Tidelines: Marine magazines making the news

The big-format Boating New Zealand won the two top gongs at the 2006 Magazine Publishers Association awards. It took out Magazine of the Year (Special Interest) award and editor Rebecca Hayter won the Editor of the Year supreme award. Publishers of the glossy Pacific Motor Yacht this week announced that from May it will now appear bi-monthly instead of quarterly. D&B Publishings Doug Dukeson says reader/advertiser surveys and research at boat shows on both sides of the Tasman showed the magazine's Australasian audience wanted more frequent publication. The magazine covers sail and power boats in the 10m to 30m market.

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University of Auckland graduate Yovi Ramkolowan has joined the staff at the award-winning AutoAnchor company helping Kay Madigan in a customer service, sales and marketing role.

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The number one team from Yachting Developments won the 2006 Marine Trades Challenge at Hobsonville last weekend. Fifteen teams contested the annual challenge before 400 spectators and the winning crew collected the trophies for Best Built Boat and Best Presented Boat as well as blitzing the others on the water. They will defend their title at the Sydney Boat Show later this year.

Most of the competitive action this weekend is on the lower rungs of the sailing ladder as most clubs take an Easter break. Activity includes: Today to Tuesday: Sunburst and 3.7 nationals (Mercury Bay SC); Optimist Nationals (Torbay SC). Today: Round the Islands (Devonport SC).

Organisations planning events on or in the Waitemata or Manukau should register in advance with the ARC on (09) 366 2000. Its 24-hour maritime unit response number is (09) 362 0397.