The Boat The Shore Built

The common bond that we share as Coastguard North Shore Volunteers is undoubtedly that of saving lives at sea and the special camaraderie that exists in doing so.

Housed in the Marine Centre in Browns Bay on Auckland’s North Shore, where we have been based since 1990, we are at the very heart of the East Coast Bays Community that we live in and hold dear.

There is huge dedication and commitment from the members of Coastguard North Shore, to ensure delivery of the very highest level of search and rescue to kiwis in need on the popular boating spot of the Hauraki Gulf where the weather can change in a minute.

We are 47 volunteers, involving 8 different nationalities, with diverse backgrounds from builders, and naval officers to funeral directors, marketing and sales managers, teachers, brewers, mechanics, PhD students and more. Coastguard volunteers are ordinary people doing extraordinary things in our communities.

Our vessel ‘North Shore Rescue’ is fully crewed and on duty every weekend, Public Holiday and every day during the busy summer holiday period with our volunteers on standby ready to drop everything to head out to assist kiwis on the water 24/7.

With a response time from pager activation to launch averaging 15 minutes outside work hours, and 25 minutes during work hours, Coastguard North Shore volunteers receive tremendous support from family members, employers and clients alike who they often leave at the drop of a hat to risk their lives to save the life of another. We pride ourselves in being one of the most effective units in the country - highly regarded by both the public and wider Coastguard community.

The Boat the Shore Built

The current vessel, North Shore Rescue, was commissioned in 2006 and built in 2007. She commenced operational duties in November of that year.

Since this time she has contributed outstanding service to both Coastguard North Shore and the Region - in fact, she has been one of the busiest and most valued resources in the country!

At the time of her launch it was anticipated that she would require a mid-life refit after four years, and be replaced after a total of eight years. She was accordingly refitted in 2011 and was due for replacement at the end of 2015. This was planned as per Coastguard’s Regional and National Capital Replacement Programme.

As you read this, we are significantly advanced through our build process, and desperately require the rest of the funding to ensure our new vessel can be delivered on schedule and to commence service later this year.

We need the help of our community to make this possible. Every donation is gratefully accepted and cherished.