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Seafaring nation?


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I think you know what I meant but for the avoidance of doubt I was simply asking whether a country (like NZ) known for its close affinity to the sea (ocean racing, leisure cruising + adventures,  relatively high % boat ownership, AC pedigree, history of boat building, superyacht building & servicing etc etc) then would you not expect NZ to take an equally notable position relative to other countries with solving for the ‘cruisers caught out’ problem?

As I’ve observed before, other less noteworthy maritime nations seem to have found creative win-win solutions, so is NZ failing to live up to its innovative seafaring heritage, in this respect?

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1 hour ago, Aleana said:

I think you know what I meant but for the avoidance of doubt I was simply asking whether a country (like NZ) known for its close affinity to the sea (ocean racing, leisure cruising + adventures,  relatively high % boat ownership, AC pedigree, history of boat building, superyacht building & servicing etc etc) then would you not expect NZ to take an equally notable position relative to other countries with solving for the ‘cruisers caught out’ problem?

As I’ve observed before, other less noteworthy maritime nations seem to have found creative win-win solutions, so is NZ failing to live up to its innovative seafaring heritage, in this respect?

How many of the current politicians are sailors ?  Or even seafarers for that matter 

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2 hours ago, Aleana said:

I think you know what I meant but for the avoidance of doubt I was simply asking whether a country (like NZ) known for its close affinity to the sea (ocean racing, leisure cruising + adventures,  relatively high % boat ownership, AC pedigree, history of boat building, superyacht building & servicing etc etc) then would you not expect NZ to take an equally notable position relative to other countries with solving for the ‘cruisers caught out’ problem?

As I’ve observed before, other less noteworthy maritime nations seem to have found creative win-win solutions, so is NZ failing to live up to its innovative seafaring heritage, in this respect?

I understand your sentiment. And you put it very well. I'm not sure what the issues are within govt, but I get the impression this is not quite important enough to warrant the attention. The context for that comment is that they have only just gotten around to managing visa's for entry to partners of NZ citizens and residents. Announced today.

That, and there is an election on. There is a lot of increasing angst about C19, the lockdowns and what people are permitted to do, or not do. I would think to the general Joe Public, the optics of letting in a bunch of cruisers would be unfavorable. I can chuck in a whole lot of stereo types of bums laying about sailing the world etc, but I know that is not representative.

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I agree with both Fish and 44 that cruisers are not a high political priority.... but again I don’t imagine cruisers are a high priority for the Malaysian or Indonesian politicians either - but they seem to have found or way? Go figure!

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Looks like the pacific cruisers are now banned from coming to NZ this season...

 

Foreign yachties say lives now at risk from NZ decision

"Foreign yachties seeking refuge in New Zealand from seasonal Pacific cyclones are baffled by the response not to let them in."

"The club said lives and property were at risk, but the latest official response revealed a misunderstanding around the logistics of boat travel."

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/426508/foreign-yachties-say-lives-now-at-risk-from-nz-decision

 

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9 minutes ago, ex Elly said:

Looks like the pacific cruisers are now banned from coming to NZ this season...

 

Foreign yachties say lives now at risk from NZ decision

"Foreign yachties seeking refuge in New Zealand from seasonal Pacific cyclones are baffled by the response not to let them in."

"The club said lives and property were at risk, but the latest official response revealed a misunderstanding around the logistics of boat travel."

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/426508/foreign-yachties-say-lives-now-at-risk-from-nz-decision

 

curious as I had heard just in the last couple of days that customs et al were taking on extra resources in anticipation of the door being opened.

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This is a Stupid decision and will effect peoples well being, if not their lives.

  1. It is not realistic to tell the yachties out there to "go home" as voyages and seasons must align for small vessels to have the best chance of safe passage.
  2. There is no way to come to NZ safely once a cyclone is present!
  3. Most passages from the Islands are min 10 days, most of the quarantine is already done, so the risk is minimal
  4. This is a very big loss to the local marine industry

Yep the director general may be a good doctor, but he obviously has no understanding of small boat voyaging. :-(

 

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While I don't agree with the decision, this is not about safety, its about property. All those affected can fly to their home country easily enough. The issue is what to do with their boat? The boat is property. Yes, they live on it etc, and it is their home etc.

Part of the demonstration of that is the arguement to let them in. It started that it was a humanitarian issue. Then it goes into the economic benefit to our marine industry, which is an economic issue.

At the end of the day, Syrian and Yemini refugees are a humanitarian issue. This is really just one of property value / protection and having to change plans.

Reading the press statement, it sounds like the issue boils down to resources / qualified staff to manage the arrival and quarantine of all these people. It probably isn't helped by an up coming election. The optics of all these poor people stuck on their boats in Tahiti, boat people seeking refuge in NZ etc etc. I don't hold those views, but its the optics that matter in politics...

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We are really going to struggle in the Marine Industry this summer what Super yachts that are here and were supposed to stay here for the cup are now leaving as they can't get the owners in the country to use them so they are getting ready to leave now. 

This government is so narrow mind and fixated on one goal but not looking at how the country is actually going to make money to get them out of this fiscal hole. 

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If all the pointers now suggest the AC will be a flop on several fronts:

1. Commercially

2. Competitively

3. Experience & viewing spectacle

... then why not postpone it 12 months?

If they did it for the Olympics to preserve the spirit of the event then why not for the AC?

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You’re probably right there’s not much competitive impact from Covid.

But viewing spectacle will be diminished by the lack of ‘buzz’ from seeing all the international visitors in Auckland both on water and land. And this ‘buzz’ is evident whether you are physically at the venue or watching TV from other side of the world. If it’s just a scene of kiwis watching with few other supporter flags being waved it will feel flat for viewers - and competitors surely?

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Weren't there more Kiwi flags at Bermuda and San Fan anyway? I know they have these dock out shows and stuff, but I don't feel they are central to the event, and I'm sure we can rent a crowd for those.

I think in reality there is a lot of networking behind the scenes by high net worth individuals. That is where a lot of the unspoken value is, and would have been good for local industry leaders etc to have gotten in amongst.

Think it was the other thread where It Got, or KM or who ever he is today was saying the owners can't get in to join their superyachts once their gazzillion dollar refits are finished. I thought the whole idea of that loop hole was so the high net worth individuals could get into NZ. The quid pro quo was to spend a mil or two on their boat while they were here.

There is benefit in letting the high net worth's in. Same as the movie people. Just needs to be managed properly, oh, and potentially needs to be transparent, or not.

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