It takes a village to raise a pontoon, and the Bay Coast Rowing Club has proven just that with the completion of their long-awaited pontoon project. 

On Thursday, July 11th, rowers swapped oars for shovels and, with the help of the fantastic team from CB Civil, successfully planted up the pontoon area according to the landscape plan set by Western Bay of Plenty Council. 

Thanks to everyone’s hard work, 372 plants were placed in the ground, including 3 te kōuka (cabbage trees) and many purea (carex geminata) and rotahi (carex secta) grasses. 

The planting, along with the completion of some remediation work under the gangway, marked the final touches to complete the pontoon project. 

The pontoon project began in 2016 when Tim Jenvey, then the club’s safety officer, conceived the idea.  

Before the project started. Photo: Charlie Burns.

The completed pontoon. Photo: Charlie Burns.

Jenvey was instrumental in obtaining resource consent in 2020 and even managed to raise the first $70,000 from the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, at a time when initial estimates had the project costing $140,000. 

The project changed hands multiple times before Charlie Burns took over two years ago, focusing initially on building consent requirements.  

At the beginning of last year, fundraising began in earnest. Led by Wendy Campbell, the club secretary and chief fundraiser, significant contributions were secured: $250,000 from TECT, $40,000 from NZ Community Trust, $10,000 from Grassroots Trust, $10,000 from the TAB, and $10,000 from Pub Charities. 

Despite these efforts, the funds were still not enough to proceed with the original option of using Carl Jenkins from Anchorage Pontoons, who had provided significant support during the consenting and fundraising phases.  

As a result, Nathan Scott, a mechanical engineer and club member, was recruited to the project. Scott became the technical lead on the pontoon and gangway, tasked with finding an affordable solution. 

While Scott worked on the design, CB Civil was engaged for all site works. Liam, Danny, and the team at CB Civil delivered a premium job, even absorbing the price increase when the design engineer raised the specifications of the retaining wall.  

Nathan Scott found a supplier in China for the pontoons and gangways, but the order was refused due to the supplier's busy season. Scott then took it upon himself to design and build the pontoon, going through 20 design iterations and overcoming numerous material supply challenges. His dedication, along with that of his partner Kylie, was crucial to the project's success. 

During construction. Photo: Charlie Burns.

The club committee's behind-the-scenes efforts were indispensable. Their governance and financial management, particularly by Julie Samuelson and Wendy Campbell, ensured the project stayed on track.

Nick Hanna, always ready with his boot full of tools, spent the day on-site during the installation of the pontoon, providing essential services. Hanna also has the honour of being the first to fall off the pontoon. 

The completion of the pontoon project is a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved. It marks a significant milestone for the Bay Coast Rowing Club, providing a much-needed facility for the community. The collective efforts and contributions of time, effort, and resources have made this dream a reality. 

Planting. Photo: Charlie Burns.

Bay Coast Rowing Club has a proactive and growing membership and provides a welcoming and supportive environment where both new and experienced rowers thrive. If you are interested in becoming involved with the club reach out to Wendy at secretary.bopcoast.rowing@gmail.com