The $650,000 extension to the Coastguard Wanganui building was officially opened on Saturday and at least one person in the crowd knew why it was needed.
Rowan McGregor was among about 70 people present for the speeches, refreshments and ribbon cutting. He needed the rescue service about six years ago.
He was one of a crew of five on a friend's large and nearly new trailer boat. They went a long way out to sea fishing, and struck rough conditions and huge seas on the way back to Wanganui.
Then the motor cut out.
They tried to anchor on a hard shelf of shellrock but the anchor didn't hold. By the time it did they were close to Kai Iwi Beach, with waves breaking all around them. The boat was bouncing around incredibly, he said.
They called the Coastguard. The crew that came to rescue them had to make full use of their rope and seamanship skills.
"They were having to make up long and short lines while the boats were pitching and heaving and smashing together."
The fishers were eventually transferred to the Coastguard boat, which towed the other vessel back to Wanganui. Both boats were undamaged, and there was great relief all around.
On Saturday there were speeches before food and drink flowed freely and people toured the extended building.
Coastguard Wanganui president Kevin McKenna said the extension future-proofed the rescue service for many years to come. The new building has a kitchen and meeting area, a bigger radio room with connections to land, sea and air, a briefing room for incidents and a room where family members can wait during emergencies.
Bill Greening and Richard Austin talked about the fundraising effort. They raised $40,000 to $50,000 from service users and local people. Coastguard had $200,000 to start the fund, and 11 trusts have also contributed.
Speaker Martin Visser, deputising for Wanganui mayor Annette Main, said the volunteer service had 29 calls for help last season, and 67 people were brought home safely.
Keith Ramage, representing the organisation's main sponsor, Energy Direct, said it was committed to continue giving operational funding. He hoped others would do the same.