Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard invites the public to enter its first-ever fishing competition next weekend in an effort to hook remaining funds needed for its $2.7m new vessel arriving next month.

The Cast Your Line For Coastguard competition is on November 11, tasking keen anglers to catch the longest measured fish in three categories – snapper, Kingfish and tarakihi – with more than $10,000 in prizes, raffles and auctions up for grabs.

Tauranga Coastguard operations manager Dane Robertson says his unit’s first fishing comp is aimed at fundraising some of the remaining $120,000 needed to fund their new vessel being built.

“We thought it’d be a great idea because we’re a charity involved with water and Tauranga Moana. And that goes hand-in-hand with people who use the same water for recreational activities such as fishing.”

Dane says the first 50 skippers to enter will receive a skipper’s pack, including an official measuring ruler. “If people aren’t in the first 50, many will have a ruler – if not, they can purchase them at Tauranga Sport Fishing Club.

Measure and release

“The idea of the competition is that anglers measure and photograph each fish, then release it back into the water. We have a video on our website on how to effectively and safely do this.”

Funds raised will go towards the last $120,000 the coastguard needs to pay for its new vessel.

“The vessel initially was supposed to cost $2.3 million but prior to the start of the build in 2022 the builders came back to us saying the price would go up to $2.7 million – mostly due to the record high aluminium prices.

“The unit opted to go ahead – as it will never be cheaper to build the boat than now, so we’ve just had to find the extra money. We’re nearly there.”

The new vessel will sport the latest technology – and be a huge asset to the East Coast during emergencies. “In terms of some of the electronic equipment – we’ll have the same kind as the US Coastguard.

“An incident management team will be able set up a search pattern and email it to the boat – the boat will have the ability to automatically conduct the search pattern.”

The boat will have a FLIR camera with 30-times zoom and night vision. “This means we can pick things up on the radar, then spin the camera round and focus it on that object.

The camera will also detect moving – or warm – objects in water. “The on-board equipment will be much more sophisticated. It will definitely save lives.”

A strategic boat

The new vessel will use about 40 per cent less diesel than Tauranga Coastguard’s current rescue boat and will move faster. “Our current vessel’s maximum speed is 27 knots – the new boat will have a maximum speed of 42 knots, which is very fast, almost 80km/hr.”

As such, Coastguard New Zealand view Tauranga’s new vessel as a strategic boat for the coastline from the Coromandel down past Tauranga to Whakatāne. “It has the ability to support other units if there’s a need; and the ability to go 50 nautical miles from shore, which is a long way out.”

Cast Your Line For Coastguard’s competition briefing is 6.30pm Friday, November 10, at Tauranga Sports Fishing Club – with fishing to begin straight afterwards until 3pm, Saturday, November 11.

Prizegiving is 6.30pm. Entry is $50 per adult and $25 per junior. Enter online at: https://www.tsfc.co.nz/event/tauranga-coastguard-fishing-competition-2023/ 

Entries will be accepted up to 6.30pm, November 10 at Tauranga Sports Fishing Club.

More information is at: www.taurangacoastguard.co.nz