Issue date
A “bomb proof” RIB designed by Yachting New Zealand Talent Development Manager Ian Neely and Lancer as a specific coach support boat for New Zealand conditions could become a production model over time.
The first of two rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RIB) was delivered to Yachting New Zealand today and will be used for the upcoming 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championships to be held at Auckland’s Torbay, when 400 young sailors from around the world will compete over five days of racing.
The brightly-coloured yellow RIBs were developed with the assistance of Pak’nSave Albany, Wairau Road and Silverdale, with further support from Lancer’s Charles Winstone and Yamaha, who provided assistance with two brand new 60hp motors.
They will become integral to the youth development programme beyond the 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championships.
“The Youth Worlds is a great opportunity to provide some legacy assets to yachting in New Zealand so part of that was to get two new coach boats on the water to support that programme,” Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive Dave Abercrombie said. “We are fortunate to have some great sponsors come on board.
“The boats are a one-off development boat, with Talent Development Manager Ian Neely playing a major role alongside Lancer. Ian has been coaching for more than 20 years and been to 13 Youth Worlds so it’s been designed as a specific coach support boat. There are some smart ideas that clubs will benefit from and, in time, I can see it being a production boat so it’s going to help local industries as well.”
Neely, pictured with the new RIB, took it for a test drive at Takapuna this afternoon.
“What we have aimed to develop is a boat that rides with the characteristics of a 6m coach boat at high speeds while still being small enough to be launched easily off beaches for New Zealand purposes,” Neely said. “We have tried to build the most durable boat that works for high performance Olympic coaching while still being suitable for clubs.
“The key difference is the hull shape which has been designed to be extremely sea worthy at high speeds without the normal added length required. We have aimed for it to be basically bomb proof.”
The 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championships will see competitors under the age of 19 compete across international youth classes including the 29er skiff, Laser Radial, RS:X, 420 and Nacra 15 over five days of racing at the Torbay Sailing Club (Dec 16-20).
Representing New Zealand will be the 13-strong NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team.
