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Festival of Sails 2026

Cooksons win NZ Marine Trade Challenge

by Colin Preston and NZ Marine Industries on 1 Apr 2008
The winning Cookson team in build mode during the Marine Trades Challenge 2008 Colin Preston
Cookson Boatbuilders were the winners of the Marine Trade Challenge held on Saturday at Westhaven, Auckland.

The National Marine Trades Challenge 2008 was held on Saturday 29 March at 85 Westhaven Drive, Westhaven, Auckland. The boats built were paddled, sailed and outboarded around a course in the adjacent Westhaven bay.

The Marine Trades Challenge was created as a fun event for the marine industry's apprentices to show case their skills and knowledge in a reasonably competitive environment. Company based teams of four compete in building a boat and then racing it.

In the final stages of assembly at the Marine Trades Challenge 2008 © Colin Preston
In the final stages of assembly at the Marine Trades Challenge 2008 © Colin Preston


As the event has evolved and bigger prizes added, it has become fiercely contested. The winning team has represented NZ at the Sydney International Boat Show for the last four years and cleaned up every time!

A southern region event is held in Picton, in late January, and the winner qualifies a place at this event. This year’s team is from Wellington.

Cooksons cut out and assemble their design at that Marine Trades Challenge 2008 © Colin Preston
Cooksons cut out and assemble their design at that Marine Trades Challenge 2008 © Colin Preston


Teams are given a plan 15 minutes before the event starts and build a ‘one-design’ hull. They can innovate with sailing and paddling systems. They are judged on Quality of build, Worksite safety procedures, Innovation, Team spirit and support and their on-water performances.




18 teams of boatbuilding apprentices competed:

Alloy Yachts International - 3 teams
Calibre Boats
Cookson Boats
Firebird Marine
Fyran/Allan Tongs Boatbuilders
Hakes Marine
Harkin Boatbuilders
Lloyd Stevenson Boatbuilders
Partridge/Mercury Bay Boatbuilders/Mackay Boats
Robinson Marine Interiors
Salthouse Marine Group
Southern Spars
Vaudrey Miller Yachts - 2 teams
Yachting Developments - 2 teams

First home in the powered race at the Marine Trades Challenge 2008 © Colin Preston
First home in the powered race at the Marine Trades Challenge 2008 © Colin Preston


2008 Marine Trade Challenge Results - Trophy Allocation and Placings
Team Presentation/Support 10%
1st Cookson Boats
2nd Yachting Developments 16
3rd= Yachting Developments 15 and Firebird Marine

North Sails Trophy for Most Innovative Development 15%
1st Cookson
2nd Craig Partridge/Mercury Bay Boatyard and Mackay Boats
3rd Alloy Yachts 8

BITO Trophy for Worksite Safety and Cleanliness 15%
1st Firebird Marine
2nd Cookson Boats
3rd Fitzroy Engineering Group

37 South Trophy for Best Built Boat 30%
1st Vaudrey Miller 1
2nd Robinson Marine Interiors
3rd= Southern Spars and Alloy Yachts 7

Transpac Marine Trophy for Best on the Water Performance 30%
1st Cookson Boats
2nd Firebird Marine
3rd Yachting Developments 16

Fosters/Harken Trophy for 1st Overall and trip to compete in Australia
1st Cookson
2nd Firebird Marine
3rd Yachting Developments 16

High Modulus Trophy (For best performance by a first time entry team)
- Cookson Boats Ltd

EAL Trophy (First non boatbuilding company)
- Robinson Marine Interiors

MIA Trophy (Best Manager's Performance)
- Anna Horne from Mercury Bay Boatyard - Manager of Craig Partridge, Mercury Bay Boatyard and Mackay Boats team

Thanks to the support of the many great sponsors, including:
Makita Tools
Boating New Zealand Magazine
North Sails
Sika
Southern Spars
High Modulus
Yamaha
International Paint
Timspec
Plytech
Touch Of Gloss

Excess CatamaransZhik - Made for WaterElvstrom Sails Australia

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