Moa class patrol boat

HMNZS Wakakura in Devonport
Class overview
Name:	Moa
Operators:	Royal New Zealand Navy
Succeeded by:	Protector-class IPV
In commission:	November 1983
Completed:	7
Active:	0
Retired:	7
General characteristics
Type:	Patrol boat
Displacement:	91.5 tons standard; 105 tons full load
Length:	27 metres (89 ft)
Beam:	6.1 metres (20 ft)
Draught:	2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in)
Propulsion:	Two Cummins diesels (710 hp) Twin shafts
Speed:	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Range:	1,000 nautical miles (1,900 km; 1,200 mi)
Complement:	18: 5 Officers: 3 Senior Rates: 10 Ratings
Sensors and processing systems:	Navigation Radar Racal Decca 916 I Band
Armament:	1 x 12.7mm MG
Aviation facilities:	None
Notes:	Four ships previously fitted with side scan sonar

The Moa-class patrol boat is a class of patrol boats built between 1978 and 1985 for the Royal New Zealand Navy by the Whangarei Engineering and Construction Company. They were based on an Australian boat design.

Vessels of the class

Altogether there were seven vessels in the class ^[1]

Name	Commissioned	Decommissioned
HMNZS Kahu (A04)	17 May 1988[2]	30 October 2009[2]
HMNZS Tarapunga		8 June 2000[3]
HMNZS Takapu		8 June 2000[3]
HMNZS Moa (P3553)	28 November 1983	23 January 2007
HMNZS Kiwi (P3554)	2 September 1984	11 December 2007[4][5]
HMNZS Wakakura (P3555)	26 March 1985	11 December 2007[4][5]
HMNZS Hinau (P3556)	4 October 1985	23 January 2007

The lead vessel, Kahu, was initially named HMNZS Manawanui from 28 May 1979 to 17 May 1988.^[2] She was modified so she would function as a diving tender. She remained in service attached to the Royal New Zealand Naval College as the basic seamanship and navigation training vessel.

The next two vessels, Tarapunga and Takapu, were modified with their superstructure accommodation increased so they could function as inshore survey vessels. These have been decommissioned.

The last four vessels functioned as inshore patrol vessels for the Naval Volunteer Reserve. From 1994 these were modified to conduct mine countermeasures route surveying using side-scan sonar. This was used on several occasions for search-and-rescue or transport investigations. In 2005, three vessels were relocated to Auckland to fill the training gap left by the decommissioning of HMNZS Canterbury. Kiwi relocated to Auckland during 2006. On relocating, the vessels had their side scan sonar removed.

With the introduction of the Project Protector ships, Moa, Kiwi, Wakakura and Hinau will be replaced by four Protector-class inshore patrol vessels during 2007 and 2008. Kahu remained in service for seamanship and Officer of the Watch training until 2009.

Despite being decommissioned, one of the class, as of 30 March 2008, remains tied up at Wellington's Queen's Wharf with all identifying features, such as the ship's badge and pennant number, painted out or removed.

HMNZS Kiwi in Devonport

References

1. ^ "RNZN - Inshore Patrol Craft". RNZN Official Website. Accessed April 17, 2006.
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Final farewell visits for "Little ship that could"". New Zealand Defence Force. 28 September 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-10-01. http://www.webcitation.org/5kBjzUm69. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Pryce, Michael (2000). "Nautical News: "Takapu" and "Tarapunga"". New Zealand Marine News 49 (2): 84. http://www.nzmaritimeindex.org.nz/izvessel.php?refid=4902016&name=&gsn=&db=&dm=&ds=&dh=&owner=&num=&sh=16&st=61&sd=&svv=&typ=&tid=0&tix=0&tot=2&wds=&pix=0&sourceid=4902001&ID=49020119&hit=2. 
4. ^ ^{a b} "Final flags fly for Navy vessels". The New Zealand Herald. 29 November 2007. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/royal-nz-navy/news/article.cfm?o_id=439&objectid=10478991. Retrieved 2009-10-01. 
5. ^ ^{a b} 'Final Act for Inshore Battleships, 'Wellington Dominion Post, 29 November 2007, p.A6