Professional Skipper - Free Sample issue (July/Aug 2011)

WATERWAYS – Waterfront Business In brief… Boats going too fast Recreational boatie numbers almost doubled this summer in Marlborough, but too many exceeded five knots within 200m of the shore, the harbourmaster, Alex van Wijngaarden, said on March 29. The blame did not rest purely with recreational boaties, he said. "Commercial vessels similarly fail to observe this requirement and staff are currently working with this sector to resolve this. They [commercial operators] should perhaps be setting an example." Kiwis want more "no take" reserves More than nine out of ten New Zealanders, or 96 percent, want more of our ocean to be protected in "no take" marine reserves, according to a study by WWF New Zealand. The survey found New Zealanders want around 36 percent of our exclusive economic zone to be protected, a 100-fold increase on current levels. The proportion of our oceans in marine reserves was wholly inadequate, said Rebecca Bird, the WWF-NZ marine programme manager. It is campaigning for a national network of marine reserves to safeguard New Zealand's marine biodiversity. Lifejackets required by law Environment Canterbury's new navigational safety bylaw, introduced on June 1, makes it compulsory for all boaties on recreational craft of 6m or less to wear lifejackets. ECan navigation safety manager Evan Walker says the initial focus will be on education, unless transgressors are repeat offenders. The current fine of about $150 would be increased, he said. Cup challenge will bring big rewards The Emirates Team New Zealand challenge for the next America's Cup will bring huge gains to the economy, saays the executive director of NZ Marine, Peter Busfield. He says the decision by America's Cup holders Oracle to build the AC45 trial boats in Warkworth, rather than California, was worth about $20 million to the economy and created over 150 jobs. Busfield says NZ Marine supports the government's decision to back the Emirates' challenge. A 2008 report on the 2003 challenge, when the government invested over $30 million in Team New Zealand, found the economy had been boosted by $2 for every $1 the government had invested. GDP rose by $60-$70 million and up to 900 full-time equivalent jobs were created throughout the country. 44 Professional Skipper July/August 2011 r Jim heads to Chile THE OLD CODGER Jim Lott slung his hook and quietly slipped his ropes on his n last day with Maritime New Zealand on June 10. Jim spent 11 years as the recreational boating manager boating manager, a job he was well prepared for, given his long history ofprepared for, given his long history of involvement in recreational boating. I n Jim's words he started as a toddler "a very looong time ago" in small boats an d quickly took a shine to sailing, especially offshore racing and cruising. Over the years he would build many boats, bu t the flagship is the 50ft (15.25m) cruising yacht Victoria. With recreational boating accidents and fatalities at an all-time high, Jim saw the need for boating education for the great unwashed in the recreational sector, who needed saving from themselves at the time. Much of what we see today in places like Coastguard Boating Education has Jim's fingerprints all over them. As an educator he also taught the early inshore commercial qualifications, but mainly his focus ended up on the yachties, with Ocean Yacht Master, for which he had an affinity with both the students and the environment they would be venturing into. During this time Jim was an active participant on the Spirit of Adventure Trust and a qualified tall ship's master. With a life spent in everything from dinghies to the Spirit of New Zealand, we asked, what's with retirement, Jim? m Jim checks out his chilly warmers, courtesy of the Maritime NZ team "Weeeell!" he said as he rubbed his scruffy chin. "I feel I still have one more world cruise left in me." Karin, Jim's wife, who retired at the same time after years of accumulated service teaching English at Papatoetoe High, broken only when following Jim on world sojourns, was a good clue. "We have become like ships in the night with work and all, so it's now time to do something about it while we both have our health," says Jim. "So we have been preparing Victoria for another r extended voyage that might take two to five years, but I don't think either of us will be counting." What can one say other than to wish them both fair winds and good health. TOURISM OPERATOR WITHDRAWS FROM ABEL TASMAN THE OWNER OF two Abel Tasman National Park sea tourism businesses has put them up for sale so it can concentrate on assets in other regions. The iwi group Ngai Tahu Holdings Corp is selling its Abel Tasman Tourism business, which operates Abel Tasman Aqua Taxi and the Nelson booking office, Nelson Escapes, and its joint venture with Wakatu Incorporation, Kayaking Abel Tasman, which operates the Kaiteriteri Kayaks, Abel Tasman Kayaks and Abel Tasman Seal Swims brands. Between them, the businesses operate 220 kayaks and 10 ferries, and employ 110 people at the peak of the tourist season. Ngai Tahu Holdings' chief executive, Greg Campbell, said interest had already been shown in both Abel Tasman Tourism and Kayaking Abel Tasman. "I think, from our point of view, we're concentrating primarily in some locations like Queenstown and Franz Josef," Campbell said. Revenue was forecast to be about the same in the year to June 30, 2011, as for the previous year, but would be affected by the Canterbury earthquakes. Ngai Tahu was trying to sell the tourism operations as a whole, said Abel Tasman Tourism's general manager, Lori Keller. She said she believed the sale would have no impact on the region's tourism industry, "assuming the brands get picked up. There is a large demand for products in the Abel Tasman."

• Cover