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Offshore Power Boats - Gulf Harbour 17 Oct

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Phantom Menace Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Offshore Power Boats - Gulf Harbour 17 Oct
    Posted: 06 Oct 2026 at 10:23am
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Titanium
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The ramp at Gulf Harbour will be a little busy on 17 October as the offshore powerboats are back.

I've volunteered to help again and it looks like my boat may be on the start/finish line with the lap scorers and chequered flag on board.

Two races: midday and 1pm.

Most of the boats will be parked on the grass area between the marina and the carpark at the Hammerhead in the morning.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Phantom Menace Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Oct 2026 at 5:07pm
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The course goes anti-clockwise and turns around the little island (Kotanui / Frenchmans Cap) just off Gulf Harbour.  That turn should make for interesting viewing - especially at the start of each race when the fleet is still close together.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Phantom Menace Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Oct 2026 at 12:11pm
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It was interesting helping out with the racing. I had the lap scorers / timekeepers and the chequered flag on board again.

As the race briefing was finishing one of the scorers asked if her 93 yr old grandfather could come aboard and watch. It turns out that the bloke was Ron Archer - a legend I had heard of a while ago. He helped introduce water skiing and power boats to NZ from the 1950s and set the "Round New Zealand" circumnavigation speed record in 1994 (at the age of 60).  That would have been an epic 4 day trip!

 Tongue  I figured I'd better keep my boat handling / close quarter maneuvering sharp with him watching ... He was on the boat for a few hours and was quiet, unassuming but also obviously very knowledgeable - came across as a really nice guy.





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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote MJ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2026 at 5:41pm
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Great post PM. Certainly remember the name Ron Archer associated with the sport.

Scary to think how much gas that Genesis would have burned for a NZ circumnavigation being pushed by two old-school V6 2 strokes. The guys were trying to hammer it obviously, so no sweet spot economy running.

Would anyone like to make a stab at it?


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote lawabidingpoacher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2026 at 7:16pm
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Rough guess 80 ltr / hr each at flat out....?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Phantom Menace Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Oct 2026 at 2:24pm
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:) I wrote a post and it got blocked - so lets try again ...

Trip planning and fuel management for that trip would have been part of the challenge. I'd guess there would have been some parts where they needed to be careful of fuel burn to make it from one refueling stop to the next e.g. around Fiordland.

Running at WOT burns sooo much more than even a handful of knots slower. A recent example for me was last Thursday we got an "URGENT CALLOUT" page. A client on a fishing charter had collapsed and they wanted Hibiscus Rescue 1 to respond. We were running at WOT and sitting on 44-45 knots from Gulf Harbour out to the container boat anchorage towards Rakino and  then south to find the charter boat, transfer the guy onto HIB1 and then take him and a support person down the Marine Rescue Centre to meet Ambulance and Police - also running around 43-44 knots once our guests were settled in. (The guy who had collapsed was pretty good and had pretty much regained his senses when we picked him up but we still didn't want to waste any time.)

Fuel Burn stats:
  • The two legs of the triangle at WOT / close to WOT consumed 130 litres
  • Mechanics Bay back to Gulf Harbour burnt 51 litres at 37-38 knots (I was on the helm for this leg so recall the speed)
Total time from "home working and the pager goes off" to "back home on a call with my boss" was 2 hrs 15 minutes - but I didn't track the leg times or distances.

HIB1 has two 300hp Yamaha 4-strokes so a different fuel burn profile 2 a couple of 2-strokes.


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