Kirsten Thomas

1204 POSTS
Kirsten enjoys sailing and is a passionate writer based in coastal New Zealand. Combining her two passions, she crafts vivid narratives and insightful articles about sailing adventures, sharing her experiences and knowledge with fellow enthusiasts.
Evene Tenders Origin 57. // Photo supplied.
Boating News

Williams Jet Tenders and Evene Tenders head to Fort Lauderdale for US debutes of TurboJet MX range a...

Williams Jet Tenders and sister brand Evene Tenders are set to make a strong sho...
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Coastguard Gisborne volunteers brought an injured solo sailor safely into port after an 11 hour rescue off Māhia Peninsula. // Photo courtesy Coastguard New Zealand
Coastguard Rescues

Māhia yacht rescue brings injured solo sailor safely to Gisborne

Coastguard Gisborne volunteers spent 11 hours helping an injured skipper return ...
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Boating News

Honda Marine takes its outboards to five North Island demo days

North Island · Spring 2026 On the water · Five locations ...
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Tai Tam earlier at the Bay of Islands Marina - Opua. // Photo courtesy Bay of Islands Marina - Opua
Safety & Education

Whale strike sinks Ōpua-bound yacht on return passage from Fiji

An RNZAF P-8A Poseidon located the four crew of Tai Tam, including a New Zealand...
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Gulfland Marine changes hands after 29 years. // Photo courtesy Gulfland Marine
Boating News

Gulfland Marine enters a new era after 29 years with the Lewises

Craig and Tess Lewis have handed the Stanmore Bay dealership, where Jay MacDonal...
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World Sailing Inclusion Championships // Photo credit Gonçalo Melo
World Sailing Inclusion Championships

Record fleet starts racing in Portimão as para sailing awaits a Paralympic decision

Forty nations, new boats and a Wellington father-and-son crew line up at the sec...
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This StabiX 250UCC was configured around its owner’s needs, combining a walkaround layout with equipment and features selected for how the boat will be used. // Photo courtesy StabiX.
Boats

StabiX launches first amphibious 250UCC walkaround

Invercargill amphibious boatbuilder StabiX has completed its first 250UCC, expan...
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The fleet has the 2026 Roy McDell Memorial Cup.
Roy McDell Memorial Cup

Equilibrium takes Roy McDell double as Wired wins on the water

Rob Bassett's Wired was first home in under four hours, Graham Matthews' Equilib...
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Kawau Boating Club // Photo credit: Kawau Boating Club
Spring Splash

Four days in Bon Accord Harbour to open the summer

As the Coastal Classic fleet heads for Russell on 23 October, a smaller fleet wi...
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Lake Karapiro during powerboating event. // Photo credit: Kirsten Thomas
Environmental & Sustainability News

Funding injection approved for aquatic weed control at Lake Karāpiro

Waikato Regional Council will give aquatic pest plant control at Lake Karāpiro a...
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Boat gear

Scanstrut to debut wireless-powered navigation light at IBEX

A Perko all-round pole light plugs into a Scanstrut base with no metal-on-metal ...
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OceanLed Sport Mini. // Photo courtesy OeanLed
Boat gear

OceanLED goes smaller with new Sport Mini underwater light

The new 1,500-lumen surface-mount light weighs 150g and swaps the Sport Series' ...
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The Beneteau Flyer 30 sits just offshore, its shallow-water access making it easy to move between the boat and the beach. // Photo courtesy Beneteau
Boating News

Beneteau unveils Flyer 30 day boat

Beneteau
The 9.22 m twin-outboard boat has had its Americas premieres at Newport and head...
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Simrad brings NEON OS 2.5 to NSO 4. // Photo courtesy Simrad
Boat gear

Simrad brings NEON OS 2.5 to NSO 4, adds ActiveTarget and Power-Pole integration

The update also brings native CZone control, expanded Mercury and Yamaha engine ...
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All new and raring to go. The Dragonfly is an exhilarating performer. // Photo credit: Kevin Green
Events

Dragonfly marks 60 years with 2027 anniversary gathering

Danish trimaran builder Quorning Boats has set dates for a special edition of it...
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Fishing & Diving

Tarakihi catch limits slashed as minister moves to rebuild stocks

Commercial catch limits for tarakihi have been cut by up to 55 per cent and a na...
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Princess X90 // Photo courtesy Princess Yachts
Boats

New Princess X90 hull claims a 10% power saving

The first X90, Jenny X, made her physical debut at Cannes in September, two year...
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Batavia sails through central Amsterdam. 650-tonne 17th-century ship replica moved into dry dock for final voyage ashore. // Photo courtesy Museum Batavialand
Boating News

650-tonne 17th-century ship replica moved into dry dock for final voyage ashore

The 1628 VOC ship reconstruction has been afloat for 31 years. Now engineers hav...
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Clockwork in Richmond YC's 2026 Spring Regatta, the first event of the 2026 Doyle Sails Gold Cup. // Photo courtesy Richmond Yacht Club
Doyle Sails Gold Cup Series

Clockwork edges Equilibrium on handicap as Doyle Sails Gold Cup Series opens at Richmond YC

The five-race Doyle Sails Gold Cup Series is under way, with defending...
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2026 Spring Regatta (Richmond Yacht Club) from onboard General Lee. // Photo credit: Bevan Hill (courtesy Josh Tucker).
Spring Regatta

Building south-westerly tests Spring Regatta fleet around Waiheke

Twenty-seven boats headed out for Richmond Yacht Club’s Spring Regatta on Saturd...
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Whitianga's Esplanade ramp. // Photo courtesy Waikato Regional Council
Boating News

Whitianga’s Esplanade ramp closed for dredging

Boaties who use the Whitianga Esplanade Boat Ramp will need to work around a thr...
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Southern Pacific Boats takes Kiwi RIBs onto the Olympic stage. // Photo credit: Beau Outteridge
Boating News

Kiwi RIBs to power Australian sailing’s Olympic push

Southern Pacific Boats, the Kumeu-based inflatable manufacturer, has secured a s...
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SACS 5S // Photo courtesy SACS Marine
Boats

Sacs adds a third design strand with Hyper 5S

Italian builder Sacs, whose Strider and Rebel ranges already move between maxi-R...
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Workboats head toward Manhattan to assist with evacuations on Sept. 11, 2001. // Photo credit: New York Council of the Navy League
History

All available boats answered the call on 9/11

Twenty five years ago, ferries, tugs, fishing boats, fireboats and private vesse...
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Boats

Ducati marks 100 years with a 1,500hp Pirelli 44

Ducati is celebrating 100 years with a move onto the water. SACS Marine and Duca...
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Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup - Grand Prix Day 4 // Photo credit; Studio Borlenghi
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

A week of shifting Sardinian breeze ends in six champions

The 36th Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup opened in Porto Cervo under light easterly breeze ...
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Xavier with his crew mate and Dad, Paul Doney. // Photo courtesy RPAYC media
World Sailing Inclusion Championships

Kiwi champion Xervier Doney returns to world stage

Xervier Doney will return to international competition this October, confirmed t...
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Nelson's harbourmaster team has spent two days on the water with Raglan based water safety educator Mark Haimona, focusing on jet ski operations ahead of the summer boating season. // Nelson Harbour Master
Safety & Education

Nelson Harbours team completes jet ski training with veteran educator

Nelson's Harbours team has completed two days of training in personal watercraft...
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Garmin GMI 40 // Photo courtesy Garmin
Boat gear

Garmin’s GMI 40 brings clarity back to the helm

The GMI 40 is a dedicated instrument display, not a chartplotter. It displays re...
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Jack Lupton (R) // Photo credit: Jack Lupton Motorsport
Lucas Oil Hydro Thunder NZ Series

Four codes shape New Zealand’s powerboat racing season

Hydroplanes at more than 250km/h, offshore boats racing around the coast, jetspr...
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// Photo credit: YCCS / Young Azzurra
Boating News

Five Kiwis spread through three classes at Porto Cervo

Five New Zealand sailors hold afterguard or tactical...
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Mercury BlueNav hybrid outboard retrofit propulsion. // Photo courtesy BlueNav
Boat gear

Mercury and BlueNav trial a retrofit hybrid outboard

A joint demonstration at Cannes keeps a 250hp petrol outboard in place and adds ...
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The Jeanneau EX 34 range // Courtesy Jeanneau
Boats

Jeanneau launches new EX 34 motorboat range

The French builder's new EX line debuts with a Hardtop and Cabin version, built ...
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Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup

Five Kiwis spread through three classes at Porto Cervo

Five New Zealand sailors hold afterguard or tact...
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RAZJAREN (CRO867) - Ante Cesic, Lukasz Podniesinski, Tonci Knezovic, Ljubo Jercic and Antonio Milisic - Melges 24 European Champions 2026 - Melges 24 European Championship 2026 - Tønsberg, Norway. Photo credit: Trond Teigen SailLogic.jpg
Melges 24

Melges 24 Europeans mark 30 years with familiar champion

Ante Cesic defended his European title in Tønsberg as the championship marked th...
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Taihoro sailing at 50 knots /// AC75 America's Cup training
America's Cup

Why the AC75 hull is now a fuselage, not a hull

Naval architect Juan Kouyoumdjian, unattached to any team this cycle, explains w...
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50 Years of Hilux
Boat Business

Toyota New Zealand marks 50 years of Hilux

Since arriving in New Zealand in 1976, the Hilux has become a trusted part of Ki...
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SailGP Valencia 2026
SailGP 2026

Valencia showed just how quickly SailGP fortunes can turn

Tom Slingsby had this one won. The final started in barely 7.5 knots of breez...
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America's Cup

A backroom deal that kept Dennis Conner alive

Thirty years ago, a defender trial in San Diego produced a result few expected. ...
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Highfield ADV7 // Photo courtesy Highfield Boats
Events

Dutch Boat of the Year 2026 winners announced at Hiswa te Water

The 2026 Dutch Boat of the Year Awards have been presented in Lelystad, with the...
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