Latest DIY Boating
Ponsonby Cruising Club hosts a rare look into plywood performance and racing history: Spencer’s radical vision
From tomorrow (24 July) to 14 August, Ponsonby Cruising Club invites members and visitors to step back into a golden era of Kiwi yacht design with Hard Chine, a curated display of original drawings, h...
Ponsonby Cruising Club hosts a rare look into plywood performance and racing history: Spencer’s radical vision
From tomorrow (24 July) to 14 August, Ponsonby Cruising Club invites members and visitors to step back into a golden era of Kiwi yacht design with Hard Chine, a curated display of original drawings, h...
Form & Float: Building boats, building memories
From backyard builds to weekend adventures, this Kiwi-made kitset boat company is making waves with hands-on boating for everyone.
Form & Float: Building boats, building memories
From backyard builds to weekend adventures, this Kiwi-made kitset boat company is making waves with hands-on boating for everyone.
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 if tackled by a family or community group. Guaran...
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 if tackled by a family or community group. Guaran...
BYO Elliot 1150 Tourer: The perfect yacht
Every so often
I hit the self-destruct button and decide to build a boat, well aware of the commitment in time and money. That’s because
the boats I want to own simply don’t exist.
BYO Elliot 1150 Tourer: The perfect yacht
Every so often
I hit the self-destruct button and decide to build a boat, well aware of the commitment in time and money. That’s because
the boats I want to own simply don’t exist.
What a hoot! Tai Mate: A whimsical dinghy with a retro twist
You're not imagining something out of a children's storybook. This quirky vessel, owned by retro-boat enthusiast Barry Anderson, is a 9ft (2.7-metre) ...
Wash it off: DIY Anchor and Deck Wash System
Once an anchor digs through this stuff it will usually hold well; the trouble is, upon weighing, half the bottom usually comes up as well, glued to th...
Re-propping my outboards
When it comes to choosing propellers for any boat, a fair amount of trial and error is required to get the performance you want.
DIY Descaling
An overheating secondhand outboard needed descaling and flushing to unclog its cooling passages. Norman undertook the task himself.
DiveCat relaunched
“Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are busy doing it” – George Bernard Shaw
New antifouling
The marine environment generally contains a profusion of life. Nothing can be left immersed in salt water without it quickly becoming covered in marin...
New antifouling
The marine environment generally contains a profusion of life. Nothing can be left immersed in salt water without it quickly becoming covered in marin...
Flooring decisions and application; Covering the sole
One of the last major interior decorating decisions I have made is choosing the most appropriate floor covering for the main cabin – the ‘sole’. Optio...
The freshwater system
Last issue we covered the installation of the toilet and holding tank, also known as the black water system. The final plumbing project is to implemen...
Rewiring your boat
Fully rewiring a boat is an expensive exercise, as I am discovering during my rebuild project. Even a modest amount of new cable can cost a fair amoun...
Getting into hot water
A few months ago, I wrote about the design and installation of a new galley layout for my boat Divecat. During that process I installed a new hot wate...
Article
Drumming up an anchor
Every boat, regardless of its size or purpose, should be equipped with a reliable anchoring system. This ensures safety and stability when the vessel...
Galley design & construction – Designing a galley: Sink, hob and hot water supply
One of the benefits of being a part-time boat reviewer is that from time to time I get to experience other people’s boats, and I get to see the latest...
Heald trawler yacht
Designed for a couple, with a large workshop for Brad and a dedicated writing nook for Sapi, it will be their forever home.
Marine Refrigeration: Chill out
Almost every type of boat-use story has some requirement for keeping stuff cool.
Seeing clearly – Part II
Last month we replaced the front windows of Divecat, using extruded aluminium window frames and the original toughened glass windowpanes held in by nu...
Seeing clearly
The design of recreational boat windows has evolved over the years, as have the materials used.
Steering in the right direction
Now that we have fitted the two replacement outboards to Divecat, together with their Vibrastop anti-vibration system, the next item on the agenda is ...
Sticking it to aluminium
Epoxy and aluminium are not usually good bedfellows. Enter Belzona with its range of specialist products. Even stripped threads can be repaired.
No more bad vibes
One of the advantages of an aluminium boat is the rigidity of the hull. While there may be a small amount of flex, depending on the design, for the mo...
Getting hot under the collar
An overheating boat engine can have many causes, but one of the first things to check is the health of the heat exchanger.
The hull cleanup
Cleaning off old coatings from a boat’s hull is no easy task, especially if they are years old, made up of a variety of materials and several layers t...
Fitting a shower cubicle
One of the benefits of stripping a boat back to the bare hull is that you can redesign the layout to correct any annoying shortcomings in the previous...
Bilge pump disaster
Is you bilge pump installation up to moving a large volume of water out of your hull should the need arise?
Dealing with calcification
Last issue we covered the affliction of corrosion, but boats that remain in the water for long periods suffer from the reverse problem – calcification...
Rust never sleeps
According to the musician Neil Young, “Rust Never Sleeps”. Young must have been a boat owner, because certainly rust, or more generically corrosion, n...
Fitting a steering indicator
One of the useful, but not necessarily essential, gauges on the helm of a boat is an indicator showing which way the rudder is pointing.
This is of ...
Fitting a gauge to your water tank
Take the guesswork out of estimating how much water your boat is carrying.
Most boats with an underfloor fuel tank will have a fuel gauge. Which is a...
Working with plastic
Historically boats were built of wood, although various forms of metal (iron, steel then aluminium) became more common during the industrial revolutio...
Many ways of steering
Every watercraft built since the dawn of time had to be steered in some way.
In ancient times steering gear was usually some version of an oar that w...
Knowing your ropes and rode
Let’s get the first question out of the way: When it is ‘rope’ and when is it ‘rode’?
When you go to the marine chandlers or even the hardware store,...
Boost your phone
Boaties venturing offshore know how quickly a phone loses signal bars – and data apps become patchy at best. The combination of poor signal strength a...
The case for AIS
Retrofitting an AIS (Automatic Identification System) to your boat is relatively inexpensive and easy, and it might make a significant difference in a...
Caring for your anchor rode
When did you last wash your anchor warp? Not a common maintenance item, but something that may be worth considering, especially if your boat’s more th...
ENGINE COMPUTERS: A curse or a blessing?
Everything seems to be controlled by a computer these days, including boat engines. Those of us with more than a few decades under our belt will remem...
Spot the hazards – Norman Holtzhausen
It is your responsibility to make sure your boat complies with the maritime rules regarding navigation lights.
Sharper returns
Fish finding technology has evolved in leaps and bounds, but to get the best results you need to give your MFD a good ‘mate’ – a quality transducer. B...
Go plastic young man
As long as a boat’s hull stays wet outside and dry inside, the boat will float. But sometimes you do need to allow in a controlled amount of water – t...
Thrust you can afford
A casual examination of boats in a marina usually reveals a litany of battlescars – scrapes and dings sustained during tricky berthing attempts. Wind,...
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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.