Pelorus Mail Boat replacement not from international waters, but down the road

Tuesday, 18 July 2017

Pelorus Mail Boat owner Jim Baillie, left, with subcontractor Warren Algie and TCC Boats manager Matt Byrne in the new boat which will be ready for summer.

We're going to need a bigger boat, Pelorus Mail Boat owner Jim Baillie says.

The tourism enterprise which takes sightseers along as it delivers mail and groceries around the Marlborough Sounds is upgrading its 30-year-old boat.

And the $1.4-million replacement is not coming from international waters, but from down the road.

A 15-metre catamaran is being constructed by Picton's TCC Boats and will be ready for next year's busy summer season.

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The 15-metre catamaran is scheduled for completion by October.

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Baillie said it made sense to keep the boat build within the province.

'We shopped around and we were struggling to find something that fit the bill,' he said.

'I got quotes from four Kiwi companies and two international companies, and the best one was on my doorstep.

'Why not keep it local? They can get it designed, built and launched right here.'

The aluminium boat, which would allow a total capacity of 99 passengers, was almost double the size of the current mail boat.

Mail had been delivered throughout the Sounds by boat for almost a century, and Baillie said it was important to future-proof the service.

The new design would include kayak and mountainbike racks, along with a front ramp which could be lowered to access beachfronts.

'We foresee big growth for those looking for more remote locations away from the crowds and that's what we can offer here in the Pelorus and Kenepuru Sounds,' Baillie said.

The build is the second tourist boat completed by TCC Boats in 12 months after it crafted Beachcomber's newest fleet addition last year.

Subcontractor Warren Algie would complete the engine, wiring and interior finish of the boat.

It was a boon for the region that it contained all the necessary skills to create the final product, he said.

'It is a very complex thing, so to build a boat like this is amazing.'

The new Pelorus Mail Boat would be completed by October and in the water for the summer season.