by rtuckert | May 16, 2019 | Media, Trust
Sweet Success for 3rd time lucky Kaitaia College This year marks the 10th anniversary for the Taitokerau Tallship Challenge. It’s a special milestone for this leadership voyage which is jointly sponsored by Northpower and Top Energy. Weather played an important part...
by rtuckert | Dec 3, 2018 | Media, Trust, Youth
We are delighted to welcome Tiaho Morgan Edwards on board our good ship! Tiaho is our second cadet who joins us for a 12 month period to learn the ropes and end up at the end of his year with a qualification which will enable him to get a job in the Maritime Industry....
by rtuckert | Aug 3, 2018 | Media, Tucker Trainees
The R. Tucker Thompson has presented this year‘s Tucker Lewis award to Tiahorangi Morgan Edmonds, a 16 year old Bream Bay College student. The Tucker Lewis award is presented by the Trust to individuals who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the Trust in terms...
by rtuckert | May 23, 2018 | Media, Tai Tokerau Challenge, Youth
Taipa Area School has been crowned winner of the 2018 'Te Tai Tokerau Tall Ship Challenge'. Kristy Buchanan and Prairie Herk teamed up to take out the title and say the voyage has left them with memories that will live with them forever. It is a case of fourth time...
by rtuckert | Mar 21, 2017 | Media, Miscellaneous, Special Interest, Trust
It's not every year that a ship wins the sailor of the year, but then the R. Tucker Thompson is no ordinary ship! In March the Trust and Trustees were awarded the Northland Regional Council's Sailor of the Year award by Council Chair Bill Shepherd. Accepting it on...
by rtuckert | Mar 21, 2017 | Environment, Media, Miscellaneous
The R. Tucker Thompson has been assessed by Qualmark under the new, more stringent criteria and has been awarded Qualmark Gold for their organisation. Since being wholly owned by Tourism New Zealand, the Qualmark criteria have undergone a major overhaul. Previously...
by rtuckert | Feb 10, 2016 | Media, Special Interest
Two iconic Northland organisations offer one unique experience! At the end of April 2016, Northland's tall ship the R. Tucker Thompson partnered with Project Island Song to offer a two day, one night eco-sailing experience in the beautiful Bay of Islands. We will...
by rtuckert | Dec 2, 2014 | Media
Former New Zealander of the year and eminent scholar Dame Anne Salmond has been appointed as Patron of the R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust. Dame Anne, whose research and teaching draw inspiration and insights from engagement between the differing ‘worlds’ of...
Executive Trustee
If you have secured your funding, please download the full application form
We work hard to get funding assistance to help young people to take part in our youth development voyages and encourage sponsorship for students. We are able to offer a payment plan with weekly or fortnightly payments of as little as $20. We also recommend you contact your nearest Lions Club, Rotary Club or Freemasons in your local community. The Fletcher Building Employee Educational Fund also offers their employees’ dependants funding for voyages (please apply direct). Thanks to the generous support of donations received, business sponsors, community groups such as Lions, Zonta and funding organisations such as Lotteries and Gaming Trusts we also have grants available and are able to reduce the cost of the voyages from $1,450 per child to between $200-$500 and in some instances at no fee, although a koha is expected.
If you wish to apply for a grant or sponsorship from the R. Tucker Thompson, please download the Grant Application form.
PDF form also available here
Youth Coordinator
Pauline job shares the youth programmes role with Sophie, responsible for liaising with schools and community groups explaining how our youth development voyages help students to make positive changes in their lives. She’s had wide and varied career in a number of roles but is above all an educator. She has taught Outdoor Education, Tourism and been Project Island Song’s Educator on their Floating Classroom. She’s also worked with the Department of Conservation in a number of community liaison roles as well as run her own adventure kayaking business. Pauline is also a very experienced sailor having spent three years sailing from Borneo to the Caribbean via Cape of Good Hope on board the junk rigged yacht, Zebedee.
Cadet
Zeran is a keen young sailor whose background in sailing started through his experiences of Waka Hourua (a traditional Polynesian sailing catamaran). Zeran has also been aboard the “Tucker” for two youth voyages and is currently undertaking the role of cadet where he will complete his training to acquire his STCW certificate.
Zeran is a driven young Māori tāne who is passionate about learning tikanga and kaupapa Māori as well as embracing the ways of his tūpuna ancestors.
Bosun/Senior Master
Ben came to us from across the ditch (Australia). He arrived in New Zealand with his young family to buy a cruising yacht with the goal to experience the world with his wife and 2 daughters. Now with borders closed, he is happily living aboard here and spending time with his NZ family.
Ben has 25 years of tall ship experience, having sailed across 3 oceans and to many countries on square riggers. He sailed on 6 square riggers and was master on 2 and mate on the others. He also worked on 3 gaff tops’l schooners and sailed around the SW Pacific and coastal NZ and Australia on a gaff tops’l cutter that he and his wife owned. We welcome his experience that many thousands of sea miles on similar ships gains.
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Trustee
Chair
Relief Deckhand
Relief Deckhand
Relief Master
Cadet
Deckhand
Jess hails from Canada, a French Canadian fluent in both French and English. She owns a sea kayak company in the Yukon Territory, Canada, and has guided groups on overnight wilderness experiences making sure that they were operated in a safe environment. In addition, she has formal qualifications in Special Education and has a background of working with young people including teenagers with behavioural disorders. Jessica has also spent time sailing in the Carribean. She brings her positive nature and cheerful enthusiasm to every voyage to ensure that all our trainees have an amazing experiences on board.
Master
Deckhand
Sales & Operations Manager
Youth Coordinator
Deckhand
As a child, Chynna was very adventurous – she spent many days at the beach. She was very in tune with the ocean and grew up doing surf lifesaving club, adventure racing, and many other sports. She even had Moko the dolphin as a swimming companion for many years. He was a huge influence on her career path. In 2014, Chynna took an 8-week trip to Australia, volunteering at the dolphin centre in Bunbury Perth. In 2016 she completed a Marine and Eco-tourism course through Northtec, Kerikeri – this course taught her a lot, including how to sail.
In February 2017, she became one of the core crew aboard the R Tucker Thompson. With the knowledge she has accumulated and her training on the R Tucker Thompson, she and her fiancé have recently purchased a 33 foot yacht in the hopes of one day sailing it offshore.