Waikato Regional Council’s newest vessel, Tūtaia, was launched today in Whitianga following a blessing by local iwi Ngāti Hei.

Tūtaia replaces the council’s old workhorse Maroro, which has been servicing the navigation aids around the Coromandel Peninsula for the last 17 years.

The purpose-built catamaran, to be based at Whitianga, will expand the capability of the council’s Maritime Services team and enhance support for wider council and partner operations throughout the Waikato region.

The 6.7m aluminium vessel weighs three tonnes, with a capacity for up to 10 people. Twin 140 hp Suzuki engines give a top speed of 40 knots and cruising speed of 22 knots.

Ngāti Hei Representative Matua Joe Davis blessed the vessel, which is named after local chief Te Paerata Toa Tūtaia. Often known as Tūtaia, he was a famous chief of the period around 1815-1820.

Tūtaia was the custodian over the bays and harbours of Hauraki. He acted as a pilot, guiding boats into harbour and also carried out reconnaissance duties during a period of conflict among the Northern Alliance.

Joe Davis said Tūtaia is an honourable name, connected with safety and keeping a careful watch.

Kataraina Hodge, Ngā Tai ki Uta councillor and chair of the Environmental Performance Committee, welcomed the new vessel. “The council’s Maritime Services team is expanding due to growing population in the region and an abundance of boating activity. The improved capability of this new vessel will be an important means to increase our capacity to provide boating and navigational safety services.”

Thames-Coromandel constituency councillor Warren Maher added: “Our coastal and inland waterways are hugely popular with boaties, and the arrival of the Tūtaia is well-timed just ahead of summer.”

Constructed by Tauranga firm Kingfisher Boats and Powercats, the Tūtaia is a standard commercial design with custom features aimed at the unique needs of the Maritime Services team.

“Being a catamaran, this new vessel will provide a much bigger and more stable platform for our work and be able to operate in a wider range of weather conditions,” said Regional Harbourmaster Chris Bredenbeck.

“One of the roles of Maritime Services is to maintain the network of navigational aids—popularly called buoys—in Waikato region waters, so several features of the vessel relate to this.

“The navigational aids consist of a float attached to heavy chains and anchors to keep them in position. For this reason, the vessel will feature a davit, or small crane, capable of lifting weights of up to 250kg over the side.

“Having the davit mounted on such a stable platform contributes to efficiency and safety of the work with the navigational aids.”

Around 100 of these navigational aids are used only during summer, meaning there is a lot of work involved in their deployment and retrieval each year. A further 800 navigation aids are in the water year round throughout the region and this vessel will help with their maintenance.

Another special feature of the vessel is a self draining deck.

“When the navigational aids are hauled on board, they are often covered in algae and mussel shells. Any of this marine growth that falls on the deck can be easily washed out the back of the vessel,” said Mr Bredenbeck.

Other features include modern navigational equipment, with radar and two chart plotters. The vessel will be able to carry more people and equipment, while greater fuel capacity and efficiency—along with a toilet—will extend the patrolling range of the vessel.

While the twin engines provide extra power when needed in rough seas, they also give a greater safety margin and increase manouverability in inshore waterways.

“We’ll be able to get to the outer islands of the Coromandel, for example, carrying council environmental specialists and inter-agency staff such as police divers,” said Mr Bredenbeck.

The vessel will also be used for mooring inspections, responding to vessel incidents, and boating safety patrols—including the summer Operation Neptune summer programme—and as a maritime staff training platform.

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