APP FOR FINDING A SURVEYOR
The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) has launched a free app for iOS and Android devices that makes finding a commercial, or yacht and small craft marine surveyor by area, or specialisation, fast and simple.
Not only a key benefit for members of IIMS, it will make the search for a surveyor easier for the boating and yachting public, brokers, P&I Clubs, marine insurers – in fact anyone needing the services of a marine surveyor on an occasional or ongoing basis.
The content is drawn from the current IIMS practicing surveyor membership, which has been loaded in its entirety into the app – more than 700 surveyors in over 100 countries.
Key features of the app include a simple search function by name, by skill set and by location, including the nearest port. Additionally, the app will allow users to rate a surveyor. Communication with a chosen surveyor is easy with contact being made by email or telephone at the press of a button.
The app can be downloaded in the usual way from either the Google Play Store or App Store. Just search for ’Marine Surveyor Search’.
IIMS Chief Executive Officer, Mike Schwarz, says the project has taken a year to scope out and complete, but it lifts the digital activities of IIMS to the next level. “I am delighted at the ease of use and how fast it is to find a surveyor and connect with them at the push of a button.”
The app has been developed in partnership with eDot Solutions, Goa, the company that has already successfully delivered two other apps for IIMS.
Formed in 1991, IIMS is a not-for-profit organisation and the leading worldwide professional body for marine surveyors. Applications for IIMS membership are subjected to scrutiny by the Professional Assessment Committee before approval is granted. For further information visit www.iims.org.uk
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
New Zealand's Ron Holland was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the recent Boat International Design and Innovation Awards, in Cortina, italy.
In their citation, judges noted that Ron was a perfect example of what can happen “when a smart young person says goodbye to academic life and decides to follow his passion, with the full support of his parents, no less. As sailing crew, and then as an apprentice boatbuilder, he seemed to intuitively know how to make boats go faster.
“In truth, he spent a tremendous amount of time observing and asked questions about everything to anyone who would answer him. Lots of time on long passages as crew or perched in a cockpit as a sail trimmer gave him plenty of time to develop ideas. When boatbuilders and yacht owners gave him the chance to innovate, they were not disappointed.
“His success at designing small racing yachts in the 1970s propelled him to the world stage with a string of podium finishes for yachts such as Imp, the most famous Admiral’s Cup boat of the 1970s, and Golden Apple, the first boat from his design studio in Cork, Ireland.
“There were production boats, too: a 10m for Camper & Nicholsons named Golden Delicious won the 1975 Fastnet Race, and another won the 2005 Fastnet, and he produced a range of boats for Nautor’s Swan from 1979-1990. In addition, he drew many performance cruisers and maxi racers such as Morning Cloud for British PM Edward Heath, as well as Condor, Kialoa and more.
“He moved into large cruising yachts in the late 1980s with Whirlwind XII, his first yacht of more than 30m, which led to a series of designs for Perini Navi and custom super sailing yachts such as Beaupre with Jon Bannenberg, Juliet, Ethereal and the world’s largest sloop, Mirabella V. He’s also designed large motor yachts including Calliope, Dorothea III, Daedalus and Marco Polo. In all, the Boat International website features 70 of his designs.”
In 2011 Ron moved to Vancouver, Canada, and he still designs new boats and refits. Last year he released his third book, a memoir titled All the Oceans: Designing by the Seat of My Pants.
Heartiest congratulations from the team at Boating New Zealand.
EGNOT-JOHNSON WINS MATCH RACING CUP
Nick Egnot-Johnson and his RNZYS Performance Programme KNOTS Racing Team – Zak Merton, Sam Barnett & Alistair Gifford – notched up another victory, taking out the 2019 Nespresso Youth International Match Racing Cup in February.
Egnot-Johnson eased through his semi-final 3-0 against Callum Radford’s Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club team from Wellington to cement his spot in the final.
He was made to wait for an opponent though, with the semi-final between Jordan Stevenson’s RNZYS Youth Training Programme Vento Racing team and Tom Grimes’ team from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia going right down to the wire.
It was Grimes who was sitting in the box seat, taking the first two matches and leaving himself needing only one more victory to meet Egnot-Johnson in the final. Stevenson wasn’t going to have a bar of that though, and as he has done before, pulled up his socks and pulled off an amazing comeback – winning the next three matches to send Grimes reeling into the petite final and himself into the big dance.
The all-Squadron final also did not disappoint, with some incredibly tight racing, tacking duels and speedy downwind sailing. Both teams traded close wins to send the final into an epic fifth match to decide who would be champion.
But after what was a very exciting pre-start, and in what was Stevenson’s 10th match of the day, him and his team made a costly mistake and were ruled to be over the start line before the horn. This gave Egnot-Johnson a decisive lead that he would not relinquish, allowing him to sail his Knots racing team to the overall victory.
OBC’S SUSTAINABILITY MOVE
Auckland’s Outboard Boating Club (OBC) has taken a responsible and important step to sustainability by changing the rules of its fishing competitions from weight-based to length based, encouraging participants to return big fish to the sea.
The new rules were introduced at the recent Family Fishing Competition – the club’s largest – where over 260 participants were encouraged to play their part in protecting the long-term health of the fish stocks in the Hauraki Gulf.
A survey of skippers revealed that 70% of fish caught in the competition were released back to the sea, a figure the club hopes to build on in future competitions as it continues to educate members on the value of sustainable fishing.
The OBC strives to ensure members remain at the forefront of recreational fishing good practice, regularly supplying information and providing demonstrations. In support of this ethos, the Club’s Executive Committee voted to run all the club’s fishing competitions on a measure-only basis, giving anglers the choice to either keep or release their catch while still being eligible for prizes.
Grant Blair, a director of NZ Fishing Media and founder of the annual DB Export NZ Fishing Competition, a national online contest that is similarly fished on a measure basis, applauds the move.
“Using length measurement as the criteria for assessment provides the foundation for anglers to make the best decisions for our precious resources,” Grant says. “Fishing contests have traditionally focussed on killing and weighing the biggest fish and the prognosis for a dead fish isn’t exactly rosy.
“Instead, photographing the fish on a length measure empowers contestants to keep the best eating fish while releasing those large fish that are vital to the health of the fish stocks. It means OBC members can still be rewarded for a significant catch but also have the option to release it.”
The OBC’s adoption of the measure only concept makes it the first club in New Zealand to do so over all its events. They hope other clubs will follow their lead, now that the they’ve proven the success of the change.
MATT JOINS MASTER CLASS
Well-known fishing television star Matt Watson will join the expert Master Class speakers covering a variety of fishing topics at this year’s Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, Greenlane, Auckland, May 16-19.
Free Master Class fishing seminars, held in the Rock Fishing Hall, will be hosted by Hauraki Gulf fishing guru and master fish-filleter Bruce ‘Captain Swish’ Duncan.
Matt will share his fishing knowledge and advice, answer questions and introduce his new Ultimate Fishing app. When not presenting a seminar, he can be found on the Stabicraft stand.
Shimano NZ will introduce the new Shimano Fishing Youth Club. Kids can sign up to get a certificate, ‘spin the wheel’ and win Shimano prizes. They also go into a draw to win a family fishing trip for four onboard the Whitianga-based Whitiangler.
Master Class fishing experts: For a schedule of speakers, topics and times see www.boatshow.co.nz or check the Yamaha Information Boards at the show, or the Official Show Guide, free at the gate and also inserted into the NZ Herald on May 16.
Tickets to the 2019 Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show are now available from www.boatshow.co.nz
OBITUARY: PETER BELL
Sports Marine’s Peter Bell – ‘PB’ as he was known to family and friends – passed away after suddenly falling sick with severe pancreatitis while in Queenstown on a boat delivery trip.
He was air-lifted to Dunedin Hospital where unfortunately his condition worsened and he passed away on Sunday afternoon, February 24, 2019, surrounded by family.
Sports Marine principal Scott Williamson acknowledged PB as part of the fabric of Sports Marine, having worked for the company for nearly 40 years and selling thousands of boats over that time.
“Peter had a wide network of friends, colleagues and customers throughout the industry and his positive energy and endless enthusiasm will be sorely missed.”
CUP VISITS NORTH SAILS
Not everyone gets to touch the America’s Cup — but the lucky team at North Sails’ Auckland loft recently had the privilege when a group from Emirates Team New Zealand, including the Cup’s own personal ‘bodyguard’, brought the silverware to the Glenfield loft, where the staff were able to hold and be photographed with it.
The visit was a thank you from Emirates Team New Zealand, to welcome North Sails aboard on their journey toward the 2021 America’s Cup. North Sails is the international supplier of choice for not only Team New Zealand, but also the Luna Rossa Challenge, Stars & Stripes Team USA and INEOS Team UK.
Blanks for the new sails will be made at North Sails three-dimensional moulding loft in Minden, Nevada, and finished and detailed to Team New Zealand’s specifications in Auckland. The North Sails Auckland team will work closely with Rob Salthouse from Emirates Team New Zealand, himself a former sailmaker with years of experience in Cup competition.
The Cup made its trip over the Auckland Harbour Bridge in a 3Di fabric case specially designed and built by North Sails for its journey to London jewellers House of Garrard for a check-up last year.
The 2021 event is seeing a return to the use of more ‘traditional’ sails than the hard wingsails used in Bermuda and San Francisco, but the new America’s Cup 75 foiling monohulls will still break new ground with their innovative ‘softwing’ double-skinned mainsails.
Long-time North Sails designer Burns Fallow, who is currently embedded with Emirates Team New Zealand, was a key member of the team developing the AC 75 class rule and was instrumental in developing the new softwing system.
www.northsails.com
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’.
DROP THE DAFT IDEA
The NZ Marine Industry remains strongly opposed to the introduction of a suggested ‘Anchor Tax’ being applied to visiting superyachts.
Auckland Council proposes charging foreignflagged vessels (of over 40m in length) a GST-inclusive fee of $23/m per day to anchor in Auckland’s waters. For a 45m yacht, that would be a daily bill of $1035 for anchoring in the Hauraki Gulf – be it in the Waitemata Harbour or at Great Barrier Island.
MIA executive director Peter Busfield has expressed grave concerns to the initiator of the proposed tax – Auckland Harbourmaster Andrew Hayter – on several occasions. He has also met with the chiefs at Panuku Development Auckland, ATEED, Emirates Team New Zealand, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and key councillors – and says not one is supportive of the proposed tax. If introduced, says MIA, it understands New Zealand would be the only country worldwide operating such a system.
Busfield says both the South of France and Sardinia implemented a similar tax on foreign-flagged yachts, with devastating effect on the local economy. Both have since repealed the tax, realising it as a grave mistake as the yachts simply went elsewhere.
He says the anchor tax could drastically reduce the number of large superyachts visiting New Zealand and the loss to the local and national economy would be substantial. “The 2017 Market Economics report highlights additional business that can be expected by New Zealand’s marine and other industry sectors from Auckland hosting the 36th America’s Cup in 2021.
The major one being the expected visit of 160 superyachts, each spending on average $2.7 million providing a total spend of $436 million in New Zealand.”
He adds that there are already rumours of large superyachts concerned about the principle of the tax and their intention to take their vessels to Australia for extensive refits if the tax is introduced.
Meanwhile, in a letter to the NZ Herald, ETNZ says it fully supports Busfield’s and the NZ Marine industry’s concerns about the proposed tax, which it sees as extremely shortsighted.
As well as the Sardinia example, says ETNZ, similar moves at the America’s Cups in Valencia in 2007 and Bermuda in 2017, saw that attempts to gouge the superyacht owners meant they simply didn’t come. “Our philosophy of a fair and inclusive event not only applies to competitors but also all supporters both locally and internationally regardless of who they are.” By all estimates the demand for the 73 America’s Cup village berths will far exceed the supply, so there will be a large number of superyachts that will need to anchor around the Hauraki Gulf.
The deadline for submissions relating to the tax closed on Sunday 17 March.
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.
