Taupō tour operator sails through tough times

The Nesbitts' boat was scorched by a fire in a nearby boat at the Taupō Harbour in January 2021. Photo / Supplied

She's been sunk, singed and sidelined by a pandemic but it's a case of Fearless by name, and owners that are fearless by nature.

The 11-metre yacht is in dry dock at present, undergoing a refit after being scorched by a fire in a nearby boat at the Taupō Harbour in January 2021.

Once complete, the plan is to use a crane to place her high and dry beside the harbour, where it will be used as a canvas for street artist DSide, during next month's Graffiato Festival.

It will hopefully be the start of a new era for owners Dave and Jess Nesbitt, who had to put the dream of running their business Taupō Sailing Adventures on hold during the pandemic.

Just before Covid hit, with plans to expand their business, they bought and restored a second yacht Kindred Spirit.

Taupō Sailing Adventures owners Jess and Dave Nesbitt and their six-month-old son Samuel are hoping for a busy season ahead. Photo / Dan Hutchinson

In November 2020, the engine on the 14-metre Kindred Spirit had to be replaced. After running the boat for about a month the newly fitted second-hand engine exploded on Christmas Day, so they missed out on the busiest part of the tourist year.

Dave says almost 85 per cent of their customers come from overseas so they had to take other jobs to make ends meet.

He went back to driving trucks while Jess worked at a sawmill stacking firewood and filleting timber. She then headed back to her home country of Germany to resume a previous job as a customs officer.

She lucked out nine times in the MIQ lottery before the 10th try saw her win a spot and return to NZ.

Throw six-month-old baby Samuel into the mix and it has been a busy couple of years for the family, which includes Dave's adult son Aaron, who is being trained as a skipper.

It's a nervous wait for the couple because they don't know what DSide is going to paint on the hull of Fearless, although they are excited after seeing his portfolio of work.

In 2020, DSide transformed a helicopter as part of the Graffiato: Taupō Street Art Festival.

They also have the task of craning the yacht into position and if it's too expensive the art project might not happen.

The Nesbitts' boat was scorched by a fire in a nearby boat at the Taupō Harbour in January 2021. Photo / Supplied

Fearless is used to a bit of drama. In 2001, she hit a reef and sunk, spending 12 days submerged up to her portholes before a number of yachts came to her rescue and refloated her.

She was towed back to Fiji for enough repairs to make the long voyage home to NZ for a full refit.

The Graffiato: Taupō Street Art Festival is in its 12th year and was the first of its kind in New Zealand with town centre walls transformed into works of art over Labour Weekend.

More than 85 murals have been painted, and now provide a comprehensive streetscape gallery for some of the best local, national and international street artists.

This year 13 artists will transform 10 locations over three days and people can walk around town and watch the artworks being created.