Features
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Raglan, Waikato: Long Pursuit; New Home
A long, intriguing, many-fingered harbour. A serious bar.
A world-class surf break nearby. Raglan is a place par excellence for water-borne exploits....
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Attitude is everything: The John Morrison story
Sailor and entrepreneur John Morrison’s story is a real rags-to-riches one. Growing up in Lyttelton in the 1960s, he built a keeler and, aged 22, set ...
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Offshore powerboating: from timber testbeds to carbon speed machines
The story of how a six-metre wooden boat called Rems sparked a marine revolution that still echoes in every offshore powerboat.
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A fresh start for Curlew
It was in the early part of the 19th century that the quay punts of Falmouth, Cornwall, began to provide essential services – transportation of suppli...
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The perfect fit: A refit at Clevedon’s Scott Lane Boatbuilders
Boating lore is riddled with repower/refit projects that didn’t end as envisaged – usually because hidden issues scuppered the cost-benefit equation. ...
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Formula 4000 restoration: Total reform
The immaculate Formula 4000 slid slowly past me down the fairway, stopped, spun neatly on the spot and backed into its Gulf Harbour berth. “That’s a m...
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Sea Cat’s excellent adventure
Cruising is about more than island-hopping and snorkel spots. Sometimes the most memorable part is the characters you meet.
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Helping hands and scraping Chairs: A volunteer’s tale from a Dominica school
Soon after we became involved with Newtown Primary School, we befriended the French teacher, Mrs. Solange Payne, and the Principal, Jerry Coipel. Then...
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BOI swim: A personal journey
It was early spring in 2024 when the idea first came to me. I was feeling restless and needed a good outdoor project for the coming summer. I’ve alway...
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Firing up reluctant kingfish
One of the great things about kingfish is that they can be targetted in so many ways – but no matter how you fish for them, they can be frustratingly ...
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Women in sport: Kelsey Muir helms the 104th Lipton Cup winner
Sailing is often perceived as an elitist sport dominated by men, and while it is much more accessible here in New Zealand, the achievements of women c...
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A free-spirited talent: The Graeme Woodroffe story
The late Graeme Woodroffe was one of New Zealand’s best-performing helmsmen/skippers, competing in OK dinghies, IOR ton keelers, and New Zealand’s fir...
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PETREL, Raters again
From its beginnings in the 1860s the sport of yachting in New Zealand had two major streams.
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Simply the best: the Jo Aleh, MNZM, story
In a sailing career that’s
been short on financial assistance and long in determination and mental fortitude, Jo Aleh has clocked up an impressive s...
Matakana’s little ships
Matakana’s Allan Harkin has been crafting model ships for decades – a hobby that’s grown into something much larger than he ever envisaged. It’s inadv...
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Across the Strait: crossing Cook Strait in Zephyrs
About six months ago, my dad, Mike, asked if I’d be interested in crossing Cook Strait in Zephyr sailing dinghies. He said he’d been thinking about it...
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How did we get here? Kiwis’ Atlantic crossing
Kiwi sailors can be found all over the globe, cruising the world’s oceans and enjoying adventures in exotic locations. Cruising sailor Theresa Nichols...
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Hard or soft for snapper
It’s a common dilemma for many of us:
when should I use a softbait and when is it better to use a metal jig lure of some sort?
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No ramp? No problem!
Many of New Zealand’s best boating and fishing locations are miles away from sheltered launching ramps. That doesn’t put them out of reach for trailer...
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Kerikeri inlet: Flocking to history
Our Up the Creek adventure took us into history, to a place most photographed though not always as well known.
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Kokoru: A Phoenix from the ashes
Some boats are just born lucky.
Kokoru is one of those boats.
Designed and built in 1960 by legendary Picton boatbuilder Jack Morgan, she spent mo...
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A very brief history of: Marine foils
It’s tempting to think hydrofoils (like the ones in the America’s Cup and Sail GP competitions) are a relatively new phenomenon. However, the concept ...
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The Robert Brooke story
Role model
From the ashes of a cut-off boatbuilding career, Robert Brooke reinvented himself as an educator and, over a 40-year career, has positivel...
The Yates family of the Far North and their Bailey & Lowe launches Part II: Tui Silver Bell
Joseph William (Joe) Conrad, who bought the bigger Tui (now Silver Bell) from Gus Yates in 1914, often used his Māori names,
Hohepa Kanara or Hohepa...
The Catch: Let’s put this with that…
Pairing different soft-baits with specific jig-heads can significantly increase your chances of a successful fishing day.
Trailer boat adventures: Time out in Tennyson
If you enjoy a long, steep, narrow
and winding road trip, then
Tennyson Inlet could be the perfect trailer boating destination for you. Located in...
Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2025: Wooden show time
The Australian Wooden Boat Festival is held every two years in Hobart and is often described as the biggest celebration of wooden boats in the Souther...
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Electric vs Petrol outboards: Not so fast
Should we replace our petrol outboards with electrics? New research
says no, and that over their full cradle-to-grave lifespan it is internal combus...
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The Yates family of the far north and their Bailey & Lowe launches
The Yates family had extensive holdings in the Far North around the turn of the 20th century. Samuel Yates was born in London in 1826. His father was ...
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Personal Water Craft (‘jetskis’)
Welcome to ‘A very brief history of…’ researching the history of everyday marine technology, innovation and events kiwi boaties love (or loathe).
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Dynamic duo: The John and Linda Parrish story
Race management is one of those critical jobs that has to be done just right and where accuracy is everything. With more than 43 years of experience, ...
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Gone to the dark side: Our journey from sail to power – part 2
Ted Dixon and his partner Jenny Johnson spent eight years cruising the Caribbean and North America, as well as the South Pacific, most recently five m...
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excel-lent refurbishment
It’s glorious powerboat weather and ideal for an impromptu speed test
of the Upfold 40 launch, Excel. The launch’s owner/driver has a grin from ear ...
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Adventure jet-boating: Alpine charge!
New Zealand has a rich jet-boating heritage and, since their invention, jet boats have evolved in construction type, hull shape and power. Over recent...
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Moth restoration: The Moth At 71
On a beautifully sunny spring day
with a steady 10-knot wind, I was at
the Takapuna Beach boat ramp, chatting with a young sailor launching his I...
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Fishing gear that multi-tasks
So many different fishing techniques are used on such a wide variety of fish species these days, that many of them require specialist rods and reels f...
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Kitset boats: Rekindling a culture
Want a simple, inexpensive pathway to becoming a boatie?
Consider building a kitset vessel. It’s an easy solo project but will bring greater rewards...
Historic rivalry rekindled at 2025 Australian Wooden Boat Festival
But what occurred back in the 1930s? Who won the race between Ngataki and Te Rapunga?
When the inaugural trans-Tasman race commenced from Auckland on...
Entries open for the 80th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Registrations are now open for the 80th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race held on Boxing Day 2025
Pacific Rim Marine Surveys Ltd
Being both a boat builder and sailor gives Marine Surveyor James Newcombe a distinct advantage when it comes to understanding what to look for when conducting Pre Purchase Inspections, Surveys and Pr...
36° Brokers
Where latitude meets lifestyle
At 36° south, a line of latitude crosses the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans, symbolically bisecting New Zealand’s North Island. This global connection inspi...
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1975 Alan Mummery Ketch
The 1975 Alan Mummery Ketch is a classic, craftsman-built 12.2m (40-foot) timber cruising yacht with a robust three-skin kauri hull and centre cockpit layout.
1949 Curnow & Wilton trawler
A classic 13-metre timber trawler, Santa Maria blends rugged heritage with cosy liveaboard comfort—ready for her next adventure.