HALL OF FAME FOR PJ

New Zealand’s ‘Voice of the America’s Cup’ – Peter ‘PJ’ Montgomery – is to be inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in March next year.

While Montgomery has covered many sports as a broadcaster, he’s best known as ‘The Voice of the America’s Cup’ in international radio/tv. He has covered 11 America’s Cup regattas, nine Olympic Games and all 11 Whitbread Round the World/volvo Ocean Races.

He has also appeared in a movie – adding realism in the 1992 film Wind, where he played the America’s

Cup broadcaster in the racing scenes. He features in the America’s Cup documentary film, The Wind Gods.

He was awarded an MBE in the 1995 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Haines Hunter has unveiled its new 635 model, available in hard top (SS635) and soft top (SF635) configurations. With a LOA of 6.76m, the vessel carries the brand’s legendary 21° deep-vee in an all-new hull design. Company CEO Denis Kendall says the boat’s evolved from demand and feedback from dealers and customers.

It features a moulded composite structural floor that’s bonded to the hull, creating watertight chambers for reserve buoyancy. Decks and bulkheads use a foam core sandwiched between an inner and outer skin. This technique reduces weight and improves fuel economy.

Internal layout options allow owners to specify the popular back-to-back seats. A new-look dash accommodates 12” electronic displays. With a 195-litre underfloor tank, the hull’s rated for outboards from 150hp-200hp.

The new 635 will be on display at the Auckland Boat Show, 8-11 October.