Police prepare America's Cup patrol boats for sale

Eight expensive pieces of America's Cup nostalgia are about to go on the market.

The bulk of the police's fleet of rigid-hulled inflatable boats which zipped around Auckland's Waitemata Harbour during the cup regatta late last year and earlier this year, are being prepared for sale.

The police will sell eight of the boats but keep three for harbour and gulf patrols.

The 3.8-tonne, 12-metre boats will be offered for sale by tender.

Two years ago the entire fleet had a $700,000 motor upgrade when they were fitted with new counter-rotating, 225 horsepower, four-stroke Yamaha outboards giving them a top speed of 43 knots (90 kmh).

The three remaining boats will work with the police launch Deodar, although Mr Paget said after 14 years, Deodar was nearing the end of its economic life and replacement options were being prepared.

The inflatable boats cost $2 million before the 1999-2000 America's Cup.

A decision had been made to sell them after that regatta but they had performed so well the decision was reversed and they were kept for the unsuccessful 2003 defence.

Mr Paget said if New Zealand challenged and won the cup, it would be another four or five years before new boats would be needed.

The locally-made Interceptor patrol boats would be sold as operational boats with global positioning system, radios, depth sounders and radar.

He said the boats had worked very well for police and if they were needed for another America's Cup regatta little would change.

With a top speed of 43 knots, the boats are ideal for emergency work around Auckland. Earlier this week one of the boats made a high speed dash to Waiheke Island to bring back a man with deep chest wounds after a domestic row.

The boats have two full length berths capable of taking stretchers, a small galley with a fridge, and a toilet.

Police believe more than 100,000 people in Auckland own boats.

- NZPA