22nd NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show Results From Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes National Park

Covid restrictions lifted just in time to allow the 22nd NZ Antique & Classic Boat Show to go ahead as a one-day event on Sunday (March 7).

The annual show held annually at Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes National Park usually runs over two days, but drew a good crowd on Sunday, with close to 30 late registrations making up for those unable to travel from Auckland.

The wooden power boat Rita took the Jens Hansen Trophy, having been towed up from Tarras by her owner, Michael Hayman. The 6m boat was built in Waimate, with an open cockpit designed after boats used on Sydney Harbour.

Boat show judge John Harris said the winner was impressive as a 100 year old veteran of the water.

“Rita impressed us as a wooden plank runabout built in 1920, still in relatively original condition and still enjoyed on the water by her owner.”

The judges were impressed with the overall standard of entries and with innovations such as Pete Murton’s 1895 fan-tailed clinker, which has been re-fitted with an electric motor.

Other award winning boats were:

• Best New Craft and Eventiac Award for the Best Themed Display: wooden kayaks owned by Lindsay Norris, Blenheim
• Best Restoration: Cougar jet boat owned by Lindsay and Stuart Mann, Rangiora
• Mathieson-Jeffcott Trophy for best inboard-motor craft: runabout Amalfi, owned by John McLean, Timaru
• Port Nelson trophy for best row-boat: former Otago pilot boat built in the 1870s, owned by Kevin Hislop, Murchison
• Ron Culley Trophy for the Best Steam Boat: Estral, built in the 1940s and owned by Bill Voisey, Blenheim
• Johnson Family Trophy for the Best Sail Powered Craft: Tiptoe, replica Cape Cutter, built in 2013 and owned by Stephen Jarvis, Christchurch
• Best outboard motor craft: 1960 Safacraft owned by Pete McCaw of Christchurch
• CWF Hamilton Trophy for the Best Jet Propelled Craft: Rakaia, a1979 jet boat owned by Chris Richards of Blenheim
• Innovation award: 1895 fantail clinker Blue Duck, now powered by an electric motor and owned by Pete Murton of Nelson
• Best Amercan craft: 1953 Cris Craft Catherine, imported to New Zealand in 2016 by the owner Rick Wilkie
• Best clinker: Wee Poppa, built in 1950 and owned by Steve Gorrie, Nelson
• People’s Choice, voted for on the day: 1969 Foiling Sunburst owned by Gary Thomlinson of Christchurch.

© Scoop Media