Now, where were we? Oh Ya, New Zealand
A huge thanks to Steve Lapkin and Duster for getting some great water action shots from New Zealand. It just gets better and better, and a great way to get us all in the mood for Lake Dora and BOATING SEASON!
LETS GO!
Faster
Even Faster
Love the handle on the windshield
Ditto
WOW
These little rockers are amazing. Need to find out more about these
Thats some happy chappy
Dang
Someone is having some fun for sure
The Aqualark in motion. Its like two two boats in one
Lets go!
Okay, we need to fix the blue tape number thing.
Oldie but goodie
Dang!
Mahogany and spray
Amazing shot, Blue tape and all
Perfection, love the outboard as well
Nature is taking the numbers off
Is that wood? Aluminum?
Okay that thing is flying
Thats one way to ditich the blue tape numbers
Okay, I am going to a petition going. Canada and there dumb fenders/bumpers, and now these numbers!
Looks like Lake Dora, and whats with the Stars and Stripes?
Winner of Best way to hide the number
I love the variety of the boats
He has it all figured out. Just change the boat colors to match the masking tape
The texture of wisdom
Good god, Jesus take the wheel
Chug chug a lug
Winner of the best ear plug award. What? Ear Plug Award? What?
STAY TUNED, We have even more varety of boats, smiles and Lapkin Art stuff.
Not kidding
Great images of boats getting wet. I love it!
The variety continues to amaze me, right down to the bathtub hydrofoil. That windshield grab rail seems to be a thing on a number of makes and I think it is a great idea.
Thanks again Steve, Duster and Matt for a great start to the day!
The grab rail sure is a good idea. I designed the edge of my cockpits to not only deflect any spray but also be a very comfortable grab rail for anybody white knuckling it.
Thanks to all involved, for all the great photos today! What fun! The grab bar thing does seem to be a good idea. The Aqualark, a boat I was interested in seeing more off, is crazy from the side view, like two boats put together to make one! What a plethora of boat types and conditions! Looks like folks just having a ball!
What a Kiwi treat!
My daughter and family has lived in Christchurch, NZ for 8 years, I’ve been there 5 times, this time of year, and should be there right now but for a medical challenge. Being there exceeds anything written or spoken, the natural beauty is that stunning and the people are positively a pleasure to be with.
And the NZ beer and wine are the best you will ever indulge.
Have not been to Lake Rotoiti, have been to Tekapo, Wanaka, Queensland, and other South Island waters. 10,000 plus acre lakes, gorgeous scenery, pristine clean, no congestion, but, and a really big BUT, ice cold!
Thank you Steve Lapkin, and all the boat show participants for giving us this New Zealand pictorial.
I was starting to pack my bag when I read “ICE COLD”, words only reserved for beer.
Some great images thanks Steve and matt
Good fun and great pics.
were it not for DUSTER………….it all would not have been a blast!
CHEERS, Duster!
Is it law in NZ to wear a PFD while in a boat?
Word
😂
Honest question jerks! I’ll keep to myself and google search my curiosities
Josh, I noticed the prevalence of PFDs also. There must be serious enforcement of whatever rules they have for the use of PFDs, unlike in the USA. Also, the rule on Woody Boater is not to take offense with any response to whatever you type here.
Steve has a way of capturing the spray ! Once again Great shots.
Great pix, many thanks! And a photo of a Fairliner Torpedo! In NZ? Very rare boats, a little over 30 were built in Tacoma, WA, and then a fire in the ’50’s stopped production. Where is Curt Erickson this AM? He is the Fairliner Guru, he has probably owned, touched and/or looked at all of them ever built. Pix of one of his shops, an original one, was owned by the Packard dealer in Tacoma, and one getting restored.
The owner of the Fairliner Chris Prier calls his boat number 33. According to Chris they made 32 Fairliners of this model. His boat is a reproduction. They took the lines off factory drawings and c and c curt the frames. The boat was my favorite at the show. She sports a 350 Chev, and she is a runner.
Grab handles, blue taped numbers and PFD’s. Early New Zealand jet boats were made for running in the braided rivers of the South Island. They will run in mere inches of water. Designed so that you could stand up to see obstacles ahead they have an accelerator flat on the floor and a grab handle or two on the screen frame. Those numbers. Yep we all hate them. They look so ugly. The reason we’re asked to put them on is primarily so the commentators can identify boats during the on water races and events. Also so show-comers can vote for peoples choice. And yes they are ugly.
PFD’s must be worn in any boat under a certain size in NZ. Many people opt for the thin dark coloured ones that deploy if you hit the water as they’re more comfortable and they don’t ruin Mr Lapkin’s shots!
Duster, et al – the color yellow It’s associated with happiness and sunshine.
My Shepherd has a curved glass windshield, with nothing but the finished edge of glass to hang on to when standing. I pictured a grab bar like these in the photos on my windshield for years. The Aqualark looks to have some restricted forward vision from that rear cockpit. I saw a television show on motortrend channel about a auto resto shop in Virginia (Fantom Works) In one episode they built from scratch a replica of a Ferrari powered hydroplane. It was built to hold two people, one behind the other. (Not Ferrari powered though)