Marine businesses rally round
Andrew Flanagan started Powerboat Training NZ in 2010 to provide practical hands-on training to Kiwi boaties who want to be safe on the water – and want boating education lessons on a boat, not in the classroom.
Andrew's training vessel, a 6m Atomix with a Mercury 115hp four-stroke outboard, has been a reliable workhorse for over 10 years. As Andrew comments, “I have one of the toughest paper runs in town. Students unerringly find the gaps between every marina fender and the orange wrap is showing the scars. They tend to shift gears too quickly and graunch the gearbox. The current gearbox is number three!”
A recent survey inspection identified some remedial work was necessary. Enter Dave Lourie, MD of Gloss Boats. Having been contracted by Andrew to carry out the work, got him thinking about what Andrew was doing to lift the skill level and safety of boat owners. He recognised the importance of Andrew's ability to provide invaluable practical boating education far beyond what a theoretical course could offer.
He devised a plan, roping in the support of numerous marine businesses, to give the vessel a far more extensive refit than Andrew was expecting. The Tamaki Marine Park-based paint shop began by removing the battered and bruised vinyl wrap and entirely respraying the boat and motor in Awlgrip Awlcraft SE base and clear coat, kindly donated by Akzo Nobel.
Other neighbouring trades also generously became involved, providing services at no cost. Adam Wickes from Ultralon provided a new U-Dek floor. Condon Marine Services dealt with any boat building jobs and HMB Electrical did likewise for the lighting and electrical. The team at Marine Detailing brought the white gelcoat and brightwork back to life.
When Andrew saw the finished project for the first time, he was surprised and delighted – and a little emotional. "I was blown away, to be honest. I want to express my appreciation to all the suppliers involved for their help in raising the message of the importance of boating safety awareness. This has re-energised me. I feel valued and now I can be proud of the appearance of my training vessel."
You can find Andrew on Instagram and Facebook and see how he’s improving boating safety @powerboat.training
New Tamaki Marine Park Workshop
Half Moon Bay Marine Electrical is one of Auckland's leading marine electrical specialists. To offer their services to a wider range of boat owners in the Auckland region, HMB Marine Electrical opened a new workshop at Tamaki Marine Park late last year.
Simon Jennings, HMB Marine Electrical owner is a seasoned expert in all things marine and electrical. His experience includes navigating race yachts in the Sydney Hobart, designing electrical and electronic systems for super yachts at Alloy Yachts and skippering the 80ft luxury game fishing vessel Ultimate Lady.
"We understand the importance of a safe and reliable marine electrical system, and we're committed to ensuring that every boat is ready for any adventure on the water. Plus our team are boaties themselves, so they know how important it is to get every detail right."
Tamaki Marine Park Boat Yard Opening
The Tamaki Marine Park Boat Yard opening, jointly hosted by the onsite marine trade businesses and Tamaki Marine Park, was well attended by a mix of boat owners and marine industry representatives at the recently-completed haul out and service facility in Mt Wellington.
Marina manager Martin Hannon says "It was a fun and friendly opportunity to highlight the services and facilities on offer by some of Auckland most highly regarded service providers such as Gloss Boats marine spraying, Condon Marine Services, Aquaplumb, the Marine Detailing Company, Halfmoon Bay Electrical and Promar Honda Outboard service centre. Only one double width service unit remains untenanted."
The facility recently completed a major works programme that included concreting the entire 12000sqm hardstand area including a fully covered 1000sqm work bay that has already proven extremely popular for boat owners wishing to avoid weather delays on maintenance projects. Tamaki Marine Park can handle vessels up to 60T on their Roodberg haul-out trailer with a max wet draft of 2.8m and air draft of 7.8m. Motor boats, yachts (without masts) and catamaran friendly.
Marine plumbing specialists at TMP
Aquaplumb Auckland Wide Ltd are market-leading marine plumbing specialists, covering watermakers, toilets and waste systems, diesel heaters, pumps and other marine systems.
They also offer project consultancy for new build and renovation works in their field of expertise.
Aquaplumb’s team has over 40 years of plumbing experience, extensive offshore cruising experience and a huge passion for the ocean, which helps them to come up with solutions often overlooked.
Led from the front, focused Business Director and Head tradesman is Malcolm Pollard, who formed the company with his wife, Office Manager Pauline, in 2007. Since then, their business has grown significantly, to the point where it was time to base themselves in one of the newly built units at the Tamaki Marine Park facility situated on the banks of the Tamaki River.
Tamaki Marine Park's On-site Boat Builders in Growth Mode
Sean Condon and his team have moved into their brand new purpose-built facility at Tamaki Marine Park earlier this month, a new 450m² fully-enclosed shed that boasts a 10.4m-high roller door capable of taking in multiple vessels simultaneously, including boats up to 30m LOA.
Condon Marine Services (CMS) has been servicing the Auckland area for approximately five years, providing a wide range of services, including boat repairs, maintenance, and modifications. Growing from a one-man operation to a team of seven skilled employees, CMS is fast becoming one of Auckland’s most trusted boatbuilders.
Current projects include the service work on a Princess V72, Full refit of a 10m commercial vessel and a repower of The Beast's 9m amphibious tender with a COX diesel outboard just in time for them to leave for Fiji.
The new shed will offer boat owners a specialised facility that accommodates large boats requiring extensive refits, re-powers and hull extensions. Sean's skilled team of boatbuilders has the skill set to complete larger jobs to a high standard. With associated marine trades also situated on site, Tamaki Marine Park will be the place to come and have your boat serviced from stem to stern.
Tamaki Marine Park’s Resident Boat Builders are also a sales, service and installation dealer for Seakeeper gyro stabilisers.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE, GET IN TOUCH AT: INFO@CONDONMARINESERVICES.CO.NZ
Auckland’s Newest Marine Precinct
Located in Gabador Place, Mt Wellington, just five minutes off the motorway and conveniently close to Sylvia Park Mall, Tamaki Marine Park will be Auckland’s newest and most modern marine precinct once construction is completed later this year.
The area already has an established marine presence, with boat builders McMullen and Wing and Chris McMullen on the site’s southern boundary and the Rayglass Boats service centre next-door to the north.
Being located only five minutes off Auckland’s southern motorway, with easy access enroute to the shops at Sylvia Park Mall, it’s perfectly positioned for pre-departure provisioning or as somewhere to drop off the family while doing odd jobs on the boat. Once at Tamaki Marine Park, there is plenty of secure parking and once the lines are thrown off, Browns Island is only 30 minutes’ leisurely run down the picturesque Tamaki River estuary. The wonderful anchorages, fishing and cruising grounds of Waiheke Island and beyond are then just a short hop across the channel.
Tamaki Marine Park’s existing 260-boat dry stack facility accommodates boats from 4m up 12m in length and is home to many popular locally-produced boats, ranging from small outboard driven runabouts to Rayglass 3500s and 12m Protector RIBs, for example.
Two years ago, a 30-berth marina was constructed on the river taking over riverbank where a bulk storage facility once stood. This marina offers a safe, idyllic haven on the Tamaki River for mainly motorboats ranging in length from 12–28m to berth. The marina will be extended further this year, increasing the number of berths by 25%.
Tamaki Marine Park already provides a number of services to boat owners in their marina and from elsewhere, including haul-out, water blast and hardstand facilities for vessels up to 60 tonnes, courtesy of a new Roodberg haul-out trailer. They can service motor yachts, catamarans and sailing yachts (as long as masts have been removed – there is an air draft restriction of 7.8m at MHWS due to being upriver of the Panmure and Pakaranga road bridges). Additionally, a petrol and diesel refuelling service in partnership with GOfuel is available.
A major new marine precinct complex is currently under construction replacing the site once occupied by an old tank farm. During the development of this marine precinct, significant efforts have gone into the design to rejuvenate this section of riverfront land, giving it a new lease of life.
Works have begun with concrete already being poured and construction underway of two large sheds, a massive 840m2 canopied undercover boat yard area with 10.5m clearance, and seven ‘trade units’. In total, the new precinct will offer 2000m2 of undercover boat storage space, along with a huge expanse of uncovered hardstand area and clean, level concrete yard area.
The two biggest sheds, fitted with 10.5m high doors, are attractive to businesses that work on large boats under cover. The larger 606m2 shed has already been snapped up by boat painter Gloss Boats and will include a modern spray booth, paint tinting booth and filtration systems, while the second boat shed, 450m2 in size, will be occupied by boatbuilder CMS.
The seven ‘trade units’ are also going fast, with HMB Marine Electrical among the first to lease space in the development. Other marine businesses, such as outboard and diesel mechanics, marine upholsterers or similar – are being sought for the remaining units.
A standard trade unit size is 6m x 18m but there is some flexibility in unit size and configuration giving the option to create larger units to suit tenant requirements. Each trade unit has been designed specifically for marine businesses, including high roller doors for boat access, fibre connection, power, water, and the ability to fit out the units as required.
Completion date for the project is set for December 2021.
The intention, says Operations Manager Martin Hannon, is to create Auckland’s newest boating hub, offering a full range of services, including engineering, boat building, boat painting, marine electricians, outboard and diesel mechanics, sail makers, canopies, upholsterers and more – marine trades of every kind.
“With our can-do, customer-focussed attitude, our aim is to become Auckland’s leading marine precinct, offering the best facilities and the best people to support passionate boaties,” says Hannon.
MARINE PRECINCT TAKES SHAPE
Work on a new marine precinct is well underway at Tamaki Marine Park alongside the Tamaki River.
When finished, the marine precinct will comprise two large 30m x 15m x 10.5m boat sheds with high door clearance suitable for boat painting or boat building businesses, a 30m x 30m x 10.5m high- canopy shed offering undercover boat yard facilities and seven standardised trade units, each measuring 6m x 18m. The whole yard will be detailed in concrete.
Auckland’s newest marine precinct will complement Tamaki Marine Park’s current marina and dry stack boat storage businesses on the Tamaki River.
Construction is expected to be completed in December this year.
GOfuel at Tamaki Marine Park
Tamaki Marine Park is now offering fuel in collaboration with GOfuel. This collaboration brings a new marine fuel supply to Tamaki Marine Park customers and boat users of the Tamaki River.
GOfuel will be offering petrol (95 octane) and diesel to boat owners at Tamaki Marine Park. Fuelling will be carried out either at the fuel berth, which is located by the dry stack marina, or directly into your boat in the boat yard if you are on the hard stand or in the marina.
The fuel dock will be operational on Fridays 12-5pm and Saturdays and Sundays, 7am-12pm. A booking system is in place via text message. Text GOfuel on 027 227 7028 to schedule a fill during these hours.
If fuelling is required on other days, please call or text GOfuel with your fuelling details and requirements. A GOfuel account and card will be required and this can be easily arranged on the GOfuel website: https://www.gofuel.co.nz/pages/fuel-card-application.
Further details and a link to GOfuel account application can be found on the Tamaki Marine Park webpage: www.tamakimarinepark.co.nz.
