Joe Neilsen, left, and Jory Withington working with pre-preg carbon fibre componentry at Southern Ocean Boat Builders in Mirrielees Rd, Tauranga. Photo/Andrew Warner
Joe Neilsen, left, and Jory Withington working with pre-preg carbon fibre componentry at Southern Ocean Boat Builders in Mirrielees Rd, Tauranga. Photo/Andrew Warner
The Tauranga boating fraternity is open to discussion about staging the America's Cup defence here.
On Tuesday Team NZ sealed their win against Team USA in Bermuda to win the 35th America's Cup - with local sailing hero Peter Burling at the helm.
"Until we know what kind of boatsare chosen, we remain open to the idea," said Commodore Nick Wrinch, of the Tauranga Yacht and Boat Club.
However, people floating the possibility need to be realistic, he said.
"Those foiling cats need a lot of space. They could sail from Matakana to Kulim Park in less than a minute. They are high-speed machines," he said.
"The harbour wouldn't be deep enough for when they dip. The sailing course could be set outside the harbour. Imagine seeing them flying back through the entrance," he speculates.
"It would be great for our boat builders. However, the lack of accommodation and other crucial buildings make it a big ask to stage here."
Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless says he'll "listen to any proposals but it was up to the Cup holders" where they defended it.
Careful "not to raise false hopes", Mr Brownless said the Royal Akarana Yacht Club was the holder and its interests were in the Waitemata Harbour.
"Our best chances are spin-off from crews training here and associated tourists visiting here."
The last America's Cup regatta produced work for Hutcheson Boat Builders and owner Don Mattson expected a similar result this time around.
"Most of our work was from boats following the racing. It's a great thing for the industry," he said.
Southern Ocean Boat Builders managing director Greg McNabb welcomed the America's Cup win.
"It's been a tough few years for Kiwi boat builders so hopefully the industry will be more in the spotlight internationally again," he said.
"Most of our work prior to the downturn in the industry (due to our strong dollar) has been export-related so any exposure is a good thing.
The company's work lately related to composite components and racing yacht-related boat building, mostly refit and maintenance type work.
"I believe Auckland is the right place for the next defence - that's where the corporates are based, that's where the major funding comes from. It is the City of Sails and they've hosted it before. We benefit from the spin-off and that will be the same again, hopefully."
Several of his former boat-building staff and apprentices had gone on to work for Team New Zealand and other syndicates in this Cup and previous challenges.
Tourism BOP events manager Kathrin Low doubts that Tauranga could realistically host an America's Cup defence "but we would be a fantastic destination for preliminary racing prior to the America's Cup.
"The largest event hosted in Tauranga, to date, is the AIMS Games, with about 9300 competitors and additional support crew and family coming to the region. Accommodation is at capacity."
The San Francisco America's Cup regatta drew about 700,000 visitors - "One immediate challenge is the shortage of accommodation," she said.
San Francisco "spent $180 million to fix their piers and develop the wharf areas to be race appropriate", she said.
"There would need to be a capacity and interest to invest in infrastructure in order to be able to host the America's Cup," she concluded.
The Tauranga Harbour Marine Precinct would be well and truly operational by the time the America's Cup comes to Auckland in 2021, says the project director, Phil Wardale.
The precinct is a Tauranga City Council project to deliver a purpose-built marine servicing facility at Sulphur Point. It would provide a base for boat building and refit businesses.
The precinct would be operational by 2021. At this stage, six marine businesses had acquired lots around the precinct. Together these businesses would cover a wide spread of specialities, from fibre-glassing to marine engineering, vessel painting and timber decking to composite building, along with a specialised workboat fleet and a fishing fleet.
This meant Tauranga would have a one-stop shop for customers getting their vessels serviced and a variety of vessels, both commercial and private, would be accommodated.
The combination of a large vessel hoist - able to lift vessels up to 350 tonnes and 45m long - and the businesses set up around the precinct would make Tauranga a place of choice for repairs and maintenance of all kinds of vessels, said Mr Wardale.
Emirates Team New Zealand could not be reached for comment.
Team NZ sailmaker destined for Tauranga
Sam Burton in his sail loft in Mirrielees Rd. Photo/Andrew Warner
Tauranga is to be the new workplace for an Emirates Team New Zealand sailmaker.
Sam Burton, of Doyle Burton Sailmakers, in Mirrielees Rd, Tauranga, is looking forward to the arrival of Matt Hibbard at the business he took over last year.
Mr Burton started at Doyle Sails in Auckland in 2001 and was there during the 2003 series when the Swiss boat, Alinghi, won the Cup.
He believes the latest win is great for sailmakers.
The win gets children and parents thinking about yachting as a sport for the whole family and that's good for his business, he said.
Hopefully, parents will think of sailboats rather than speed boats or launches, he said.
