Coastguard New Zealand welcomes new rescue boat to Nelson station

Coastguard New Zealand recently took delivery of a new rescue boat for use by its Sealord Marine Rescue Centre in Nelson, South Island.

Acquired for a cost of NZ$1.4 million (US$1 million), Hohapata – Sealord Rescue will replace Coastguard Nelson’s current vessel, Talley’s Marine Rescue, which has been in service for 17 years.

The Naiad-designed, Aimex-built boat has a construction consisting of an aluminium hull and foam pontoons, an LOA of 11.3 metres, a beam of 4.2-metres, a draught of 0.6 metres, and space for up to eight people including operators. Two Yanmar 6LY 324kW engines drive a pair of HamiltonJet units to propel the vessel to a maximum speed of around 40 knots.

The boat also has a dedicated triage bay to enable volunteers to administer first aid in a safe contained environment and observation platforms that allow better visibility when searching.

Coastguard Nelson volunteers expect that the new vessel will have a service life of at least 20 years.