Upset over missing Langdon pair - father and 6-year-old daughter who left Kawhia Harbour in a catamaran 10 days ago

Alan Langdon and his daughter Que Langdon, 6, haven't been seen or heard from for nine days. Photo / Facebook

The disappearance of a father and daughter who set sail in a small catamaran from Kawhia Harbour bound for the Bay of Islands 10 days ago is "very upsetting" for the family's local community.

Alan Langdon, 49, and his 6-year-old daughter Que Langdon left Waikato's Kawhia Harbour on December 17 and have not been seen or heard from since.

Police say they have grave concerns for their welfare.

Waikato Search and Rescue, along with the Auckland Maritime Unit, continue to make inquiries and are calling for any information or sightings of the pair or their boat.

"Mr Langdon is an experienced and capable skipper, and his daughter has had experience on boats also," said Sergeant Warren Shaw of Waikato Search and Rescue.

"Police have received a number of calls from the public with information, which have assisted police as they continue to make further inquiries.

"We continue to appeal to the public for anyone who saw the vessel - a 21ft [6m] white catamaran with blue anti-fouling paint under the waterline - in the Kawhia Harbour, crossing the Kawhia Bar, on the afternoon of December 17, or any sightings since, to call police."

Alan Langdon's catamaran. Photo / Supplied

Coastguard has asked for sightings of the catamaran with a sail ID number of T878.

It's believed that Langdon, who is known as "Paddles" in the Kawhia district, had indicated they were headed for the Bay of Islands.

Langdon is a well-respected member of the community, and Que is a "lovely" child, said Kit Jeffries, chair of the Kawhia Community Board.

He said the Langdons were an old, well-known name in the area and had a long association with the sea.

Langdon's grandfather operated a fishing vessel out of Kawhia harbour for many years.

News of the pair's disappearance was "very upsetting" for locals, he said. "We are just hoping for the best."

Marine contractor Alan Rutherford said sea conditions have been "pretty bad" over the past 10 days.

He received a Coastguard message that asked all vessels to be on the lookout for the overdue catamaran.

"It's a bit of a mystery," he said.

"If you were sailing in a little cat like that you'd want to know what you were doing."