It was supposed to be a routine handover of a brand new FC600CA, the Fin Chaser 600 Cuddy Cabin Amphibious. A calm morning, a new boat, a proud new owner learning the ropes. But that first outing quickly turned into a sea rescue straight out of a movie.
Fin Chaser Boats founder Ross Christensen and new owner Ian were cruising off Mahurangi West, running through the handover checklist, when a police helicopter, Eagle One, dropped low over the water ahead of them. Its crew began gesturing toward open sea.
“At first we thought they were just doing a flyby,” Ross recalls, “but then they waved us further out — that’s when we knew something was wrong.”
They throttled up, following Eagle One several kilometres offshore until it began hovering above a small speck in the chop. As they drew closer, the scene became clear — an overturned kayak and a lone man clinging to it.
Ross dropped the amphibious wheels into the water and manoeuvred alongside while Ian pulled the exhausted kayaker onboard, and collected his kayak. The kayaker was cold, disoriented, and showing early signs of hypothermia. The pair stripped off his wet gear, wrapped him in dry layers, and radioed Eagle One on VHF 16 to confirm he was safe.
Minutes later, they were heading for Sullivan Bay, where an ambulance was waiting. The FC600CA’s amphibious system proved its worth. The team rolled effortlessly up the sand so Ross and Ian could deliver Alister straight to emergency crews.
Police later confirmed a light aircraft had first spotted the capsized kayak, setting off a chain reaction of air and sea coordination. “It was a real team effort,” said Ross. “The pilot, the helicopter crew, everyone worked together perfectly. We just happened to be in the right place, with the right boat.”
It’s estimated the kayaker may have had only thirty more minutes in the water before the cold overcame him. Thanks to quick thinking and the Fin Chaser’s versatility, he made a full recovery.
The FA600CA is built in Hamilton and powered by the Anura Amphibious System, designed for exactly this kind of versatility; launching, landing, and reacting fast when it counts. It’s the same philosophy that drove Ross Christensen to start FC Boats in 2011: building tough, clever aluminium boats for real New Zealand conditions.
This time, that design didn’t just make a great handover, it helped save a life.
