Rescue services
BEYOND THE BAR
BY KEITH INGRAM
W
hen a local fisherman lost his life on the Bowentown
Bar in 1989 there were no rescue services available
in the area and outside assistance was some
hours away. The decision to form Waihi Beach
Coastguard was made after a public meeting held by locals
expressing their deep concern about the dangerous and shifting
Bowentown Bar.
The bar presented a major hazard to the growing number of
boat users in the area. Improved vessel design and a healthy
economy with all the baby boomer spending had given rise to
a greater range of recreational craft capable of venturing across
the bar – meaning that pleasure craft with sailors of limited skill
could now travel greater distances than in previous years.
In turn, this meant that in the event of breakdowns or
emergencies the local Waihi Beach Coastguard had to be trained
and equipped to stay at sea longer and prepared to recover or tow
vessels over greater distances for much longer periods of time.
On December 9, 1990 the first Waihi Coastguard vessel was
launched, Waipaopao, an 18'6" Shark-cat with two 115hp outboard
motors. The fibreglass vessel was in effect a pleasure craft, which
had been modified to allow sea rescues to be carried out. It held
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three people standing and had a cuddy-cabin setup. Life jackets
were the safety equipment of the day and all crew completed a
first-aid course. Waipaopao underwent inspection by the Royal
New Zealand Coastguard Federation and was given permission to
be put into service. All at a cost of approximately $46,000, which
was still a tidy sum in those days for a volunteer unit.
Then came the commitment to build a headquarters to house
the boat and the radio operations centre, as well as a four wheel
drive Toyota Hi-Lux double-cab ute used for transportation.
After a three year campaign to gain land, raise funds and
battle bureaucracy – which included making provision in the
building for the St John Ambulance service and the Waihi Beach
Surf Life Saving Club – a permit was finally issued in July
1993. Excavation started in September that year and over 2500
voluntary hours were put in to get the building underway.
Radio operations proved to be effective, and as the vessel was
put into service almost immediately it was able to meet the growing
demand for rescue services. However, the lack of a radar unit was
unnerving at night and the $3000 required for this purchase was
deemed absolutely necessary for the safety of the crews.
The summer boating season that year was busy, with dense
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