Whangarei Boat repairs and maintenance one year on
In March 2014 we had a substantial amount of work carried out at Riverside Drive Marina, Whangarei, New Zealand. There are three principal tests of marine contractors:
1. How satisfied are you at the time the work was carried out?
2. How satisfied are you with any follow up work or service?
3. How satisfied are you 12 months later?
Here are our ratings on a scale of 1 (Very dissatisfied) to 5 (Very satisfied) for the various contractors:
1. Riverside Drive Marina – haul out, hardstanding and pontoon - at time: 5; no follow up required; 12 months later: 5.
2. Calibre Sails – new main and new genoa – at time: 5; follow up: 5; 12 months later: 5.
3. Ray Roberts Marine – engine service and windlass service – at time: 5; follow up: 5; 12 months later: 5.
4. Palmer Canvas – new bimini, cockpit enclosure mods, dinghy cover repair – at time: 5; no follow up required; 12 months later: 5.
5. C Spar – new standing rigging, new guardwires, new spinnaker pole – at time: 5; follow up: not required; 12 months later: 5.
6. Pacific Gloss – bottom paint – at time: 4 (final touches when boat in travel hoist average); follow up not required; 12 months later: 4.
7. Brian Oliver Painters – Propspeed applied – at time: 4 (seemed a bit late in the day for painting but assured it would dry quickly_; follow up: 1; 12 months later 1 – the reasons are that after 10 months the prop was covered in large crustaceans (the worst we have experienced in 9 years with the boat), the Propspeed did not work and there has been no reply to our complaints.
Overall, Whangarei is a great place for boat work with superb skills and experience and a ‘can-do’ attitude – just don’t bother with Propspeed.

Maybe I should open a new post, because original one is now 9 years old, but...
I did also several works in Whangārei in March 2024, but into Port Whangārei Marine Centre, part of Oceania Group and I will only quote my feelings about performance using the same 1 to 5 scale.

Haul out and launch: 5. Perfectly timed and very carefully operated, the "small" travel lift is huge and very well managed.
Several Engineering works: 5. Very attentive and competent team.
Antifouling paint: 1. I have recoated Hempel Silic One, which I have imported from Europe as is not locally available. I doubt they didn't checked instructions on Hempel website as I indicated. Applied "patches" on the most damaged areas instead a full coat as I required. Finally I have decided to apply myself helped by my crew, easy and good looking result.
Propspeed paint: 4. Applied in a not a careful way. Let's see what happens in six months.
Engine maintenance: 0. Long time scheduled they didn't do it by spurious reasons.
Dinghi maintenance: 0. Same as engine.
General Management of the site: 2. Anything except customer oriented. I don't recommend at all that company.

I did general care and waterproofing of dodger, Bimini and dinghi cover with Canvas and Covers Whangarei: 5. Very timely on collection and return and good work.

Apart of this I did in Auckland a general inspection and care of my sails by North Sails: 5. Very timely in pick up and return the sails and excellent job repairing damages and small modifications.

In Opua we did following works:
Mast and rigging: Several works including mast tightness entering the cabin and running rigging: 5.
We contacted Paul from NZ Yatchs services. They were very busy but did the work timely and very professional. Excellent.

I hope you find these comments useful.

Thanks that’s really helpful. We will be there in 2025.
Simon

+x

 

miguel.garcia - 4 Apr 2024

Maybe I should open a new post, because original one is now 9 years old, but...
I did also several works in Whangārei in March 2024, but into Port Whangārei Marine Centre, part of Oceania Group and I will only quote my feelings about performance using the same 1 to 5 scale.

Haul out and launch: 5. Perfectly timed and very carefully operated, the "small" travel lift is huge and very well managed.
Several Engineering works: 5. Very attentive and competent team.
Antifouling paint: 1. I have recoated Hempel Silic One, which I have imported from Europe as is not locally available. I doubt they didn't checked instructions on Hempel website as I indicated. Applied "patches" on the most damaged areas instead a full coat as I required. Finally I have decided to apply myself helped by my crew, easy and good looking result.
Propspeed paint: 4. Applied in a not a careful way. Let's see what happens in six months.
Engine maintenance: 0. Long time scheduled they didn't do it by spurious reasons.
Dinghi maintenance: 0. Same as engine.
General Management of the site: 2. Anything except customer oriented. I don't recommend at all that company.

I did general care and waterproofing of dodger, Bimini and dinghi cover with Canvas and Covers Whangarei: 5. Very timely on collection and return and good work.

Apart of this I did in Auckland a general inspection and care of my sails by North Sails: 5. Very timely in pick up and return the sails and excellent job repairing damages and small modifications.

In Opua we did following works:
Mast and rigging: Several works including mast tightness entering the cabin and running rigging: 5.
We contacted Paul from NZ Yatchs services. They were very busy but did the work timely and very professional. Excellent.

I hope you find these comments useful.