August at TMP
Epic refits, marlin strikes & drystack upgrades
Hi everyone,
Plenty happening around TMP again this month. We’ve continued our improvements around the drystack and marina, including new NZ-made fenders where our drystack customers collect and return their boats. All up, we’ve now invested close to $100,000 upgrading these areas to make things safer and easier for everyone.
I’ve also included a quick reminder this month about treating our team, tradies and fellow boaties with patience and respect. TMP is a busy place and things don’t always go exactly to plan, but we’ve got a great bunch of people here who genuinely want to help and find a solution.
Plus, we’ve got something new from Condon Marine Services, a boat-versus-marlin story from Gloss Boats, a custom boat fit out at Auckland Outboard Workshop and HMB Marine Electrical, and a few tips for anyone chasing winter snapper.
As always, come and have a chat if you need anything.
– Martin and the Tamaki Marine Park Team
Better Kiwi-Made Protection
In our last newsletter, we mentioned some of the work we’ve been doing to our drystack facilities. Part of that upgrade has also included proudly NZ-made Barrier Marina Fenders in the areas where our drystack customers collect and return their boats.
These aren’t just your standard dock fenders. They’re made with a high-quality closed-cell polyethylene foam core and a tough PVC outer cover. The closed-cell construction means they won’t absorb water and they’re designed to handle repeated compression as boats come alongside.
For TMP boaties, that means better cushioning and protection when you’re coming in to collect your boat or returning after a day on the water. They’re also shaped to fit neatly around the marina rub strips and use hidden fasteners, so there are fewer exposed fittings around your boat.
Keeping the Marina Shipshape
Keeping our marina tidy isn't just about making the place look good. Keeping docks, access areas and the water around the marina clear is an ongoing job. And it helps to make sure boats can come and go safely and there's nothing floating around that could end up somewhere it shouldn't! Even our GM Martin has been known to get his hands dirty from time to time, but if everyone can play their part it’s all for the better!
Boat vs Marlin!
Every now and then something rolls into the TMP boatyard with a pretty good story behind it. Dave from Gloss Boats recently had a boat come through after an unfortunate meeting with a Striped Marlin. We'll let Dave tell you the rest...
CMS Brings Spot-Free Washdowns to NZ
If you’re the sort of boatie who likes keeping things looking good, Condon Marine Services has something new that could make washdown time a whole lot easier.
CMS is bringing Spot Zero water purification systems to New Zealand boat owners. The system removes dissolved minerals from dockside water, giving you a spot-free final rinse that can simply be left to dry naturally.
That means fewer water spots across your glass, stainless steel, paintwork and gelcoat, and less time following the washdown with a chamois.
Sean and the CMS team think boat-proud Kiwis will love this useful solution - and they’ll be supplying, installing and supporting Spot Zero locally, so have a chat with them about the right setup for your boat.
William gets the ultimate upgrade.
William from Wild North Addiction has built a pretty impressive online following sharing his fishing adventures, and recently his own boat got a serious upgrade right here at TMP.
Auckland Outboard Workshop and HMB Marine Electrical worked together on the full fit-out, including a new Honda BF100 outboard, Garmin autopilot and electronics package, Narva lighting, and Fusion entertainment system.
It’s a great example of the one-stop-shop approach we have here at TMP, with specialist marine businesses working together to get the whole job done in one place.
Chasing Winter Snapper? Take the Right Bait.
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean the snapper have disappeared. The Hauraki Gulf can still turn on some great fishing at this time of year, but you may need to change things up a little.
A few baits worth having on board:
Pilchards are always a good starting point and are great for getting a berley trail going.
Squid stays on the hook well, especially when smaller fish are picking away at softer baits.
Skipjack tuna is another good oily bait, especially cut into strips.
Fresh local bait such as jack mackerel can be well worth trying when the fish are being a bit fussy.
Softbait fan? Winter can also produce some cracking fish around the shallows, reefs and islands. The trick is to slow things down, keep experimenting and have a bit of patience. And with fewer boats competing for your favourite spot, winter fishing around Auckland has plenty going for it.
A Little Respect Goes a Long Way
TMP is a busy place. On any given day we've got boat owners, tradies, marine businesses, contractors and our own team all working around the marina and boatyard.
Most of the time everyone gets along brilliantly. Occasionally though, when a job isn't going to plan or something unexpected crops up, frustrations can boil over.
We'd just like to remind everyone to treat the people around the yard with patience and respect.
One of the things we're most proud of at TMP is the "can-do" attitude of our team and the marine businesses based here. If there's a problem, people genuinely want to help sort it out. Sometimes the answer might not be immediate, but we'll always do our best to find one.
So if something's not going quite to plan, come and have a chat. A calm conversation will generally get us to the solution a lot faster than an argument!
Thanks for helping us keep TMP the friendly, helpful boating community we all want it to be.
SAVE BIG THIS SEASON!
Winter’s the perfect time to give your hull the care it deserves.
Save 20% on your Haulout + Waterblast at TMP*
and when you book an anti-foul with Gloss Boats,
Save 15% and get a FREE soapy wash thrown in*
This winter deal sails away 30 September 2026.
