New Zealand Lapkin Style.

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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

20 replies
  1. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    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!

    • Wolfgang
      Wolfgang says:

      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.

  2. Dan Overbeek
    Dan Overbeek says:

    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!

  3. John Doyle
    John Doyle says:

    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.

    • Darthtrader
      Darthtrader says:

      I was starting to pack my bag when I read “ICE COLD”, words only reserved for beer.

  4. Ron in Seattle
    Ron in Seattle says:

    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.

    • Tim Robinson
      Tim Robinson says:

      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.

  5. Philip Andrew
    Philip Andrew says:

    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!

  6. tom
    tom says:

    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)

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