A small team who live by the water
Waikare Coastal Lettings is run by WAIKARE PROPERTIES LTD, a small coastal outfit that hires out ferries, kayaks and the equipment that goes with them. We started because the people who visit this stretch of coast kept asking the same question: where can we get a boat or a paddle without a long drive inland? We answered it ourselves.
Our yard sits close to the main landing stage, and most of what we do happens within a few miles of it. The ferry takes groups across to the outer islands or along the sheltered channel. The kayak fleet covers a quieter sort of day out, and the hire side supplies paddles, buoyancy aids, cool boxes and the small things people forget to pack.
We keep the fleet small on purpose. It means every boat and every kayak gets looked at before it goes out, and it means we know how each one handles in a chop. When something needs replacing, we replace it rather than patch it. The pontoons get the same treatment, which is why we spend part of every winter out on the boards with a drill in hand.
Most of our bookings come from people who found us by word of mouth, and we would like to keep it that way. So we keep the pricing plain, answer the phone ourselves and tell you honestly when the weather is against you. If a crossing will be rough or a paddle is beyond your group, we will say so and suggest another day.
We are on the coast all year, not just in summer. Out of season we run maintenance, take smaller charters and hire out kit to the schools and clubs that use the water through the winter. If you are planning something for next spring, now is a good time to ask us about it.