You might be forgiven if you thought there was another Wahine Moe in town.
Moored out in the harbour opposite Cox Bay is the older sister to Raglan’s beloved harbour cruise boat Wahine Moe is Farout, the houseboat belonging to Deborah and David Bunyard.
Made by the same boat builder as the Wahine Moe, and almost a twin apart from a size difference, Farout is Deb and David’s floating bach.
“This is our holiday house in Raglan with a little bit of a difference,” Deb says.
And with the prices of housing in Raglan, it was certainly a lot cheaper option.
“You wouldn’t even buy the land for a bach for what we paid for the boat and the cost of getting it brought down here. And it has got everything you need for a comfortable holiday.”
At 4.9m wide x 12m long, she’s two metres shorter than the Wahine Moe; but the two-bedroom vessel with open plan kitchen and living, shower and toilet, front and rear decks plus an extra-large deck upstairs for entertainment is stylish and comfortable.
“And we’ve got some of the best water views in Raglan,” she enthuses.
One of the best things about having a houseboat, the couple reckon, is the ability to change the scenery and escape the wind direction whenever they decide.
“It doesn’t take much water to float in, so you can get into quite shallow areas. Because it’s designed to sit on the bottom and not do any damage, and then the tide comes back in and you’re floating again,” David says.
Farout had spent 17-years with her first owner on the Awanui River up north before Deb and David bought her earlier this year.
Powered by two 50 horse power motors, she’s not built for speed but she’s top-notch when it comes to the comforts of home.
“It’s great because it just putts along and you don’t spill your beers,” Deb laughs
Deb is thrilled that the combination of wind turbine and solar power her coffee machine and all the other necessities to be a home away from home.
The couple have also had an extra septic holding tank installed so they can reduce the number of stops required to the wharf.
Not designed to be an ocean faring vessel, she did take to the open seas for several days to get her from Awanui via the Houhora Harbour and along the coast to Opua, where she was hoisted onto a truck and driven by road to Raglan.
“Transporting her out of the water and down to Raglan certainly had us nervous,” Deb says.
“It had to be craned up beside the silos and that was the scary part watching her hanging in the air on a super windy day.”
The pair say they have felt very welcomed to Raglan and haven’t had any negative feedback – from the coastguard lending them a trailer to launch Farout into the harbour, to the support from Barlow and the Wahine Moe crew and just the general curiosity about the boat that has had locals stop them for a chat.
“Everyone has just gone that extra mile and people have given us solutions, advice and answers to any questions we’ve had,” Deb says.
“We are so looking forward now to some real summer weather.
By Janine Jackson
