A CLASSIC BOATING VENUE LOST FOREVER

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A CLASSIC BOATING VENUE LOST FOREVER

During the week the  media have been flagging the sale of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron Kawau Island property (Lidgard House and property”) to Ngati Manuhiri. I have no issue with who bought it and I’m not going to enter into the debate around whether the property will be visually and physically respected by its new owner. 

What concerns me is the loss of access to a resource that all boat owners had access to. Sure the RNZYS owned it, but no one ever stopped a boat owner stretching their legs or exercising the family dog. And if you were a squadron member, you had access to an all tide wharf/pontoon where you could tie up the dinghy. 

If you think it will be business as normal re access, you are wrong. I quote from the RNZYS advice to members –  “In recognition of the Squadron’s long stewardship of the property, Ngati Manuhiri has warmly invited RNZYS to continue to enjoy use of the beachfront, jetty, pontoon and lawn area TWICE annually….. for an initial period of 20 years”.

Sadly I suspect the real loser from this sale will be the Kawau Boating Club, there will be fewer ‘walk up’ customers frequenting the club and less fuel sales. The only winner out of all this is Waiheke Island retailers, and when you factor in high fuel costs – I predict boats will be dropping anchor closer to home this summer. 

NORTHWIND – NOT LONG OF THIS WORLD

The 33’ wooden motorsailer NORTHWIND is very close to an appointment with a back hoe. In the words of the wellington Harbour Master – “this is a serious project for a classic boat and not for the faint hearted” – that would be the understatement of the year.

In my eyes probably best viewed as a donor boat for someone wanting some fittings. Searchable on tme. (thanks Ian McDonald)

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3 thoughts on “A CLASSIC BOATING VENUE LOST FOREVER”

  1. It is absolutely disgusting hat the RNZYS purports to call itself a boating club, which as such, it means, as a fundamental duty, it should do for, nurture, & provide all resources, & support, care, & support, all its members, & boaties at large, in every way possible. & suddenly in this case, of its Roy & Irene Lidgard homestead, Kawau Island property, right out of the blue it sells off a most incredibly special asset, just for as much money as it can get, with not thought for protecting the customary rights for boaties that have existed for 80years since 1946.

    This to me reeks of a hierarchy grabbing at money, & the greed that goes with it, with no thought for the people who they are supposed to be there for, to make it a boating club, along with the protection of their interests, that have existed for generations. for these 80 years.

    I don’t know what that outfit is about, but it’s certainly not a boating club, with the now proven attitude it has, & thank heavens I have never ever wanted to join it, because if I had, I would instantly resign I would never ever want to be a part of an outfit with that attitude, morrals, & policies. —

    Any sale of that property, should have automatically contained protection for the customary rights of access over the land in the property, it has had as at now, for 80 years for permanent access over the land, in the area of its title adjacent to the foreshore, in perpetuity, for the permanent benefit & use all RNZYS members & boaties at large., like the Maori people do, with frequently, much vigor, with their customary rights.

    NZ has just lost very special & unique part of its boating heritage & history forever.

    SHAME ON THE RNZYS. the so called, supremo NZ boating club– what a joke.

    It could never be a true & proper boating club with that policy!!! —

    DISGUSTING!!!! — KEN R

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  2. Surprised there isn’t more responses to this RNZYS decision – will be interesting to see how this morphs out over time…maybe it is still early. Only satisfaction that I can see is the KBC has the building / Land and of course the pontoon. Was that foresight or what?

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