Waihī Beach Coastguard has a brand new primary rescue boat with top-of-the-line technology, which was launched to the community, fellow Coastguard crews, sponsors and dignitaries on Saturday.

The October 11 event included a blessing from local tangata whenua and had Coromandel MP Scott Simpson, Western Bay of Plenty Mayor James Denyer, Katikati-Waihī Beach Ward councillor Allan Sole, key sponsors Sir William and Lady Judi Gallagher and son Ian and wife Debbie, and the public in attendance at Bowentown Boat Club.

Waihī Beach Coastguard former president and current master Sam Dunlop said the 10m Fantom RV1000 boat is a prototype, which was built by Whakamārama business Fantom Fabrications, owned by experienced boatbuilders Kim Bertelsen and Teia Dunster.

The new boat has the same name as its predecessor – Gallagher Rescue – to honour the sponsorship Waihī Beach Coastguard receives from Sir William and Lady Judi Gallagher, who traditionally launched and named the vessel with a generous splash of champagne.

Waihī Beach Coastguard president Sam Dunlop, Lady Judi Gallagher, crew members, and Sir William Gallagher on-board the new vessel. Photo / Merle Cave

The 10m vessel replaces the former Gallagher Rescue, which was a 9.5 metre Naiad with two 250hp four-stroke motors that was launched in 2013. This boat will be decommissioned and sold, while the new 10m Gallagher Rescue would be a primary vessel backed up by the Coastguard’s 5.8m Avoco Rescue Naiad-designed RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat), powered by twin 115hp Yamaha outboards.

The Coastguard would use Gallagher Rescue to oversee the Bowentown Bar, one of the most notorious in New Zealand, while Avoco Rescue protected the channels and shallow areas of the Northern Tauranga Harbour.

Dunlop said the new boat came about after Waihī Beach Coastguard’s Vessel replacement Sub-Committee – Jacqui Paterson, Andrew Jennings, Dave Grant and Stu Gordon and himself – opted to build new instead of proceeding with a 10-year upgrade of the 9.5m boat.

“There were things on our old boat that we wanted to improve but we decided to forgo that and put that considerable amount of money towards a new vessel,” said Dunlop.

“The new boat cost $1,020,000 thanks to our Coastguard’s own fundraising as well as financial assistance and sponsorship from a number of contributors.”

Waihī Beach Coastguard has a brand new primary rescue boat, named Gallagher Rescue just like its predessor. Photo / Merle Cave

Kim Bertelsen, of Fantom Fabrications, said the new boat was designed by him with help from Dunster, and their small efficient team of four built it.

“Our team is passionate about any engineering project we take on, and we’re dedicated to top quality, and back our products.”

Bertelsen said the Fantom RV1000 is 10m in overall length, with a 3.3m beam overall and dry weight of about 4000kg. The boat is towed by a new Fantom tandem axle, extra heavy duty aluminium trailer.

The boat has a fuel capacity of 650L and is run by twin V6 350 HP Yamaha outboard motors, making its total power 700hp, plus a 12V DC power system with a battery bank, and two engine start batteries.

“Its maximum speed is an estimated 43 knots from average tests, and its cruising speed 25-30 knots.”

The boat’s crew capacity of six people, and passenger capacity is 12 for rescue operations, according to Bertelsen’s specs, and the vessel is built to approved Maritime New Zealand standards.

Dunlop said the boat is equipped with the newest and best of search and rescue technology, navigation, and electronics on the market.

The community, fellow Coastguards crews, dignitaries and sponsors gather for the launch of Waihī Beach Coastguard’s new boat. Photo / Merle Cave

Along with multiple electronic display units and VHF radios, a cellular wifi system and a full weather station, it also sports two remote-controlled searchlights, a marine-grade siren and public address system, and a Flir M364c thermal night vision camera.

“This thermal night vision camera can pick up a head in the water about a kilometre away,” said Dunlop.

The sub-committee commissioned Fantom Fabrications to build the boat due to Bertelsen and Dunster’s vast experience in boat building.

“We are delighted with the result. We’ve sea-tested it prior to the launch and it goes extremely well.”

Dunlop said in designing the boat, the sub-committee took ideas from the old boat that worked for them and all technology upgrades available.

“We also took advice from Kim because he is so experienced, and there’s a lot of his ideas in it too.”

Waihī Beach Coastguard has a team of 40, including 26 crew, and 14 volunteers in its radio room, with their three vessels attending roughly 50 callouts per year, said Dunlop.

Spring and summer was their busiest times as more people get out on the water.

“In the summer you can get three to four callouts per week.”

On Saturday, Dunlop thanked sponsors of the Waihī Beach Coastguard and the wider community for their support.

A hymn (hīmene), opening karakia (prayer), and blessing of the boat – to dedicate the waka (boat) to Tangaroa, the atua (ancestor) of the moana (ocean), was performed by Otawhiwhi Marae chairman Reon Tuanau in the presence of his father, kaumatua Roger Tuanau.

“The kaupapa is our new beautiful waka here, and we can’t speak highly enough about how much the coastguard means to us here at Waihī Beach,” said Tuanau.

“They keep us safe, look after us on the moana (sea) and make sure there is a good presence to spread the word of safety on our moana.”

Reon said his Te Whānau a Tauwhao hapū had gifted a design element to the boat – a light blue kōwhaiwhai pattern.

Otawhiwhi Marae chairman Reon Tuanau and his whanau bless the new vessel. Photo / Merle Cave

The pattern was of the Mangōpare – the hammerhead shark – which comes from inside the wharenui at Otawhiwhi Marae.

“That’s a gift from our marae for our community. It represents perseverance, determination fighting to the bitter end and never giving up – and I think that really encapsulates who we are here at Waihī Beach and what we like to stand for.”

Afterwards, the vessel was launched into northern Tauranga Harbour, taking sponsors and dignitaries for a short trip to show its capabilities.

While on-board, both Denyer and Sole received phone calls to say tehy’d been re-elected to their former roles in the Local Body Elections.