A call for common sense is being made by Whangamata harbour master Steve Wise after a large launch was forced aground near the Whangamata boat ramp on Friday night.

'It was just one of those things, he was going out of the harbour and the tide was flying out and the wind was blowing,” says Steve.

The boat aground. Photo: Lianne Thomas

'He actually tried to wait for a fizz boat and some of these boats don't get out of the way and actually the fizz boat should have got out of the way and he (the launch skipper) should have kept going. But he tried to wait, and the wind caught him and the tide caught him, and he ended up over on the boat ramp.

'He tried to get out backwards but there was a fizz boat behind him as well, so he was a bit buggered actually.”

The near 60ft 25 tonne Riviera was refloated on the high tide. The Riviera 58 and 60 flybridge models are being advertised for sale second hand at prices around $A1.1 million.

Larger boats have to keep up their speed to maintain steerage in the tight channel, and the best approach for smaller craft is to give them plenty of room, says Steve.

'These smaller boats need to realise to get out of the way when these bigger boats are coming down the channel because it's quite narrow that channel.

'Mostly it doesn't matter but when a boat like that about 60ft is going down the channel and its going a little bit sideways with the wind and the tide, you know there's not much room. 'In fact the smaller boats need to realise they can either wait for them to come out or whichever way they are going. They just need to realise, get out of the way.

'I've got a 5.5m Stabicraft harbour boat and I go on the other side of the poles. There's plenty of water there and it just gives these big boats plenty of room. It's just a bit of common sense, and just keep out of the way of the big boats. They shouldn't really be stopping coming down there, well they can't stop. They need to keep going so they can handle that tide.”

The owner is lucky it grounded on the sand, only metres away from rocks, says Steve.

The boat righted itself and was hauled off at high tide before an appreciative audience. The coast guard boat rafted up to it and ferried it back to the marina, where the travel lift lifted it onto the hard.

'The propellors are a bit munted, one fin was bent over on it.”