Boaties get bit of a lift

The Pine Harbour Marina has installed a handy way of cutting the trailers and getting straight to the main event, reports ROBIN BAILEY.

Ten years in the creation, the Pine Harbour Marina at Beachlands on Auckland's eastern edge is almost fully developed.

The complex includes on-the-water berths for 600 boats of up to 20m, a full range of on-site marine services and a new, open-seven-days restaurant.

The landscaping in and around the complex has a tropical theme and the marina is close to the cruising grounds of the Gulf.

Pine Harbour has everything the modern marina can offer, plus an edge for trailer-boat people seeking hassle-free boating.

Unique to Auckland, and possibly to the whole of New Zealand, is a high and dry storage system that eliminates the need for trailering.

Lots of people, particularly those new to boating, dread the drama sometimes involved in launching from busy ramps. Everyone's in a hurry, the family is watching every tentative move, and the odd mistake can be embarrassing.

The Pine Harbour storage system is a budget version of the big dry-stack at Orams in Westhaven. The boat is launched and retrieved by marina staff and stored in a two-tier rack. The boat is moved from the stack to the water by forklift and settled in the tide on a second static lift in an operation that is swift and efficient.

Pine Harbour administration manager Neville Sinclair says the system can accommodate 80 boats of up to 9m, with plenty of room for extension as demand increases.

"People like it because they don't need an expensive tow vehicle - in fact they don't even need a trailer," Sinclair says. "We've got 24-hour security, and there is a full range of maintenance and chandlery services on the spot.

"We're open 365 days a year and with a little bit of notice we can arrange any service a boat-owner could want.

"That includes a major refit for an oceangoing yacht to a helicopter from the marina to any place in New Zealand, or a round of golf on the international course at the Formosa Country Club next door."

Pine Harbour Marina has one of the most modern maintenance yards in the Gulf, with a lifter capable of handling boats from 7m to 20m and up to 44 tonnes. Cruising boaters are catered for along with the marina's 650 berth-holders. There is a range of options available for keeping a boat in the water - ownership, lease or rental.

Sinclair: "Renting can be a good option for boaters new to marina life but most people either buy a berth or lease. There are options to suit everyone, and as with real estate, there are always berths becoming available as owners undergo lifestyle changes or opt for a less active form of recreation."

Assured that the day-to-day mechanics of marina operation are running smoothly, Sinclair is now looking ahead.

Having been the hands-on manager since the first earthworks were started in 1988, he is proud of the way the complex has evolved.

"We decided early on to go for a tropical-type mix with the landscaping and it is now beginning to take shape as the palms grow and the surrounding area is developed to complement the retail centre and the restaurant."