14 Boating New Zealand
M
arlborough volunteer David St John took
home four of the seven gongs at the
recent Coastguard New Zealand Awards
of Excellence – including the supreme
Hutchwilco Coastguard Volunteer of the Year.
The annual ceremony recognises Coastguard
volunteers and units across seven award
categories, acknowledging the rescues undertaken
on the boats as well as the work that goes on
behind the scenes on land.
Says Coastguard New Zealand CEO, Patrick
Holmes: “Last year 6,797 New Zealanders were
brought home to their families thanks to the
selflessness and dedication of our 2,052 volunteers
around the country. They really are good people
doing extraordinary things in our communities.”
In addition to the supreme award, David alsowon the Community Relations Activity of the
Year, the Century Yuasa Rescue Vessel Volunteer
of the Year and played a key role in Coastguard
Marlborough winning the Unit of the Year Award.
He clocked up over 500 volunteer hours
for Coastguard last year in his capacity as
Operations Officer, Training Officer, Regional
Coastguard Instructor and Master of the
Marlborough Rescue Vessel.
In addition to his work within the Coastguard
Marlborough unit, David’s actively involved
in educating the local community through
delivering pre-Christmas boating advice to the
local resorts and accommodation houses in the
Marlborough Sounds. He is also a regular guest on
the local radio station and contributor to the local
newspaper. COASTGUARD HERO
SCOOPS FOUR
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BEST EVER PRIZE AT 2018 SHOWBoaties and fishers at the 2018
Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show
in Auckland in May will have the
chance to win a boat package
worth over $180,000.
The prize is a Surtees/Yamaha Grand
Prize that is almost certainly the
biggest, most expensive, single prize
ever given away at a boat show,
anywhere in the world.
Show general manager, Dave Gibbs, says
athough full specifications of the prize
won’t be unveiled until the New Year,
it will include one of Surtees Boats’ ‘go
anywhere’ flagship models, powered by
a pair of the latest Yamaha engines.
“It will have a top speed of at least 43
knots, a comfortable cruise speed of 20-
22 knots and will have a cruising range
of over 250 nautical miles.
“It will come with a comprehensive
Garmin electronics package, including
a 7412 multi-function display, radar, a
GT51 down-view/side-view transducer
and VHF. It will sit on a top-of-the-line
Epic trailer worth almost $19,000 and
come complete with a Balex auto boat
loader, Loan Star drum winch, Fusion
stereo system, Seadek flooring in the
cabin and cockpit and on the coamings,
as well as a set of Hutchwilco lifejackets
and a year’s Yamaha Marine Insurance.
“Also on board will be a sink, complete
with an 80-litre fresh water tank, alcohol
stove for cooking the catch and an Engel
42-litre fridge to keep everything cool.”
The 2018 Hutchwilco New Zealand
Boat Show will be held at the ASB
Showgrounds in Greenlane, Auckland
on May 17-20. Tickets to the show are
now available on-line at http://www.boatshow.
co.nz with all tickets bought before May
10, 2018 also automatically in the draw
to win a powered Viking Kayaks package
worth over $8,000.We did it – the
jubilation says it all!BOATWORLDBOATWORLDBOATWORLDBOATWORLDBOATW