New boat boosts Maketu¯ Coastguard
Maketu¯ Coastguard is going from strength to strength and the launch of a new vessel, Kohinui Rescue, will be the pinnacle of a great year for the service.
Fifteen years ago, following the loss of several lives at sea, the community of Maketu¯ realised they needed a local water rescue service.
This was the beginning of Maketu¯ Sea Rescue, which later became Maketu¯ Coastguard in 2007.
The first vessel built for the new rescue unit was Gibby Rescue, a 7m jet boat, which has served its members and community well for the last 15 years. Gibby Rescue has undertaken many rescues, both inshore and offshore, saving hundreds of lives.
The crew of Maketu¯ Coastguard have a soft spot for this boat, as it was the founding vessel.
Little did they realise that 15 years after the formation of Maketu¯ Coastguard, they would be fundraising again for a new, improved and bigger jet boat.
The new boat takes on all the learning from Gibby Rescue and has been designed by Tim Barnett of Barnett Offshore Design.
It is another first for Coastguard NZ, with specialised fenders, and a high-powered jet engine which can take the craft up to 35 knots.
It will be a great sister boat to the Maketu¯ unit’s larger boat, Eastpack Rescue, and will be ideal for use in estuaries, bars and inshore.
The Maketu¯ unit chose to support local industry and kept the boat build local.
The boat fabrication and build was undertaken by Teia Dunster of Dunster Fabrications Pa¯pa¯moa, and the jet units were manufactured by HamiltonJet.
The engine from Marine Diesel in Tauranga and the high spec electronics and night navigation aids were made by Bay Marine in Tauranga.
Shane Beech, President of Maketu¯ Coastguard says it has been a long process, taking just under 12 months to complete but the workmanship is outstanding and the final boat is spectacular.
It was made possible thanks to the generosity of TECT, Lion Foundation, One Foundation, Infinity, WBOP, AMI and the “awesome local and wider boating community,” Mr Beech said.