jean-Luc Van Den Heede arrived in France’s Les Sables d’Olonne at the end of January in his 35-foot yacht Matmut. Of the 18 competitors who started the race in July last year, only five finished.
The race was Van Den Heede’s sixth circumnavigation. He nearly abandoned the event in November when his mast was damaged during a Southern Ocean storm, with 65-knot winds and 11m seas. A repair on land would have disqualified him, so he fixed the mast himself before rounding Cape Horn.
“But I admit that climbing a mast is no longer OK at my age,” he said in a post-race interview. “I climbed seven times. The worst thing was trying to undo the pins.”
Among those greeting Van Den Heede on his arrival was British sailor Robin Knox-Johnston, who won the only other Golden Globe race 50 years ago.
EDWARDS TAKES STARLING TITLE
South Island Wildcard Harry Edwards beat Auckland’s Max Scott to take the 2019 Starling Match Racing Nationals title in January – scoring three wins from four races and in the process adding his name to a trophy studded with the Who’s Who of New Zealand yachting.
RESULTS
1. HARRY EDWARDS – South Island - WILDCARD 2
2. MAX SCOTT – Auckland
3. EMILY OVEREND – Marlborough
4. LACHLAN DILLON – Bay of Plenty
SAVE THE BOATYARD
The sight of classics like Waitangi, Rawhiti, Ariki and so many others out on the waters of the harbour and Gulf is a soul-stirring event that reminds me of our immense heritage and our depth of expertise in the design, construction and build of such beautiful boats. To hear that the same heritage is now in danger of slipping away is truly concerning.
As a recent returnee to New Zealand, I freely admit to not having any understanding of the politics and processes underlying Panuku Development’s consultations and any decisions that are being made around the fate of the Percy Vos boat yard.
I can relate, however, that my experiences postretirement of spending a year as a student at a fully functional, highly successful boatbuilding school (North West School of Wooden Boatbuilding, Port Hadlock, WA, USA), and as a boatwright volunteer at a publicly accessible ‘experience’ centre (Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle, WA, USA), that the benefits to the US boatbuilding industry (old and new) and to the community at large of maintaining the skills and knowledge of wooden boatbuilding alongside more modern methodologies are immeasurable.
A showcase place, accessible to the public and to tourists, demonstrating wooden boatbuilding skills and techniques with construction and restoration examples should be an integral part of our vibrant and active boatbuilding industry.
What better place to have it than at the Vos boatyard on Auckland’s waterfront as a part of the Viaduct, Wynyard Quarter and new America’s Cup developments? This could easily provide for: a permanent home for the New Zealand Traditional Boatbuilding School; an experience centre for paying public/tourist access in a safe place for viewing activities; a facility for practical demonstrations, tuition, seminars; a place for local volunteer participation; a facility for showcasing our pre-European traditions of Maori/ Polynesian boatbuilding and voyaging.
Come on Panuku / Auckland City Council, help facilitate this happening.
Dr. G. Kere Kemp, North West School of Wooden Boatbuilding https://www.nwswb.edu/ , Center for Wooden Boats – http://cwb.org/
MNZM FOR BROOKE
Brooke has helped preserve New Zealand’s wooden boatbuilding heritage and continues to contribute to and advise pro bono on boatbuilding and restoration. He pioneered and was pivotal in the integration of the ‘Design-and-Build’ mode of teaching and learning into the national curriculum of Workshop Technology.
Where previously students copied existing designs or components, under Design-andBuild students conceive the design and see it through to completion. This principle has become the mainstay of technology education and is flourishing under the NCEA environment.
He was an advisor in technical subjects for the then Department of Education from 1987 to 1990 and was the National Moderator of the Northern Region appointed to assess National Standards.
He has been National Examiner for Ship, Yacht and Boatbuilding and has been a member of the Ship, Yacht and Boatbuilding Advisory Committee for Unitec. He has moderated Ship, Yacht and Boatbuilding Trade and Advanced Trade examinations. He has been General Manager of the Boating Industry Training Organisation.
He was commissioned from 2003 to 2005 to design and set up the Boatbuilding Training and Apprenticeship Scheme for the Nova Scotia Boatbuilders’ Association in Canada. Brooke was a leading figure in the establishment of the Auckland Traditional Boatbuilding School.
Millennium Cup queen
The 28m ketch Tawera lifted her skirts and romped home to take the title at this year’s edition of the Millennium Cup – the world’s most southerly superyacht regatta – held in the Bay of Islands. It was the 11th edition of the event.
The regatta is designed to highlight the importance of the superyacht sector in New Zealand’s marine industry, as well as showcase some of the country’s most visually-striking cruising grounds. With the approach of the 36th America’s Cup, organisers expect to see the competing fleet swell exponentially over the next three years.
The event attracts yachts with a penchant for adventure and is lauded by entrants for the sense of camaraderie found in this part of the world. “We’re already receiving entry enquiries for 2020 and 2021,” says event organiser, Stacey Cook.
“The J Class Association has also accepted our invitation to race in 2021 and we know having the strikingly-elegant classic yachts race alongside the event will add an extra dimension to our racing.”
At the prizegiving later in the evening at the Duke of Marlborough, Freya’s owner summed up the feel of the regatta. “It’s fantastic to come to this beautiful place, in this beautiful country, in the beautiful Bay of Islands. I’d like to say thank you for the hospitality and the wonderful, wonderful time.”
The event is organized by the NZ Millennium Cup Committee and the New Zealand Marine Export Group Inc. under the auspices of the Russell Boating Club.
PROTECTORS ON PATROL
The agreements could be worth tens of millions of dollars to the local economy, including many large and small New Zealand marine suppliers.
A generous grant to Coastguard New Zealand from the Lottery Fund for community benefit related to the 2021 America’s Cup will see 24 Rayglass Protector RIBs loaned to Emirates Team New Zealand and America’s Cup Ltd.
These will be used as official patrol and support boats for the Prada Cup (the challenger series for the America’s Cup) and then for the America’s Cup Match itself. At the conclusion of the regatta they will be returned to the Royal New Zealand Coastguard.
In addition, Protectors have also been chosen as the support boats for Emirates Team New Zealand and most of the challenging syndicates.
Also choosing Protector are the organisers of the new SailGP competition, an annual global sailing contest planned for Sydney, San Francisco, New York, Cowes and Marseille.
The new competition uses identical F50 catamarans, capable of exceeding 50 knots. Each yacht will be accompanied by a Rayglass 10m Protector centre-console, a first-response RIB capable of keeping up with the catamaran’s’ speed. Each RIB will be transported in a single container between events.
