Michael Burton’s Hoverwing business is closing.
A budding tourism venture is closing after operating for about 4 months.
Hoverwing, owned, operated and assembled by Michael Burton, was based at Lake Rotoiti.
The hovercraft Hoverwing could travel at more than 100km/h, flying 30cm off the surface of the water using a phenomenon called "ground effect".
It was the world's only flying hovercraft ride, he said.
Bad weather, damage to the machine and delays of materials has made Mr Burton shut up shop.
"The thing is, I've got so many bad days [where it is too windy] so I can't go out.
"Just because of the nature of the weather you can't go out if it's too dangerous."
The uncertainty of wind levels made it difficult to advertise, he said.
"The thing is being able to advertise and to have consistency; it's like a dairy that may be open on a Friday.
"You plan on how many days you can open and when that shrinks even further it's a real pain," Mr Burton said.
"It is mainly bad weather, and we were always in two minds about Rotorua, Taupo is always heaving on the Lakefront, whereas there is not much happening down at Lake Rotoiti."
Mr Burton said the machine had been damaged from someone climbing on it for a photo.
"It has been dented and smashed in, so it has spent two or three weeks out of the water now and we are still waiting for the new fibre glass bits to come along.
"It goes from passengers saying it is fantastic and superb to zero - breakages, maintenance bad weather. It's just crazy," he said.
The one-of-a-kind venture had piqued people's interests.
"A motoring magazine rang up and wanted me to place an ad.
"I'm not scared of trying stuff, and to get the first commercial hovercraft in the world has been great - it's something to put in the memoirs for the grandchildren," Mr Burton said.
A disregard for authority could be why those attending court are thumbing their noses.