KEY POINTS:
Kiwi boaties keen to keep their vessels safely out of the water when not in use might wish to take a close look at the new Blue Series HydroHoist.
About to be released in New Zealand, the HydroHoist has been manufactured in Brisbane especially for the Oceania region.
It uses high-density polyethylene for its structure, fabricated buoyancy tanks and rotationally moulded walkways to ensure no galvanised parts are in the water when the lift is afloat. The new design has also been optimised for those constrained by narrow berth space.
HydroHoist was developed in Oklahoma in 1965 and is sold in more than 30 countries. It was introduced in New Zealand by Marathon Products in 2003 and is in use in areas as diverse as Gulf Harbour, the Pauanui and Whitianga Waterways, Hawkes Bay and Picton.
Marathon's Joe Nowak says the appeal of the HydroHoist is its quick ease of use and the fact that the boat is always ready to go "at the drop of a hat".
"By keeping a hull out of the water, its surface is kept free from marine growth build-up and from the dangers of electrolysis and corrosion," he says.
"A smooth hull also means a faster, more fuel-efficient boat."
The rotationally moulded port and starboard walkways also make the boat easy to get in or out of while out of the water.
This has proved a real plus at the Coastguard base in Mechanics Bay where the new 8.5m Protector, Rescue Alpha One, remains ready for dispatch from its 4000kg-plus HydroHoist.
With the boat used extensively for training, the walkways provide safe access and enable more participants to have a first-hand view of the RIB's interior.
