Aluminium Boat Building, Hand-Welded in Papamoa Beach
Flyfin’s approach to aluminium boat building starts in our workshop at Papamoa Beach, New Zealand. Around 90% of every boat, from design and CNC cutting to welding and fit-out, happens in-house under one roof, by the same team that will hand it over to you. Only paint and upholstery leave the building.
Design-Led Engineering
Every Flyfin starts as a precise CAD file, then is cut and hand-welded in our own workshop. Each piece is designed to fit its neighbour exactly, like pieces of a puzzle locking into place, with no reshaping or forcing to make a join work. Nick Fenton, Flyfin's founder and designer, is still refining the performance and design of every boat in the range.
- Manufacturing process
Our Aluminium Boat Building Process
Many aluminium boats are built by folding sheet into shape and welding along the seams. Flyfin boats are designed differently. Every panel is drawn in CAD and cut to its exact shape, so each piece meets the next precisely. The result is a hull that’s straighter and stronger, and consistent from one boat to the next.
Design & Configure
Every build starts with a conversation about where and how you'll use the boat. The layout, fit-out and options are then configured around that, whether it's family days on the water or serious offshore fishing.
Cut & Form
Each panel is cut on our own CNC router to the exact shape the design calls for, ready to be welded together.
Weld & Build
The hull is hand-welded panel by panel, with every weld exactly where it was designed to sit.
Fit & Finish
The boat is faired and fitted out under our own roof. Only paint and upholstery leave the building, before the boat returns for final assembly and handover.
The Team behind FlyFin
Our Story
Nick Fenton has been building boats since he was a kid on the lagoon at Whitianga. He trained in composite boat building and marine design, spent years managing superyacht builds, and started Flyfin in 2015 with one simple belief: practical, strong aluminium boats don’t need to be ugly. Today a passionate team works alongside him in Papamoa Beach.
- powered by the Tectrax system
Amphibious Technology
An amphibious boat drives itself out of the water. No ramp, no trailer reversing, no towing vehicle waiting at the top of the ramp.
Flyfin’s Amphibious range runs on the Tectrax T3000 and T4000 Gen2 wheel systems, engineered into the hull from the first design., an electric wheel-drive system engineered into the hull from the first design. At the push of a button, the wheels deploy and drive you straight up the beach or shoreline, giving you access to water most boats simply can’t reach.
Three Ranges, One Standard
The right boat depends on how you use the water. Launch straight from the beach, head offshore in any weather, or keep it simple with a boat that’s easy to tow and fun for the whole family. Flyfin’s Amphibious, Hardtop and Sport Open ranges cover it all, from 4.9m to 8.6m, and each one is built the same way, in the same workshop.
Amphibious
The Amphibious range launches from any beach or shoreline. No ramp required. Simple to operate, built to last, powered by Tectrax electrical wheel-system.
Hardtop
All-weather confidence for family trips and serious offshore fishing alike. Stable in chop, dry at speed and finished to match the way it performs.
Sport Open
Easy to tow, easy to launch, easy to love. The Sport Open range is built for the family that wants one boat for everything and values convenience.