This website uses cookies to enhance and improve your browsing experience. For further information on how we use cookies and how to change your browser settings, please read our Cookie Policy. By clicking 'I Agree', I acknowledge and accept the Terms of Use, the Privacy Policy and the Cookie Policy, and agree that my information may be transferred to the U.S., if I am outside the U.S.

I agree
Boston Whaler
Locate a Dealer
  • Models
    • Super Sport
      • 110 Tender
      • 110 Sport
      • 130 Super Sport
      • 160 Super Sport
    • Montauk
      • 150 Montauk
      • 170 Montauk
      • 190 Montauk
      • 210 Montauk
    • Dauntless
      • 170 Dauntless
      • 180 Dauntless
      • 210 Dauntless
      • 240 Dauntless
      • 240 Dauntless Pro
      • 270 Dauntless
    • Vantage
      • 240 Vantage
      • 280 Vantage
      • 320 Vantage
    • Conquest
      • 285 Conquest
      • 325 Conquest
      • 345 Conquest
      • 405 Conquest
      • 285 Conquest Pilothouse
      • 325 Conquest Pilothouse
      • 345 Conquest Pilothouse
    • Realm
      • 350 Realm
      • 380 Realm
    • Outrage
      • 190 Outrage
      • 230 Outrage
      • 250 Outrage
      • 280 Outrage
      • 330 Outrage
      • 350 Outrage
      • 380 Outrage
      • 420 Outrage
  • The Legend
    • Legendary Company
    • Legendary Boat
    • Legendary Experience
    • Legendary Partners
  • Whaler Ownership
    • Join the Community
    • FAQ
    • Safety
    • Maintain Your Whaler
    • How-To Videos
    • Resources
    • Register Your Pre-Owned Whaler
    • Whaler Apparel
    • Fishing License & Boat Registration
  • Build and Price
    • Click. Buy. Boat.
  • Click. Buy. Boat.
  • Lifestyle
    • Navigator Blog
    • Whaler Apparel
    • Request a Magazine
    • Types of Boats
  • Stay Informed
    • News
    • Events
    • Request a Catalog
    • Receive Updates
    • Request a Quote
Locate a Dealer

Navigator

Chart a course for legendary boating! Navigator is your online home for Boston Whaler news, lifestyle stories, how-tos and special offers, all geared toward helping you maximize your time on the water.

  • All
  • Owner Stories
  • Innovation
  • Whaler Style
  • Fishing

Awesome Auckland

New adventures come easily in New Zealand for seasoned boater Soren Stewart and his 230 Vantage. Boisterous black Lab Luna is more than happy to play.

Many cities are called boating paradises, but few hold as strong a claim to the title as Auckland, New Zealand.

One of the few cities in the world to boast two harbors on two separate bodies of water, the possibilities for boaters in this natural wonderland are virtually endless. In just an afternoon, one can head north through Waitemata Harbour to the Hauraki Gulf or through Manukau Harbour, which opens west, to the Tasmanian Sea. A mile wide at its narrowest point between the Mangere Inlet and the Tamaki River, Auckland has a waterway to challenge and amaze every boater, be your ambitions big, small or somewhere in between.

Perhaps it’s no surprise then that the boating industry in New Zealand is world-class. Soren Stewart, sales manager at Sports Marine Auckland, has sold many boats in his time but recently purchased his very own Boston Whaler, a 230 Vantage, which he agreed to take for a spin with us. Ownership has been a breeze so far, and Soren is thoroughly enjoying the boat. “The supreme ride in rough conditions and flat water is my favorite feature,” he says. “The Vantage gives you the confidence to go out anywhere at any time, especially in Auckland where weather conditions can change fast. Plus, the seats are really comfortable.”

Soren is a seasoned boater with nearly 40 years on the water under his belt, and he has two members of his family ready to take advantage of all the Whaler has to offer: his wife, Janey, and his black Labrador Retriever, Luna. Today, he launches from Half Moon Bay, cruising past picturesque Bucklands Beach on the right. He’s just returned from several days of hiking with Janey and Luna up at Mahurangi Spit about an hour and a half north of Auckland. Some of his favorite boating in the area is around nearby Rangitoto Island, and the family spends tons of time outdoors. New Zealand’s 2,300 miles of coastline provide ample opportunities to explore on both water and land.

Soren maneuvers the Whaler with grace up to the Motuihe Island Recreation Reserve to check out the native wildlife. A stingray glides by the boat as Soren beaches it onshore. He says many people used to hunt the rays in Marlborough Sound where he grew up. His parents still have a summer house there only a few miles from Picton, and the only way to get there is by boat, which should make for some new adventures with the Vantage. There’s still a market for the rays in New Zealand, where they’re a popular local delicacy at Asian markets. New populations from Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan in particular have added special customs and culinary delights to the local scene, which is already a diverse cultural melting pot. In fact, Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city inthe world.

To Luna’s chagrin, dogs are not allowed on island at the Reserve to chase the local birds, so she waits patiently onboard. As we walk the pristine beaches, Soren spots some shy Kiwis and later a pair of black birds with vibrant orange feet and beaks. We pass a clutch of beautiful eggs near a walking trail before the two black birds make it known they want us to have no part of their nest. Compliantly, we move on and greet Luna back onboard.

While underway, Soren shares a bit about his furry companion, who it turns out is as much of a water enthusiast as her owner. “Luna’s spent her whole life on the sea, pretty much,” Soren says. The night Soren got her as a puppy, she slipped out of the yard for some misadventures. It was then that he decided she needed to be called Luna, Spanish for the moon, to remind him of the night she’d disappeared. Their family expanded from just the two of them when Soren married Janey this March on Wiehackie Island. He drives the Whaler by, and we’re able to spot the vineyard where the nuptials took place. Janey is American, and the couple was lucky enough to enjoy some 60 visitors from the States who traveled long distances to help them celebrate.

A light drizzle dappled with sunlight begins, on and off, and Soren points out how well the Whaler copes with the fickle island weather. “You can’t put faith in forecasts here,” he says. “The weather changes a dozen times a day.”

Soren loves his Vantage’s unique dual-console layout and says the boat’s intuitive design has been very well received in New Zealand. As if to illustrate the changing weather patterns, a wind gust takes hold of Soren’s hat, a birthday present from Janey. He spins the Vantage in a tight arc, and we catch the hat just before it sinks. Soren’s skill at the helm is enviable, and he nimbly maneuvers the Vantage to do his bidding. “I feel incredibly secure on the boat, knowing the brand’s history,” Soren says. “There’s even a video online of a classic Whaler’s bow being sawed off before it easily drove away.” A testament to the hull’s extra-buoyant foam and to Boston Whaler’s unsinkable legacy.

While the Vantage is a new addition to Soren’s life, the plethora of on-water adventures Auckland offers will be a joy to explore for years to come. “We have so many places that going all around the country is easy,” he says. “We are completely surrounded by sea and the spots to boat are unlimited, with amazing scenery to match.” And with Janey, Luna and the 230 Vantage on his side, boating memories are bound to come easily.

The Versatile Vantage®
Open endless possibilities with a comfortable dual-console Boston Whaler

Inside the Whaler Life

Videos, profiles and stories that show why Boston Whalers make their owners confident to the core. It's the design, the build, the history, and it's also how people have made Whalers central to their lives.

Wonder Wisely
Wonder Wisely

Versatility in a boat is a beautiful thing. But in choosing the right marine insurance coverage?...

Boston Whaler | Yacht Tenders
Boston Whaler | Yacht Tenders

Boston Whaler's dependable boats make the ultimate luxury yacht tenders.

The Unsinkable Legend Tour
The Unsinkable Legend Tour

What a trip this was on the Unsinkable Legend Tour! #TravelTuesday #HooverDam

Paint that Works for You
Paint that Works for You

It’s never too early to start planning for the return of boating season. Treat your Whaler to a...

320 Vantage Interior
320 Vantage Interior

Don't you want to just cuddle up? #320vantage #whalerlife

Blazing a New Trail
Blazing a New Trail

Grab your Polar fleece and travel coffee mug and take your Boston Whaler on a tour of Pacific...

Sign up for the navigator Newsletter
For stories, product first looks and offers.
  • Dealer Resources
  • Commercial & Government
  • Media Gallery
  • Warranty
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
© 2021. Boston Whaler Boats. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use Privacy/Cookie Policies Do Not Sell My Personal Info Accessibility Site Map
Back to Top