Haere Mai Hohapata Sealord Rescue

While our volunteers are what makes Coastguard an exceptional life-saving organisation, they would not be able to actively reduce the number of lives lost on New Zealand’s waterways without capable and fit-for-purpose Coastguard Rescue Vessels.

This year, Coastguard Nelson unveiled its brand-new rescue vessel, Hohapata Sealord Rescue. The $1.4 million vessel was the result of many years of fundraising and a generous $215,000 helping hand from Sealord as well as support from Pub Charity and an array of community trusts and foundations.

Sealord sought input from Te Tauihu Iwi to assist with the naming of the vessel. Hohapata – Sealord Rescue was the name kindly gifted by Ngāti Koata Kaunihera kaumātua.

Hohapata Te Kahupuku of Ngāti Koata (1834-1913), was a selfless man who was instrumental in saving the lives of the crew on board distressed ship Delaware when it got into serious trouble on the rocky Whakapuaka coast in 1863.

“We could not save lives at sea without the selfless spirit of our volunteers and our rescue vessel,” said Coastguard

Community support key to new Queenstown base

Coastguard Queenstown opened a new purpose-built facility in February in what was heralded as an important step in keeping boaties safe on the South Island’s major lake.

The new facility, located in Frankton Marina, took nearly 12 years to come to fruition. However, with generous support from local trusts including Central Lakes Trust, the local Rotary group, and the wider Queenstown community, the $500,000 building opened its doors to a great celebration.

The building houses a radio and operations room, which has the ability to provide for multi- agency search and rescue responses. It also has capacity to hold boating and education courses and public events, making it a real asset to the Queenstown community.

The new base is timely, as Coastguard Queenstown will be receiving one of the 22 America’s Cup boats. This new vessel will replace the unit’s current 8.5m vessel, Queenstown Airport Rescue, which entered service in 2008, the year the unit was founded.

Getting by with a little help from our friends

Coastguard is a charity that relies on the generosity of our incredible supporters who enable our volunteers to get people home safely time after time.

Our Team Rescue Supporters are a very important group of people whose monthly donations are gifts we can rely on to plan ahead. Team Rescue is a growing income source year on year that provides invaluable untagged income for Coastguard.

Over the last year, the number of amazing Coastguardians grew, with 38 supporters confirming they would leave a gift in their will to Coastguard. We now have a powerful group of 96 Coastguardians committed to supporting the next generation of volunteers and saving lives at sea.

A Gift in Memory that will save lives

A generous Gift in Memory from the Rees and Moira Jones Family Trust has enabled both Coastguard Tutukaka and Whangaruru to secure much-needed rescue equipment.

The Jones family have always had a passion for the sea. When Rees Jones retired from his career as a pathologist, he and Moira bought a dive charter business, Pacific Hideaway Charters in Tutukaka, with son Gareth coming on board as the Skipper.

Rees never needed to call Coastguard, but for more than 20 years his own boat, Catatonic, was moored next to the Coastguard Tutukaka Rescue Vessel.

“We often saw the volunteers rush to go out and help so we know just how important they are when things go wrong at sea,” says Jennifer Robertson, Rees and Moria’s daughter.

“Mum and Dad set up our family trust 22 years ago, and as trustee I’m delighted to be able to make this gift to the Tutukaka and Whangaruru Coastguard units. I know Dad would approve.”

In memory of Rees and Gareth Jones

From helping defend the Cup to saving lives at sea, this is for you New Zealand!

Coastguard had a historic and multi-faceted involvement with the 36th America’s Cup as a result of a special partnership with Lotto New Zealand and Emirates Team New Zealand.

The partnership sees a fleet of new Coastguard rescue vessels hitting the water in communities around New Zealand, all thanks to Lotto players. The boats were first used during the Prada Cup

and 36th America’s Cup as support and chase boats before undergoing a refit process that has equipped them with the right tools and resources to become Coastguard Rescue Vessels.

The partnership is a win-win for New Zealand, with Coastguard units in communities from Whangaruru in the far north, to Dunedin in the deep south receiving the new vessels. The fit-for-purpose boats will replace ageing vessels at units around the country that have limited capacity to fundraise, ensuring that our volunteers can continue their life-saving work in their communities for many years to come.

The vessels have been funded entirely by a $9.8 million lottery grant, made possible by the millions of Kiwis who play Lotto New Zealand’s games each year.

Lotto New Zealand’s profits are distributed back into Kiwi communities via the Lottery Grants Board, providing a major source of funding for sport and recreation, arts and culture, environment and heritage, and community projects throughout the country.

Having been built by Rayglass and Salthouse Boats right here in New Zealand, the fleet has provided additional economic benefits for New Zealand’s marine sector and boosted employment and apprenticeships.