Tirikawa was based at the Tauranga Coastguard HQ, but served the entire eastern region. This included Taupo, Rotorua, Ōpōtiki, Whakatāne, Maketu, Waihi Beach, Whitianga, Whangamata, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne.
Coastguard eastern regional manager Bill Martyn said the new, high-tech boats would help to upskill the hundreds of volunteers. Tirikawa would also be used as a backup when vessels needed maintenance work done, he said.
"Our volunteers are out there saving lives so it's really important we give them the best training we can, and these extra vessels will help us deliver larger training events more frequently and with the most up-to-date tech.
"Frankly, it keeps a lot of the units going. When boats come off to be refitted or for maintenance - they can be off the water for two months. A boat like this can step in as cover. It keeps us operational through that downtime."
And he said the eastern region had one of the highest populations of recreational boaties in the country, proving the need for this new boat.
"It's fantastic that our units can receive these modern, fully-equipped boats to help keep all our units trained and ready to go when we're needed."
Tauranga's Alan Winstanley has been a Coastguard volunteer skipper for the past five years.
Winstanley was stoked with the new vessel, describing it as much faster than the existing boats in the unit's fleet. He said it allowed for training to take place while other vessels were carrying out rescues.
"It's fast, it's easy to drive and it can handle choppy water. It's a good all-rounder."
He said equipment - like the new boat - helped skippers feel safe and capable in scary situations.
It would also come in handy when towing boats that had broken down, jetskis that had run aground and in emergencies.
"It is built for speed to keep up with the yachts."
And while it changed each season, Winstanley estimated he carried out roughly 20 rescues a week.
In his view, boaties were becoming less inclined to help others out on the water in trouble, which only further reinforced the need for the Coastguard to have increased resources.
"As the population builds, people are less inclined to give others a hand if they see them in trouble. In the past boaties would go out of their way to help other boaties - but I don't think there is as much of that anymore," he said.
"So it's more important than ever to have a service like Coastguard. "
Coastguard New Zealand chief executive Callum Gillespie, who attended the blessing, said the training vessels would play an important role in the future of the organisation - ensuring volunteers could develop skills.
"Training is a vital element in our mission of saving lives at sea."
