| 85 T T Virginia Wright Affordable boats with customised finishes The Elite AT43 strikes a balance between one-off bespoke builds and mass production boats. MARINE Allan Tongs Boatbuilders “We’re not chasing mass production. Each semicustom Elite AT43 is a collaboration between our team and the owner. That attention to detail is what sets us apart.” Allan Tongs Boatbuilders is still the family-owned-and-operated business it has been since it was established by Allan in 1983, albeit with a new generation at the helm. Having completed his boat building apprenticeship alongside his father in the early 2000s, Nigel Tongs has been building boats with him, as well as working in the boat-building industry overseas ever since. Nigel took over the business when Allan retired in 2022, and was joined by his wife Ester. Ester’s marketing, design and branding experience, along with her interior design skills, are now woven through their business – an essential part of customising the Elite AT43 high-end launches that Allan Tongs Boatbuilders brings to the market. After years of building one-off custom boats, many designed by renowned New Zealand naval architect Bill Upfold of Elite Marine Design, the Tongs decided to change their approach. The resulting Elite AT43 was commissioned from Bill Upfold, an inspired response to the Tongs’ recognition of a changing market and customer base. “We’d seen a large shift in the market with a move away from flybridge, and we did a lot of market research on trends before deciding to put a 13.5-metre sedan-style launch into production,” says Nigel. Clearly, their decision to produce these boats is paying off. The combination of a lower price point and faster turnaround than custom builds makes them more affordable. It’s an approach that strikes a balance between one-off bespoke builds and mass production, explains Nigel. “We’re not chasing mass production. Each semi-custom Elite AT43 is a collaboration between our team and the owner. That attention to detail is what sets us apart.” The resulting semi-custom production boat streamlines a lot of the build before the detailed customisation begins. The proven Elite hull shape is both stable and fuel-efficient. Three cabins sleep up to six people, and the silent chines offer a good night’s sleep without earplugs, thanks to no water slopping around where the hull meets the water. Apart from the shell and the layout of the boat, everything else is decided with the owner, which means that no one boat is identical to another: a love of fishing might mean more fishing-based electronics; people wanting to spend a long time at sea might include a water-maker; others might want a gyroscope to help keep the boat steady. “We’re not like most production boats, which are like buying off the shelf,” says Ester. “We’re making high-end luxury launches using high-spec materials such as American oak or walnut timber, Italian leather and beautiful fabrics, depending on the client, whose taste is reflected everywhere. Every colour palette is different, and with my design background we offer a custom name design for the side and transom of the boat.” A boat named after the rare bird huia has a huia feather incorporated in the signage; or kokomea, meaning sunset glow in Maori, includes a subtle nod to a sunset. It’s all in a day’s work for the Tongs and their team of 10 including seven marine specialists and three apprentices. As one of only two boat builders in the Wairau Valley, on Auckland’s North Shore, where there used to be 13, the Tongs are proud to be doing their bit to reinvigorate New Zealand’s boatbuilding industry. 241 Ti Rakau Drive, East Tamaki, Auckland Phone 0800 273 9180 • www.boatgear.co.nz • sales@boatgear.co.nz proud suppliers to Contact us today and let us transform your marine experience! e: info@mainsailelectronics.com | www.mainsailelectronics.com Proud Partners in Excellence We're proud to be involved with Allan Tongs Boatbuilders, delivering top-tier marine electronics and electrical systems. Quality craftsmanship meets cutting-edge technology. 124 SUNNYBRAE ROAD, HILLCREST AUCKLAND 0627, NEW ZEALAND PHONE: +64 9 444 9031 SIMON@CHATFIELDMARINE.CO.NZ WWW.CHATFIELDMARINE.CO.NZ
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