MARITIME CHARITIES BENEFIT GRANT
Maritime groups are expected to benefit from a charitable initiative which saw $1million donated to almost 50 organisations – including Coastguard, surf life-saving and other marine charities.
The Million Dollar Mission is an initiative developed by social enterprise ‘The Trusts’ West Auckland, which redistributes the profits from the retail sales of food and beverages through its hospitality venues and off-license outlets around the region.
New Zealanders were able to vote online for the cause of their choice with each vote providing $5 to the group to help complete projects of benefit to the local community. Some 200,000 votes were cast.
The Trusts CEO Simon Wickham says maritime charities were some of the biggest winners in this year’s round of funding, with their combined donations reaching more than $168,000.
One of the charities, Coastguard Northern Region, required funding to build a new vessel suitable for the Manukau Harbour. Another recipient, the Hobsonville Yacht Club, will be able to purchase new low-maintenance boats for teaching children to sail, while the Karekare Surf Club and United North Piha Lifeguards will both invest in new clubroom infrastructures thanks to their grants.
The Million Dollar Mission is in its third year of operation and has provided $3million in funding to almost 100 community groups since it began. Wickham says the initiative is an example of how the licensing model is able to support charities while at the same time better manage the sale of alcohol.
SEALEGS SETS RECORDS
Twenty-seven Sealegs craft recently landed on Malaysia’s Langkawi Island, setting two records in the process.
Belonging to the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) and the Fire Department (BOMBA), the boats represent the largest assembled fleet of government-owned Sealegs anywhere in the world. Secondly, theirs was the longest trip undertaken by a fleet of amphibious craft (an achievement now registered in the Malaysian Book of Records).
The fleet took off from Melaka State and travelled more than 700km north along the East coast of Malaysia to Langkawi Island, making pre-planned stops to demonstrate the advantages of Sealegs technology for emergency response.
The Langkawi Amphibious Craft Expedition, as it was called, was organised and led by APM’s commissioner Datuk Roslan Wahab and coincided both with APM’s 67th operational anniversary and the 2019 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA’19). The expedition’s purpose was demonstrating the capability and efficiency of amphibious craft for responding to Malaysia’s increasing number of coastal emergency situations. www.sealegs.com
Blanche Cook
Blanche and husband Ian backed their instincts when, more than 30 years ago, they established Yachting Developments, forging it into one of the world’s most respected composite specialists and one of the last family-owned superyacht yards.
Blanche was an integral member of the Yachting Developments family. Owner, mentor, mother-figure and friend, her larger-than-life presence pervaded the entire yard. She was heavily involved in New Zealand’s marine community, serving as vice chairperson of the NZ Marine Export Group, supporting the yard’s busy apprenticeship scheme and providing her support to a wide range of yachting causes, particularly the rescue and restoration of numerous classic yachts.
She was particularly involved with the rescue and restoration of numerous classic yachts, including Ranger which was restored by the team at Yachting Developments and is now regularly raced around Auckland.
John Salthouse
The Salthouse name is synonymous with New Zealand sailing and boating and John Salthouse was a leading figure.
He founded Salthouse Boatbuilders in 1956 in a makeshift tin shed at Stanley Bay on the northern shores of the Waitemata Harbour, but the business soon moved to Greenhithe where it remains to this day.
The company builds luxury and high-performance yachts and powerboats for customers worldwide. Salthouse Boatbuilders is still a family business, now run by sons Greg and Chris (Curly) Salthouse.
Mick Ashcroft
Many of New Zealand’s sailors got to the Olympics with the help of Graeme ‘Mick’ Ashcroft. He played a leading hand in securing funding for talented youngsters to help them get to overseas events, and was heavily involved with the St John’s Rotary, offering scholarships to young sailors since 1996.
But Mick’s commitment went beyond securing money and he regularly caught up with sailors and their families. He kept photos on the walls of his office of all the sailors he’d helped.
NEW BRIDGE FOR WYNYARD QUARTER
Plans are afoot to replace the Wynyard Crossing pedestrian bridge that links the city centre to the waterfront with a new, more reliable bridge.
The existing Wynyard Crossing – a critical transport connection – was installed as a temporary structure for the 2011 Rugby World Cup. It’s reaching the end of its useful life and needs frequent and costly repairs to keep it running smoothly. Auckland mayor Phil Goff says the new bridge will operate more efficiently and cater for the greater number of people who live, work and pass through Wynyard Quarter, as well as the surge of visitors expected to be spending time on the waterfront for the America’s Cup.
Panuku Development’s Allan Young says the replacement will also be more visually spectacular and larger than the current bridge. “The ‘double leaf’ design is reminiscent of modern yacht masts or the wings of a large seabird. It will be a landmark addition to an already thriving neighbourhood and will be something all Aucklanders can be proud of.”
The proposed bridge is expected to be 60% lighter to lift than a single arm design, using far less energy to operate. Maintenance can be carried out on each arm separately, adding to the efficiency of the structure. It can also be built using smaller, less intrusive cranes.
Providing resource consent is granted by mid-2019, construction will start in early 2020 and be completed at the end of the year. During construction, a temporary pontoon bridge will be in place for pedestrians to move between Te Wero Island and Viaduct Harbour.
ZEPHYR NATIONALS
Auckland’s Helgard Dannauser is the new Zephyr champ following the class Nationals held at the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club in March. The regatta attracted 55 entrants from around the country, as well as an Australian Zephyr enthusiast. Though sailed in mostly light conditions the racing was competitive and produced nine different line honour winners over the four-day series.
PALMA MEDALS
Kiwi sailors claimed three medals at the recent Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma, including gold and bronze in the Finn class, to finish as the second-most successful nation at the event.
Andy Maloney won his first major regatta in the Finn class since switching from the Laser. Josh Junior was third. Alex Maloney and Molly Meech collected another silver in the 49erFX, following on from their second placing at February’s World Cup Series event in Miami.
The three medals saw New Zealand finish level with the United States as the second-most successful nations in Palma behind Great Britain, which snared eight medals.
TITANIUM MAKES HISTORY
Chris Skinner became the first person to win back-toback handicap honours when he and co-skipper Shane Bellingham won the SSANZ Round New Zealand Twohanded Race.
The pair circumnavigated the country on their Thompson 38 Titanium, taking 13 days and 22 hours to complete the four legs. They took line honours in the second and fourth legs, fighting off Damon Joliffe and Josh Tucker in Motorboat II (Elliott 10.5) who won both line and handicap in legs 1 and 3.
Titanium took control of the race on the second and longest leg from Mangonui to Stewart Island (930 nm), winning by a comfortable 22 hours on handicap. They finished 11 hours ahead of Motorboat II overall on corrected time after the final leg.
Skinner competed in the 2012 edition of the round New Zealand race on Truxton (Tiller 10.5), winning legs 2 and 4. For full results visit www.ssanz.co.nz/results/
PROGRESSIVE VETERAN
It might be New Zealand’s oldest yacht club but the Nelson Yacht Club (NYC) has adopted a progressive approach to the way it does things to ensure membership numbers remains healthy. In February NYC was voted the Aon Club of the Month.
“We’re a very vibrant club,” says commodore Geoff Pitcaithly. “You wouldn’t go down there any day of the week and find nothing happening.”
In February this year the club hosted its first international event, the Flying Dutchman Worlds. It fielded 40 teams, including 10 from New Zealand. It’s the third time the FD Worlds has been held in this country in the class’ 62-year history. The Nelson club boasts New Zealand’s biggest fleet of Flying Dutchmans.
There’s confidence that the club’s numbers will continue to swell, and that’s attributed in part to the way it tackles its Learn-to-Sail programme.
The club contracts Nelson Watersports Ltd to run the programme and also offers tasters, social sailing and more advanced courses. It’s an arrangement that has been working well for the past five years and has helped Nelson maintain its membership base of about 350. The club also works closely with another group to run a team-racing event and hosts a popular Sailability programme every second weekend.
“It takes pressure off us and is working well for us,” says Pitcaithly.
ETNZ’S BEER PARTNER
Steinlager has returned as an Official Sponsor and Official Beer Partner of Emirates Team New Zealand’s for the defence of the 36th America’s Cup in 2021.
The beer producer’s a long-time ETNZ supporter, dating back to New Zealand’s first attempt at America’s Cup glory in 1987 in Fremantle.
ETNZ CEO Grant Dalton says Steinlager is a truly iconic Kiwi brand that has always stayed strong and believed in Emirates Team New Zealand and our quest for the America’s Cup.
“They’ve been on the boat for every win we’ve had, and we had Steinlager in our hands when we grasped the Cup in Bermuda in 2017 – a ritual we plan to keep alive in March 2021. Although it is always about the end result when we’re on the water, Steinlager helps to remind us to enjoy the journey.”
Lion NZ Managing Director, Rory Glass says 2021 will be the company’s 35th year of support as the team endeavours to keep its hands on the oldest trophy in international sport.
“We will be revealing more plans later in the year on how we will bring our sponsorship to life off the water as well – with epic environments for fans to support Emirates Team New Zealand across the country.”
CRAIG’S A WINNER
Boating New Zealand’s Canada-based writer Craig Ritchie has added another accolade to his collection – he picked up third place in the Environmental Awareness Category at the prestigious Boating Writers International contest in Miami. The event is held annually.
The Award was presented to Craig for his All Washed Up? feature in our October 2018 issue. It explores the boating industry’s responsibilities – and possible strategies – for recycling the thousands of derelict old fibreglass hulks littering the landscape. It’s an escalating international problem.
