Spinlock’s popular internationally-renowned range of lifejackets and safety vests are now available in an even wider variety of bright new fashion colours, perfect for summer boating. In the Alto range, Citrus Yellow and Mercury Red have now joined Black, Atoll Blue, Fluro Orange, and Sun Yellow. In the Lite range, Bleach White, Mercury Red and Seagrass Green have been added to Black, Flow Green, Pacific Blue and Tropic White; while Sun Yellow offers an alternative to Black in the Lite+ range. In the 6D range, Citrus Yellow now complements Black, Pacific Blue and Tropic White. Spinlock lifejackets, which fit comfortably… Read More

Newly-released statistics from the NZ Marine Industry Association show New Zealand continues to grow as a nation of boaters, with 40 percent of the population boating annually and the nation’s fleet growing by an estimated 44,810 vessels per year.  Boating is New Zealand’s largest recreational activity with 1.9 million, or 40 percent of New Zealand’s population, participating in boating each year. That’s according to the latest statistics released by NZ Marine, which have revealed a $2.9 billion dollar industry, more than 1,540,000 boats in New Zealand, and annual growth of an estimated 44,810 vessels per year. “The marine industry is… Read More

Boat sharing service ‘Skipperi’ is adding a further 20 boats to its greater Auckland fleet, as well as another base at Half Moon Bay. Launched in June 2021, Skipperi currently has 15 Yamaha-powered Haines Hunter SF545s operating out of Westhaven Marina. The company is looking at bolstering its Westhaven fleet, as well as establishing a new operation at Half Moon Bay. Skipperi New Zealand CEO Alexander Rosenthal says the response in the first year of operation has been exceptional, with the popularity of the sharing service fast-tracking expansion. “Our first year of operation has been excellent – so much so… Read More

After most events and competitions were cancelled in early 2022, the rules and regulations have now eased to allow us to host events again for this coming summer. We are all excited to bring the Surtees 18th annual Fishing Competition back to Whitianga on the 10/11 February 2023! Making the most of the hot summer months, enjoying the fishing around the beautiful Coromandel with your crew, as well as catching up with fellow Surtees Tribe members- the comp will take care of all of that! It will again be a measure and release competition, making sure we are fishing responsibly… Read More

The New Zealand Commercial Vessels Group has published the 2022 Commercial Vessel Directory, profiling New Zealand’s commercial boat building, design, engineering, vessel repair, maintenance & refit capability. Member companies operate independently but the Commercial Vessels Group ‘umbrella’ presents their collective skills, coordinated by the NZ Marine Industry Association, as a formidable, one-stop-shop for commercial vessel projects. By working together, the companies under the Group are far more effective in servicing international and domestic markets. Owned by the NZ Marine Industry Association, the Marine & Specialised Technologies Academy of New Zealand (MAST) currently has over 650 marine apprentices and the growth… Read More

NZ Marine congratulates long-time marine safety advocate, Sue Tucker, who has been welcomed into the New Zealand Boat Show Hall of Fame at the Show Awards evening on Saturday 14 May.   As the person who has almost certainly done more to promote water safety in New Zealand than any other, Sue was a very worthy inductee. Her long list of accomplishments and successes includes co-ordinating parent training for the Waterwise programme; setting up and launching Coastguard Boating Education Service’s important youth programs: Safe Boating and Day Skipper in schools; helping provide and promote Day Skipper training within Maori communities;… Read More

 VETUS has collaborated with Mercury Marine® to enable the integration of its BOW PRO and RIMDRIVE thrusters with Mercury Joystick Piloting for Outboards (JPO). Thanks to the NMEA 2000-certified CAN bus interface (CANVERTER), the compatible systems join seamlessly to create a compelling solution that enhances the piloting and docking experience. “It is now easier than ever to manoeuvre boats in tight spaces, even with current or wind. It’s total control at your fingertips.” The best of two worlds! The integration of the BOW PRO thruster family with Mercury Joystick Piloting for Outboards (JPO) marks a significant improvement in the boating experience.… Read More

Auckland, New Zealand – Propspeed, leading innovator of underwater foul-release coatings, announced today it has received an endorsement from Palm Beach Motor Yachts. The luxury yacht manufacturer applies Propspeed as part of the commissioning of all new models, and recommends the use of Propspeed for existing owners as protection against fouling and corrosion of running gear and underwater metals. “We have been very pleased with the performance of the Propspeed line up,” said Mark Richards, CEO, GB Marine Group. “Our motto is ‘To simply build the absolute best yachts on the water, with no equivocation. If there’s a better way… Read More

Hold on to your cup of tea. Stabicraft is set to release three new models into the wild. Stabicrafts’ in-house design team has dedicated over 4,000 design hours across all three projects, because good things take time. It has been 12 months since launching the 2250 Ultracab WT, which quickly became the most internationally awarded boat in company history. Each of the three new models will represent an important step in Stabicrafts’ evolution. Ready to shake up and set a new standard inside some competitive size classes. Stabi HQ and dealership alike will be tight-lipped in the lead-up, with all… Read More

Boaties heading along to this week’s Hutchwilco Boat Show (12-15 May) will be on the lookout for the perfect boat — but there’s something else they should check for before making a commitment to buy a new boat. For additional peace of mind, potential buyers should look for the CPC (compliance plate certification), meaning the boat complies with a recognised, audited quality standard approved by both marine industry organisation NZ Marine and Coastguard New Zealand. The programme sets standards for materials and structural design, fuel and electrical systems, bilge pumps and safe on-the-water performance and offers a two-year structural guarantee.… Read More