Club of the Week: Northern Districts Jet Boat Club

Fancy the feel of wind rushing through your hair, exploring some of New Zealand's hidden beauty from near-impassable waterways or testing your mettle in some high-speed fun on the water?
That's just some of the excitement that the Northern Districts Jet Boat Club can offer to people keen to make new friends and to get out and about more with their jet boats.
Now in its 40th year, the club covers the Bay as well an area stretching from Northland to Taupo, including Gisborne and Raglan, although members often find themselves racing in places flung far further than the central and upper North Island.
Events run through the National Jet Boat Association, which the club is affiliated to, include an international river race, which cycles yearly between New Zealand, Mexico and Canada.
A small group take part in an international adventure each year, such as the latest jet boating experience in Mongolia and Russia.
The club hosts about 16 events a year in the Whanganui, Rangitaiki, Patea, Motu, Waitoa, Ngarururo, Tarawera and Whakatane rivers and the Matahina dam, at Edgecumbe.
Late last month, 15 local members turned out for the club's flagship river run, which has been likened to an hour-long jet-sprint course, and snaked along the Waihou River, from Matamata, before winding up at Tirau's historic Okoroire Hotel.
Tauranga member Lindsay Richards said the narrow, winding river ran through a number of scenic gorges and in places boats had to power climb over logs that were jammed across the river.
The boaters were amazed to find a young seal frolicking beneath a waterfall about one hour up the river.
"The seal came over to check out the new arrivals, then parked itself on the jetty between the parked boats and went to sleep. As the crow flies, he or she was 100km from the Firth of Thames, the river's entrance. The distance via the river would be more like 200km, making the presence of the seal at this distance from the sea quite remarkable."
Mr Richards said events were held for the pleasure of boating the country's scenic rivers and lakes and the thrill and challenge of navigating tight, winding shallow areas. One event was held each year to take children with special needs on jet boat runs.
"Some of the events are designed as a gymkhana to teach new boaters how to handle their craft, including backing the boat between obstacles, driving blindfolded directed by a passenger, speed trails around a course involving the likes of dropping your passenger at one end of a pair of 44 gallon barrels tied to a plank, and collecting him from the other end, and stopping under an overhead plank and retrieving a water filled balloon without bursting it," said Mr Richards. "It's a lot of fun and teaches good boating skills."
Mr Richards said the only prerequisite to joining the club was owning a jet boat.
"We encourage new members, especially if they know nothing of jet boating - because the club is the best forum to learn. The club members take a lot of pleasure in helping new members with tips and guidance."
Many of the tricks to boating New Zealand's rivers are quickly picked up by new members, he said.
"A classic example is once a driver takes their foot off the accelerator they lose the ability to steer the boat, which is pushed and steered by water being powered from a 100mm nozzle rather than a propeller or rudder.
Most of the club boats have aluminium hulls, which are less damaged than fibreglass hulls from shingle fans, rocks and logs.
Mr Richards, who joined the club 20 years ago said "club members range from single guys in their early 20s to family groups and elderly guys who should really be at home watching Coronation Street over a cup of tea - but good on them for getting out and getting dangerous. A lot of women folk also partake on the club days."
Anyone interested in joining the club should visit the website www.nzjetboating.com
THE DETAILS
Name: Northern Districts Jet Boat Club.
Number of members: 170
Established: 1971
How often it meets: The club holds about 16 events each year and members also meet at other events around the country and overseas.