Customers enjoy collaboration with the team in the workshop during the building of their boats.
Experience
The Jet Boat Base – owned and operated by Bruce Norris – saw its humble beginnings in 1998 in a small shed in Hornby.
Today its busy workshop is located at Chaneys Corner in Belfast, Christchurch, close to the Waimakariri River.
The workshop’s 9 highly skilled staff include 7 tradesmen who all operate their own jet boats and share your passion for recreational jet boating.
Jet Boat Base has over 20 years of servicing the industry in New Zealand.
Jet Boat Base customers value a lifestyle beyond the ordinary. They talk of exploring beautiful places, accessing unknown territory, family adventures, and the camaraderie of thrill seeking friends.
The Jet Boat Base saw its humble beginnings in a small shed on a site in Yukon Pl, Hornby. The first few years were focused on jet boat maintenance and engine building.
The first expansion began with the building of a 4-bay workshop on the same site in Hornby.
The Jet Boat Base teamed up with Ralph Adams of Rapid Runner, and we began the sale and fit out of this iconic hull design.
The Jet Boat Base took on the first employee, who stayed with us for 14 years.
Rapid Runner boats were beginning to find a niche in the market, and we took on another workshop technician who remains with us to this day.
With the desire to be closer to the Waimakariri River, we began to look for properties nearby and settled in Unit 3 — the back unit of 1055 Main North Rd, Belfast.
The Rapid Runner 460 Wide body model was added to the range.
Further collaboration with Ralph Adams saw the development of the Coast Craft 560 Pontoon Jet Boat which remains a superb craft for coastal adventures.
This year saw the need for more room in the workshop and the opportunity arose to take over Unit 2 next door, providing the opportunity to add some retail space as well.
Challenging times arose after the Canterbury earthquakes and the Jet Boat Base diversified into fabrication and general engineering to add to the existing base of work.
The smaller Rapid Runner 420 model was added to the range.
Another apprenticeship was taken up by a staff member who was to go on to be awarded 4th place in the New Zealand Apprentice of the Year 2018.
The Jet Boat Base took on the hull building of Rapid Runner and Coast Craft boats in its entirety. A specialty fabricator and boat builder joined the team.
To complete the plan, the opportunity arose to take over the remaining unit at 1055 Main North Rd and this coincided with our most recent new staff member and the celebration of 20 years in business.
The Jet Boat Base looks to continue building on the strength of product and skill in the years to come.
