Northland marina manager receives prestigious global award

Dylan Lease feels privileged to manage the Tutukaka Marina after working his way to the top. Photo / Tania Whyte.

A Northland marina manager has won a prestigious global award joining only 27 other recipients in the world - a far cry from his humble beginnings in the marine industry cleaning toilets.

Tutukaka marina manager Dylan Lease has been recognised by the Marina Industries Association (MIA) with Certified Marina Professional (CMP) status. CMP is an internationally-recognised accolade for those who achieve high standards in marina operations.

The former US resident, with a tourism background, arrived in New Zealand in the early 2000s settling into Tutukaka and starting adventure tourism and kayaking businesses. It was during an off-season and wanting to break into the marine industry that he took up the offer of cleaning the marina ablution block.

"You always look up," he said, of keeping the end goal in sight.

"I was just learning and had terrific mentors around the coast who were so knowledgeable about boating. It's in the Kiwi blood."

During the summer months, Lease began walkabouts, conducting power checks and assisting with vessel tie-ups.

From there, the management trust gave him an opportunity to work full-time in a dock services role where he became a proficient splicer, maintaining the lines for the 254 berths.

Lease continued upskilling by sitting his VHF certificate, enabling him to liaise with Coastguard, while running the office on busy summer weekends.

The now manager was behind installing Northland's first and the country's second Seabin in 2018, working alongside local students, and later winning the Environmental Initiative of the Year Award. The Seabin's role is to improve water quality by filtering waste.

Around the same time, he embarked on the 18-month Advanced Marina Management course in order to realise ideas for facility and systems improvement and to bring new skills to his operation.

Projects Lease has completed alongside the trust and staff include new and increased volume-sized marina fuel system/tanks, extra water sources and piping to accommodate growing water needs, a new recycling/rubbish compound, improved infrastructure, updated administration systems and website, a tsunami plan in conjunction with Civil Defence, an expanding relationship with NZ Sailing which includes a plan for their use of the Tutukaka Marine facilities as a training ground and developing a robust health and safety programme.

"We get amazing feedback. People love coming here - it's a destination, and the locals love it and we're enhancing it as best we can. We've done a lot of improvements here and we've got a bunch of beautification projects in the pipeline," he said.

Lease said, despite Covid, the marine industry is surging.

"There's incredible interest, I would say, because Kiwis can't fly anywhere. There's more demand for berths and even more interest for recreational boating."

Lease was presented with the award at the annual Marina Operators Association conference last month, joining five other recipients in the country. He was humbled by the award and was supported in his journey to upskill by colleagues and the trustees at Tutukaka Marina.

"Along with my colleague, Roger Stephenson and the trust, we work together as a team. I'm really grateful and it's an honour and a privilege to manage here. It's such a hub. Tutukaka Coast is so special, it's an amazing place in the community. I'm passionate about the marine industry and the Tutukaka Coast. After the crazy year we've had, we're totally looking forward to a really positive summer."

From his managerial position, Lease is a firm believer in knowing your business and facility "top to bottom" and affirms that he is still ready to unblock toilets at a moment's notice.

"You can't forget your roots. We only have 2.5 employees so we get things done ourselves. It's pretty full-on."