A new Guide for Sustainable Boating from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron gives sailors, cruisers, and boaties practical steps to reduce their environmental impact on the Hauraki Gulf and beyond.
Sponsored by ecostore, the guide covers hull maintenance and antifouling options, waste management, renewable energy systems, and marine biosecurity. It's designed to be useful across the full range of boating activity, whether you're racing offshore, cruising under power, or spending a weekend on the water with family.
Yachting New Zealand Regional Development and Sustainability Manager Hayley Dawe says the resource meets a real need. "Sustainability can sometimes feel overwhelming, but small changes made by many people can have a huge impact," she said. "This guide provides practical, achievable steps that boaters can take, from choosing better products and managing waste responsibly, to protecting marine habitats and preventing the spread of marine pests. It's a great example of a club taking leadership and sharing knowledge that can benefit the wider boating community."
The guide aligns with Yachting New Zealand's Clean Club programme, which supports clubs to take meaningful environmental action and recognise sustainability leadership across the boating community.
Topics covered include lower-impact maintenance practices, energy efficiency strategies to cut fuel use and emissions, solar and electric propulsion technologies, water and wildlife conservation, and the regulatory and biosecurity measures that help stop marine pests spreading.
For Auckland boaties, the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is the backdrop to all of it. The guide frames protecting those waters as a collective responsibility, pointing to actions like switching to environmentally responsible cleaning products, cutting single-use plastics onboard, and following biosecurity protocols.
"Clubs play a key role in encouraging and supporting sustainable boating behaviours," Dawe said. "Sharing resources like this helps make sustainability more accessible and gives people the confidence to take action."
As part of the initiative, ecostore has a limited supply of free 25L boat wash available for clubs wanting to promote more sustainable cleaning practices. Clubs can register interest by contacting Dawe at hayleyd@yachtingnz.org.nz. Clubs south of Tauranga may need to arrange their own shipping.
