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Westhaven Marine Village


ScottiE

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Being the devil's advocate here and I really love Westhaven as it is, and I don't actually want to see it change too much but would it not be better long term for racing to be concentrated somewhere a bit further away from the CBD? I don't know where exactly, our geography makes it difficult, but to be somewhere where carparking can be cheap/free, you can race in clear water out of shipping lanes, have great access for dinghy rigging, space for services like hard stands and haul outs, and less worry about increasing competition from non yachtie users, like CBD workers wanting to park or eat lunch there. Perhaps right now the clubs have some sway and this could be an opportunity to make something even better happen on our own terms?

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No Zoe, the reason Westhaven gets 100+ boats in twilight racing and no one else gets 20 is because it's the place that most people can actually get to after work and before 6pm. If you don't have a crew, you don't race.

 

Squid of all people should know, location, location, location

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No Zoe, the reason Westhaven gets 100+ boats in twilight racing and no one else gets 20 is because it's the place that most people can actually get to after work and before 6pm. If you don't have a crew, you don't race.

 

Squid of all people should know, location, location, location

 

Totally agree. The reason so many boats are out there on a given night is because people can go straight from work, easy transport links etc etc. Moving elsewhere would severely reduce the number of boats out there.

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Yep I know that but you are going to be fighting this forever. If you win this fight you'll always be battling car park fees and congestion and increased ground rent and berthage fees and more rules and the port wanting to make the channel even narrower and the traffic even worse at 5.15 on Wednesday night. All of that will also decrease participation too. At least if the sport made a strategic decision to move, it would be able to do it on its own terms, and while participation is still relatively high.

 

I also don't know where you'd actually move too - Takapuna maybe? (joking) Gulf Harbour is too far away but if the clubs did get squeezed out of Westhaven either intentionally or because it becomes unsustainable there, it's where the sport will end up or somewhere like that.

 

I am not saying I want that to happen, because I think the way Westhaven is is great for club racing and my years as a boat owner there were some of the best of my life, but I get a feeling of inevitability about it UNLESS the sport - and by that I mean you guys - puts up a really big and unified and well thought-out fight now. This has been coming on a long time, I don't know if it's too late or not.

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Orakei, rebuild a decent breakwater and ther would be room for marinas, pile, swing moorings, a bit of fill and there's a hardstand and marine centre, even room for the YNZ thing they want at Takapuna. Plus parking.

 

Only thing in the way is politics.

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Don't they also own Westhaven? There is your point of negotiation.

 

I don't know I am just talking off of the cuff but people here seem to be putting their head in the sand and you guys are the ones that will be most affected if what I am concerned about comes to fruition.

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I thought Orakei and Westhaven were gifted to the people of the region as boating/ yachting facilities after the second world war. It was all about rehabilitation and redirection after the 5 miserable years of war and loss. Recovery, time for some fun.

Add to that the bridge development and wiping out the St Marys bay foreshore for the access/ motorway and the deals that were done then as far as replacement of lost facilities, and the 'contra' of the Westhaven development ,and I would have thought that legally, Westhaven is for boats, boaties and boating facilities.

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Best of luck expanding Orakei:

 

In September 2002 Ngati Whatua entered into an agreement to support the development of a 200-berth marina at Okahu Bay.

 

Resource consent was subsequently obtained with Ngati Whatua’s support, and a 172-berth marina was successfully completed.

 

Over the previous three decades, two similar applications for 500 and 1,000 berth marinas, opposed to by Ngati Whatua, had been unsuccessful in obtaining resource consent.

 

Ngati Whatua received the following direct benefits:

the redevelopment was of a lesser scale to previous proposals, substantial reclamation was avoided;

 

there were substantial environmental positives such as a sewage pump-out facility;

 

financial fees

 

annual berth commission for marine scholarship purposes for Ngati Whatua;

 

trustee appointment for Ngati Whatua was provided on the Marina Management Trust.

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Don't think the "progress" at Westhaven is being planned by anyone but pakeha.

 

Pakeha planners in pakeha offices working for pakeha (mostly) council.

 

I think it's pakeha who are the serious road block to progress.................... :thumbup:

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My 2 cents worth submission to the Councils proposal:

 

 

What public activities would you like to see more of in Westhaven Marina?

 

I would like to see the councils continued support of Auckland’s sailing community by providing a facility for all types of sailing activity – supporting vessels from the large & expensive down to the small & inexpensive. To cut off Westhaven to entry level boat owners is to cut off the berth holders, club members and sailors of the next generation.

 

Further Comments

 

The removal of swing & pile moorings and their replacement with finger berths of 12 metre and greater, will spell the death knell of Westhavens fleet of smaller & entry level sail boats. A look at the list of vessels competing in any regular yacht club event shows the majority are under 12 metres. Three of the most active Auckland yacht clubs are based at Westhaven and the viability of these clubs will be put in jeopardy should the majority of the member vessels be forced to moor/berth elsewhere. It will not be practical to compete in Westhaven based sailing events if the boat needs to travel from Tamaki River, Upper Harbour or Okahu Bay beforehand.

I am aware that the council is obligated to minimise the burden on ratepayers by making facilities like Westhaven profitable but the exclusion of smaller vessels from the plan will exclude the youth and future of Auckland’s sailing community – the people who own & crew these types of sailboats.

This plan ignores the fact that Westhaven has up to this point served Auckland as a facility supporting a thriving sailing community with a wide range of sailing development opportunities for all ages. The removal of pile & swing moorings will cut off the entry point of the boat ownership pathway and consign the marina to a future as a parking lot for seldom used gin palaces owned by an ageing wealthy elite.

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2 cents well spent I'd think Tennis.

 

As a FYI to all, the boss dude who'll see these submissions, or certainly should if they do care, is a fizz boater and I'm knot overly sure he thinks that highly of yachts or possibly could see them as 'rich pricks toys'. It may to write a little fizz nasty friendly just in case.

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I agree Tennis. The problem is it's not only small boats that will be disadvantaged by the piles going. I have a Classic yacht with a bowsprit. At the moment I pay $440 a month on the piles. The going rate on a marina is about $1400 a month. With the narrow fairways it is almost impossible to get a boat that handles like a mack truck out of a marina. Because I have a 50ft boat with a 6ft bowsprit westhaven (and everyone else for that matter, haulouts etc) assumes I can afford to pay. If the piles go I have a real problem of where to go. So does everyone else there. I doubt westhaven cares much, if at all.

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Note there is no boat-ramp facility on future iterations of the plan. So that makes it pretty difficult for the trailer boats and sportsboat fleet wanting to sail out of Westhaven...

 

The conversion to a pedestrian area and the inclusion of ramps, cars, people that cant back trailers etc. are at opposite ends of the safety spectrum so I can understand why... but it still sucks.

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There was a similar discussion going on in the forums pre Xmas re closing Westhaven Access during Auckland Marathon and prior to that Xgames motocross event...

 

....thoughts at that time a bit tongue in cheek....

 

"I propose a large scale Orakei project. Replace the toothpicks with a proper breakwater from Orakei wharf to burial place of Compass Dolphin in Mechanics Bay.

 

Create a whole lot of space for water sports enthusiasts of all types including sheltered beach for beginner boaties, proper dinghy rigging launch areas, open grass areas for those who like to be by boats rather than out on them, decent safe boat ramp with parking (yes user pays) and a whole lot more Marina Berths to meet demand. That should be easy to get consent for!!"

 

Could even include the NOWSC facility and offices :) Just need that consent and a few million!

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As per Tery B's earlier post I can vouch for fact that it is very easy to register to learn more and "be heard". Just put what session you would like to attend in body of your e mail... see you Tuesday quote....

 

"If you would like to attend a presentation about the plans, these will be held:

 

Wednesday, 3 April 2013 5:00 PM-6:00 PM

Thursday, 4 April 2013 12:30 PM-1:30 PM

 

At: Waterfront Auckland, Pier 21 Building

11 Westhaven Drive

Freemans Bay

 

Please register if you would like to attend: by email to info@waterfrontauckland.co.nz with the title 'Westhaven presentation', or please call Waterfront Auckland on (09) 366 8820. To request a hard copy of the draft plans for Westhaven email info@waterfrontauckland.co.nz"

 

Regards,

Kevin Lidgard

Westhaven Operations Manager"

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