Small boat, big goals.
Ihaka credits his dad, an ex-mussel farmer, for teaching him everything about the ocean - reading the water, handling a boat, and understanding the weather. Together, they've enjoyed successful fishing trips, often reeling in kingfish and snapper.
Their last two boats are named after women in his family, and Ihaka decided to continue the tradition. He named his 1450 Frontier 'George', after his fiancée Georgia, given that she is the woman who allowed him to buy the Stabicraft boat.
Launching 'George' from the Te Kouma Sugarloaf ramp, the father-son duo steer toward a group of islands off the west coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. Ihaka, with his familiarity with the area's currents, recalls a similar venture on the lead-up to Christmas Day when, in pursuit of a kingfish, he ventured to the very location they revisit today, successfully hooking a prized kingfish from the four that had circled their fishing boat.
Recently attending the Hutchwilco Boat Show, Ihaka originally intended to purchase the Stabicraft 2100 Supercab. Unable to make his mind up, one of Kev & Ian's team suggested the 1450 Frontier while he thought about it. Ticking his boxes, he loves the spaciousness and the fact that he can launch the 1450 for a fishing adventure alone.
"It just feels like a bigger boat, and at the same time, I can easily jump in the truck, hook it on and go out for a day's fishing by myself, easily." - Ihaka Steel.
Ihaka's goals with 'George' are nothing short of ambitious. He's set his sights on landing a massive 20-pound snapper, spearfishing for kingfish weighing over 30 kilos, exploring Great Barrier Island, and a wild overnight trip out on the water. Ihaka is about chasing epic adventures and creating lasting memories on the ocean with 'George' by his side.