It’s always a bit of an effort launching into a new work year, and to be honest, starting back to prepare this magazine for publication felt quite brutal. A couple of weeks’ break punctuated with the usual family and social commitments around Christmas simply didn’t feel long enough to truly unwind.
We stayed home for the holidays, which is when Auckland empties out, becoming a nicer place that’s much easier to get around, with a vibe that is far more relaxed. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t great, so the boat only got wet a couple of times, and there wasn’t much beachgoing either. And as always, the wind stopped blowing and the weather turned hot and sunny as soon as we headed back to the office! Oh well! So, welcome to the February 2026 issue of Boating New Zealand magazine. This year in August we will celebrate 40 years of publication with issue #480. Boating New Zealand’s very first issue was August 1986, and we haven’t missed one since – not even during the first Covid 19 lockdown in 2020, when face-to-face contacts were severely curtailed, movements restricted, and the printers temporarily shut down. Our May 2020 edition was smaller than usual and two weeks late, but it was delivered, unlike many other monthly publications that year.
In this issue you’ll find the usual eclectic mix of content, from new boat reviews to refits and repowers, interesting destinations, travel, boating history, fishing, boating and industry news, new products, retrospectives, and more. Please enjoy – and be sure to check out the Boating New Zealand website, where we continually publish exclusive and timely content daily that doesn’t make the magazine, along with everything that does.
On a more sombre note, we have learned that industry stalwart Ron Brown passed away in early January. He was living on Queensland’s Gold Coast, to where he had retired some years ago.
Boating New Zealand would like to acknowledge Ron’s contribution to New Zealand’s marine industry, with which he was deeply involved most of his working life. Ron was a leading figure at Epiglass in New Zealand in the 1980s and later took on senior leadership roles with Altex and the wider Resene Group across New Zealand and Australia.
As Chairman of the Marine Industry Association’s Refit Sector Group, he worked tirelessly to promote New Zealand as a credible, high-quality destination for superyacht refit and maintenance. He was one of the driving forces behind the development of standards, codes, and practices that hugely boosted the refit sector’s contribution to the national economy.
Always willing to help others, Ron is remembered by ex-colleagues and friends for his professionalism, generosity with his knowledge, and his unfailing sense of fairness. His influence extended well beyond any single company or role.
Our thoughts are with Ron’s wife, Anne, and his extended family.
John Eichelsheim
Editor
Editor
