Marina capacity for 26 ft beam cat in AU or NZ?

[jclark500]

Greetings forum,
I have just noticed Met Bob's posting "The November Migration" for all the boats migrating South to Australia and New Zealand. I am looking at that option for our trip in 2025. It made me wonder about the capacity of the Marina's, especially as it relates to a multihull with the wider beam (26ft for us).

Curious to know if those of you headed that direction could share your story about finding a berth, location, cost (per foot) and availability?

Cheers and thank you in advance for your thoughtful replies, Jeff on Sea Larks

[JPA Cate]

Can't speak for NZ, but limited in Oz. Mostly end ties, and most of them already subscribed. Not a whole lot equipped for haulouts, either. Possibly arrangeable by crane, though. Certainly not "cut rate." If available, expect to pay ~AUD 1,500 per week.

Ann

[Fore and Aft]

Jclark a client of mine on the Sunshine coast pays $500 a week for his 22 foot wide cat marina berth. Most marina's l know in Queensland have a bit of a waiting list for multihull berths.
Cheers

[HeywoodJ]

We spent two seasons (pre-Covid) in NZ and one in Oz on a cat with an 8.2m (27') beam. In NZ on the North Island we never really had a problem coming up with a berth for a couple of days to a week. From Auckland to Opua and the harbors in between visitor berthing was reasonably available. We don't spend a lot of time in marinas, but when we wanted to we could. We also hauled out twice in Whangarei, there are a number of yards there that handle big cats quite well. We stayed on the hard for more than a month while touring part of that time by land.

We never once found a berth that would fit on the South Island. Not one single marina that could squeeze us in.

In Oz we worked from Brisbane north and over the top to Darwin. We got a week's berthing in Brisbane and that was the only time we found any place with space to fit (and it took a big shoehorn to make that fit). Other than that we did not find any other available berthing - although we were not trying very hard, prefer to spend our time on the hook.

[Jim Cate]

On the Gold Coast in Qld the Boat Works yard can easily lift you... they have both the hydraulic pickle fork type of lift and several huge travel lifts that will accept y our beam, And it is the best yard we've ever been in. !uite possibly they have berthing for big cats as well.

Jim

[Borlay]

Try Marsden Cove Marina. Near Whangarie in N Z. They have recently built several new Cat berths. Extra wide. I also hear Boat Works in Oz is good but not cheap. N Z is ahead on costs and any repairs are tax free there. Not so in OZ.