On the water

For Greg, boating has always been part of life.  Having spent much of his working life as a commercial fisherman, he has had more time on the ocean than most. From fishing and diving to exploring coastlines around New Zealand, the water has always been somewhere he feels at home.  These days, Greg’s lifestyle looks a little different, but the connection to the ocean is just as strong. Travelling in his motorhome, he wanted a boat that could come with him wherever the road led. That is where his Rockboat Sport 330 has become such a practical part of the setup.  “I’ve always had inflatable boats, big and small,” Greg says. “The 3.3 Sport is so practical for me.”  For Greg, the appeal of an inflatable boat is simple. It gives him the freedom to get into places that are harder to reach with other boats. For diving, fishing, cray potting, and exploring tucked-away areas, the Rockboat Sport 330 suits the way he uses the water.  “For diving, they are more practical to get around,” he explains. “You can bump onto the rocks, get into smaller areas, and you can get over the side of them without rolling it over.”

That stability is a major part of why Greg likes the boat. Whether he is climbing back in wearing a full wetsuit and weight belt, carrying crayfish gear, or heading out with two or three people on board, he says the boat feels safe and dependable.  Rather than towing a boat everywhere he goes, Greg has designed his setup so the Rockboat can travel with him. He stores the inflatable inside the motorhome and has lifted the bed to make room for it.  “I’ve lifted the bed in the motorhome to suit the purpose of it,” he says. “It means I can roll it up. I have a vacuum pump so I can remove the air out of it & make it smaller.”  The boat fits in the back with the floor packed on top, separated by a blanket to stop any friction. There is space beside it for the outboard and fuel tank, making the whole setup compact and practical.  Greg also has a stainless steel beach trailer. It is not designed for road towing, but it allows him to drag the boat down to the beach once he arrives at a destination. For someone travelling, camping, fishing, and diving around New Zealand, it is a clever and very usable setup.

He has taken the idea even further, designing a large platform on top of his van so he can push the inflatable up onto it, mount the outboard at the back, and take it wherever he wants to go. “I can drag it off the roof and straight into the water,” he says.  When it came time to choose his inflatable, Greg found Rockboat Marine online.  “I Googled it and it caught my attention to come and have a look,” he says. “The Rockboat Sport is similar to what I’ve previously owned and knew well.”  Having owned inflatable boats before, Greg already knew what he liked and what would work for his lifestyle. The Rockboat Sport 330 offered the practicality, stability, and size he was looking for.  Greg has already had some memorable days on the water with his Rockboat. One standout trip was when his daughter came over from Perth. Greg took her to Waikouaiti in Otago, and within 15 minutes they had caught their full blue cod limit.  It was the kind of day that sticks in the memory, especially because his daughter shares his love of the ocean.  “She loves the ocean and isn’t afraid to get in the water.”

His best diving success so far has been in Kaikōura, where he managed to get his limit of crayfish. There are still plenty of goals ahead too, with one very clear target at the top of the list.  “I’ve never caught a snapper, so it’s on my bucket list.”  Greg is also looking forward to spending more time around the country, “I really want to get to know the area up around the Marlborough Sounds,” he says. “There is an area called Whatamango Bay where there are beautiful big mussels, so I will be hunting for those too.”

For Greg, the ideal day on the water is about freedom. After a lifetime spent on larger commercial fishing boats, the inflatable gives him a different kind of experience. It lets him get closer to the coastline, closer to the action, and closer to the places he wants to explore.  “The ideal day for me is to be able to get in a bit closer to everything,” he says.  Last year, while around Stewart Island with his inflatable, Greg spotted great white sharks and captured footage on his GoPro. It was a reminder that New Zealand’s waters can be wild and unforgettable, and that good awareness on the water is always important. “I know I’ve got to keep an eye out around me,” he says.  When asked to describe his Rockboat experience, Greg keeps it simple. “Fantastic and very safe with two or three people on the boat and the crayfish pot too.”  For someone who knows boats, knows the sea, and has built a lifestyle around travelling to where the fishing, diving, and exploring opportunities are, that says a lot.  Greg’s Rockboat Sport 330 is more than just an inflatable boat. It is part of his motorhome setup, part of his fishing and diving adventures, and part of the freedom to explore New Zealand from both the road and the water.  “I’ll be going everywhere I can in the boat,” Greg says. “I’m interested to head to the Queen Charlotte Sound next to have a look around.”