Latest Antiques & Classics
Chillin’ in Taupō: NZ Retro Boats mid-winter meet-up
Scheduled for Saturday 23 August, the latest NZ Retro Boats event—titled Chillin’ in Taupō—will see a convoy of classic fibreglass powerboats launching from the Three Mile Bay boat ramp at 10am. From ...
Chillin’ in Taupō: NZ Retro Boats mid-winter meet-up
Scheduled for Saturday 23 August, the latest NZ Retro Boats event—titled Chillin’ in Taupō—will see a convoy of classic fibreglass powerboats launching from the Three Mile Bay boat ramp at 10am. From ...
The New Zealand Raters – Export
In December 1898 a major yachting event was held in Auckland, the first with any true international content. The North Shore Native Regatta and Carnival was held alongside the Auckland Industrial and ...
The New Zealand Raters – Export
In December 1898 a major yachting event was held in Auckland, the first with any true international content. The North Shore Native Regatta and Carnival was held alongside the Auckland Industrial and ...
A spectacular showcase of classic boating at Lake Rotoiti
The 2025 NZ Antique and Classic Boat Show at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes, was nothing short of spectacular. With more than 150 beautifully maintained vessels on display, the event was a celebration of ...
A spectacular showcase of classic boating at Lake Rotoiti
The 2025 NZ Antique and Classic Boat Show at Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes, was nothing short of spectacular. With more than 150 beautifully maintained vessels on display, the event was a celebration of ...
Farr reaching success: The Farr 1020 story
One of the most successful one-design keelers in New Zealand has been the Farr 1020. Designed by Bruce Farr and his team in 1981 and built by Sea Nymph Boats,
this is the Farr 1020 story.
Farr reaching success: The Farr 1020 story
One of the most successful one-design keelers in New Zealand has been the Farr 1020. Designed by Bruce Farr and his team in 1981 and built by Sea Nymph Boats,
this is the Farr 1020 story.
Article
Classic yachts (and launches) as ‘Protected New Zealand Objects’
Formed in the mid-1990s, The Classic Yacht Association was at the forefront of protecting classic yachts from unlawful export from New Zealand. New Z...
Article
Brest Maritime Festival 2024: World classics extravaganza
Every four years since the 1990s, Brittany’s largest port, Brest, has played host to a gathering of traditional craft from around the world. Over time...
Exclusive
James Bond would have been very pleased with the NZ Retro Boats gathering 2024 at Lake Tarawera
This past weekend, the shimmering waters of Lake Tarawera just outside of Rotorua were alive with nostalgia, as the NZ Retro Boats Lake Tarawera Gathe...
Arakana and Tamariki Jnr Standing Out from the Crowd
Passionate, enthusiastic boat owners and their devotees were everywhere you looked at the inaugural Wooden Boat Festival, held in Auckland’s Jellicoe ...
Gybe-O; The storms and sun rays of my days
D. Ault Salt closed his eyes, tugged his grey beard, and thought: Life is good.
Bill Couldrey Part 6: World War II
Under the shadow of likely war with Germany on the other side of the globe, 1939 was a very full year for Bill Couldrey’s yard.
One man and his boats: Harold George; Victory and the Norfolk Island adventure
By December 1928 the brothers Harold and Geoff George had the reputation of being game sailors, with a good sea-boat in Victory. They sailed her hard,...
HAROLD GEORGE: Celox and Victory
With connections to the Couldrey family and growing up in Northcote on Auckland’s North Shore, Harold George could hardly escape becoming a fine seama...
ONE FAMILY’S BOATING JOURNEY – How much power?
On land it is easy to forget about power and often we (particularly our teenagers) aren’t concerned about leaving lights on in unoccupied rooms, or le...
Mystic Miss: Forgotten Warrior
In 1969, offshore powerboat racing was about to break away from competing in production recreational runabouts.
VINTAGE VIEW – ONE MAN AND HIS BOATS; HARRY JENKINS, PART3 – Wartime Pacific cruises
Harry Jenkins could trace his ancestry through his mother’s side back to Sir Francis Drake. His new yacht, Golden Hind, the biggest private yacht yet ...
ONE MAN AND HIS BOATS; HARRY JENKINS, PART 2 – The golden years
After Shenandoah was launched in December 1929, Harry Jenkins had little time to enjoy his wonderful new launch peacefully. Two months before, the wor...
ONE MAN AND HIS BOATS; HARRY JENKINS, PART 1. Strictly business
Harry Reginald Jenkins was a prominent Auckland businessman, launch owner and yachtsman for 30 years from 1916.
Harry was born in Eltham, Taranaki,...
GEORGE DIBBERN; THE 1934 TRANS-TASMAN RACE PT 111 / Te Rapunga versus Ngataki
At North Head, Te Rapunga led Ngataki by half a mile and drew steadily away in the broad lead up the coast into a rising easterly. Te Rapunga last sig...
GEORGE DIBBERN; THE 1934 TRANSTASMAN RACE / Symbol of freedom
The moment they arrived in March 1934 George Dibbern and Te Rapunga were good news in Auckland. George seemed to be a new face of Germany; not the com...
Rotoiti Wooden Boat Parade
The Classic Wooden Boat Association’s 25th annual boat parade and fun weekend is scheduled for February 4, 2022, Waitangi Weekend. The organisers woul...
The yacht a town built – Pleiades pride
Noel Priar was a boatman until the end. Even in his 80s, his rheumy old eyes would get a gleam on when someone dropped by to talk boats, or another re...
THE HARRY POPE STORY – Lived his dream
Many of Auckland’s boating community were saddened to hear that boatbuilder, surveyor and sailor Harry Pope had recently passed the bar. Fortunately, ...
Images reflect ocean’s anguish
Britain’s Mandy Barker is an international award-winning photographer raising awareness about plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, highlighting it...
CALLIOPE SEA SCOUTS’ CENTENARY Scouting for the generations
Founded in June 1921 at HMS Philomel, the Devonport Naval Base, Calliope Sea Scouts Troop is the oldest surviving Sea Scout troop in New Zealand. I ac...
The largest square-rigger
At some future point when Covid allows cruise enthusiasts back on board, you might want to check out the just-launched Golden Horizon. At 525ft long (...
THE JIM LOTT STORY Lifelong voyage
Jim Lott’s had a diverse career – teaching navigation and seamanship, helping establish boating regulations, advising national bodies and countless 10...
TRIPLE HAPPY
Words Alex Stone, Photos Lesley Stone.
Here’s a story of a boat and a bloke that couldn’t be kept apart. Even after two trial separations. N...
The beauty of junk
There are books and then there are dangerous books. Dangerous books cannot be forgotten and can change your life. Sailor/author Annie Hill wrote a dan...
Bill Couldrey – Nancye to Little Jim
Bill Couldrey came ashore in 1931 from his job as ship’s carpenter on the Government Island steamer Maui Pomare – and despite the difficult times quic...
The Duck that wouldn’t die
The little clinker’s been fitted with numerous propulsion systems over the years but, tantalisingly, the research suggests she was first electrically-...
Frostbites & Christmas cruises
I recently bought a photograph album on TradeMe with some cracking 1940s–1950s images of Frostbites. But who were the people in the pics and what stor...
Expect the unusual
Kiwis short of ‘staycation’ ideas should check out the NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show. Held annually since 1999 at Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lake...
Ethel–John Street again!
John Street has been personally responsible for the saving and superb restorations of many of our classic yachts, both from the Logan and Bailey stabl...
THE SPANISH FLU OF 1918 Lest we forget
It’s a grim fact that the current Covid-19 epidemic is just the latest in the waves of pandemics that have swept through humanity regularly since reco...
Austin Powered
Low, sleek and powerful, an Austin-Healey sports car is a rare classic – prized by collectors all over the world. But rarer still – particularly in Ne...
The Jagger brothers & John Burns
When Capt. John Carrick Hewson was drowned off his steamer Waitoa at Clevedon in 1896, his wife Ellen was left with eight children aged between 2 and ...
Ida sails again
Around 125 years after she was first launched in Auckland, the 1895 58-foot gaff-rigged racer Ida is back on the Waitemata Harbour, sleek and gleaming...
The Hewsons part 2: The Jagger brothers & John Burns
When Capt. John Carrick Hewson was drowned off his steamer Waitoa at Clevedon in 1896, his wife Ellen was left with eight children aged between 2 and ...
The oldest outboard
A reader came across an article in our September 2019 issue about members of the Antique Outboard Motor Club Incorporated (AOMCI) and the origins of t...
Leading the way
The Hewson family had a major involvement in the development of the sport of yachting in Auckland from the latter part of the 19th century until well ...
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HOT OFF THE PRESS
Cowes Torquay Cowes offshore powerboat race: timeless endurance
The Cowes Torquay Cowes Offshore Powerboat Race 2025 returns, testing crews with endurance, speed, a...
52 Super Series Puerto Portals 2025: Kiwi Nick Egnot-Johnston shows good form at the helm of Alpha+ ...
American Magic dominate Day 4 and Day 5 of the 52 Super Series Puerto Portals 2025, rivals battle fi...
Biotherm stay perfect in Cartagena as Leg 2 delivers another twist
The Ocean Race 2025 saw Biotherm claim victory in Leg 2 The Ocean Race 2025, sweeping every stage so...
Rotorua 4X4 fishing hunting expo delivers a local flavour
Rotorua delivers a show that captures the best of New Zealand’s provincial traditions
Leaders stall as chasers surge: Mediterranean throws 2025 Ocean Race wide open
The Mediterranean has undone favourites before, and Leg 2 to Cartagena is proving no exception — a ...
New SEAKEEPER RIDE products
Seakeeper has announced the launch of five new Seakeeper Ride products, making complete underway sta...
Boatgear Marine Wholesale
Tenob Wholesale Marine has officially rebranded and will be trading under the new name Boatgear Mari...
Radio over IP upgrade for Nelson Coastguard
Coastguard Nelson has upgraded to a digital Tait DMR T3 network, also upgrading their dispatch to an...
ZeroJet upgrades electric jet system
ZeroJet has introduced an upgraded 22kW (30hp equivalent) electric jet system. What was previously a...
Cannes Yachting Festival 2025: glamour, innovation, and Kiwi connections
A festival of light and luxury
September in Cannes has its own rhythm. The Mediterranean sun glin...
52 Super Series Puerto Portals 2025: Alegre lead, Sled fight back, American Magic in chase
Alegre and Sled upset the order at Puerto Portals, while American Magic chase consistency in the tig...
Ocean Race Europe 2025: Biotherm’s perfect run challenged on the road to Cartagena
Biotherm’s flawless Ocean Race Europe record continues, but fierce lead changes and tactical gambles...
Honouring a legacy, building for the future: Coastguard Riverton’s Russell John Chisholm II launched...
The Southland coastline is beautiful but unforgiving. On Saturday, the Riverton community came toget...
New Zealand skiers set for Belgium at the 2025 IWWF World Waterski Racing Championships
Kiwi team heads to the world stage
All eyes will turn to Belgium this August as New Zealand fields ...
Solo ocean crossing prep and survival
The other week, Sea People Live welcomed Lauren Landers for an uncut hour of questions and stories a...
Sunshine in the south, showers in the north: New Zealand’s boating weather outlook
Clear skies and calm seas beckon in the South Island, while showers and rising winds dampen prospect...
Warwick Lupton returns to the wheel for HRL finale in Beauharnois
A New Zealand legend of hydroplane racing, Warwick Lupton, steps in for the championship-leading GP5...
Starlink standby mode offers savings and safety for boaties
New NZD 10/month option gives part-time users unlimited low-speed data with instant reactivation
Leopard 45 vs Leopard 46 catamaran comparison: choosing between two generations of bluewater cruisin...
Explore our Leopard 45 vs Leopard 46 catamaran comparison, from design and performance to interiors,...
From Holy Ship to Heavy Metal
Surtees offers buyers a chance at the ultimate VIP fishing adventure
Sealegs CEO Dave Larsen appointed to lead global growth and innovation
Sealegs welcomes Dave Larsen as CEO, bringing proven leadership, marine industry expertise, and a bo...
Mercury’s V10 power play: new 425hp Verado and faster 350hp Verado
Mercury Racing’s new V10 Verado 350 and 400 combine smooth refinement, powerful performance, and adv...
Duck boat blind: building concealment on the water
Explore DIY and kitset boat blinds.
IBEX 2025 education conference: where the marine industry learns and leads
IBEX 2025 unveils a packed education conference with seminars, tech talks, and student career events...
Iron Boats: Swedish-built, NZ-ready
Family Boats brings IRON’s rugged yet refined open boats to New Zealand shores.
Fresh canvas, clear views: practical boat care for comfort afloat
Keep your boat’s canvas, clears, and upholstery fresh with simple cleaning habits. Practical tips fo...
Cook Strait ferries face cancellations as rough weather batters strait
Strong southerly swells force service disruptions for both Bluebridge and Interislander, leaving pas...
RORC announces dates for 2027 Admiral’s Cup, building on spectacular comeback
London, UK – 19th August 2025. Following the outstanding success of its much-anticipated revival th...
Rayglass ‘R Edition’ Protector Range
Rayglass Boats has unveiled the all-new Protector R Edition range, a bold evolution of its iconic hi...
Ben Vickery from Marine Decking Solutions
Marine Decking Solutions founder Ben Vickery has been in the boat-building industry for 18 years, wi...
Yamaha CrossWave: redefining the personal watercraft
Yamaha’s CrossWave is the first walkaround personal watercraft, blending fishing, cruising, and adve...
Australian Offshore Superboat Championship 2025/26 season calendar announced
Australia’s premier offshore powerboat series returns with four action-packed rounds, building on mo...
Ken Lupton takes on the Top O’ Michigan Marathon Nationals
From Tonawanda to Northern Michigan, New Zealand’s GP champion proves his grit on the marathon circu...
Grand Prix America points and San Diego Bayfair preview
After four rounds, the GP hydroplane season heads for San Diego Bayfair, a festival with a touch ove...
Sean McColl: 30 years Building Stabi relationships
Stabicraft Marine’s Sean McColl recently celebrated 30 years of service with the Invercargill-based ...
ePropulsion partners with Power Equipment
ePropulsion, the global leader in marine electric propulsion systems and services, announced today i...
Kiwi firm Fischer Panda generators enters the Australian market
Enertec Marine, the long-time New Zealand distributor of German-made Fischer Panda generators, has a...
Quick Thrusters get Mercury Marine integration
As of last month, Mercury Joystick Piloting system is fully compatible with applicable Quick Nautica...
After 26 years on Cook Strait, Interislander ferry Aratere retires
After 26 years on Cook Strait, Interislander ferry Aratere retires. Built in Spain, lengthened in Si...
Blue economy delivers high values for Australian boating
Australia’s new National Recreational Boating Statement forecasts 1M boats and $20B spend by 2030.
NZ Events Worth Adding to Your Calendar
Have an event you'd like to list on Boating New Zealand. Contact us with the details.
FISHING
Hook Me Up Fishing Competition - Matakana vs Hillside, 7 Mar 2025 in Whakatane
The Kubota Billfish Classic, 12 - 15 Mar 2025 in Mercury Bay, Whitianga
ITM Fishing Competition, 13 - 16 Mar 2025 in Whangaroa
NZ Lure Masters (Catch, Measure and Release competition), 3 & 4 Oct 2025, New Zealand wide
REGATTAS
Toyota Youth International Match Racing Cup, 26 Feb - 4 Mar 2025 in Auckland
PIC Harbour Classic, 28 Feb - 1 Mar 2025 in Auckland
Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race 2025, starting 11 Oct 2025 TBC from Sydney Harbour
PIC Insurance Brokers Coastal Classic, 24 Oct 2025 TBC from Auckland to Russell
Rolex Sydney to Hobart, 26 Dec 2025 starts in Sydney, Australia
HYDRO THUNDER
JET BOAT RACING
2025 NZ Marathon Coast-to-Coast, 16 to 25 Mar 2025 starting at Greymouth ad finishing at Christchurch
WATERSPORTS
IWWF University Nationals (waterskiing), 26 February to 2 March Orakei Basin, Auckland
MEET UPS
Bay of Plenty Trailer Yacht Cruising Rally, Easter 2025 at Lake Rotoiti, BOP
SHOWS
Moana Auckland - New Zealand's Ocean Festival, 27 Jan to 9 Mar 2025 in Auckland
Auckland Boat Show, 6 - 9 Mar 2025 to be held at the Viaduct Events Centre and Jellicoe Harbour, Auckland
The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, 15-18 May 2025 to be held at the Viaduct Events Centre and Jellicoe Harbour, Auckland
NZ Boat, Fish and Dive Show, 30 & 31 Aug 2025 to be held at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Waipa
NEWS TIPS?
Send your photos, videos, stories, and tip-offs to ahoy@boatingnz.co.nz or call us on 022-023-7507.