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Good jetties, marinas and moorings welcoming visitors


syohana

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As far as I can think there are the following -

 

A couple of visitor moorings just off the Kawau Is YC, they are Squaddies and do need to be booked at busy times of the year. In busy times Squaddy members get preference and they are usually busy so dn't even bother trying. If no one is on them ask at the YC and you can probably hang off them fine.

 

The Emergency moorings in Akl harbour, a few in a few places. The ACC do need to know if you intend to hang off one as they may have a boat is distress and aim them at the one you just happen to pick up. Besides the inner harbour isn't nice cruzing grounds.

 

3 moorings in Rakino that are available for public use. NOTE: These are private moorings but the Resource consents they have do allow for public use if the owner isn't using them. No need to ask anyone but if the owner turns up you do have to vacate them 'in a reasonable time frame' i.e. pretty quick. 2 are owned by a Twat so he will get shitty real fast as he's just a twat.

 

Some smaller YC's in places do often know of a few local moorings that can be used. You do need to ask to find out which ones.

 

Can't think of any jetties or similar you can randomly berth at for any extended time frame i.e. extended time being hours rather than days. But again if you ask often you will be given the OK to use one. In saying that there are many who think their jetty is 100% private and will say No just to pump up the size of their penis.

 

And then there is the freedom random mooring grab where you just grab one and hope. Generally that is neither frowned on or encouraged. Some pack a shitty some won't. But you do run the risk a owner or mate of will arrive and get shitty, as they are entitled to do.

 

Marinas, ask at the office and they can usual squeeze you in somewhere, especially if you have boat issues that need dealing to.

 

Those things aside you basically don't have a lot of options bar chucking something over your bow.

 

AND NEVER FORGET it can be very hard to judge whether a mooring is in good nick or one that's been left to rot. If you pick one up lift it as much as you can and take a good look. A tidy looking buoy usually means the owner looks after it better but then it can often indicate a mooring that does get used a lot more i.e. it may only be empty as the boat has popped out for a fish and will be back shortly.

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Sailing in northern regions I was always disappointed to arrive and find moorings and docks. They generally meant no anchoring, and came with a price. The price was probably acceptable for a weekender, but for a full time cruiser generally too much, and as the pressure on space increases the anchor outs slowly get forced out.

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Thanks knotme, more great tips and advice, I knew these places had to exist!

 

Can you be more specific about the location of the Rakino moorings? How do we recognise which three are the ones allowed for public use?

 

How exactly does one book the Kawau moorings?

 

How do we find the ACC emergency moorings? Sounds like they don't really fit the bill as visitors moorings because we couldn't leave the boat unattended (so we might as well anchor), but it might still be useful to know where they are in case of a genuine emergency!

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Kawau moorings are booked through RNZY Squadron, Westhaven.

 

Marinas = Booking ahead is always wisest, especially in busy weekends e.g. Coastals etc so in reality every weekend. Mobiles & VHF's make this very easy these days & preload the numbers :thumbup:

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:!: Also for 24ft, when going from Kawau to Leigh then up north would break up the journey.

 

It's many years since I went into Leigh, but there is(was) a wharf and good shelter, but a very long uphill climb (knot a walk) to the pub.

 

Other places like Ti Point could be possibilities and a road trip one weekend in advance could be an idea.

 

Ngunguru (and other similar places) have shifting sand bars and are very tidal. There are some moorings in there but I don't know what depth at Low Water. Ngunguru has quite a strong tidal ebb, so that in a breeze on a windsurfer, I was going quite quickly through the water, but stationery over the ground :!: so 8+ knots.

But for a yacht, Tutukaka is a safer, deeper and sheltered option.

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I'd really recommend just getting out there and doing it. I used the big A4 hardback Hauraki pilot book (can't remember what it's called exactly) when I had my boat in Aucks, which was just awesome. Never sat on a mooring or a berth - just used the book to find an appropriate and safe anchorage for the conditions. I thnk they've extended the series as well now, to include further up the coast/BOI?

 

I'd also highly recommend taking a dinghy - some of the best spots in NZ are those where there are no ports or marinas. In fact, I think you'll find your exploring extremely limited if you have to sit on a berth every night. Why not get yourself a soft-bottomed inflatable? You could just roll it up and stick it below when not in use.

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Thanks knotme, more great tips and advice, I knew these places had to exist!
Happy to help.

 

Can you be more specific about the location of the Rakino moorings? How do we recognise which three are the ones allowed for public use?

One in Woody bay.. yes 'that one', the 20 year argument one. The owner has told everyman and his dog the public can use it except when he wants to, which is only a couple of weeks at Xmas sort of a thing. Knot sure how it is identified though. The owner is a nice guy, even it it could appear otherwise to some, and I'd expect him to ask nice and give time for a boat to vacate it without ranting.

 

The other 2 are in Home Bay and both have 'Fergi' buoys on them, the stand up 1mt out of the water ones. These 2 are owned by a twitchy lad who is probably a nice dude but has come across as a twat once or twice, has big plastic fizz nasty so no wonder really. His place is the flash one on the top of the hill SW corner of the Island.

 

How exactly does one book the Kawau moorings?{/quote]

Ring the RNZYS or the Kawau Island YC, both will work.

 

How do we find the ACC emergency moorings? Sounds like they don't really fit the bill as visitors moorings because we couldn't leave the boat unattended (so we might as well anchor), but it might still be useful to know where they are in case of a genuine emergency!
You don't have to find them, they aren't lost ;)

 

4 out off Bayswater, one in Island Bay (up the harbour) and a couple of others scatter around. Big pink buoys with ropes up thru the middle of them.

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Tutukaka (2/3 of the way to the BOI. usually has spare berths. Just call them up on Channel 4 VHF and ask. We visited there first time this weekend, and the reception was fantastic. Never had a freindly welcome like it. Good showers and toilets too..

 

I have cruised extensively in the UK and Europe and NZ is quite different. There's a lot more anchoring here. No easy town wharf to lie next to, and visitor berths generally only in Marinas.. On thye other hand, some of the anchorages are just pristine, with scenery to die for. You really do want to set the boat up to anchor....

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Thanks everyone.

 

I'm not anti-anchoring or anti-dinghies generally but there are times when it is much better to be alongside if possible and leaving the boat uninsured at anchor is a worry.

 

We're trying to find a cheap folding dinghy we can take with us, there is really nowhere on board to stow even an inflatable without it being really in the way. Decent dinghies which row well and pack up small seem to be as rare as hens teeth and cost half as much as the yacht did!

 

It's certainly looking like there are more good options for alongside stops en-route to BOI than there are in hauraki so we'll probably make that our plan for this summer, really looking forward to checking out the BOI as we've never been there.

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Why knot find a small ply dingy?

 

I have a similar problem to you with a lack of dingy storage aboard space due to self tacking headsails, a low boom and transom hung rudder. So I found a nice plywood ding. It's as light as a inflatable but unlike an inflatable it tows real well. Had it hanging off the back when we were doing 12/13kts once and it was fine. Did tend to touch the water only every 20mts odd but it was still happy :)

 

Tows easy as, so much so we often forget it's even there.

 

And for a bonus 12 pack - get a sailing version like mine. Parked up in a nice bay in the evenings, a couple of coldies dropped in the ding and off for a bimble you go. A magnificent way to spend a hour or 2 sussing other boats/ people and corners of the bay/harbour. For another bonus 12 pack - you can leave the kids on the big boat :thumbup:

 

I'm going to be high and dry till mid Mid January so you are more than welcome to borrow mine over Xmas if you like. Approx 2mts, can carry 4, rows piece of piss, does just on 5kts with a 2hp and sails very very well. Drop me a PM if you'd like to test my theory.

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Why knot find a small ply dingy?

 

I have a similar problem to you with a lack of dingy storage aboard space due to self tacking headsails, a low boom and transom hung rudder. So I found a nice plywood ding. It's as light as a inflatable but unlike an inflatable it tows real well. Had it hanging off the back when we were doing 12/13kts once and it was fine. Did tend to touch the water only every 20mts odd but it was still happy :)

 

Tows easy as, so much so we often forget it's even there.

 

And for a bonus 12 pack - get a sailing version like mine. Parked up in a nice bay in the evenings, a couple of coldies dropped in the ding and off for a bimble you go. A magnificent way to spend a hour or 2 sussing other boats/ people and corners of the bay/harbour. For another bonus 12 pack - you can leave the kids on the big boat :thumbup:

 

I'm going to be high and dry till mid Mid January so you are more than welcome to borrow mine over Xmas if you like. Approx 2mts, can carry 4, rows piece of piss, does just on 5kts with a 2hp and sails very very well. Drop me a PM if you'd like to test my theory.

 

Thanks KnotMe, that's a really kind offer but actually the dinghy we have now is probably quite similar to the one you offered (minus the sails) - a good heavy 2m ish mock-clinker fibreglass one with a decent straight keel. It rows well and tows well too but it slows us down a lot in the process. I wouldn't want to risk towing it on an offshore passage (eg to BOI) because if the weather blows up unexpectedly (or expectedly!) it would become a real liability, never mind the whole passage taking half as long again. Sailing starts to get fun above force 5, I wouldn't want to have to run for shelter every time the wind blows a bit!

 

...anyone have a good folding dinghy they would swap for ours?

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What about one of the small roll up inflatables without a fixed transom (one of the donut ones with a small detachable outboard bracket) - they roll up much smaller than a standard soft bottom inflatbale with a fixed transom. I've got a spare Penguin inflatable in great nick that might do the trick. Take up less room than a fold up ply dinghy. PM me if you're interested.

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Thanks ab, in my experience those ones go very well sideways and not too well against the wind, especially as we have no outboard, but it would certainly be a lot better than nothing... sending PM!

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The Penguins are a good robust rollup dinghy - and NZ built. Our Southern Pacific 2.2 are similar design. They are lighter and also have wooden oars so row very well for what they are.

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Thanks ab, in my experience those ones go very well sideways and not too well against the wind, especially as we have no outboard, but it would certainly be a lot better than nothing... sending PM!

8 pissed dudes across the lagoon in Tonga with a 3.5hp on the back. Great those Penguins :thumbup:

 

My boat came with one that has a point at one end, I didn't know they did one like that.

 

The wood one is better though.

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