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Bay Of Islands: What is the best mooring area for a liveaboard?


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In a hypothetical situation, which may or may not be part of your or my plans in the future - if you have decided that the Bay Of Islands is the area you wish to purchase / rent a mooring with view to it being your liveaboard base, which area would you choose?
The obvious choices are Opua/Kawakawa, Opua Basin, other nearby Opua areas (English Bay?), Russell, Matauwhi Bay, somewhere in KeriKeri river or it's tributaries, Doves Bay etc...
Cheers.

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Matauwhi Bay is pretty popular with liveaboards. Short walk to Russel town and supermarket, Boat club right there for social stuff, nice dinghy pontoon. Also very sheltered for most wind directions

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My pick would be just upstream from Opua. Well away from stray ocean swell; away from most vessel wake; handy to supplies; close to marine services; handy to fuel and water; possible to rent a temporary berth when cyclone forecast (which I have done twice); car parking; bike hire; walkway to Paihia; bus to Auckland at top of hill.

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2 hours ago, Lindsay said:

My pick would be just upstream from Opua. Well away from stray ocean swell; away from most vessel wake; handy to supplies; close to marine services; handy to fuel and water; possible to rent a temporary berth when cyclone forecast (which I have done twice); car parking; bike hire; walkway to Paihia; bus to Auckland at top of hill.

Is dust from the boatyard a concern in that area?  

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1 hour ago, Zozza said:

Is dust from the boatyard a concern in that area?  

Not as far as I know, but it would be worth getting local knowledge. I think the presence of millions of dollars in big yachts at the marina would be a big disincentive to boatyard pollution. If you look on satellite view you’ll see plenty of moorings well upstream from the boatyard, as well as plenty downstream adjacent to the marina.

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On 28/04/2025 at 8:00 AM, waikiore said:

Matauwhi Bay , they are universally known as the mudcrabs, and fouling no where near as bad as Opua

You know what, I never considered fouling.  But I now remember reading the odd post in this forum over the years moaning about the fouling issue in the Opua area.... thanks for the reminder!

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On 27/04/2025 at 6:09 PM, Zozza said:

Is dust from the boatyard a concern in that area?  

I wouldn't worry about that, the boatyard is empty because everyone goes to Whangarei , where every boatyard is full and buzzing, businesses doing well etc etc.

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On 30/04/2025 at 9:46 AM, John B said:

I wouldn't worry about that, the boatyard is empty because everyone goes to Whangarei , where every boatyard is full and buzzing, businesses doing well etc etc.

It changed ownership a number of years ago now right?  

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You would not get antifouling dust from the Opua yard. Because they only allow dry sanding with vacuum. No wet sanding allowed.

 

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1 hour ago, waikiore said:

Totally in reverse of best practice and the rest of the world

But it's what you do if you don't want to pay for a proper filtration system and appropriate drainage on the hardstand.

Even with integrated vacuums, dry sanding toxic poisons is simply crazy.

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