The Waipa Delta is heading for a new life in Auckland after being fitted out with electronic equipment and getting a new lick of paint.
The jet-driven catamaran with twin John Deere 220hp turbo diesel engines left Whangarei at 7am on Monday and stopped off at Kawau Island before its expected
arrival Auckland at midday today.
The boat was brought to Whangarei's Town Basin to equip it with a radar and depth sounder, in preparation for the open sea.
The boat's project manager Bill Handcock said the imitation paddle-steamer was a well-known icon on the Waikato river in Hamilton since 1985, but resource consent wrangles with the Hamilton District Council, Environment Waikato and Tainui made it too difficult to continue.
The parties couldn't agree on the installation of a new jetty, so the Waipa Delta's owner Mark Goudie decided to take the tourist attraction to Auckland instead. In order to get to the open sea the vessel had to travel through the notorious Port Waikato harbour.
Mr Handcock said Whangarei was a good one-stop shop for boat renovations. He was impressed with the quality of contractors and suppliers and said the Waipa Delta would return every two years for improvements.
The vessel will be based in downtown Auckland offering dinner and lunch cruises - the first of which is on August 22.
