BlownAway Blokart Auckland
Well, they’re not windsurfers; they’re blokarters. And their numbers are growing like crazy in New Zealand.
That’s because the blokart is a Kiwi invention; an innovation created by Paul Becket in Papamoa.
And it’s about to hit the city in a big way, thanks to a new company, BlownAway Blokart Auckland, which is now hiring out the karts at the Bruce Pulman Park in Takanini, Papakura.
Todd Hume, from BlownAway Blokart Auckland, says this means that two complications often experienced by beginners using blokarts at the beach—wind direction and tide—are eliminated.
“It also means that aspiring karters can roll up at Bruce Pulman Park and hire our karts for 20-minute, $20 sessions, rather than splash out the $4000-odd the karts sell for,” says Todd.
“The variety of surfaces in the park gives other advantages, too” he continues.
“For example, there is a large car park that we can use. Getting the karts rolling in light winds is a breeze here, thanks to the low friction of the surface.
“There is also a one kilometre stretch of roading, gravel, and of course plenty of grass—which, when wet, allows for spectacular power slides as blokarters cross from another surface onto it.”
And, as the Bruce Pulman is a new park, the trees are small and therefore harder to get tangled up in. Always a bonus.
BlownAway Blokart Auckland can be found at the park most Sundays and some Saturday afternoons (the hire karts should be clearly visible near the main entrance).
All safety gear is supplied, including helmets and gloves. BlownAway Blokart Auckland can also arrange blokart hire on beaches, and is an official blokart sales dealer.
It’s a very easy sport to get into compared to its bigger brother, land-yachting—which, says Todd, is mainly down to the fact that blokarts are steered by hand, not foot.
It’s also safer; typical speeds sit at 35-40km, though this feels very fast inches from the ground.
Finally, it’s fun—all of which has led, says Todd, to the explosion of the “blokart grin”.